Re: '69 L-89 Convertible Camaro
 

Logically, it should never happen, but of course it does. Logic doesn't play a part in it. Fanatical preservation sometimes comes into play, but usually its just an ignored or forgotten car that was lucky enough to find a safe and dry place to spend the years.

69RSSS350, being a fellow buyer/seller/evaluator of these things, you should know these things are out there. Your cynicism is understood, but you oughta give the principals on this page some credit-they're always on the lookout for "fakes" and are not easily duped. They know that a "time capsule" car isn't going to look like a fresh car or even a new car-its going to look like an untouched car thats been SITTING FOR 30 YEARS, with all the subtle visual clues that will create. (My friend's 1600 mile Hemi Satellite has that "look".)

I've seen several ultra low mile cars, and most have the same type of history. The original owner, for whatever reason, never drives the car, but keeps it safe for 10 or 15 years. Just long enough to make the car interesting to an enthusiast or collector who then picks it up and continues preserving it. Many of the cars don't get that second owner, but instead get given to a nephew or sold to a neighbor, who then proceed to drive and/or abuse it into the ranks of all the other old cars out there.

But some make it, and serve as reference material for all of us geeks, and keep us humble about what's correct, and whats right. (I like the story about the guy with the 900 mile '41 Lincoln Continental, who sits off to the side at car shows and listens to all the people comment on what a crappy restoration his car has obviously received.)

I think there's probably 500-1000 cars out there, pre-1970, with under 1000 miles. I would love to hear more about this 300 mile Z28, we deserve more than a tease here....

Re: '69 L-89 Convertible Camaro
 

There is a 67 L88 Corvette with 12 miles on it. Was bought to race but the guy never completed the project.

Re: '69 L-89 Convertible Camaro
 

Ever hear of the 12 mile 67' L88 Corvette. Bought to be converted to a drag car and never completed. The engine was pulled early on and has been replaced with a crate L88.

Re: '69 L-89 Convertible Camaro
 

Looks like we had the same thought at the same time. John Gardner had the 495 mile LS6 Corvette that I judged at the 1992 NCRS event in Grass Valley, CA. There were two cars to be judged and a shortage of judges so I was able to judge the entire car instead of one of the areas.

Re: '69 L-89 Convertible Camaro
 

I can understand an extremely low mile Corvette or Viper or something of the same ilk. 69 Z28's were not collector cars in 69. 67's maybe and I'm not saying it is impossible but highly unlikely. Got any idea how easy it is to disconnect a speedo or spin these cars? Any idea how common it was to spin odos 20 years ago? I'll bet that over 60-65% of cars sold 20 years ago had been spun. I know older guys that would take 20K car and spin it to 12K just for another 50 or 100 dollars.

Re: '69 L-89 Convertible Camaro
 

You gotta remember, though, these weren't considered collector cars back then...they were just your ordinary transportation. Some would just get you there faster!

It's a LOT different these days. People will buy up anything they think might be a collector's item. Need I mention the whole '78 Pace Car fiasco? Heck, right here in our podunk Missouri town is a '78 Pacer with like 5k miles or something. Does that make it valuble? Not hardly...it's still a '78 Corvette, and everyone and their brother parked 'em thinking they'd go through the roof. I think a lot of '02 F-bodies will see a similar fate.

Re: '69 L-89 Convertible Camaro
 

Hindsight is a funny thing. Hundreds of Chevy dealers seemed to have put away a new Corvair back in '68 or '69, thinking it would be a big collectible someday, but few thought to put away a Camaro or Chevelle.

Again, I don't think logic (or "future collectibility") is what preserved most of these cars. Last year we sold a '77 Olds Cutlass with 13,900 original miles. The family that bought it new wasn't out of the ordinary, or even hard core car people. They just bought a nice new car, but still drove their old one to minimize wear and tear on the new one. Pretty soon 10 years have past, they buy another new car, but keep the Olds because it doesn't have much trade in value. Then its 25 years old, and they don't really know why they've kept it that long, but its still like new.

We sold it to a guy who had worn out his beloved '76 Cutlass, and couldn't believe he had a chance to buy another new one. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Re: '69 L-89 Convertible Camaro
 

Iseen the same thing this past week-end. A guy had a 1973 olds cutlass with 2300 miles! It was a new car. Ice blue with blue interior, and a 455 in it. Price was 20k. Seemed a bit high, but it is a new car.