1969 Otis Chandler's orange Z/28 Crossram/JL8

[black69]

In the odd world we live in, something happened a month or so back.

A guy I have known for over 30 years was helping me on a small deck for my pool. He told me back then he had a 69 camaro. Then I got a 69 L78 and he thought that was cool, but we never drilled down on options the car he had. Then in the past year I got a 68Z from a neighbor, and that is when he told me what really his old car was, once I entered the z/28 realm in his mind.

His 69Z was orange, black top, black interior, black stripes, crossram, special super scoop fiberglass hood with hood pins, special 4 wheel disc brakes.

I was like wtf, why did'nt you ever tell me about that, how many times have we known each other, and all the fence work and projects I have had done with you? He said, back then he did not know any of that was rare. he said he has so many pictures of it at his house, and his sisters (since his mom has passed).

With those details, and asking some folks here in Chicago area, it is 99% certain, a car owned by Ed cunneen of the copo connection, and ended up in Otis Chandler's hands as part of his Vintage muscle car collection, and I believe got sold at Mecum.

Can't wait to get pictures of it from 1978/79, he said he will drop them off once he gets some time, construction is hot right now for him. He said it was the most beautiful car, people would try to give him thousands more than what he paid for it right after he got it from a corvette dealer. His dad made him take the cross ram off as soon as he got it home as he said that is just too much gas going down the drain. We were both the same age then, 18/19.

Small weird world I thought to myself. To me, that car is like THE bench mark of a 69 Z28. And it was right in my back yard at one time and I know a guy that can share stories with me of how it was enjoyed/street raced vs just stared at in a museum.

He does NOT want to know what its worth, or where it is, cant blame him 100%, would never tell him. I think he had to sell it as a kid was on its way. A story of so many cars that got sold.

Will post the vintage pictures of the rarest coolest Z/28 in my mind when I get them.

[carnut4life]

Here's an article about the car from a book on Otis Chandler's collection. Sorry about the crappy quality, my phone makes it super difficult to get decent pics when there are larger pics and text on the same page.

[Steve Shauger]

A friend of mine has owned the car for 7 + years. There were two JL8 Z28's delivered to Case Cole Cheverolet in Bradford, Pa (home of zipo lighters). I owned the garnet red car which I purchased in 2001.

The story goes, the orange car was ordered first, but the red car was delivered before the orange car. The person who ordered orange car asked/ requested a swap and purchased the red car. The dealership added a vinyl top to finalize the deal. The purchaser of the orange car was Eliseo IIRC.

[black69]

thanks for posting all the pictures and info!

Also, how this PA ordered car ended up in the same Illinois town as Ken Barnhart"s orange 69 ZL1 is pretty cool of all things, would not doubt he even saw the car back in the day rolling around.

[Bill Pritchard]

Originally Posted by black69

how this PA ordered car ended up in the same Illinois town as Ken Barnhart"s orange 69 ZL1 is pretty cool of all things, would not doubt he even saw the car back in the day rolling around.

Might have even gone into Ken's gas station to fuel up! Great story, thanks for sharing.

[Steve Shauger]

Here are a few present day pics

[Zoomin69]

Attached are two photos of the Hugger Orange Z/28 after I finished the restoration in 1981. The car did not have a crossram setup when I purchased it or a GM fiberglass hood. I acquired these items during the restoration. Ray and I drove out to Oklahoma to buy the glass hood and brought it home on the roof of my wife's 1973 Challenger!

I actually have a video of the car drag racing around 1970 that I received from the original owner, Eliseo Lucarelli. He moved to Addison, IL and sold the car to Ken Mc Loughlin at sun ray Corvette. I purchased it from a subsequent owner on January 12, 1980.

[69M22Z]

Awesome!!