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View Full Version : The story of my torched '69 pro touring Camaro



Sniz
11-02-2006, 05:57 PM
Hey all,
New to the forum here, one of the original cars to be put on this website though. I had an absolutely beautiful '69 Camaro SS that I modded to the pro touring theme before I knew there was a pro touring theme really. I found this car in a local paper when I was in High School and convinced my dad that we HAD to have this beauty. It turns out that was the beginning of my sales career, now currently part of a successful Maryland real estate team.
So we got the car in basically original shape for a great price of $6,500 in 1997. Car was very clean, good body, good paint, basic fresh 350, and 3 speed auto. From there we took the car a whole new direction had my local car guru fabricate a mounting system for a T56 out of a local track racers camaro (was modded for heavy hp). I didnt know at the time it was being done by anyone else so we had to do all our own fab and parts. The car kept evolving into a road machine w/ Holley Digital FI, custom made springs on all 4 corners, sways, upgraded discs, new heads, intake, rockers, cam, headers, full stainless exhaust, new corbeau racing seats w/ harnesses, subframe connector, gauges, new carpet, all new exterior chrome, etc. By 2000 she was damned near perfect!

In 2001 My parents garage was struck by lightning and we lost my beloved Camaro. This really was a labor of love me and my father. WE still get tears in our eyes when we talk about it. I cant imagine a better bonding experience for a college kid and his father.

So now its 2006, I've lost another high hp car to an accident and i'm finally ready to get back into the pro touring scene. I havent posted on here because honestly its just been too hard for me.

I'm looking for a good shell to start with, I have big plans for whatever I pick up, but its going to be another 6spd., high hp N/A or turbo smallblock car. I'm into clean, not flashy cars that just get up an move. If anyone knows of a good, clean '69 Camaro let me know. I'd like to put my own engine, tranny, suspension, etc. into it so I can feel like its mine again. I really want to get back into this before my father simply gets too old to enjoy it. He's in his late 60's now and has had some health complications.

My other choice is a new Z06 vette...........I'd like to make a modern version of the '69 similar to the Z06.....Just more HP. 650hp+ NA would be ideal for me.

Sorry for the long story, here are a few pics of my old camaro, I have many more and will share as I can. Photos of the car after the fire are below.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif


https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif


The sad photos, I lost 2 cars in this fire, my mother 1.

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WS6
11-02-2006, 06:12 PM
welcome and sorry to hear about the car. luckily you've come to the right place to decide how to build the next one to be even better.

Sniz
11-02-2006, 06:21 PM
I know its the right place!! If I remember correctly I was actually invited to this website when it first started. I think one of the originators found my website which was dedicated to my car. That site has since gone away though. Pro-touring has defenitely grown!!

Mr.VENGEANCE
11-02-2006, 06:26 PM
oh F&@(#&(@#$K?!

69rs
11-02-2006, 07:31 PM
:barf: Dang, that sucks! Sorry to hear about your loss. Good luck on the new project and welcome back!

Vegas69
11-02-2006, 08:23 PM
I feel your pain man. I spent every nickel and spare moment from the time I was 18 until about 20 restoring a 68 camaro. New paint,suspension,engine,tranny, brakes, etc. Had 2000 miles on the car and it got stolen and never was returned. I am now building a 69 pro touring car. Cant wait to get back in the seat of a muscle car!

ProTouring442
11-03-2006, 03:30 AM
Sorry to hear about your car... that sucks! Does make me think though. Guys, make sure you insure them WHILE you are building them! I read a story once about a '57 Chevy convertible, nearly done, and a fire took it out. No insurance, no new parts to rebuild. The insurance on a car you can't drive is cheap, and it will more than pay for itself in case of fire, theft, or other loss!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "inamorata"
www.FQuick.com/ProTouring442 (http://www.FQuick.com/ProTouring442)

JEFFTATE
11-03-2006, 05:55 AM
Sorry to here about your car SNIZ.
Welcome to the site !
David at Road Killer Kustoms has a couple of '69 Camaro bodies.
Contact him. They are completely stripped and in the process of having new sheetmetal installed on them.
www.roadkillerkustoms.com

Sniz
11-03-2006, 06:23 AM
Sorry to here about your car SNIZ.
Welcome to the site !
David at Road Killer Kustoms has a couple of '69 Camaro bodies.
Contact him. They are completely stripped and in the process of having new sheetmetal installed on them.
www.roadkillerkustoms.com (http://www.roadkillerkustoms.com)

Hey thanks for the tip, I contacted them so I'll let you know if anything turns up there.

trapin
11-03-2006, 06:51 AM
Welcome back Sniz. Those pictures are sickening....I would have disappeared from this website for a while too. But you just have to pick up the peices and press on. It just means the next car will be even better.

Great to have you back.

6'9"Witha69
11-03-2006, 09:02 AM
Sorry to hear about that. AND LIGHTNING caused it? Holy crap!! Glad to see you back and ready to do it better again!!

Ralph LoGrasso
11-03-2006, 02:44 PM
Welcome back to the site, sorry to hear about your car, that is a terrible story. Good luck with the new project.

Leadfoot1
11-03-2006, 07:47 PM
Pheew!

Definetely hard to take. I feel your pain.(pic# 2 is really sad but at the same time, very well taken.)

I just can't imagine coming home and facing this with my ride.

Great to see you ready for some action!

Keep us posted on the finds and welcome back!

Lead.

Madspeed
11-04-2006, 12:08 AM
Dam that Sux...

try this guy http://www.musclecarmetal.com/home.asp
It was posted in another thread

good luck on you new ride

David Sloan
11-04-2006, 05:34 AM
Man that just takes my breath away! I have loved these cars for so long now,
I kept draging in the ones that people were going to send to the cusher years ago hoping to save them from deaf.
If there is anything we can do please let us know.
Hope all goes well with your next project. And Welcome back!!!

Yelcamino
11-04-2006, 06:03 AM
Those last few pictures are heartbreaking! I guess on the bright side (if there is a bright side), with your new project you'll be able to change the few things you weren't totally happy with on the original. Welcome back and good luck with the new ride!

Sniz
11-04-2006, 10:47 AM
Thank you for all the kind words!! I really am looking forward to a new project, time and money are the limiting factor for now, as always.

Now that I've started to look around again it really does seem the value of these cars has shot up. The car that I bought for $7,500 would now easily pull 25k. Oh well.......just going to have to make a few other sacrifices.

Looking at these photos again really makes me appreciate what I had. I really was lucky.

Here are a few other pics of the old girl.

Kept her well polished, girlfriend thought I was in love w/ the car more than her. :worship:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

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StuckInBaghdad
11-04-2006, 10:57 AM
Man it hurts looking at those pics!

Sniz
11-04-2006, 11:51 AM
Last of the pics i'm going to post on this fire.

This WAS 17x10 American Racing TQII wheel. Seen here in beautiful molten aluminum. That was one hot fire.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

My truck. It was a lifted (4") K1500 w/ modded 350 w/ Mickey Thompson wheels on 35" BFG's. custom front end and sound system. Very nice truck. Truck was parked outside the garage but got toasted anyway.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Shell of moms Volvo. It was parked outside the garage as well.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Sniz
05-18-2008, 06:33 AM
thought I would revive this very old thread w/ an update. I'm still searching for the right '69 shell to restart my Gen I camaro love affair with. For now, I have modded an '07 BMW 335i to meet my needs. Full coilover suspension, twin turbo w/ all supporting mods (intercooler, intake, catless downpipes, custom tune) Car is making 390whp and 420wtq on pump gas.

Here is a pic of the 335.....if anyone runs across a good shell for a 69 please let me know!

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/05/Afterdetail4-1.jpg

Lessk
05-18-2008, 06:04 PM
Thats a sexy car man! The camaro was beautiful also. I hope you find one soon to resurect the dream you and your father had.

If you keep it you'll always have those memories to look back on.

Once again, that bmw is hot!

Good luck!

tones2SS
05-19-2008, 03:06 PM
WOW!!! SOrry about the Camaros/truck and your mom's car!!!
That BMW is hot though. GOOD LUCK!!!:6gears:

CRCRFT78
05-20-2008, 12:51 PM
Out of curiousity, did you send the Camaro off to the car gods? I think I would have kept it if it was mine.

dipren443
05-20-2008, 05:30 PM
Wow... I always wondered what happened to your car. I remember downloading videos of your car what seems like years ago... I was working on a 69 as well at the time and was planning similar mods (T56 and the like).

I am sorry for your loss. You will just have to build the next one meaner and badder...