(Xplants Bro) Gary's 67 L35 Camaro

[Belair62]

This is Bruce's (Xplantdad) brother Gary's ride !!! Love all the old pics...

In the fall of 1977, as a 21 year old, two events happened in my life. First, I was selected to be on a game show-Match Game PM. I played well, and won $11,000.00 in one show. (Big bucks back then! As a point of reference, in January 1977 I had ordered a new Trans AM at a cost of only $7,300). The Trans Am was paid off when I bought it, so, I wanted a muscle car to play with. I had set out to find a GTO, but my brother Bruce told me about a Camaro that was sitting on the street next to my Dad’s house in Yorba Linda, CA. The most interesting part of his story was that it had the 396 “flags” like on a Chevelle. I asked him if the car had wing vents, and he said that it did. I told him that the wing vents made it a 1967, and that I didn’t think that a 396 was available until the 1968 model year.

I was wrong of course, as the big block cars became available mid-model year 1967.So I went to take a look, and true enough, a RS-SS Marina Blue, factory 396 – 325HP
(L-35) California “black plate” car was just sitting on the street. The paint was oxidized, thanks to the dew and
California smog, but there wasn’t any rust. Inside, the car had the “SS” gauges, a console, a four speed, the standard black interior, (the driver’s seat had a tear), the original AM radio, and the simulated walnut steering wheel. Outside, it had the hidden head lights, rear antenna, blacked out tail panel, and the 70’s typical after-market slotted dish mag wheels. Under the hood was a numbers matching big block, (MX), but with an after market aluminum high-rise intake, and 850cfm Holly with mechanical secondary. Missing was all of the smog equipment, but that was pretty common for the day. Other than that, the car was pretty much unmolested.

I approached the neighbors, and I was told that the car was their son’s, but it had to go. They told me that another neighbor kept asking to buy it, but that he already had “too many cars”. (The guy was a zone manager for Chevrolet, you think he knew the cars value?) So, a price was given to me, and the second event took place in my life. Are you sitting down?

I paid $800.00 for the car! That blows people away when I tell them, but back then, it was just a 10-year-old car. I had a friend come over to help get it started, and just drove it home. I did a good amount of “playing” on the streets of Southern California over the next year or so. I got married at the end of 1978, so with school, job, and family…the car began its long life with me, being what my wife likes to call “garage furniture”.

In the years that followed, I was able to find out more about the car. I soon came to realize that this Camaro was one to keep. The car was produced the last week of February, and sold new on 3/31/67 at Cone Chevrolet in Fullerton, CA. The production numbers for the 396 L-35 cars are low, around 4,000 units, against more than 200,000 Camaro’s built that year. Factor in a double option, “RS & SS” car, with a 4 speed, and the number of similar cars would be much less. This is a real car; clones didn’t even exist back when I purchased it.

Although I don’t have a Protecto-Plate (yet), the tags confirm the car as correct. I also now have 1967 photos from when the car was new, the original CA. registration, and a letter from the original owner. The original owners were the parents of Sonny Bryant, of Southern California drag racing fame. The family I bought the car from were drag boat racers. I believe that this “racing connection” is how the car changed hands from Sonny, to them, and then ultimately to me.(Take note of the photos of the car when it was new-it has the Cone Chevrolet “paper plate” in one picture, and the California black plate UEY673 in the other photo....then reference the license plate(s) shot. It’s the same plate)

In May 2001, I started the process to "on body" restore. Everything was removed, bagged and tagged. The next step was to be painted. Seven months later, the car came home, and the re-installation process began. Plenty has been done since then, and progress continues.
As everyone knows, the process is never done!

Gary

[Seattle Sam]

Awesome car, and a great story! How many of us wish we had kept a car we bought "back in the day"...

That pic when the car was new, with the CONE paper plate, just made me think, what a cool car that was to bring home in 1967!


-Sam

[GM-26]

Great looking car!
I'm torn whether I like it better with a black or a white nose stripe.
Those original pictures are priceless.

[BBIGG BLOCK 396]

That is a extremely nice Camaro,sure would look good sitting next to my Chevelle! LOL I love the story also very cool.Nice to see someone keep there car for so long.I know a lot of guys locally that get really nice rides but in a couple of years they sell them or trade them for something else.I get too attached to my old hooptys and don't want to part with them.I don't care about making money off of them I get something because I like it and want to keep it.Sort of like my wife,when I found her I knew she was a keeper!

Bobby Dodson

[hvychev]

Cars like that with a history are SOOO cool!!

[427TJ]

I just can't get tired of looking at this car.

I too was "seduced" at an early age by the 396 flags on '67 BB Camaros. My buddy bought a one-owner Marina Blue/black top L35/auto '67 when we were in high school in 1979. (Seattle Sam: It had a black nose stripe and pinstripes.) I saw those Turbo Jet flags and then the chrome valve covers and open-element AC and I practically flipped. I told myself that someday I'd get a '67 SS 396 Camaro. I finally got one in 1999 and I still go out in the garage, pull up my work stool and sit and look at those 396 flags. That emblem has got to be the coolest displacement emblems Detroit ever concocted. (Okay Ford and Mopar lovers, it's among the coolest.)

Bruce, if your bro ever wants to sell his '67 I think I could make room for it next to mine.

x 100

[budnate]

'67s with the RS/SS option to me are one of the sexist cars ever built..

Bill you are right about the crossed flag emblems I think they are really cool...they have the right amount of bling that just grab your attention and make you take note of the car they are on....very nice car Gary!!!..I also wouldn't mind it sitting here with the sb car.

Bud.

[Bill Pritchard]

Simply superb!!!! Beautiful car, Gary, and thanks to Bruce for getting the story and pics to Bob.

I LOVE the last pic with the slotted mags and slapper bars Just exactly 'The Look' that everyone worked for back in the day!

[JoeG]

Really Nice --Looking at these photos is lika a Fountain of Youth for the brain---That Turbo-Flag emblem always pressed my buttons too.-------------

[ibuyncr]

Hi to everyone, this is Bruce's brother Gary. THANKS for all the nice comments on the Camaro.

As an FYI on the BLACK nose stipe...I know now, (from the published info), Marina Blue cars came in either color, but the default color was WHITE on an "FF" car. (The photo from the original owner also made it really clear....but only after the fact!) A black stripe was on a black vinyl top car, (F-2). Aside from it being "wrong", I still like it black, especially with the black of the RS grill. So, until one of my kids gets the car, (you know, like when I am DEAD!)it will stay black.

One final thought, you know what else I really liked about the car the very first time I saw it? The rear mounted antenna! It looks Soooo COOL out back, like a '60's muscle car should.

Thanks again
Gary