For any Chevrolet enthusiast, discovering an original 69 Camaro with a load of performance options, all the paperwork, and less than 30,000 miles would be like winning the lottery. Today, finding two such 69 Camarosone a four-wheel disc brake Z/28 and the other an L78 SS 396and both from the same original owner would be like winning the lottery and a date with a super model. When Jeff Mayeda learned of these two Camaros, he knew he had to have them. In February 1969, the original owner special ordered both cars from Cone Chevrolet of Anaheim, California. Although he was in his mid-50s, he loved high-performanceoptioned Camaros. After too many encounters with the law in the early 70s, he parked the pair and concentrated on other activities. Both cars remained in seclusion until one day in the late 90s when Jeff Mayeda struck a deal with the original owner.
The SS 396 had accumulated only 14,000 miles, and the Z/28 had just over 28,000. Each car still retained its original Protect-O-Plate and new-vehicle purchase orders. The Z/28s unused original Firestone Sports Car 500 spare tire still sat in the trunk. Although the SS 396 had seen a few years of dragstrip duty, it still had all its original equipment. Seeing these two survivors just as they were over 30 years ago is not only amazing, but also a testament to Chevrolets impact on musclecar performance. To continue this tradition, Jeff plans to keep them pristine and unrestored, and occasionally drive them.
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