History

• The 1969 Camaro was the last of the first-generation Camaros produced from 1967 to 1969 as an answer to the Ford Mustang. Base engines for the 1967 models were the 230- and 250-cubic-inch straight sixes. Optional V-8 engines were the 307, 327 and the 350 V-8s. Not until late 1967 was a 396-ci V-8 offered. Only the 1969 Camaros featured the 427 V-8s, according to musclecarclub.com.
  
  

Bigger and Better

• Camaro buyers often eschewed the 230 and 250 straight six that offered horsepower ratings of 140 and 155, respectively. They sought the more throttle-responsive 302, 307 and 350 versions. The 1969 Camaro Z28 was an appearance package option equipped only with the 302 to generate 290 horsepower and 290 lb.-ft. of torque.
  
  

300 and More

• More common in the 1969 Camaro were the 307-ci V-8 with 200 horsepower and the 327 with 210 horsepower. The venerable 350 V-8 installed on the 1969 Super Sport (SS) models had horsepower rated at 300, which had more than adequate torque at 380 lb.-ft. Standard Camaros could receive the 250- or 255-horsepower 350.
  
  

400 Ban

• By 1969, General Motors had banned 400-cubic-inch and bigger factory-installed engines. The result was the immense popularity of the 396 V-8 offered in the Super Sport Camaros. The 396 featured three separate ratings: 325 horsepower with 410 lb.-ft. of torque; 350 horsepower with 415 lb.-ft. of torque; or the 375 horsepower option, also with 415 lb.-ft. of torque. A 375-horsepower 396 aluminum block/heads version also was available.
  
  

Yenko Camaros

• The factory ban on 400-plus size engines did not prevent Chevrolet dealers from installing 427-ci V-8s in 1969 Camaros. Most notable was the famed Yenko Camaro 427 produced by Yenko Chevrolet of Canonsburg, Penn. A handful of other custom car garages also produced 427 Camaros. Crated 427s were delivered to Yenko through Central Office Production Orders (COPO), in which Chevrolet handled fleet and special orders, such as trucks and taxis. The engine was installed and a rally racing appearance package was added. In all, only 1,015 427 Camaros were produced by Yenko and the other shops.
  
  

Performance

• Two separate 427s, with aluminum heads and weighing just 500 pounds, were produced. One version generated 425 horsepower and the other 430, although these engines were often tweaked to 500 horsepower. The 425-horsepower version hit 0-60 mph in 5.4 seconds and the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds. The 430-horsepower version achieved 5.3 seconds in 0-60 and the quarter-mile in 13.16 seconds. Some Camaros could hit the quarter mile around 11.6 seconds, making them the fastest cars ever produced by Chevrolet.