1969 Camaro
USACC 2026 Group Build

This photo shows the Box Art for the 1969 Camaro Z/28 RS 1969 Camaro Z/28 RS on Scalemates, and the 1969 Camaro SS 396 on Scalemates. One or both of these 1969 Camaro's will be used for the 2025/2026 USACC build.

The 1969 Camaro Z/28 RS Body

This parts tree contains mostly engine parts.

Parts tree containing miscellaneous parts.

Parts tree containing miscellaneous parts.

Parts tree containing miscellaneous parts.

Parts tree containing miscellaneous parts.

The clear and the red parts trees.

The chrome tree.

Since I'm building out-of-box, I will most likely use the parts directly off the tree. However, we will see when I start removing the parts.

Because I'm building out-of-box, I'm planning to use these tires. It will be a first for me for a long time because there are so many great 3D printed tires and wheels.

This is the kit decal sheet. I scanned this sheet and then fixed the black and white strips to make them more solid.

If you need a copy of it you should be able to save this image. The original size of the sheet is 11.8mm x 10.2mm (0.4645" x 0.4015").

I bought the photo etch for this kit before I decided how I was going to build the kit. Even though I'm building out-of-box, I might use some of this photo etch. The photo etch kit also contains dash board gauges.

I bought the photo etch from Model Car Garage

Before I decided to build this kit out-of-box, I bought the Single Drive Drive Set from Model Car Garage (MCG-201). I will most likely still use this kit because I really like how they look on the engine.

I bought the 1969 gauge decals on Ebay before I knew a set came with the photo etch kit. I'll be using the gauges from one of the sets. I also bought, from Ebay, some PA License Plates. I live in PA and I always put PA license plates on my vehicle builds. The plates on this decal sheet are one of the newer designs for the state plate, so I will probably still make my own so that it is from 1969.

99% of of all parts are ready for paint. I would normally say they are ready for primer; however, I've watched a few video's that show better results using Tamiya acrylic on bare plastic. So...as I usually try something that I've never tried before on the USACC build, I decided not to use primer and to put the paint directly on the plastic. I'll start by spraying a very light tac layer and then after it has dried I'll add at least two final coats. The video's I watched had samples that were clear coated and samples that were not, and both had great durability after a week of dry time. I will most likely use a clear coat on the body parts, but not the other parts.

Body parts are in the spray booth being painted. The body and body parts are painted with Tamiya X-13 Metallic Blue. I did something different with this build based on the Barbatos Rex YouTube channel. He sprayed Tamiya paint from the airbrush directly on the plastic with no primer and tested the color accuracy and most importantly, the durability. The color was much sharper and cleaner and after several days of drying the durability was excellent. So...all the parts were painted without priming them and so far I'm very pleased.

The description of the next photo will include more information.

As a side note, Vallejo Metal Color series recommends spraying on bare plastic without primer and the colors look much better when not primed.

Although the title of this picture is, "2nd coat", it's really more than that. According to the Barbatos Rex channel, when not using a primer, first thin the Tamiya Acrylic paint with Tamiya Acrylic thinner in a ratio of 60:40 to 50:50, paint:thinner. If a new jar of Tamiya Acrylic is used, open the jar and top off the jar with Tamiya Acrylic thinner and thoroughly mix. Mark the jar, 'Airbrush Ready'. Next, lay down a very light "tact" coat and give a few minutes to dry to touch. Blowing air on it from the airbrush could speed up this drying. Then lay down another light coat and let it dry for a few minutes, then lay down another light coat being sure the surface is fully covered. Let it dry for a few minutes and then lay down a heavier coat.

The hood and other body parts are painted the same as the body.

After painting I started assembling the engine. It's from the box. I didn't strip the chrome and used it off the tree touching up the connection points with a chrome pen.

Building the engine out of box was difficult for me. I would have never left the carburetors and fuel pump chrome.

The radiator, radiator wall, fan shroud, hood latch and battery are assembled and the battery detailed.

I'm using the wheels and tires out-of-box. This was easy because I actually liked the wheels that came with the kit.

The interior parts are painted and I started detailing the inside door panels. As of this photo I still have some work to do on these parts. The center console has some photo etch installed, but I'm not sure if I'll be using the console or just have the shifter on the floor?

The chassis and all suspension parts are painted. In this photo, the front suspension and axle is installed.

This photo shows the photo etch and gauge decals from Model Car Garage no. MCG-2068

The next photo is a detailed view of the photo etch for the '69 Camaro.

The '69 Camaro detailed look at the Model Car Garage photo etch.

The Camaro interior door panels, front and back seats are installed. I used a chrome pen to outline the speaker grills and the shifter location on the hump.

I started detailing the dashboard. I didn't like the gauge decals that came with the Model Car Garage photo etch, so I used a set of gauge decals I found on Ebay. I'm thinking of doing the strip above the glove box in a wood grain, but I'm not sure yet. Also, the Camaro lettering on the dash should be chrome; however, I don't think I'm steady enough to chrome it. There are also some items to the lower lift of the steering wheel that I have to identify before detailing.

The brake master cylinder and booster are mounted on the firewall. Since I'm doing this model out-of-box, that's all I'll be doing to the firewall. I might mount the ignition coil to the firewall since there isn't enough room to mount it where it should be on the engine.

The rear leaf springs differential and rear axle is being installed. The drive shaft is in location, but not glued in this photo.

The engine is installed in the chassis. Once the engine was installed, it was obvious that there is not enough room to install the steering box or the Upper 'A' Arms. See my Build Note 01

The radiator, fan shroud, support wall and upper & lower radiator hoses are installed. The instructions look like the hoses should be attached to the radiator before the radiator assembly is installed on the frame; however, I couldn't figure out how to properly align the hoses to properly fit the engine points. Therefore, I installed the radiator assembly first, then used a tweezers to position and glue the hoses in place.

This photo is primarily to show the rear shocks installed; however, the installed drive shaft can also be seen.

The dashboard is detailed as far as I'm taking it. I'm just not steady enough to do much more. The dashboard is then installed in the interior. (In this photo, the steering wheel looks a-bit tilted to the left; however, it really isn't.) Although, it is almost touching the seat. I don't like that, but once it's in the body, it will be hard to see that.

I decided to use what I believe the Chevy folks call the Rally Sport Grill. I put two coats of black wash in the grill and two coats of the body color around the head lights. The grill is not finished yet. There needs to be a-bit more black wash and the body color needs another coat and some touchup.

The sun visors are painted the interior color. There are huge injection points on the visors that I cut off, but it left a bad mark. If I sand them, it will take away the detail on the visors. Since it will be very difficult to see them once the the glass is installed, I'm leaving them as is.

Bare Metal Foil (BMF) has been installed on all the body chrome trim. I was a-bit leary about using BMF on acrylic paint. I was concerned that it might mar or peal the paint. After doing some research, one website said to wax the body with a non-silicon wax before applying the BMF. The BMF instructions and other websites said not to use any kind of wax on the painted surface. I asked the question in some Facebook groups and also got mixed opinions. To see how I handled it, go to my info page for this build.

The wheels and tires are installed on the chassis. The instructions tell you not to glue them on; however, they will not stay on the axle if I didn't glue them in place.

The clamps are holding the tail lights in position until the glue drys. I was bad...I hadn't read the instructions and didn't realize that the tail light buckets had to be installed from inside the body. So...I had to rip the chassis off the body and in so doing, I damaged just a small bit of the fender well BMF chrome trim. I can fix it, but shame on me for not doing what I always used to tell my students when I was teaching..."READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!!!"

The grill is installed, and you are not seeing things, this photo is of the body upside down 😀.

A view of the engine with the hood off. The engine is the one that came with the kit. I didn't aad anything to it, nor did I strip any of the chrome from the chrome parts.

Finished car back view. I made my own 1969 Pennsylvania license plate. I found one online, saved the image file, then opened it in Gimp. Once in Gimp, I increase the resolution to 1000 px/inch and then scaled it to 12mm x 5mm, the size of a 1:24 scale license plate. I then printed it on my color laser, cut it out and used Elmer's school glue to glue it on the plate holder.

Finished car right side.

After final assembly, the chassis must not be in the same position as when I dry fit the assembly because as can be seen, the hood does not close all they way because it is touching the air cleaner. I could fix it by cutting the hood open and put a raised section on the hood, but for now, this is just a shelf car and I will most likely not do that.

Finished car right front

After final assembly, the chassis must not be in the same position as when I dry fit the assembly because as can be seen, the hood does not close all they way because it is touching the air cleaner. I could fix it by cutting the hood open and put a raised section on the hood, but for now, this is just a shelf car and I will most likely not do that.

Finished car front view

Finished car left front view

After final assembly, the chassis must not be in the same position as when I dry fit the assembly because as can be seen, the hood does not close all they way because it is touching the air cleaner. I could fix it by cutting the hood open and put a raised section on the hood, but for now, this is just a shelf car and I will most likely not do that.

Finished car left side

After final assembly, the chassis must not be in the same position as when I dry fit the assembly because as can be seen, the hood does not close all they way because it is touching the air cleaner. I could fix it by cutting the hood open and put a raised section on the hood, but for now, this is just a shelf car and I will most likely not do that.

1969 Camaro with on the beach with Betty Boop.

1969 Camaro on the beach with a pretty girl.

1969 Camaro by Route 66 Chandler Oklahoma