Book excerpt: In 1969, the Camaro with the SS package took Chevy Camaro performance and styling to another level. First, the Camaro carried updated sheet metal for an aggressive and eye-catching appearance, and the ultra-high-performance 427 big-block engines were available for the first time. As history proved, 1969 was the pinnacle of performance and styling for the first-generation Chevy Camaro. Author and muscle car expert Robert Kimbrough provides a comprehensive examination of the all-time classic 1969 Camaro SS in Volume No. 4 of CarTech's In Detail series. He delves into the design, manufacturing, and equipment of Chevrolet's premier pony car. For the first time in its history, the 1969 Camaro SS had a full slate of high-performance small-blocks as well as big-blocks to conquer the competition on the street and track. The engines included the 350, 375-hp 396, and 425-hp COPO 427 Camaros. The Camaro SS made such an impression, that it became the Indy 500 Pace Car once again in 1969. All In Detail Series books include an introduction and historical overview, an explanation of the design and concepts involved in creating the car, a look at marketing and promotion, and an in-depth study of all hardware and available options, as well as an examination of where the car is on the market today. Also included is an appendix of paint and option codes, VIN and build-tag decoders, as well as production numbers.