A Southern California man has been reunited with a long-lost piece of his family history, but the emotional homecoming comes with a hefty price tag.
Victor Munoz, of Orange County, recently laid eyes on his 1969 Chevrolet Camaro for the first time in 17 years after it was stolen in 2009.
The car, a gift from his late father, was discovered last week in the backyard of a home in Whittier by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigators.
“I haven’t seen this car in 17 years,” Munoz told CBS as the moment unfolded.
With 243,085 units produced, it was the highest-volume first-generation Camaro. CBS LA
The 1969 model was the only first-generation Camaro to offer headlight washers. CBS LA
What deputies recovered was far from the pristine vehicle he once knew.
The Camaro was stripped down and barely functional. Missing tires, bumpers, windows, lights, and even the passenger-side door.
A Hugger Orange and white Z11-coded Camaro was used as the official pace car for the 1969 Indianapolis 500. CBS LAStill, Munoz didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah, this is my car. Yeah, that’s the car,” he said. “That’s my car. Wow.”
The vehicle holds deep sentimental value.
Munoz’s father, David Munoz, a Vietnam War veteran, bought the Camaro in 1969, the very day he returned to the United States.
Years later, he passed it down to his son as a birthday gift.
The 1969 Camaro was a massive success in the “pony car” market. CBS LA“At the time, when I was 16, I didn’t know how important this car was, but especially losing it, it’s more important to me now than ever,” Munoz said.
Investigators say it was located about 30 miles from the body shop where it had been taken.
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For nearly two decades, Munoz had no answers about what happened to the car.
The person who had purchased it was unaware it had been stolen.
The Camaro, which disappeared in 2009 and was found in a backyard, was returned to him after 17 years, although it was reduced to a stripped-down shell. CBS LANow comes the next challenge: restoring the battered classic. Munoz estimates repairs could cost $50,000.
He’s already rallying support through his Downey barbershop, another inheritance from his father, as well as on social media.
He launched an Instagram page documenting the rebuild and started a GoFundMe titled “Help Restore My Family’s 1969 Chevy Camaro.”
Munoz plans to return the car to its original deep green color and outfit it with anti-theft technology to ensure it never disappears again.
More than just a restoration project, he says, it’s about reclaiming a connection to his father, one that was nearly lost forever.
