It's not very often you see a track-focused 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 up for auction because only 69 were made. It also happens to be one of the most desirable Camaros ever built. At the time, Chevrolet didn't offer the car with an engine larger than 400 cubic inches due to safety fears. However, Illinois dealer Gibb Chevrolet used the automaker's Central Office Production Orders department to order Camaros equipped with 427 cubic inch V8 engines developed for Cam-Am racing.

The unit had a claimed 435-hp rating, but in reality, it pumped out over 500 hp. As a result, the Camaro ZL1 was barely road legal and was often seen tearing up the drag strip. Essentially, this was GM's first true rival to the mighty Mustang.

Gibb Chevrolet originally ordered 50 Camaro ZL1s, but only sold 13 due to the high MSRP of $7,200. The remaining unsold models were sold back to Chevy and distributed to dealers across the country. 19 more Camaro ZL1s were built by Chevrolet, bringing the total production run up to just 69 cars, which makes it extremely rare.

The silver example that will be going under the hammer this week at Mecum's Chicago auction is the fourth Camaro ZL1 that rolled off the production line and is fitted with power disc brakes and a Turbo 400 automatic transmission.

According to the listing, it was first sold by Hauser Chevrolet in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and recently underwent a comprehensive restoration. There's no estimated selling price, but it isn't uncommon for original ZL1s to fetch more than half a million dollars on the auction block. It certainly makes the current-generation Camaro ZL1 seem like a bargain at just over $60,000.