Nickey / Bill Thomas 1967 Autorama

[Stefano]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/StefanoBimbi/1967%20Nickey%20Black%20Red%20RS%20SS/NickeyBillThomasShowdisplay1967.jpg

Courtesy of the Bob Ashton Collection

[Xplantdad]

That is as cool as heck! Plus...dig the Formula S Cuda as well!!!

[Stefano]

Here is some of the irony in that picture.

Nickey and Bill Thomas formed an alliance and FORMAL business partnership to build Nickey Super Camaros. A car even the factory wouldn't dare build, at least not until the 1969 model year.

Nickey and Bill Thomas advertised and promoted in just about every major Chevy enthusiast publication as well as at every major Midwest show, which they could attend, including on track promotions with Driver Dick Harrell , in order to let the public know how to order and get a Nickey Camaro.

Yet, there are some who still dispute this very well publicized and documented relationship to build Nickey Camaros and sell Hi-Po parts?


Bill Thomas even put together a dealer "Kit" showing other dealers how they too could be in the Hi-Po parts and Super Car business.

Seminars and presentations were held at Nickey Chicago headquarters. Dealers and Speed merchants would come in from all over the country to check out the operation.

Also, while the Nickey Chevrolet, Dick Harrell race prepped Camaros had no special Nickey insignias or markings, they were still Nickey/ Bill Thomas Super Camaros.


The First one went to Bill Hielsher and became known as Mr. Bardahl II. This Nickey Camaro is widely recognized as the very first Super Stock Camaro.

Note who is in the exhibit booth next to the Nickey Bill Thomas display!

The fish tail on the Barracuda is just too wild!

[Stefano]

The first Nickey Super Camaro, Race Prep, Super Stocker. Built by Dick Harrell,Guy Tipton and crew at Nickey Chevrolet,4501 Irving Park Road, Chicago, Illinois.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/StefanoBimbi/1967%20Nickey%20Black%20Red%20RS%20SS/67bardahlNickeyCamaro.jpg

[1967Z28]

I'm curious. Why didn't Nickey sponsor his car or use the car in it's advertisements?

-Jon

[Stefano]

Nickey had several other sponsored Drag Racers at that time, including Dick Harrell.

Bill Hielscher already had his sponsors lined up. He won many awards and races in 1966.

You will notice that Dick Harrell has a sponsorship logo on Bill's Camaro.

Dick Harrell built the dedicated race cars. There were three Similar Red Rally Sports while Don Swiatek's team built the "retail" customer cars. Both Don and DIck reported to Al Selig, the VP of NIckey Chevrolet.

[1967Z28]

Who was it that was racing the other two similar red cars?

What is confusing to me is why was Dick Harrell the builder of these cars when Nickey went out and formed a business relationship with Bill Thomas Race Cars, also a very capable and highly regarded race car builder. Seems like Bill Thomas "should" have built these but didn't. Maybe Dick Harrell didn't understand the business relationship either and that's why he left when he did?

Did the Harrell sponsorship on the fender show up after he left Nickey or do you know if it was on the car while he was still involved with the dealership?

That whole '67 year is super confusing in terms of who was associated with who and at what time as we have also seen with Dana and Yenko having a brief pairing up.

-Jon

[Stefano]

Jon,

Dick Harrell was an emplyee of Nickey Chevrolet when he built the race cars, not a principal at that time. The cars were built under the Nickey / Bill Thomas partnership.

Dick was a very competent mechanic, from what others who were there have told me.

[Stefano]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/StefanoBimbi/1967%20Nickey%20Black%20Red%20RS%20SS/Page22.jpg

[Stefano]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/StefanoBimbi/1967%20Nickey%20Black%20Red%20RS%20SS/Page1.jpg

[Rondonrus]

What does the price list from 1967 do with who actually built the car that is in the picture?

[Stefano]

"The cars were built under the Nickey / Bill Thomas partnership." and I thought it was a cool document.

Just for clarification. That particular car was built by Dick Harrell and Guy Tipton.

[Stefano]

Here is another cool vintage pic with a young Don Swiatek in the Nickey / Bill Thomas booth.......selling 427 Camaros.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/StefanoBimbi/1967%20Nickey%20Black%20Red%20RS%20SS/1967AutoRamaDonSwiatekand427Camaro.jpg

[Rondonrus]

I believe that Guy Tipton was racing with Dick Harrell when this car was built and really don't think that Bill Heilsher paid Nickey to build a car that he could put together at his shop in Texas.

[Stefano]

You "believe" and you "think"?

I was not at the Dealership in 1966 and 1967, but have certainly spoken and interviewd more than a few people who were close to Dick, Bill Hielscher as well as having assisted Guy with Bill's Race car, while at the Nickey Dealership. All thier info seemed to corespond. In the spirit of accuracy, why don't you tell us what YOU know to be the facts.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/StefanoBimbi/1967%20Nickey%20Black%20Red%20RS%20SS/BillHielscherandMikeGarfinkle1967.jpg





http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/StefanoBimbi/1967%20Nickey%20Black%20Red%20RS%20SS/GuyTipton1967atNickey.jpg

The pages above are from an article about Nickey Chevroletin Chicago's 427 Camaros. If I recall, some of the Camaros have no Nickey specific badges other than the Nickey Crest on the tail panel...which all cars sold out of Nickey received.

[Stefano]

One of the other Nickey Camaros built by Dick Harrell is this Camaro.

I had been told by numerous employees that this "Yenko" Camaro was indeed a Nickey built by Dick. It wasn't 100% confirmed until I met the retired Nickey Tech, whom Dick tried to sell the car to originally. He told Dick that while he couldn't afford the car, or to race it, that he had a good friend who had done well racing Pontiacs. That good Friend was Mike Garfinkle.

Mike is one of the people who confirmed much of what had already been known. That Dick & Tipton did build Heilscher's Camaro, Garfinkle's Camaro and one more...which is still being researched at this time.

At the end of the '66 racing season, Mike finished up in his '67 Nickey. When he showed up to the track in the Spring he was surprised to see that his Camaro was now sponsored by Yenko Chevrolet.



Dick explained that Nickey was not going to sponsor him for the '67 Season and that he and Al Selig had a big blow out.



Mike was and still is to this day very loyal and appreciative of what Dick had done for him as well as their friendship and so his Nickey Camaro became a Yenko Sponsored race car....until that relationship ended.



Mike is from my home town. He also street raced that Nickey Camaro and helped create the mystique and reputation which fallowed all the future Nickey Super Cars.




http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/StefanoBimbi/1967%20Nickey%20Black%20Red%20RS%20SS/1967NickeyYenkoinOdessaTexas.jpg

[Stefano]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/StefanoBimbi/1967%20Nickey%20Black%20Red%20RS%20SS/1966DickHarrellBusinessCard.jpg

[Rondonrus]

Mr Stefano:
While I have retired and am no longer working on any automotive projects, I do have a few experiences in the Nickey/Bill Thomas Camaro builds - I was the parts manager at Bill Thomas Race Cars during most of the period when they were being assembled.
This Camaro that Bill Hielsher built, apparently with the help of Guy Tipton was NOT a Nickey Camaro when it was built. Please take the time to read an article in "Drag Strip" magazine where it will show you that while this car had a Dick Harrell engine, the car was built in Texas most likely by Guy before he went to work with Mr Harrell.

[Rondonrus]

Take a look at these posts from from 2007
http://forum.dickharrell.com/showthread.php?t=953 Please note that the name <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">Nickey</span> was never mentioned or inferred

We were not the only ones that realized that a 427 would fit in a Camaro and BTRC sold parts to help anyone make a fast street machine.

The marriage with Nickey and Bill Thomas was a short one and both businesses sold a lot of parts together and separately.

[Stefano]

Dear Mr. Ogilvi,

That is ceratinly a great article!

Neither the Garfinkel Camaro nor this Camaro were raced or promoted as Nickey Camaros. Mike Garfinkel, as well as others, including Bill's Nephew have told me that both cars were virtually identical and built at Nickey Chevrolet......at least the 427 conversions, in order to get the cars homologated for AHRA Super Stock.

The first Nickey Camaros had NO Nickey emblems or engine designations either.

Both of these Camaros were very early cars and Nickey/ Bill Thomas and Dick did not start promoting their &quot;Kits&quot; / seminars to other dealers until well after these first cars were built.

If the info they have provided is not accurate then I'll be the first one to correct it. However,at this point I don't see the need to challenge the first hand info we have, unless you can tell us factually, where we have it wrong. I have used magazine articles to help corroborate the info which has been provided to me by those who were in Chicago and at Nickey Chevrolet during that time period. I have not used a magazine as a sole basis for my position on anything.

Here is a private message which I sent to you after your first post....with no response?

&quot;Dear Mr. Ogilvie,

I see that you have been registered with the Yenko Club for some time now. Congratulations on getting involved, by posting. It is always good to hear from the people who were there back in the day, shaping the hobby which we support and celebrate today.

I am the Owner of the New Nickey Chicago company. We legally purchased the rights in order to help preserve the rich history as well as perpetuate it into the future.
I also helped to form the Nickey Registry, Inc. and as you can see am one of the title Sponsors of Yenko.net
We also build, sell and restore many special cars and do specialize in &quot;Super Cars&quot;.

I am very interested in the history of these cars and the people who built them. I have spent countless hours interviewing many of the people who were there. If for some reason you may think that I have my facts wrong please contact me in order to discuss.

I would certainly enjoy the opportunity so speak with you.&quot;

Regards,
Stefano Bimbi, CEO
Nickey Chicago, Inc.
630-377-1222

[Stefano]

I have been in contact with Mr. Ogilvi.

He has recently spoken with Guy Tipton and has told me that Guy completely built Bill Hielscher's Camaro at a dealership other than Nickey Chevrolet. Contarty to what we have been told by others, who were there.

He said that Guy states the Bill Hielscher Camaro had NOTHING to do with Nickey.

[Geoff Smith]

Great post guys , just looking at this now and none of the pics can be seen.....

Anyone know what happened to them?

[Stefano]

I wonder what happened to all of the pictures, as well. Interesting history. Mr. Ogilvi has since passed. May he R.I.P. He was involved with Bill Thomas Race Cars in Anaheim California during the NicKey / Bill Thomas alliance.