Anyone from MO or IL remember this car?

[Atuckman]

photo is from april 1968 magazine
anyone remember the car, have a color photo or remember the sponsor?
I think it reads "Custom Enterprises, Lemay, MO"
appreciate the help, adam

[PeteLeathersac]

Whttp://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gifW...look at the hood!.

Looks a lot like this car but different top etc!.

http://hotimg25.fotki.com/a/76_75/114_183/67bardahl.jpg (http://hotimg25.fotki.com/p/a/76_75/114_183/67bardahl.jpg)

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif
~ Pete

[ORIGLS6]

Yep. I remember the car well. Rich Thomas is still around, although not in good health the last I heard. I think his son is still in the family business.

The car was a regular at Gateway (formerly St. Louis International Raceway), and many of the area strips........ Wentzville, Pacific, K.C., and would hit any "Money" meets at Beardstown and White Hall. He also ran in a Midwest Super Stock Circuit.

[markjohnson]

Unfortunately, Rich Thomas did pass away last month. He was walking St. Louis drag racing history. Yenko Camaros, Gibb Novas, Hurst Hemi Cudas (two of 'em). Dennis, I just found out last night that Wayne Arteaga also passed away earlier this month. That's two St. Louis legends lost to the ages now.

[markjohnson]

Here 'ya go. Here the Fred Gibb '68 COPO Nova that was sold out of Boehmler Chevrolet and met an untimely demise at Mid-America Raceway in Wentzville.

[markjohnson]

Another interesting Stinger-hood'ed, '67 Yenko Camaro that was sold out of Barford Chevrolet. This very well could be the car in the first picture. This picture was in Mrch of '68 at MAR also. If you look close, you can see one of Rich Thomas '68 Hemi Cudas in the background.

[ORIGLS6]

I heard about Wayne but didn't know about Rich until shortly after I posted the reply this morning.

Two Local Legends; no doubt. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif

[markjohnson]

Here's one more of the Gene Rain's '67 Camaro. I'll tell 'ya, there were about 5 big name St. Louis drag racers messing around with these '67-68 Yenkos that were sold through Barford, and they were just passed around quite a bit after very short ownership periods. It was very hard to keep track of them, who had what and for how long.

[Atuckman]

thanks mark. i think they are different cars though. prob unlikely that in less than a month it was repainted, had new stickers, removed the tail and extended the trim along bottom of car.

[Kim_Howie]

Mark, Gene Rains son has other pictures of this car. I am sure it was not a Gibb car.

[Kim_Howie]

This is the same car,diff. lettering.

[markjohnson]

Kim, you mean the red Nova?

[markjohnson]

That narrow spoiler is rather distinctive.

[Kim_Howie]

Yes, The rad support the rad & the top cover on that car were small block. I'm sure it wasn't a Gibb car.

[Kim_Howie]

Mark, Two Yenkos were sold out of Barford.My old car and another one,it is not a RS car like this one. I tracked this car down and know the current owner.

[ORIGLS6]

[ QUOTE ]
I tracked this car down ..............

[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif And spent some time in the Police Station too. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[markjohnson]

What color were the two cars originally. I'm gonna post some real interesting pictures in the next few minutes.

[Kim_Howie]

We won't go into that part. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif The RS deepwater blue the other was & still is red. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Kim_Howie]

Bringem on!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Kim_Howie]

Here is two more pics of the red RS Note Names on door. The car went form Yenko, Courtesy to Webber to Gene Rains.

[Kim_Howie]

#2

[Kim_Howie]

According to Gene's son Dick Harrell and his dad were good friends. Also Bill Hielscher. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Kim_Howie]

Two other Chevy dealers he had was Milner & Midtown Chevy.

[markjohnson]

I really don't understand about the "won't get into that" about the colors of the '67's. I don't wanna step on anyone's toes posting pictures that I shouldn't be, either.

[Atuckman]

i think his coment about "not getting into that" referred to the comment about "spending time at the police station". please keep the pics coming...

[markjohnson]

Steibel's car. Another neat fellow to talk to with Dick Harrell connection's.

[markjohnson]

That's it, I'm done for for the day. I'll get around to posting more of these when I have the time. I gotta get dressed right now and get over to the drag strip. I've got tons of these photos from a track photographer that did all the St. Louis drag strips but This freakin' Kodak Easy Share program keeps locking up my computer. UGH!

[PeteLeathersac]

VERY Chttp://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gifhttp://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gifL SHhttp://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/drool.gifTS!!!
Thanks for taking the time to post and share these Mark!.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif
~ Pete

[Kim_Howie]

Mark, The part I wasn't getting into it about was the police,not the colors. Like I said above one was blue & one was red. There had to be all the black roof 67 camaros sold in that area. They're all are black vinyl roof cars. I didn't think they made that many?? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Stefano]

[ QUOTE ]
Whttp://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gifW...look at the hood!.

Looks a lot like this car but different top etc!.

http://hotimg25.fotki.com/a/76_75/114_183/67bardahl.jpg (http://hotimg25.fotki.com/p/a/76_75/114_183/67bardahl.jpg)

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif
~ Pete

[/ QUOTE ]

That car is one of the first three Nickey Super Camaros ever built. It was also considered to be the very first Super Stock Camaro built. All three Nickeys were race cars built by Dick Harrell and crew at Nickey Chevrolet in Chicago.

All three were Red RS' and one went to Mike Garfinkle. Mike's Nickey Camaro became one of the first, if not the first Yenko Camaros when Nickey canceled their drag racing program and parted ways with Dick Harrell.

We are not certain who the third Red RS Nickey Camaro race car went to?

Very http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif pics!!!

[CamarosRus]

BARDAHL was a well known big name mfg of oil additive mfg in Seattle where I was born, raised and still reside (in the burbs)

I'm just curious what form of sponsorship the pictured car might have had. How many other cars back in the day wore BARDAHL as prominent as that ???

Thanks

[Stefano]

I can think of three more and they were Yellow; A Nova, a Corvette and a '69 Camaro.

[markjohnson]

There was a whole fleet of Mr. Bardahl, Bill Heischler drag cars.

[Kim_Howie]

Here is a color pic of that car.

[Kim_Howie]

Anybody know this guy??

[bashton]

What a great post;

The collective knowledge of this boards members is incredible.

Keep it comin!

Bashton
MCACN Managing Member

[Dr. Pete]

[ QUOTE ]
That's it, I'm done for for the day. I'll get around to posting more of these when I have the time. I gotta get dressed right now and get over to the drag strip. I've got tons of these photos from a track photographer that did all the St. Louis drag strips but This freakin' Kodak Easy Share program keeps locking up my computer. UGH!

[/ QUOTE ]

Mark, Can you bring those photos from the track photographer to the SuperCar Reunion?? I've been looking for those Barford Yenko Camaros since high school. I used to buy parts for my Corvettes from that dealership before they closed.

[Kim_Howie]

Pete, Both of those cars are not Barford cars. I owned one of them and know where the others one is. Adam Tuckman the guy that started this post owns my old car. Kim

[Dr. Pete]

Kim, I'm actually looking for photos of any of the Supercar Camaros that raced at St. Louis International Raceway, Mid America Raceway in Wentzville, and any other midwest tracks. Looking forward to seeing you at the Reunion. Pete

[mchriscad]

Kim,
I am getting close to completing another 67 you used to own! I will post some pics next week. I just hope the owner history won't hurt the sale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif

[Kim_Howie]

Can't wait to see the car. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[William]

[/ QUOTE ]That car is one of the first three Nickey Super Camaros ever built. It was also considered to be the very first Super Stock Camaro built. All three Nickeys were race cars built by Dick Harrell and crew at Nickey Chevrolet in Chicago.

All three were Red RS' and one went to Mike Garfinkle. Mike's Nickey Camaro became one of the first, if not the first Yenko Camaros when Nickey canceled their drag racing program and parted ways with Dick Harrell.

We are not certain who the third Red RS Nickey Camaro race car went to?

Very http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif pics!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Not that I know much about this but I do have the January 1967 issue of Tach, the AHRA house organ. It has a big feature on a Harrell 427 conversion of an SS350 at Nickey. The conversion must have been done Sept-Oct '66; the car is not an RS. It is a very early production car, no engine emblems. Some of the photos in the feature are of other cars; one shows a non-black standard interior with 4-speed and N34 wheel. Another shows a TH400 being installed in an RS.

The non-RS car must have been one of if not the first 427s they did.

[JK98SS]

Man oh man do I miss MAR and wish I were old enough to have raced at Alton.

[Stefano]

That Tach magazine article does a good job of reporting what was going on at Nickey Chevrolet regarding the first Super Camaros.

Chevrolet was playing catch up to the Mustang and many enthusiasts had been long anticipating the Camaro.

Nickey Chevrolet had planned to offer a big block Nickey Camaro before the first Camaro was ever delivered to the dealership.

Nickey had Don Swiatek as their Hi-Performance Cars and Parts Manager. He ran the Nickey Chicago Speed Shop as well as a team of 4 Master technicians, who were assigned to the Nickey Super Car conversion program.

Dick Harrell was the "hired gun" celebrity drag race super star. His job was to win races and help promote the Hi-Performance Cars and parts sales, in any way he could.

Dick worked directly for Nickey Chevrolet and lived in Skokie, then Glenview, while he was at Nickey Chevrolet.

Both Dick and Don reported to Nickey's VP, Al Seilig. Al managed parts and service, including all of the sponsored and authorized Hi-Performance and racing activities.

One of Harrell's main objectives was to get 50 Nickey 427 Camaros built so that they could be homologated for drag racing.

This is also one of the main reasons that Bill Thomas Race Cars, in Anaheim California was enlisted to help with the build, as well as distribution, directly to racers, as well as into the retail customers hands.

Harrell started blueprinting L72 427 engine assemblies, before the first Camaros hit the ground at Nickey Chevrolet.

Harrell maintained many national and influential racing contacts and immediately found THREE racers (we know of two for certain; Bill Hielscher and Mike Garfinkle) to jump aboard the Nickey Super Camaro program. These Camaros did not have direct Nickey sponsorship and were not campaigned as such, but they were built at Nickey Chevrolet in Chicago as part of thhe Nickey Camaro program.

Dick built these first Camaro race cars (Three Red Rally Sports)seperate of the Don Swiatek / Dream Team. Don's crew was also busy converting Camaros, but these initial cars were not blueprinted and were geared towards the street / weekend warrior crowd.

The first Nickey Camaros which Dick had built were dedicated race cars. He even brought in outsiders like Guy Tipton (One of Hielscher's guys) to help get the Camaros done ASAP. There were also other Nickey emplyees which helped build the first race cars.

The 'Tach' article was a result of Dick's direct efforts. The objective was to get the word out and sell as many "Production Versions" as possible for Drag Racing Homologation purposes.

Nickey Boss' found the Dick Harrell darg racing program too costly and he was informed by Al Seilig that his contract would not be renewed.

Dick had become aquatinted with Don Yenko through Nickey Chevrolet during his tenure because Nickey/Seilig had signed on to be one of the Yenko Sports Cars network Dealers for Yenko Stingers.

Once the Nickey relationship came to an end Dick contacted Yenko and formed a business alliance with Yenko Sports Cars to build Yenko Super Camaros.

So long story short,we have been informed by more than one Nickey employee that the race cars were worked on Day and Night and completed first.

[markjohnson]

Don Swiatek may have worked for Nickey, but wasn't he pretty involved with drag racing some rare Pontiacs?

[Stefano]

Your probably thinking of Larry Swiatek. He raced some very cool Pontiacs.

Don was/is a diehard Chevy guy. He favored circle tracks and drag racing.

[markjohnson]

I'm sorry. That's right though, it was Larry Swiatek. Both from Chicago though, right? There's gotta be a relation there. What were they to each other, if anything?

[miket1]

I remember watching Dick Harrell race several times at the 1/8 mile dragstrip in Nashville,IL.,before Gateway International Raceway was built, in his bright red Camaro,he would come to run match races against a Hemi Dodge,or a Ford ,the car was beautiful and very fast, I talked to him many times ,he was a great man,great personality,always took time to talk .

[Atuckman]

i spoke to one of Rich Thomas's grandsons today. thought some of you from the MO area might appreciate the tribute he set up to honor his grandfather. goto youtube.com then type in "7bRWPvQpuxM" in the search box

[ANDY M]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bRWPvQpuxM

[396L35]

Thanks Andy for posting the link to Rich's tribute. You either loved him or hated him, but the man could build a machine that would fly and he will be missed dearly.