I got some info on that SRD built 70 Camaro

[RichSchmidt]

About 2 years ago I won an auction on Ebay for what was advertised as a 1970 Camaro ex prostock car that was built by SRD and last updated in about 1972. It had a 1979 nose and tail lights on it. After looking at pics of the Jenkins 70 Camaro when ZUL owned it I could see that the cars must have been built identical side by side. It had the SRD cage with side bars that ran to the firewall and the A-pillar bars mounted on top of them,and the support bars from the same spot on the firewall to the front subframe,the 3 link backhalf(ladder bars added later)with Dana 60,super tricks,airheart brakes,old pinto rack ect. The deal fell thru,and the car got sold and shuffled around to a few owners and I lost track of it. I placed a wanted ad on Racing Junk looking for the car and had a response the next day. The new owner has a ton of history on the car,and it is super interesting. Back in 1972 Joe Lepone's couson,a guy named Bob Demarco wanted to go pro stock racing. Joe told his cousin that he knew that there was a 1970 Camaro down at SRD that they were keeping there as a spare for Jenkins. He bought the car,and raced it for a few years,and then sold it. The car supposedly floated around the PA area with a Jenkins built 427 under the hood for many years. It seems that the car was probably not built for Jenkins,but somehow it ended up there. It seems that the car was orange at some point in it's life,and it was rumored that Brooklyn Heavy had a car built at SRD. Who knows.It was white when Demarco raced it. The car has what looks to be a non Camaro steering column,maybe an early Chevy 2,it was acid dipped before it was built at SRD,but still has a VIN number,and some of the original interior panels,most of the original firewall,most of the inner 1/4 structure,inner roof structure,floor pans,has a headliner in it,and aside from the updated nose and tail treatment it wasnt updated at all since 1972. When the new owner removed the 1979 rear tail lights,the holes for the 1970 tail lights were there,with just a strip cut out between the lights for the 79 lights to mount to. All the rest of it was stock under the rear bumper cover.

What a find,I really missed the boat on this one,I want to go take a look at the car,and get some more info. This might even be Brooklyn Heavy's Dick Harrell car. An NICB report sure would help. I want to get the new owner hooked up on this forum so maybe he can share sme more info.

BTW,the car was briefly owned by a guy named Jim Frost,who supposedly collects cars. Does anybody here know of him?

Here are some pics of the car as it sits now. in the pic of the back seat area with the passenger side wheel tub in t you can see the top of a post sticking thru the floor,thats the mounting bar for the 3rd link,a real Jenkins setup.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/prostock6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/prostock3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/prostock4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/prostock2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/prostock7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/prostock5.jpg

Now heres a real interesting pair of photos. Compare the pic of this roll cage and fiberglass dash to the black and white pic of the Jenkins backhalf 70 Camaro when Richie Zul owned it in about 1973. Cool huh?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/prostock1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/zulcamaro1.jpg

[69L78]

I know a Jim Frost from Cumberland, Md who deals in cars and parts. If you want his number, let me know.

[RichSchmidt]

Yup that would be him. The car is a few miles outside Cumberland now,the owner knows Jim,I was wondering if anybody remebered the car being with him. Thanks.

[markjohnson]

Rich, I remember that White Pro Camaro when it was on E-Bay a couple of years ago and I thought it was really interesting also. It really reminded me much on that '70 Camaro that I had 4-5 years ago. You may remember it from back then, I had purchased it out of Oklahoma City where it was just sitting in the backyard at the house of a bitter X-wife that wouldn't put me in touch with her X-husband about the car. Anyway, it was advertised as just an old, used up Bracket car on E-Bay but I noticed that it had a complete Ramchargers' Magnesium Dana 60, 4-wheel Hurst Airheart brakes, parachute mount, rack-&-pinion, etc. and I just knew that it was a little more than just a Bracket car!

[markjohnson]

The X-wife had thought the car was just a '72 Camaro and when I picked it up I realized that the Cowl Tag was still in place and it revealed a Shadow Grey 1970 Camaro Z-/28. It was also a radio delete, 4-Speed car. That was a nice surprise! Now this car had a four-link rear suspension in place but the brackets were still in place on the passenger side where it had a 3-link rear suspension in it at one time. I know that SRD kinda specialized in those 3-Links and I was very anxious to try to find some history on the car. The single brake master cylinder was even an interesting clue as I've seen pictures of Grump's '70 car with it hacing a single master cylinder. Anyway, everybody that claimed they were able to get NICB reports were just full of shit when it came down to it. I kept the car for about a year and sold it out of frustration after not being able to find any history on it but I still think that the car was probably something special!

[jannes_z-28]

3-link rear suspensions were the primary "thing" for ProStock cars in the 70s. If properly set up it would launch the car like a rocket. But the problem were just to set it up. The pictures of this one shows an early setup.

Later they started to make brackets for the upper rod to move the rod sideways. I have seen some cars that could move the rod 4" in sideway adjustments. Reason for this was that if the rod were not in the perfect side adjustment the car would launch in a twist, in extreme cases resulting in lifting the left rear tire. This made it really difficult to dial in the suspension on different track conditions and eventually they moved to 4-link setups that were more controllable even though they were not as good as a 3-link.

Jan

[RichSchmidt]

Yup Mark,that definatly looks like it was built in the early 70's as a pro stocker or late 70's as a modified production car. I doubt it was an SRD car that was built for pro stock. In 70,a few of the cars were running the old bolt in bars,and by 71 most SRD cars had the type of cage thats in the pictures I posted. Notice how the door bar actually goes from the main hoop directly down to the floor mid way along the door opening right over where the subframe mounting ara is,then another bar extends foward from there and goes to the firewall where it is bolted to the firewall with a plate on the outside of the firewall that has a bar that is welded to the front subframe.The top driver's side door bar was aded later on. The bar that runs down the front windshield(a-pillar) doesnt go all the way to the floor,it mounts to the top of the bar that runs to the firewall. The drivers side bar on the car in the pics was added later. as far as I know,this cage wouldnt have been legal to run faster then 10.0 anytime after about 1980. Prety much all prostockers buit after 1974 were tube chassis cars.

As for the Jenkins 3 link,if you look at this car,you will see that the mounting bar is centered in the car. I believe his setup used a link that was actually more like a wishbone that acted to both center the axle and provide suspention.This car had aftermarket frame rails in the back,and the entire floor was cut out and a box was built to cover the 3 link setup,and that box was at least as big as what would be needed to clear a 4 link.

As for you car,it looks a little like another car I have seen. If the pics are still available,there is a write-up on that red 1970 Camaro that raced on an episode of pinks and was lost to a blue chevy powered Mustang. That was repored to be an ex prostocker as well,the cage looks a lot more like yours. I wonder whose old car that was.

[RichSchmidt]

Here are some pics of the car from back in the day. After it was sold from SRD,the car was raced as a gas class car. I spoke to Pete Huntchinson from SRD about the car,and he said they never built a 2nd gen backhalf car for pro stock,but the front end work looks like a car they built for Wayne Jesel. I contacted Wayne about it,and am also waiting a call back from Derrick Von Bargen,who was the D in SRD,and part of the Jenkins "super crew" back in the day. Here are the pics. They aren't great,but you can get the idea.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/get-attachment20_zps01013f71.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/get-attachment19_zps30541aff.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/get-attachment18_zps5003b3f7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/get-attachment16_zps18ca2690.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/get-attachment14_zps092be7f4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/get-attachment15_zpsf2abb995.jpg

[Peter426]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RichSchmidt</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="font-style: italic">I spoke to Pete Huntchinson from SRD about the car,and he said they never built a 2nd gen backhalf car for pro stock,but the front end work looks like a car they built for Wayne Jesel.</span></div></div>

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0rDuc8Ecbqk/ShXNlLGDy6I/AAAAAAAAAk0/-OsKEKP-SAk/s1600/CMS+CAMARO+-+JESEL+BROS72DPI+SMALL+copy.jpg

Jesel's Camaro was a 1974 model if I remember correctly. I suggest you pose this question and post the photos to the Classracer.com web site. Lots of long time drag racers there should be able to figure out whose car it was.

Regards,

Pete

[Peter426]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RichSchmidt<span style="font-style: italic"></div><div class="ubbcode-body">...and am also waiting a call back from Derrick Von Bargen,who was the D in SRD,and part of the Jenkins &quot;super crew&quot; back in the day.</span></div></div>

One more thing: the &quot;D&quot; in SRD stood for Development, as in <span style="font-weight: bold">Speed Research &amp; Development Co.</span> You're right about Derrick being a part of Grump's &quot;Super Crew&quot; which SRD race cars sprouted from.

Regards,

Pete

[Peter426]

Maple Grove Raceway circa late 1973/early 1974.

http://imageshack.us/a/img845/3307/file0281.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img850/2127/file0260.jpg

Pete

[300deluxeL79]

a thought, another white camaro, whatever became of this car, built in '71...

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo33/69belair/jenkins/stricklerps_ssc0172_zps9adc7f85.jpg (http://s359.photobucket.com/user/69belair/media/jenkins/stricklerps_ssc0172_zps9adc7f85.jpg.html)
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo33/69belair/jenkins/index10_zpsc9502197.jpg (http://s359.photobucket.com/user/69belair/media/jenkins/index10_zpsc9502197.jpg.html)
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo33/69belair/jenkins/index4_zpsea771b77.jpg (http://s359.photobucket.com/user/69belair/media/jenkins/index4_zpsea771b77.jpg.html)

[2001ZL1]

I bought the 70 Camaro with ram charger rear end from Mark off Ebay in 2007 and still sitting in the same spot in my garage. I purchased car without front sheet metal as shown in pic. If this is available I would like to purchase it. Does anyone have any information or know the builder of this car??? Any information will be helpful and appreciated.

[iluv69s]

So is the the car that Dick Green was selling as the Grumpy Pro stock car?? I could have bought the car years before he was trying to sell it on ebay. I remember that the 70 turn signal cutouts were still there on the qp,s inside the trunk. Good luck with the history !!

[iluv69s]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 69belair</div><div class="ubbcode-body">a thought, another white camaro, whatever became of this car, built in '71...

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo33/69belair/jenkins/stricklerps_ssc0172_zps9adc7f85.jpg (http://s359.photobucket.com/user/69belair/media/jenkins/stricklerps_ssc0172_zps9adc7f85.jpg.html)
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo33/69belair/jenkins/index10_zpsc9502197.jpg (http://s359.photobucket.com/user/69belair/media/jenkins/index10_zpsc9502197.jpg.html)
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo33/69belair/jenkins/index4_zpsea771b77.jpg (http://s359.photobucket.com/user/69belair/media/jenkins/index4_zpsea771b77.jpg.html) </div></div>

I have the rear spoiler that was apparently painted/lettered up for that car, but never got put on it!!

[DW31S]

I run into Richard &quot;Dick&quot; Green from time to time. He is selling used cars at a lot where I know the owner. Every time that &quot;Grump&quot; car or the &quot;ZL-1&quot; comes up here smiles and doesn't say a whole lot; neither do I and usually try to get back to work. Let's just say I'm more of a listener than a story teller.

[2001ZL1]

I have no idea who Richard'Dick'Green is. I bought car from a guy named Mark, from MO. He's A member from this site. I came to this site and saw pics of the car I purchased on ebay years back. I was hoping to find some more information on car. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

[DW31S]

Richard &quot;Dick&quot; Green was a fellow from Baltimore, MD (still is) who had his own used car lot in Baltimore years ago and actually did do some NHRA racing. And, he won a National event, I think the Summernationals (but don't quote me on that) and claimed he had a real ZL-1 '69 Camaro---I heard it WAS real minus the motor (or correct one) and claimed to have one of Jenkin's used Pro Stock cars that was a '70s style. I saw the ZL-1 it was MANY years ago and I think he sold it when they just started to escalate in price. The Pro Stock, again, is &quot;claimed&quot; and could be (I don't know for sure--if anybody REALLY does)an ex-Jenkin's Pro Stock cars. I have never seen the race car. Remember, that 40 years ago, nobody really cared who's cars were who's and now that REAL cars are worth something, sometimes the truth begins to become more &quot;gray&quot; than just black and white. You know the old saying---&quot;The older the story is, the faster the car was.&quot;

[RichSchmidt]

I think you guys are talking about 2 different cars. Both cars were in Maryland around the same time. I did ALOT of research on the restored Toy#8. I followed the history of that car into Mt Vernon NY where it sat for years. Some guys looking for Bruce Larson's old cars went to Mt Vernon to try and buy it and found that it had recently been sold. That was around the time the car showed up on EBay and Mike G bought it. So Toy#8 is accounted for. Jenkins had only one other 70 Camaro and that was the show car that is MIA. The car in this thread may have also been seen in Maryland,but is a much different car. It was raced with little success as a gasser with a Jenkins 427 in it,but there is no history before the time it was purchased from SRD in 1975. I called Pete Hutchinson who said it looks to be an SRD car but he has no recollection of who might of owned it originally. He went on to say that the front end work looks like a job they did for Wayne Jewel. I contacted Wayne who said it doesn't look to be his old car.I called Derrick Con Bergen twice with no answer,so I am at a standstill now. I have been offered the chance to buy it back just this morning,but am working on the funds right now. The real Jenkins car had a full tube chassis under it from front to back,none of the original firewall or floor etc. This is definatley NOT that car. This car has a VIN and I would love to get an NICB report on it. Can anybody help me?

[RichSchmidt]

I only know of 4 owners for this car. SRD owned it in 1975,sold it to Bob Demarco,then it ended up being owned by a guy named Linn Wood from central PA who was selling the car on EBay when I won the auction but passed on the deal. It is now owned by a guy named Wes from western Maryland,and he personally knows Bob Demarco.

As for the real Grumpy's Toy #8,it was sold to Richie Zul who sold it to Dennis Ferrara at the end of 1976,Dennis sold it at the end of 1977 to a guy named John Sandoval from Brooklyn NY who sold it in the early 80's to 2 guys from Mt Vernon NY who owned it for about 20 years until it was discovered and sold to whoever Mike G bought it from. That's the history on the restored car.

Like I said,I could really use an NICB report on this car!!!

[RichSchmidt]

Thanks Pete. I always thought it stood for development too,but I was talking to one of the guys from Black Arrow engines who said it like that,so I thought maybe I was onto something new. It is great to have your help. I will be going to buy the car in the next week or two,and then I will have more info in my hands. I plan on carefully sanding off the paint,and looking for more clues. I will put up some pics of what I find. Whatever the car turns out to be,I won't be hacking it up,and it seems to be a cool piece of racing history. If nothing else,I will do a few safety updates,and drop my 427 and glide in it and run it as a low 10 second bracket car. I am interested in how early on the firewall was cut,because that is one of the things that I don't like about the car and would consider in doing.

[DW31S]

Another idea might be to contact Doug Boyce who wrote the book on &quot;Grumpy's Toys&quot;. I can imagine through his intense research, some light might be shed on whether or not it really is a Jenkin's car. I know Richie Zul had one, and I think Dennis Ferrara had that same car, and I think Bruce Larson had one of Jenkin's cars in that body style, too.

[RichSchmidt]

Those were all the same car,and the only other 2nd gen was the #7 which was a show car that was given back to the dealer after Jenkins was done with it. This wasn't a Grumpy's Toy,it might be some other racer's car,but it was sold as a used race car from SRD in 1975,and the owner bought a Jenkins 427 and custom headers for the car and ran it as a gasser. It would seem that this car had most of it's work done in about 1972,and was raced by somebody who we can identify. The current owner spoke to Jenkins about the car,and Bill said that he didn't really remember it. At this point I think the best start is to slowly sand off the existing paint(old laquer from 1975),try and get an NICB report to find out where the car was sold new,and I am going to try and bring it by Pete Hutchinson,or at least get him a ton of more detailed pics. I also need to bring the car to the guy who bought it from SRD in 1975 and get the exact story on what was done to the car when he first bought it. I have pics of the car when he raced it,but I have no idea if he changed anything before those pics were taken. He obviously changed a few things on the car,as he eventually put a 1979 fiberglass pro nose and 1979 tail lights/bumper.

.

[RichSchmidt]

These are the only crappy pic I have of the engine compartment back in the day. The firewall was recessed in these pics,the car had a bolt together glass front clip. I will get better copies of these pics soon.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/get-attachment24_zps99c85259.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/get-attachment24_zps99c85259.jpg.html)

The back of the car as it sits now. Underneath the 79 bumper and tail lights,almost all the original 1974 tail panel was intact with just a few pieces trimmed out from around the original tail light openings. I don't plan to replace the tail panel,just use a replacement panel to provide the pieces I need to fix the original.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/prostock6.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/prostock6.jpg.html)

In contrast,here is the engine compartment of Grumpy's Toy#8 after Richie Zul had SRD rebuild it for him. This is Dennis Ferrara in this pic. This is what pretty much all SRD prostockers were built like in 1974,which is why I know this car was originally built early on.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/Ferrara4.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/Ferrara4.jpg.html)

[Peter426]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RichSchmidt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As for the real Grumpy's Toy #8,it was sold to Richie Zul who sold it to Dennis Ferrara at the end of 1976,Dennis sold it at the end of 1977 to a guy named John Sandoval from Brooklyn NY who sold it in the early 80's to 2 guys from Mt Vernon NY who owned it for about 20 years until it was discovered and sold to whoever Mike G bought it from. That's the history on the restored car.</div></div>

Aren't you forgetting Bruce Larson? From what I know, ownership goes like this: Jenkins/Larson/Zul (after his 1969 Camaro was stolen from motel at 1973 Summernationals)/Ferrara/etc.

http://105.imagebam.com/download/zwExreSIxI84nqiUBDfCkA/25733/257320495/car_craft_magazine-1.jpghttp://101.imagebam.com/download/IdqUMC63MvdPCyCCkvrdAg/25733/257320507/car_craft_magazine-2.jpg

Pete

[RichSchmidt]

Yup Pete,that's how it went for Grumpy's Toy8.it looks like the Jenkins car was mini tubbed with the springs moved in maybe back in late 71 when it was still a Grump's Toy. It was loaned to Larson and later Zul who had it thaat way. It was while Zul owned it that the tube chassis was put under it and it modified into a 74 body. When Zul first ran the car with the stock front clip under it,the car was built nearly identical to this one. That's why I figure that this car was done in 72 or 73 since after that SRD changed some things.

On the bright side,I pulled some strings with a friend in the FBI who owes me a favor,and he works firsthand with the NICB as a fraud investigator,and he just shot them over the VIN for this car and my other two cars to see what comes up. Does anybody know the dealer and zone codes from 1970 and 1973? The VIN on this car looks to be in the 3d week of June in 70,so let's see where it came from.

[musclecarjohn]

Good luck Rich...!

[RichSchmidt]

Here are some more pics. I got it home,and took off all the 1979 crap.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/get-attachment25_zps6f99a16e.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/get-attachment25_zps6f99a16e.jpg.html)


A lot of the original tail panel was left. I have at least one of the corners off a donor car I cut up,and the seller gave me a tail panel which I will cut out only what I need to patch the original. I also got the original lights and bumper. The tail light openings look to have been filled over before the car was converted.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/get-attachment28_zpsb1653543.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/get-attachment28_zpsb1653543.jpg.html)

Cool wheelie bars,these were in the pics from 1975.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/get-attachment29_zps737a9c39.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/get-attachment29_zps737a9c39.jpg.html)

[RichSchmidt]

Here is something interesting. Apparently everybody was confused. The car never had a 3 link in it. It was never even backhalfed. It had the original rails modified and the springs moved in,and later the ladder bars and coil overs installed(before 1975 though).The original rear rails were cut where they kick up over the rear,and removed,then the right rail was put on the left side and vice a verse. It moved the spring mount inboard. hey installed 3x3&quot; frame connectors thru the floor with the springs mounted off the back of them just like modern frame connectors. It has the original outer wheelhouse,only the inners were replaced with tubs.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/rearrails_zpse9d284fc.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/rearrails_zpse9d284fc.png.html)

This is the trunk tin work with the 79 rear treatment still installed. The weight bar was used to meet legal weight with a 427 big block.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/trunk_zps07354769.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/trunk_zps07354769.png.html)

Before being sold from SRD in 1975 the car had a Lenco in it,and had a very large section of the tunnel removed.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/dashboard_zps8e500d17.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/dashboard_zps8e500d17.png.html)

The door hinges were apparently too heavy,and that needed to be addressed.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/doorhinges_zps86f578f9.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/doorhinges_zps86f578f9.png.html)

Apparently the gas,clutch and brake pedal brackets were all too heavy as well. And the inner cowl area must have weighed a lot since it was removed and the pedals and column mounted to the roll cage.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/gaspedal_zpsd297f296.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/gaspedal_zpsd297f296.png.html)

[RichSchmidt]

I guess even after acid dipping the doors were deemed too heavy and the hole saw came out. The holes now need a little fixing but the doors are useable.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/door_zpsd2d37d60.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/door_zpsd2d37d60.png.html)

The front end is very slick. The wheelbase is offset about 1.5&quot; and the caster specs are engraved on each upper control arm. The welding work and overall quality on the front clip is flawless.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/frontend_zps87034abb.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/frontend_zps87034abb.png.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/rack_zpse8b807fa.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/rack_zpse8b807fa.png.html)

I haven't seen one of these stickers in a while.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/sticker_zps82e3e981.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/sticker_zps82e3e981.png.html)

[RichSchmidt]

The car looks to have originally been orange before SRD worked on it. The VIN comes back to a June built Norwood car which matches the 20-22nd week sheet metal dates. I have found a car that I am looking into further. A guy by the name of Lou Oleynik who ha a buiseness in Michigan that builds truck bodies. They built car haulers for many of the big name racers of the day and did a brief stint in 1973 with an orange Camaro in pro stock running aluminum slot wheels like this car had in the earliest pics. It is just one of many leads right now. I need to scan the early pics I have,because the ones I posted here are just crappy cell phone pics of those pics.

[Peter426]

Rich,

Thanks for the additional pictures and information. That era of Pro Stocks (pre-tube frame with some exceptions, e.g., Grumpy's Vega) was that category's <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">best</span></span> as far as I'm concerned.

Here's a photo of Lou's &quot;Hauler&quot; from 1973.

http://102.imagebam.com/download/Byo8D-1hfKXJjdwl1t8fyQ/26232/262317667/LouOleynikHauler1973dragway42.jpg

Pete

[Peter426]

Here's one more photo:

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh252/stage1scott/old%20drag%20%20car%20and%20trucks/LeoOleynikINDYwcs1973.jpg

Pete

[RichSchmidt]

I decided to replace everything north of the bumper. I separated the panel from the quarters and trunk floor at all the factory welds,and then cut off the lower half of the replacement panel. I held it all in place with self tapping screws. I will cut thru the old and new panels together right behind where the bumper,just above the factory welds so that the original welds stay,then butt weld the top and bottom panels together and grind the weld flat. When done the entire job will be undetectable. I wont do the final fitting and welding until after I fix the ends of the quarters using corners that I cut off a donor car. I will probably leave the panel unattached until I do some reworking of the tin work in the trunk as well.

I am debating on if I want to fill over the gas tank filler hole and plate light and trunk lock holes.

Just having it looking more like a 70 is really motivating me. The fact that it look like a blacked out big block tail panel is cool too. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/get-attachment35_zps8bb410c6.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/get-attachment35_zps8bb410c6.jpg.html)

[ChevyO]

My fathers car had twin aluminum master cylinders on the firewall and the front subframe was welded to the floor. He also said he cut the firewall back 2-3 inches. The original color of the car is under the orange and was blue metallic paint.

[RichSchmidt]

This car is orange even under the headliner and inside the structure of the car,at least that is what I can see. Are there any pics of your dad's old car? did he own/race it prior to 1975?

[RichSchmidt]

I looked up,down and sideways at this car,and the only other thing I found other then orange or white,was a few little pieces of yellow inside the trunk jam,the yellow started and stopped in matching areas like there may have been yellow stripes on the orange. The car has all the original brown oxide primer on the interior floors and other areas that have orange paint,but the orange overspray is heavy in some of the typical areas(like under the headliner and A pillar moldings,yet non existent on the original brown oxide on the floor. All of the exterior wa tripped to bare metal when the car was painted white,and the orange is under the white in some of the jams. Does anybody remember yellow stripes on any orange 70 Camaro in the early 70's?

[RichSchmidt]

Well Lou's Oleynik's on had his dad look at my pics,and it isn't his old car. Oh well,the search goes on.

In the mean time I went ahead and mounted(mostly) the pro nose. In terms of period correctness,it mises the mark by about 1 year,so it isn't the end of the world. Plenty of local little guys were probably running pro noses on their backhalf Camaros in the later years. I had the wheels off to clean and free up the sliders and I decided to try on my early style Super Trick caps. They don't fit as well as with the correct early wheels,but I may be able to tweak them to make them fit better. I have another brand new set to use if I ever get the correct early wheels.The front end fit well after a little grinding and tweaking. I cant complain.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/get-attachment40_zps2bbcc448.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/get-attachment40_zps2bbcc448.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/get-attachment42_zpsf19a3cda.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/get-attachment42_zpsf19a3cda.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/get-attachment41_zps6d4a55b2.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/get-attachment41_zps6d4a55b2.jpg.html)

[RichSchmidt]

This is the &quot;New England&quot; car I am looking for info about. The guy who bought it in about 1975 picked it up in or around Hartford Conn,and it was already painted white,but under that it looks to have been yellow with narrow black stripes,and factory orange under that. Possibly the old PV speed shop car? It had slotted mags at the time. It was probably associated with McBetts at the time. It came with a 4 speed trans that had Sam Auxier engraved on many of the internals. I have already posted about it on the Connecticut Draway face book page and got a response from Brian Peavy's grand daughter who is looking into it. If anybody has any info let me know.

[RichSchmidt]

The only thing that concerns me about it being this car is that this photo says Aug 4 of 70,but my car's VIN and sheet metal dates all point to mid June build date. It would have to been a very quick buildup for it to be racing so soon,but back in the days of a prostocker being just a stock body with a bolt in roll bar,and the shop probably having ordered and received the parts and built the drivetrain before the car arrived could make it possible. If the stripes down the back are like the stripes up the hood,the spacing and width is spot on,but my yellow looks a little brighter.

[RichSchmidt]

The tin work is out for now. Here is a beter look a the factory rails even with some of the stock floor attached. Every bit of the stock rails are there,all he way to the tail panel,not even notched,just switched from side to side at the back. The car looks to have spent some time as a big tire car with leaf springs under it before the ladder bars and coil overs went in. It stil has the outer wheelhouses just trimmed when the wheelwells were radiused. the tubs are riveted to the stock outer houses.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/get-attachment37_zpsc5bf40da.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/get-attachment37_zpsc5bf40da.jpg.html)

[RichSchmidt]

Real GM metal from a donor car.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/get-attachment47_zps35b1b4fc.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/get-attachment47_zps35b1b4fc.jpg.html)

Every bit of original metal was retained by cutting the patch exactly,then but welding it in,and hammer and dollying it reasonably straight(still needs some work).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/get-attachment46_zps91f3711a.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/get-attachment46_zps91f3711a.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/get-attachment45_zps231338a4.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/get-attachment45_zps231338a4.jpg.html)

Bug bombed white just so it looks better for now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/get-attachment48_zps4e9c0ef6.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/get-attachment48_zps4e9c0ef6.jpg.html)

[RichSchmidt]

It is hard to tell where the stripes were,but they were near the edge of he filler panel over the orange and yellow. I ended up sanding too much and blurring the lines because there was black primer in between the layers too. The car was stripped to bare metal before being painted white before 1975,but the jams were never stripped so I have just a few tiny areas to work with.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/get-attachment65_zps26605872.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/get-attachment65_zps26605872.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/Car%20pics/get-attachment66_zps1ebd2bb3.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/Car%20pics/get-attachment66_zps1ebd2bb3.jpg.html)

[RichSchmidt]

Well,here it is. The original Wheatley bros car,after it was sold to Ronnie Staples. The shop pics are from early 72,the racing pics from the summer of 72. This is EXACTLY how I plan on restoring the car. My plan is to have my name done on the doors slightly smaller then the existing Ronnie Staples name,and Jenkin's competition on the quarter. I plan on having magnetic stick ons made with Ronnie's name and his speed shop's logo to use in nostalgia shows and special events. I need to find a set of 15x12 and front runner slotted mags.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/a8b2b1d7-6feb-4297-beca-bf44794b630f_zps973f0740.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/a8b2b1d7-6feb-4297-beca-bf44794b630f_zps973f0740.png.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/a43393a0-1020-466d-a113-3c8fd5ad640c_zps4da82686.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/a43393a0-1020-466d-a113-3c8fd5ad640c_zps4da82686.png.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/a6f62711-729c-4149-9958-304af8d1364c_zpsca9ef511.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/a6f62711-729c-4149-9958-304af8d1364c_zpsca9ef511.png.html)

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/c80a095f-f9bd-4381-9477-0b56e442fc57_zps71de1342.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/c80a095f-f9bd-4381-9477-0b56e442fc57_zps71de1342.png.html)

[RichSchmidt]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/de8c7e27-6093-4c78-a974-49dba3389996_zps6e334bd9.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/de8c7e27-6093-4c78-a974-49dba3389996_zps6e334bd9.png.html)

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/racer7391/394a2ebd-5445-45be-be82-7758c7012655_zpsd3d67b5e.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/racer7391/media/394a2ebd-5445-45be-be82-7758c7012655_zpsd3d67b5e.png.html)