Harrell Magazine

[Carleen]

Anyone have this Magazine?
Is it a 69 or 70 Harrell Camaro?

[Stefano]

Kool, I'd like to see the W-30 article as well ; )

[L78M22Rag]

I'm gonna say its a '69 Camaro based on the ridge trailing from the peak of the wheel opening on the fender.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

'69 ZL1 Gibb racer.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

[1stGenFan]

Here is the article, the most comprehensive written back in the day on the Gibb #1 ZL1, and some on the #15 Harrell/Leatherman ZL1. Notice the unique hood initially used on the #1 ZL1. This hood has not been reproduced on the car at this time, which is currently a modified cowl induction hood, with plexiglass scoop. The #15 car has a white scoop on a standard flat hood. On the #1 car, The hood was changed in 1971 to what appears to be a cowl induction hood with a "grump lump" style hood.

By the time this was published, the difficult 1970 season was half over, and the secrets were well known by most serious competitors.

It is my understanding, during the 1971 season, an iron block was used instead of the aluminum block, prepared by Diamond Racing Engines. I may be wrong, but I was under the impression the aluminum block was found not as competitive as needed. I may be wrong on this, but the 1971 season was run with a Diamond Prepared engine, not a Dick Harrell prepared engine.

As a side note, when I discussed with Helen Gibb events of the #1 car and #15 car, she said her and Fred where quite disappointed when they saw the #15 car show up on the scene. They did not expect Dick to be a sponsor of a competitor at the tracks. Dick placed the Fred Gibb name on the fender of the Leatherman car to help the issue? I think the #15 car was also used to match race and ran GT classes in AHRA? Maybe the Leatherman's are still around and can fill in some blanks.

Jim Hayter was hired to drive the car during the 1971 season, replacing Ray Sullins, who replaced Herb Fox in 1969. Ray was a mechanic, and Herb a salesman and great driver, but a mechanic was needed at the races to help prep and then drive the car. There was another driver during the 1970 season, but his name has slipped from my memory. I believe Dick also drove the car at some events, but have no specific information as to which events. My memory may be starting to fade, however, I am recalling this from discussions with Jim Hayter, Ray Sullins, and Herb Fox, who all drove the #1 ZL1.

Anyway, a good read about how to set up a ZL1 to race!

Ken Boje

[COPO]

I like the Motion Marine ad on the last page for Phase III 350 and 454 boats.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

Thanks for sharing the article Ken also great thoughts/memories/comments!
Here's a few pics of the # 01 car when almost new before Hood Lump, looks like WS still affixed?
Others please speak up w/ better info but isn't the 3'rd pic @ Harrell's shop w/ Shay Nichol's car on the lift before she got it?
:beers:
~ Pete

.

[1stGenFan]

Here is the same hood on the 1968 Dick Harrell Camaro owned by Kevin S. Not sure where I found this shot of what looks like the same hood. A&A hood #Cam 67-68HSS-C. Looks like the hood in the pictures may have had a scoop riveted on at some time? No sign of hood pins ever on the hood however.

I think the car on the lift is probably the #2 ZL1. The pic must have been taken at the same time of the initial drag tests. Note the Chevrolet chevron on the door of the #1 car. It was unfinished(they were in a hurry for the WinterNationals to finish the car). Later they added the top and bottom sections for the stars and stripes of the highly recognized final version as noted on the Shay Nichols car.

[1stGenFan]

Here is Shays car. I believe her car was received in the first batch of cars, after the #1 and #2 cars were delivered. Note the white interior. This may have been swapped with another cars interior at the shop, when being prepared for Shay.

[Carleen]

That Hood with the White Scoop was probably moved over to Super John

[Carleen]

x

[Carleen]

Or if its Pictures of 3 Camaros.
ZL1 # 1
Leatherman
Super John

[x44d80]

Is this a 12 bolt rear end?

[1stGenFan]

This post has caused me to do some more research on the Leatherman's. They were cousins, not brothers as I thought, and both have passed. Jim in 2017, and Larry in 2020.

According to Larry's obit, he retired from racing in 1970. According to Jims obit, he was a parts manager at several GM dealerships. Does anyone have more information about their exploits, other than what is known from their association with Dick Harrell?

I have a couple of recent pics I've attached of a 1969 Camaro racecar, sponsored by Branine Chevrolet, driven by Larry. Does anyone know about this car? I have no idea if it is the #15 ZL1 early or later in its career, or another racecar, run by Larry. I'm not even sure how I found these pictures, or if there is a better copy of them, or who owns them. The 1st and 3rd pic looks like its fresh out of a paint shop, engine out, and front bumper and hood not installed. The #15 ZL1 was originally Silver.

Thanks, Ken Boje

[1stGenFan]

Is this a 12 bolt rear end?

On July 3, 2018 Ro McGonegal wrote a story of the 1st ZL1 test, for Chevy High-Performance News. He wrote "They put a Dana 60 and ladder bar suspension underneath".

I'm pretty sure Bill P. installed a Dana when he had the car. I don't know if Fred Gibb had later installed a Dana when run by Jim Hayter in 1971. It is hard to see the details of the rearend, in the article picture. The article says the car has a heavy duty general motors rearend.

[x44d80]

Thanks for the reply. It almost looks like a Eaton corporate H032 rear end but the picture is of such low quality even when I blow it up I cant tell what it is. Maybe resident expert Freddy, aka Big Gear Head can chime in.

[big gear head]

I really can't say, but it looks too large for a 12 bolt. I believe the car has a Dana 60 in it now.

[JoeC]

Harrell built some light weight 1969 Camaros to run match races and AHRA Super Stock.

The Gibb ZL1 #1 and Leatherman Zl1 #15 Camaros were light weights.
There were not many rules so Harrell built the cars like his early Funny cars with gutted out front ends, fiberglass nose and hood , no front brakes , B&M Clutch Turbo Hydros, one seat , and a parachute.
Some tracks required a drag chute if the car had no front brakes.

These Dick Harrell light weight 1969 Camaros were fast. At match race weight 2650 lbs, they ran 9.80 ET at 138 mph.

From looking at the pictures, the Fred Gibb ZL1 #1, Larry Leatherman Zl1 #15, Grady Bryant Zl1 #29 and the Super John McFadden Camaro were set up as light weight Camaros.

I think the Harrell shop built more than four of these light weight 1969 Camaros in 1969 and 1970.

You can tell the fiberglass front ends in some of the pictures. No parking lights, no lower valance cut outs , no upper or lower valance seems, no inner wheel wells, when compared the stock front end.

Pictures show the Gibb ZL1 #1 ,Larry Leatherman Zl1 #15, Grady Bryant Zl1 #29 and the Super John McFadden Camaro running drag chutes.

Dick Harrell and Grady Bryant were Funny Car drivers so they were used to going fast with no front brakes and drag chutes.

[Carleen]

I think that Super John Camaro had front brakes, they used it also as a Streetracer.
Shay Nichols had Parachute

[Carleen]

But it looks like it having a Parachute, the strings is hanging in under it

[Carleen]

It shows here

[Carleen]

Butt

[JoeC]

The Super John car looks to have no front brakes in this picture.
They may have installed them for some races depending on track rules.
There was very little rules for match racing.

Same with the drag chutes, you see them on the cars in some pictures and not in others.
They may have used them where there were short shut down lanes or to meet track rules.

In the pic of the car underside you can see a hook bracket in the trans tunnel. That was to hook up the chute line and you see some chute lines hanging under the cars.

The fiberglass nose looks close to a steel nose. You can see a difference in the parking lights and the notch cutouts under the bumper in the steel lower valance and the steel has seems where the metal parts bolt together vs no seems for fiberglass.

Grady Bryant and Dick Harrell were funny car drivers so they knew how to run the match races. The Funny Car drivers liked the clutch turbo hydro transmissions because a Nitro funny car was a real hand full to drive with a 4 speed. Harrell built a bunch of 69 Camaro drag cars with the clutch turbo hydro.

Grady's car looks light from what I can tell , fiberglass front, no front brakes, one seat, plexi glass windows , maybe fiberglass trunk lid and drag chute

[Carleen]

It was a report in a Magazine that Dick Harrell who prepared a Camaro for Street Race and they put in the new Turbo Clutch gearbox. They even put in a big engine like 496, I dont remember the exact engine size, read about it in Hamb 10-15 years ago. It was about Street racing and about the quarter million quarter mile race. They also wrote that a man from the East Coast showed up with a bag full of money and he bought a race car. Makes me believe that it was Heavy who bought 70 Camaro from Dick Harrell

[JoeC]

In one of the most famous street races documented in a Cars Magazine article, the Super John Camaro ran the Mutt Brothers Hemi dart.

The Dart was the old S&K Speed Inc. Hemi Dart.

It was called the "Quarter Million Quarter Mile" street race. Each side put up $125K cash and the race was run near Kennedy Airport

From what I read, Harrell built the Super John Camaro from a "body in white" body shell from Chevy and may have been acid dipped. The engine was said to be a ZL1 block larger then 427 so maybe a 454 or 494. It is hard to confirm the stories.

The Dart won

[EZ Nova]

Was just looking stuff up with this race!

Found this:

Here it is in 1970.

In 1969, an 'original' COPO' All-Aluminum 427 that ran NHRA SS/C.

And AHRA S/SE with the 'Tunnel Ram'.

In November 1969 it was purchased less engine and transmission.

The new engine was an 'aluminum head' 427 backed by a TH400 that ran in A/MP."

Not sure if it was L72 COPO or ZL1 COPO!!! Post #8

https://classracer.com/classforum/showthread.php?t=46048