Supercars at the dragstrips

[sshan25]

Just discovered this place and I'm enjoying going through it. This is my first post. Hope I'm posting in the right forum. If not, my apologies.

I know the supercars were kings on the streets. I'm trying to get a handle, though, on where they stood back in the day, when taken to the NHRA or AHRA drag strips. How would they have been classified? I've searched online but haven't been able to dind much.

For example, in '67 or '68, l think most big block Camaros (like Jenkins' Toys) would run in SS/C or A/MP in full race trim. What would a '68 or '69 race prepped 427 Yenko/Nickey/Motion, etc. be run in? Also, how would a streetable supercar be classified if all tou did was throw a set of slicks on it?

[Lee Stewart]

Stock Car Classification Guides

There are many classes within NHRA's Stock and Super Stock eliminators. Each class is defined by a ratio of vehicle shipping weight and a horsepower factor. The NHRA Stock Car Classification Guide is used to position a vehicle in its proper class.

https://www.nhraracer.com/content/general.asp?articleid=46635&zoneid=132

[69LM1]

I am the caretaker of the "Tin Soldier" 69 Copo Camaro. Mr. Ron, the original owner (and an employee at Norwood on the Camaro line which is a whole nuther' story) ran TS in the DStock class.

https://i.imgur.com/sUvLNGj.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/vSozdGO.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/NTajyyq.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/X6T6Dou.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/DOISoGN.jpg

Rich

[JoeC]

In 1967, Yenko built a minimum of 50 427 Camaros to make them legal for AHRA Super Stock racing.

Dick Harrell and Don Yenko worked with the AHRA to get the cars approved.

Many of them were built with scatter shields, headers , hood pins, and traction bars and had other options available including fiberglass hoods and decklids, 2x4BB intakes, L88s, and rear gear options.

There were two red 427 Camaros sponsored by Dick Harrell and the Yenko Super Camaro Dealers. One was red , the other red with black top.

[luzl78]

In 1967, Yenko built a minimum of 50 427 Camaros to make them legal for AHRA Super Stock racing.

Dick Harrell and Don Yenko worked with the AHRA to get the cars approved.

Many of them were built with scatter shields, headers , hood pins, and traction bars and had other options available including fiberglass hoods and decklids, 2x4BB intakes, L88s, and rear gear options.

There were two red 427 Camaros sponsored by Dick Harrell and the Yenko Super Camaro Dealers. One was red , the other red with black top.
Are any of those two yenkos still around?

[GrumpyJeff]

This could be a Great thread ! would love to see and hear more about this kinda stuff !!!

[69LM1]

This could be a Great thread ! would love to see and hear more about this kinda stuff !!!

So, here's a cool story from Mr. Ron's mouth. As I understand it, he worked on the Camaro line in Norwood in the 69 run. He was running a 63(?) vette at the strips at the time.

One day, he starts seeing 69 Camaro's outfitted with 427's and approaches someone at the plant as he understood that was not a possible engine for the Camaro. Thus, he finds out about the COPO codes to get a 427 in a Camaro. At some point, he goes down to Queen City Chevrolet and orders a 69 COPO Camaro.

Here's the crazy part. He wanted a water temperature gauge under the hood, so he gets one from the GM locomotive division and literally puts it on "his" copo as it is coming down the line. Anyway, this is what he told me. That gauge is still on the car today.

https://i.imgur.com/8EbVYZn.png

https://i.imgur.com/5w3OIUq.jpg

So, the Tin Solder is possibly (probably?) the only 69 COPO Camaro that had the documented original owner partially assemble on the assembly line. Also supportive of the lore we hear about parts "falling onto" cars that were known to be employee cars.

[69LM1]

Also, Here's a never before seen pic. Tin Soldier being painted black not long after Mr. Ron received it.

https://i.imgur.com/9uHoK8Y.jpg


Here is TS running against the Ramchargers Cuda
https://i.imgur.com/37REyTR.jpg

Here again, running against the Soul Survivor COPO at the gator nationals
https://i.imgur.com/yAHiVm0.jpg

Tri State
https://i.imgur.com/OfU7bc0.jpg

Mr. Ron still competes today in the Tin Soldier II and regularly places (at 79 years old!). A true lifelong participant. His son Jason Terrell runs Tin Soldier Fabrication and they fabricate go fast fiddly bits and run cars as well. (https://www.facebook.com/tinsoldierracecars ) Legacy at its best.

https://i.imgur.com/Xhq10Pr.jpg

https://www.racepagesdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/2021-nmca-world-finals-tin-soldier-race-cars-jason-terrell-ron-terrell-1.jpg

Rich

[Pusher_Man]

I think the TS car was the one for sale on here a few years ago. One of my very favorite cars that I did NOT buy on here. Still one of the coolest ones ever, in my book. That story about the water temp gauge is killer!

Congrats on being the caretaker of that one. Sounds like she’s in good hands.

[69LM1]

I think the TS car was the one for sale on here a few years ago. One of my very favorite cars that I did NOT buy on here. Still one of the coolest ones ever, in my book. That story about the water temp gauge is killer!

Congrats on being the caretaker of that one. Sounds like she’s in good hands.


Ha, even better is that I sold TS to fund some college for the kids, then missed it so much I tracked it down a few years later and bought it back for 6k more than I sold it for.

It was probably my ad you saw, although I did trade a 70 camaro l78 and $ for TS here before that, so maybe that's the one you saw.

Rich

[Pusher_Man]

Haha, that’s even better! Yeah, I think it was your ad I saw before. I was extremely tempted, especially with the Super Car Reunion being here in our back yard with the drag strip and everything. Awesome car that anyone should be proud to be the caretaker of. Again, still one of my favorites. Thank you for sharing it and it’s stories with us all. And…for keeping it in race form! I cry a tear every time I see a super cool, lettered up old racer that someone “restores” and takes a 1 of 1 and makes it a 1 of many.