1st Camaro BB transplant

[sYc]

While at York, had a chance to spend time with a friend who has spent a lot of time visiting with Bill Thomas about his work with GM. Seems Bill has been "an advisor" to GM since the '50s.

As most folks know, GM got out of racing in the mid 1960s. But, a few inside GM found ways around this decree. Enter Bill Thomas. His job was to take the various hi-po parts GM had on their shelves and figure out ways to combine these parts into packages that would benefit the buying/racing public.

From time to time, Bill would visit various hi-po dealerships, and high profile racers, showing them how to best utilize the various speed parts GM had to offer. This way, it was the dealerships who were involved in racing, not GM. What better way to advertise then to have the likes of Nickey and Yenko sponsoring racecars?

Bill was sent one of the first '67 Camaros by GM, to see what it would take to replace the SB with a BB. The only major hangup was the steering box, which was soon re-engineered by GM.

Also of interest was the original paperwork I was shown of a 1967 Bill Thomas prepared Camaro, listing over two pages of parts that were changed/added. Rader wheels (5), Pirelli radial tires, and the most interesting item of all, a 467 big block engine.

And yes, this car has been found, just recently purchased from its original owner.

[Charley Lillard]

Very cool...pics coming at some point I hope...

[69SSRSL89]

That is truely cool facts to know and to also know that car #1 of the transplants has been found and purchased from it's original owner. Thanks for sharing this information. What are the chances we could get a sneak peek at some past and present pictures of this legendary piece of bowtie history car?

Jesse

[sYc]

The owner does not post here, but is going to try and stop by SCR8. I will see if he will bring the paperwork and some pics then.

This car is not the first BB Camaro transplant, as it was converted in Oct. of '67. I asked him to ask Bill how he came up with the 467 CI engine.

[camaromb]

This car was a late '66 LA built car shipped to Nickey in Dec. '66, converted and shipped to Bill Thomas in early '67. Any earlier converted cars known? What are the wheels Nickey used on this car? The original owner of this car is still in California. The car is black rs/ss with white deluxe interior and fold down! It will be restored in the near future by it's current owner. I can't wait to see this one done.
Mark

[Belair62]

Thanks Mark...BTW...I stopped in the other day and you were out so I made copies of that crusty old 3 ring binder full of stuff.

[Jeff H]

I thought I remembered seeing an ad or a magazine article or ad about Nickey/Harrell doing the big block swap in Oct of 66. That would hint that he might have been working out the details even earlier. Here's the article, pretty funny that they started messing up spelling Camero just as the car first came out!

[Belair62]

ahhh good ole Chicago...

[396L35]

[ QUOTE ]
ahhh good ole Chicago...

[/ QUOTE ]Yeah but you guys up there cant spell...