Harry Kalwei's Fred Gibb-Dick Harrell Camaro

[1stGenFan]

Originally Posted by PeteLeathersac

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Old thread but where’d this bona fide ‘70 Harrell Car ever end up, anyone here?
1248701501835

~ Pete

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Never sold.

[Pro Stock John]

This is not the P/S car with the clear hood scoop, different car?

[1stGenFan]

Same car. The 1970 DHPC postcard shows the car behind Dick and his 1970 funnycar. Harry told me the paint was hardly dry on both cars when the photo shoot for the postcard was taken! The car ran in the GT classes of AHRA in 1970 under DHPC ownership and Fred Gibb Chevrolet sponsorship. Dick and Harry were drivers of the car in 1970. Dick sold the car to Harry at the end of the 1970 season.

It was converted to Pro-Stock for the 1971 season. Harry drove the car into the 1972 season, but after a track accident that wrecked the fiberglass front clip, it was placed in storage. A new clip was provided to Harry by the same manufacturer in 1972, it was installed, however, he never raced the car again. I remember in about 2006 when Dave Libby helped Harry get the car running, he was on the phone with me, and I heard it start up! It has the 1972 drivetrain still in it. It is a large displacement BBC, with 2x4 tunnel ram set up.

The earlier posted article tells how the car was set up with both a SBC and a BBC for the class battles.

[PeteLeathersac]

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Awesome info and pics also car!
Thank you!

~ Pete

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[Hawkeye]

Does anyone have pictures in its current state? Very cool piece of drag racing history!!

[1stGenFan]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Does anyone have pictures in its current state? Very cool piece of drag racing history!!

I believe this pic, which was included with the original post, is the current condition of the car.

[Pro Stock John]

And so this is a different pro stock car (stock interior, 3 pt bar).

[1stGenFan]

Correct. This 1970 handout shows both DHPC sponsored 1970 Camaro steel body racecars. The Fred Gibb Chevrolet Super Stocker, (a DHPC "Team car") restored by Kim Howie, and now owned by Jim Parks is on the left. You will note the Dick Harrell name on the door. When Dick sold this car to Fred, Fred's name was placed on the quarter panel. It was originally a 6 cylinder car, and initially ran by Jim Little, before going to Gibb Chevrolet, who ran the car mid 1970.

The '70 GT racecar of the DHPC is on the right, with Dick and Harry kneeling in front of it. Note the Fred Gibb name on the door. This is the car highlighted in this post.

Both DHPC sponsored 1970 FunnyCars are shown, Dick's is on the left, Clyde Morgans on the right (a "Team car"). Note that 3 of the 4 cars have the Fred Gibb name on the doors, and only the re-brokered car of Jim Littles's has the Dick Harrell name on the door. When Fred obtained the car, it was already painted and just needed to be relettered with his name.

It's hard to believe all 4 cars still exist, although the DHPC funnycar body is all that is left of the 1970 Funnycar, rebuilt with a replica chassis by Bill Porterfield.

I want to thank Val Harrell for the copy of these rare handouts. The second handout shows the 1969 cars that ran during at least the early 1970 season. It includes the gold 1970 454 Nova that was in an article with a 1970 454 El Camino.

The gold Nova was not a racecar, however, with the #1 ZL1 owned by Fred Gibb, and the SuperJohn 1969 Camaro, there were around 10 cars sponsored by the Dick Harrell Performance Center during the 1970 season.

[Hawkeye]

Here is a page from the Dick Harrell Safety & Performance Clinic book. It shows the set up for each of the 1970 race cars.
Cheers,
Marty

[Pro Stock John]

Amazing pics and info! Okay if I move this thread to the DH forum?