Camaro History On Display Tomorrow Evening

[70 copo]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Material_Boy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Absolutely amazing car Phil. I have a couple of questions and I am in no way being critical at all. I notice in the engine compartment pic that top screw hose clamps are used on the heater hoses. I think spring clamps were still being used back then and continued to be used thru 1968. Is that the correct location for the fuel filter? Admittedly I am used to seeing Camaro's with V8's rather than inline 6's so that is probably the correct fuel filter since you describe the owner as very exacting. It just looks kind of aftermarket. Another question I have is why didn't the General use a flashier color with the debut of this car? The gold is beautiful but it just doesn't jump out like a red or yellow ETC. I also wonder why they didn't use a 327 rather than the 6 and an automatic transmission rather 3 on the tree? Who was the target audience back in the day when the car debuted? This was GM's 3 year late answer to the Mustang and I just wonder who they were tying to appeal to.
Thanks for posting the pics of this historic piece of history.

Dave </div></div>

Dave,

I will ask some of the pilot guys more specific questions tomorrow on the build configuration. Why Gold was picked?? Who Knows??

Hose clamps and small detail items may be hard to get a read on after close to 50 years. However I will tell you that I recently spoke to the worker who was assigned to pick up miscellaneous hardware items for the plant during the period.

Let me be clear I do not wish to stir up a hornets nest, BUT when a fastener shipment was delayed a Currier was dispatched to pick up enough fasteners from a nearby plant this was the first step. If that failed or if time was needed to cover the trip time of the Currier typically bolts (generally not safety system related) could be and were picked up at local hardware stores in quantity's sufficient to maintain production.

I know this because I recently interviewed a worker whose job it was to do exactly that. We are not talking huge numbers of cars affected but it did happen.

It was not uncommon for boxes of bolts to be flown in at Lunken field from suppliers within the region. Again a different worker had the job of meeting the supply planes at Lunken.

[Charley Lillard]

You posted Pilot car paperwork at the beginning of the thread where it mentions 110 volt wiring etc. Is there something on that paperwork that ties it to this particular car ?

[68l30]

I'm assuming a reference listing the new IBM DD01D to 860 coach/ Fisher number...??

BIG

[Jeff Murphy]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SS427</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ds1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There is no right or wrong when it comes to restoring a car. It is a persons personal choice. Case in point ZL1 number 1. Porterfield chose to restore the car as a race car, not as it came from the factory. He stated he felt it better to leave it as raced because it was cut up. </div></div>

And thank God he did restore it as a race car. Perfect tribute to all that were associated with the car back in the day and in my opinion worth considerably more (and I don't necessarily mean monetarily) as a race car instead of a stock as delivered ZL1. </div></div>

Yes, but then it got updated to modern NHRA cage and other stuff didn't it? Would have tried to put it back to 1969 race car specs, personally.

[68l30]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jeff Murphy</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SS427</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ds1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There is no right or wrong when it comes to restoring a car. It is a persons personal choice. Case in point ZL1 number 1. Porterfield chose to restore the car as a race car, not as it came from the factory. He stated he felt it better to leave it as raced because it was cut up. </div></div>

And thank God he did restore it as a race car. Perfect tribute to all that were associated with the car back in the day and in my opinion worth considerably more (and I don't necessarily mean monetarily) as a race car instead of a stock as delivered ZL1. </div></div>

Yes, but then it got updated to modern NHRA cage and other stuff didn't it? Would have tried to put it back to 1969 race car specs, personally.

</div></div>

Now that would have been cool!


BIG

[70 copo]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Charley Lillard</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You posted Pilot car paperwork at the beginning of the thread where it mentions 110 volt wiring etc. Is there something on that paperwork that ties it to this particular car ? </div></div>

Several things line up perfectly:

100001 = vehicle serial number sequence

709 = Standard Gold Bucket Seats.
Z = (A50) Strato Bucket Seats (without headrests).
G-G = Car Color is Granada Gold
G = Interior paint is Gold
Options:
5Y = (A39) Belts All Deluxe

A car matching its option content appears in the pilot book as DD01D

VIN#100001 spent its life in the official geographic area of delivery destination for DD01D and this is verified by a detailed ownership and title search.

The other Gold Pilots:

Car DD8 is Gold/Gold but 350 car.
Car DD10 is Gold Gold 283 car.
Car DD54 is a Gold/Gold L-6 <span style="font-style: italic">and went to New Orleans.</span>
Car DD52 is a Gold/Gold L-6 <span style="font-style: italic">and went to Virginia.</span>
Car DD64 is a Gold/Gold 327 and went to Plant Manager Jack Rhodes.
Car DD65 is a Gold/Gold 327 and went to Flint.
Car DD65 is a Gold/Gold 327 and went to Flint Assembly Research.

[70 copo]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 68l30</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm assuming a reference listing the new IBM DD01D to 860 coach/ Fisher number...??

BIG </div></div>

The Coach as the old Fisher guys called it was built out as unit 860 (which obviously it was not) as a test for the Fisher Body automated systems. (IBM 360 computer) The IBM card was already key punched and ready to go, so several of the really base option cars had option content added as write in information for the build.

The Key punchers were typically Women. I interviewed several nice ladies... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif[/img]

[70 copo]

<span style="font-weight: bold">Corrected List:</span>

The other Gold Pilots:

Car DD8 is Gold/Gold but 350 car.
Car DD10 is Gold Gold 283 car.
Car DD54 is a Gold/Gold L-6 and went to New Orleans.
Car DD52 is a Gold/Gold L-6 and went to Virginia.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Car DD63 is a Gold/Gold 327 and went to LA Plant Manager Kuyper (Norwood Built car)</span>
Car DD64 is a Gold/Gold 327 and went to NORWOOD Plant Manager Jack Rhodes.
Car DD65 is a Gold/Gold 327 and went to Flint.
Car <span style="font-weight: bold">DD78</span> is a Gold/Gold 327 and went to Flint Assembly Research.

[GaryC]

Was wondering what happened to that Camaro. Glad to see it got what it deserved. Great looking piece of history. I know this isn't car related but being that it was a pilot car reminds me of the very first C5A that was built and tested and when it finally received it's official tail number. 66-8307...was part of the flight line crew on that plane for 5 years and every part had to be built and modified by hand to work on that plane first before it was put into production for the rest of the C5A fleet. Always was fascinated with that aspect of engineering.

[jannes_z-28]

Nice historic Camaro!

About the missing Camaro emblems, wasn't the name &quot;Camaro&quot; a very late decision? Note that the papers never mention Camaro, just F-car.


Jan