Did Bill Thomas build Camaros outside NICKEY??

beater68427 · #1 01-27-2009, 06:20 AM

Im new here and found this place out of curiosity from a 68 camaro I purchased, I have had quite a few muscle cars over the years mostly Chevy and Mopar, I ran a wanted ad looking for a 67-68 Camaro, I sold a few cars and decided I wanted to build a first gen F, well I decided I wanted go aginst the norm and build a 7 or 8 and stay away from the popular 69, well after looking at many cars I came across this 68 price was so so, but not a real rusty car. Car is a 6 cyl car by the vin, here is the start of the kickers, has a aluminum headed 68 427 in it, 12 bolt BE code (also 68) M22 havent found any numbers on it, 2 pc old school lakewood bell housing where the bottom un bolts, has 68 steel wheels on front with bias BS front tires 700-14 MH slicks ont the back M over H old style no numbers on wheels but 15-850 slicks, old style 2pc traction bars but a straight bar not tube, Here is the wierd It does have a stinger hood on a steel frame???? car is original red with black interior and no gauges hurst shifter no console kinda plane jane. now another kicker has a Bill Thomas race cars sticker on the bottom of the trunk lid, a paper sticker yellowed and torn??? car is a 6cyl vin is it just some guys old race car it did things like this ever happen, I purchased the car with no title just a bill of sale, I'm currently working with the state on a tilte so I do not want to post any vin at this time, I'm fine with the price I paid for the car just on the parts, but after taking it apart and looking at it I start to question???? This is not a restored car this is a POS hence the name beater68427 no matter what comes of this car I'm going to restore it from what I purchased not my original intentions.

camarojoe · #2 01-27-2009, 06:30 AM

Sounds cool... you DO know we need to see some pics, right?

beater68427 · #3 01-27-2009, 06:46 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Sounds cool... you DO know we need to see some pics, right?

[/ QUOTE ]

I will I will.. I have had the car for 6 months now but not real worried, but also concerned on the no title sale, I have paid the fees and also the proper foot steps, the car was a east coast built car but out of orange county, I have found myself quite fond of this place so no matter what the car is you will see pics and vin just want the legal docs first... I paid 12000.00 for the car it is quite clean the engine is in real bad shape, I was going to just stick another engine in it for now and have some fun with it, and rebuild and "restore" the one that came with the car, there was no intake and carb on it when I got it, alot of dmaage to the engine is rust, It did spin #1 & 2 rod heads seem good, but alot of cheese growing in the cylinders and the seats need changed 4 valves wouldnt even close when I pulled the heads off... now just time for the paperwork from the state and I will be happy...

jeff morocco · #4 01-27-2009, 07:13 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Sounds cool... you DO know we need to see some pics, right?

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i was going to say the same thing............

GTO_DON · #5 01-27-2009, 07:43 AM

Didnt somebody start a thread on a car like this around 5 years ago?? Somebody has to remember.

COPO_Anders · #6 01-27-2009, 11:49 AM

Jeffrey, is the engineblock painted yellow ?

beater68427 · #7 01-27-2009, 03:50 PM

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Jeffrey, is the engineblock painted yellow ?

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Interesting you say that, the block is faded black now but you can see it was orange originally then yellow now light cruddy coat of black, the heads are bare aluminum, looks like it has had its share of abuse, I know I can save the heads but a little worried on the short block, I really do not have the money to build a new engine now well I have enough for a new coat of paint on the car or build a engine, I think (when I get a title) I will do a clean up on the car and put the other bigblock from my impala in it for now and have some fun. I started to get curious on the car, but reading some of the threads here, all the real cars were built from SS 396 cars, I think it was some guys street-bracket car form that era. I will get some pics up when I get the title back from the state, I am a paranoid sort and bought it from a younger guy and just a little worried, so far it came black clean no wants no warrants so I'm sure its all good, just me being paranoid.

**PeteLeathersac** · #8 01-27-2009, 04:52 PM

W

W...this car sure sounds interesting so far!.
Can you report what stampings are on the block?.
And before going too far w/ the title, have you confirmed the hidden Vins do match the 6 Cyl. tag?.

Welcome Jeff...your L34 factory 4:10 '67 rag sounds great too!.

~ Pete

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I like real cars best...the REAL real ones!

beater68427 · #9 01-27-2009, 05:30 PM

[ QUOTE ]
W

W...this car sure sounds interesting so far!.
Can you report what stampings are on the block?.
And before going too far w/ the title, have you confirmed the hidden Vins do match the 6 Cyl. tag?.

Welcome Jeff...your L34 factory 4:10 '67 rag sounds great too!.

~ Pete
The Chevelle is a good car full docs makes it nice also, The vin is a 6 on the camaro and all seem to match on body, thats where im confused, the block has been surfaced years ago, no numbers there casting is a 5439, the rear seems to have 4:56 or 4:88 gears in it now and some previous weld marks on the tubes, I will need to do some cleaning there, and a gear change I think I'm going to put 3:73's in it, as far as the body it is very clean no undercoat car, very small amount of rust in quarters, Floor pans are great bottom of car is still black and quite clean, I was just going to give it a detail with whats there, and touch up the black in a few spots no dents or dings on the car, has had one repaint, There are no marking on the car at all no Camaro no engine size no marking at all did have a black stripe on hood plus Ribbon around nose? also manual steering manual brakes. What ever the car is I am just going to mildly restore it to what someone had made it.

--------------------
I like real cars best...the REAL real ones!

[/ QUOTE ]

**sixtiesmuscle** · #10 01-27-2009, 05:56 PM

Did you say it was an "east coast"/Orange County built car? Any idea when it went west? Just as an aside, the whole "yellow engine" thing is way overblown IMO. Yes, both Nickey & Bill Thomas might have painted an engine or engines yellow, but, so did many others back in the day. One yellow engine on the cover shot of one of the first Nickey/Bill Thomas cars has created a false idea that all of them were yellow.

You are correct in the idea that, most of the conversions were done on V-8 cars at least, and, L78 cars once available. That doesn't mean that someone didn't take a six cylinder car to Bill Thomas for work to be done at some point. If you can prove that, it would be a very cool car.