My First Camaro - What was Yours?

[Oldtimer]

I know of two 69 Camaro Z28s which went from the dealership in Huntsville directly to a race shop.  I know both owners well and have worked on race cars ran by each of them over the years.   I believe they each drove the Bolus / Snopes car at one time or another, and I think both their names are on the side of the car in one of  your photos...   Do you know the original colors/equipment for the car you owned?

The car was white when I bought it.  The seller's name, I think (it's been over thirty years), was named Bud Johnson or something like that.  He told me it was the former B&S Camaro.  It had evidence of body damage to the right rear, that had been repaired.  Supposedly stuff into an earth banking at Atlanta during an SCCA race weekend.  Rear spoiler was painted gold, and had been repaired with a piece of sheet aluminum riveted over the damage.  I bought a new one, but kept the old one, still have it, hanging in my garage (along with a fuel dump can that came with the car - the dump can has a racing team name on it, which I can't recall right now, and it's also hanging in the garage and I am at work - I'll confirm that name tonight).



Car had evidence that a center dump fuel filler had been fitted at one time, but the hole had been closed with a piece of sheet metal riveted over it, and the fuel filler when I bought it when through the hole in the rear spoiler you can see in the picture.  There were also holes in the front grill consistent with where the driving lights had been installed, as well as a patch on the roof that covered where the signaling lights had been.

[69Z28-RS]

That was Bobby Mitchell's car; he ordered it with the JL8, and when it came in he took it to his shop and converted it for road racing.  He began with local/regional SCCA competitions but worked himself up to TransAm and IMSA.  He also was a driver one year with a big name team with other big name drivers at Daytona, but my old memory is not recalling all the names...  may have been the Mecum team out of Louisiana...?   Bob was an engineer in the same lab as I for the Army Missile Labs back in the 70's.  I'm sure he's retired by now; his wife also helped him when he raced by timing his laps and positions.   After he sold the Camaro, he built a Pinto (expensive 2000 cc engine) and raced in the IMSA series (small engine series).  I crewed for him at Road Atlanta at least once.  Bob told me that he sold it to a 'Bud Johnson' who lived in Tennessee at that time (just above the Ala/TN line I think).   I made a minor effort to track Bud and the car down but had no success.   I'd bet the JL8 rear is/was worth more than you paid for the car, and probably sold the car for.. 

Did it still have the 302, JL8  and other Z28 items when you owned it?

I'd be interested in hearing more history of the car (after you sold it) if you recall anything...

[Oldtimer]

That sounds about right, I think Johnson told me it was Mitchell who drifted in to the dirt bank at Atlanta.

It has a 302 in it when I bought, and had the Corvette four-wheel discs.  I think the rear gearing was 4.10/4.11, and was a positraction unit.  I cannot tell you whether the VIN # was still on it, or even if the engine was matching to the chassis (that car had been raced for several years before I got it, and at that, apparently in several endurance races).

While I was racing it, we blew the engine it came with, and replaced it, eventually with an Al Bartz-prepared 302, with dry sump.  That was a nice motor, which made its way into a Corvette I raced and another later model Camaro.

Wish I could help with who bought the car from the broker I gave it to, to sell for me, but never knew the counterparty, all I got was cash back from the broker after the deal closed.  Rumor mill had that it went to a guy in Louisiana who used it for dirt track racing, and eventually totaled it.

Thanks for the help, and information.  It fills in some of the blanks.

[68L30]

Still have mine, first car & first Camaro....Nineteen Sixty Great!

Steve

[69Z28-RS]

That was Bobby Mitchell's car; he ordered it with the JL8, and when it came in he took it to his shop and converted it for road racing.  He began with local/regional SCCA competitions but worked himself up to TransAm and IMSA.  He also was a driver one year with a big name team with other big name drivers at Daytona, but my old memory is not recalling all the names...  may have been the Mecum team out of Louisiana...?   Bob was an engineer in the same lab as I for the Army Missile Labs back in the 70's.  I'm sure he's retired by now; his wife also helped him when he raced by timing his laps and positions.   After he sold the Camaro, he built a Pinto (expensive 2000 cc engine) and raced in the IMSA series (small engine series).  I crewed for him at Road Atlanta at least once.  Bob told me that he sold it to a 'Bud Johnson' who lived in Tennessee at that time (just above the Ala/TN line I think).   I made a minor effort to track Bud and the car down but had no success.   I'd bet the JL8 rear is/was worth more than you paid for the car, and probably sold the car for.. 

Did it still have the 302, JL8  and other Z28 items when you owned it?

I'd be interested in hearing more history of the car (after you sold it) if you recall anything...

Attempting to clarify what I wrote above about Bob Mitchell's participation in a 'big name team'..   He was a listed driver on the 'Stratograph' team with Cale Yarbrough, Bill Cooper, and Billy Hagan at Lemans and Watkins Glen (at least) in 1981.  I believe he also was a driver for one of John Mecum's race teams, but I cannot find info on that.  If I can look Bob up here in town (both of us retired), I'll try to dig into his memory a little..

[wtexz10]

68 Lemans Blue White stripe Z/28.  Purchased it in 1971 for $1150.00   Drove it until 1974 when the first oil embargo hit and convinced myself that I couldn't afford .35cent gas.  Got $650 on trade for a 73 Vega GT.  What a bone head decision. 

[Oldtimer]

That was Bobby Mitchell's car; he ordered it with the JL8, and when it came in he took it to his shop and converted it for road racing.  He began with local/regional SCCA competitions but worked himself up to TransAm and IMSA.  He also was a driver one year with a big name team with other big name drivers at Daytona, but my old memory is not recalling all the names...  may have been the Mecum team out of Louisiana...?   Bob was an engineer in the same lab as I for the Army Missile Labs back in the 70's.  I'm sure he's retired by now; his wife also helped him when he raced by timing his laps and positions.   After he sold the Camaro, he built a Pinto (expensive 2000 cc engine) and raced in the IMSA series (small engine series).  I crewed for him at Road Atlanta at least once.  Bob told me that he sold it to a 'Bud Johnson' who lived in Tennessee at that time (just above the Ala/TN line I think).   I made a minor effort to track Bud and the car down but had no success.   I'd bet the JL8 rear is/was worth more than you paid for the car, and probably sold the car for.. 

Did it still have the 302, JL8  and other Z28 items when you owned it?

I'd be interested in hearing more history of the car (after you sold it) if you recall anything...

Attempting to clarify what I wrote above about Bob Mitchell's participation in a 'big name team'..   He was a listed driver on the 'Stratograph' team with Cale Yarbrough, Bill Cooper, and Billy Hagan at Lemans and Watkins Glen (at least) in 1981.  I believe he also was a driver for one of John Mecum's race teams, but I cannot find info on that.  If I can look Bob up here in town (both of us retired), I'll try to dig into his memory a little..

I think this supports what you were saying:

http://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/archive/Bob-Mitchell-USA.html

[Boston14]

My first Camaro was a 1968 RS Convertible.  Had a 327 w/ 4 speed trans. Bought it in 1972 from a guy who thought the transmission was a 3 speed and was locked up.............. shifter linkage was locked up like the 68's did with the crossmember mounted shifter.  Not a bad buy for $300.00.  But, back then you could buy running, decent driving cars for $100 all day long.  I had the car painted and a new top put on.  I put headers, cam and 600 Holley on the engine.  Drove it for 2 years and wrapped it around a big tree.  I got a few stitches but the car wasn't so lucky, the passenger side floorboard was higher than the seat.  The only good thing was that I had just dropped my girlfriend off at her house, I don't think she would have done well in the crash.  Bought my 1969 SS/RS convertible the same year, but that's another story............

[BillOhio]

My first and only other Camaro, was a 67 that I bought about 1985 or 6. The guy I bought it from had restored it and let me to believe it was an original ss396 car. I didn't know any better and it was a nice rust free car with about 30,000 miles on it. Along with the car came a traction bar that was pretty pitted up. He said he never got around to reinstalling it. When I went to put it on the dimples under the back seat had never been pierced. This guy messed around with a lot of Camaros in his time and have learned since, dont trust him!. I later found the car that the traction bar came from. It was a plum color pretty rusty but still had the original spark plug wires on it. Missing it's traction bar. 325 hp 396. My car was originally marina blue, and probaably an RS. Later the guy's brother inform me that it had 327 one time if I remember correctly. The engine was supposed to be fresh, and used some oil. Eventually it wiped the camshaft. I took it apart and he had had the rings upside down on four pistons. He tried to blame his wife. I sold that car at a little auction near me and a guy bought it for his 17 year old son that was staying out all night. He thought it would teach him some responsibility. I watched the newspaper ads after that to see if it ever showed up but I never saw anything out of it again. The one picture is from the super Chevy show in Indianapolis