Walter Parkins 1970 Trans Am Z/28 Camaro

[bossboy302]

I realize this is a Gen 1 forum, so forgive me if I'm intruding. It was the Trans Am heading that interests me.
I am currently preparing this Camaro for next season's vintage racing with the Historic Trans Am group. Admit I don't know too much about Camaros, and even less about Walter Parkins. If anyone has any information about Walter, his car, photos, or can point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it.
Thanks, Brian

[Jon Mello]

Nice to have you join us here, Brian.

Walter C. Parkins was from White Bear Lake, MN and he was one of the Camaro drivers I saw run at Road America back in the early '70s. His car was orange with number 77 on it in green numerals. The 7s were kind of an odd font and they weren't laid out on a white circle, as I have seen on the car recently. I have Walter's autograph in my '71 RA Trans-Am program. Mike Mulcahy had that car a number of years back and it had a '69 style cowl induction scoop on the hood at that time. I hope that has gone away. It looked terrible and is not correct to the era. I believe it was Neil Karolek who found the car and traced it back to Parkins. I may have a picture of the car. I will have to do some digging.

[oldtransamdriver]

Brian, I also have a photo of that car.  I did race against Walter several times.  He upped his game in 72
if you look at the qualifying times on  ultimateracinghistory,com

Best wishes for a good season next year with the HTA.  Might even get to see you at the races.

Robert Barg

[Jon Mello]

Here's the car at the Bryar Trans-Am in 1972...


Robert Barg Collection from Autoweek & Competition Press

[bossboy302]

John and Robert,
Thank you both for the replies, info, and photo(s). Any chance Walter is still around?
I have only 1 photo of the car in period. Yes, the "77" was a unique font, if not a bit ugly. Afraid the white meatballs are here to stay. The photo I have shows that back of the rear spoiler was painted kelly green, probably not going with that either.
The hood is being replaced with a flathood. I'd like to remove the bracing as I suspect was done in the era. Any photo of this would be helpful.
Again, thanks!
Hoping for more to come.

[Jon Mello]

Brian, I checked and I do have some negatives from the '71 Road America Trans-Am. There is one shot of my mom standing behind Parkins' Camaro and the rear wheel is off the car. This shot was taken in the paddock area. Parkins' car had Z stripes on it in 1971 and the number font is nicer. I'll get a photo made from this negative and get it to you.

There is a Walter C. Parkins, age 74, that lives in Royalton, MN.  I would assume it's probably him.

[Jon Mello]

There is another shot of the Parkins Camaro seen in this thread...

http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=11732.0;all

It's from the 1971 Mid-Ohio race where he was running as #71.

[Jon Mello]

I found a negative from the 1971 Road America June Sprints where Walter Parkins is racing the car as #17. It's seen behind the BFG Tirebird below. I'll make a print for you.



Below is the entry list for the '71 June Sprints. This was not a Trans-Am event and the car was running in the A/Sedan class.

[Jon Mello]

Brian, here's the entry list for the 1971 Road America Trans-Am





Below is Walter Parkins' autograph (on the left) from the '71 RA Trans-Am plus a couple of other guys who sounds familiar.


Jon Mello Collection

[Jon Mello]

Brian, there is also a photograph of the Parkins #71 car on Ken Coles' website...

http://www.colesracingphotos.com/Ken-Coles-Racing-Photos/Trans-Ams-1970-1972/

It is misidentified as Steve Ross at the '71 Mid-Ohio Trans-Am but Steve Ross was driving the #70 Boss Mustang instead.

[wolfmin]

Here are a few pictures of the Walter Parkins Camaro when it was driven by David Jungerman.

I apologize that I don't know who the photographer is.

[wolfmin]

David Jungerman at the runoffs with the ex-Parkins Camaro.

[wolfmin]

Another shot of the ex-Parkins Camaro with David Jungerman spinning as Jerry Dunbar passes in the ex-Carl Shafer Camaro.  Of course prior to Jerry Dunbar and Carl Shafer, that car was driven by Marshall Robbins and Bill Petree.

This picture shows pretty much exactly what the car looked like when Walter Parkins drove it.

[Trans Åm]

That was a very sharp looking car! Love the Motor Wheel Spyder's as well.

Do you know the rough dates of those pictures above?

[wolfmin]

That was a very sharp looking car! Love the Motor Wheel Spyder's as well.

Do you know the rough dates of those pictures above?

I'm thinking 1975.  I saw David Jungerman win the June Sprints in dramatic fashion that year.  He started dead last and came through the pack against some tough competition.  The battle for the lead in A Sedan was between Sid Rust in an ex-Chaparral Camaro and Warren Fairbanks in his Camaro.  They traded the lead many times before Warren lost and engine.  Jungerman ended up catching Rust before it was over.  The top 3 were Jungerman, Rust and Jerry Dunbar.