Roll Cages

[stevegriff]

Hi

first time posting on this forum. Late last year I imported a 1967 Camaro race car from US to UK. The car arrived and I was very pleased. Over the past few months I've been updating the vehicle with UK safety equipment. And a nice new quiet exhaust that will hopefully pass race circuit noise limits here in UK. Below is a photo of the car. I will post some more over the next few days. The plan is to run the car in the Classic Sports Car Club Swinging Sixties Group 2 category. The first outing will be at the GT World Challenge meeting 28 August 2021 on the famous Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit.

Does anyone have information on the roll cages that were available in the late 1960's for the Camaro. Mine was supplied anew by Dana Motors I wondered if they offered a roll cage ?e

[crossboss]

Welcome to the forum. Very nice car! Are you meaning Dana Chevrolet in Los Angeles, Ca.? IF you are, Peyton Cramer (of Shelby GT-350 Hertz fame) owned the dealership back then. He later owned (or still does) Peyton Cramer Ford in LA. Maybe some of his old employees can be reached for more info? I'm sure the more knowledgable experts will chime in and help further...

[MO]

Welcome,

Great looking car! Does it have TA race history as the graphics suggest? As for the roll cages, I'm not sure that complete cages were available as after market. That was usually a custom built thing. But parts for them were definitely available.

[stevegriff]

Thanks for the replies and kind welcome. I have found a good diagram in Steve Holmes's excellent Racing Camaro photographic book. I'm hoping that this will help me with my FIA Historic registration.

Unfortunately the history on the car is not very good. All I know about the car was by word of mouth from the guy I got it from Bob Morton. He said it was raced in the San Diego SCCA region in the early 70’s for a few races, then sat for some years before being sold to someone in San Francisco where in was raced only three times then some sat some more before being sold to a guy  in Sacramento where it sat for years before he got it in 2007 as a roller. Log book did not come with the car.
 
He started racing it in 2010 with SOVREN in Seattle and Spokane. 1st entry in the new log book was Seattle 5/15/10. The car has raced only 15 times since.

It looks to my untrained eye to be a good spec car with 302 engine, dual plane twin Holleys.

I'll post some more photos next week to see what people think.

I would love to track down some history. VIN No is 124377L157162

[cook_dw]

Does the car still have its trim tag by chance?  Also you could do a NCRS search to see which dealer ordered the car originally when what day it was shipped out the door of Van Nuys..  Should be somehwere around mid May of 67 by that vin.

https://www.chevymuscledocs.com/

[stevegriff]

HI

not sure on the trim tag, where is that located? According to the NCRS register the car had a GM production date of 05/12/1967 and the supplying dealer was Dana Chevrolet Inc South Gate California.

I would not have a clue how to start trying to track down the vehicles early race history.

[cook_dw]

http://camaros.org/numbers.shtml#CowlTag

[crossboss]

Yes, Dana was a 'high performance' dealer like Yenko, and Nickey Chevrolet. They raced what they sold. Tracing a cars history is sometimes a challenge, as I was in a similar situation with my old T/A car. Don't give up! Eventually, all the pieces will come together. Please keep us posted.

[Jon Mello]

Very interesting car, Steve.  Thanks for posting here and I look forward to seeing more pics.  I know Bob Morton but did not realize this car came from Dana Chevrolet and raced in Southern, CA.  Is there any evidence on the car of what the original color may have been?  If a trim tag is still on the firewall it would be behind/above the brake master cylinder area.  I suspect it is long gone but hope to be surprised.

[stevegriff]

Very interesting car, Steve.  Thanks for posting here and I look forward to seeing more pics.  I know Bob Morton but did not realize this car came from Dana Chevrolet and raced in Southern, CA.  Is there any evidence on the car of what the original color may have been?  If a trim tag is still on the firewall it would be behind/above the brake master cylinder area.  I suspect it is long gone but hope to be surprised.

Hi Jon

Thanks for the reply. I will have a look on Monday and take and post some more photos. I've also emailed Bob. I will also see if I can work out the original colour. I'm currently applying for an historic passport for the vehicle so the information from you and this forum will be invaluable. Also Steve Holmes's book is a good source too.

[Jon Mello]

Steve, in 1967 there were four Camaros that I know of that were built at Dana Chevrolet. Bobby Joe McDonald was the primary builder for all four cars. None of the four had a full roll cage when initially built but had bars added to make full cages later. The main hoop shape was identical for all four cars and the attached photo shows the general shape of what that looks like. The white car was driven and owned by Tom Lynch and had Dana sponsorship at Sebring in March 1967. Next to it is Dick Gukdstrand's blue car, also Dana sponsored. Both of these cars survive today and are accounted for. The other two cars were red and prepared by Dana Chevrolet for the Ron Tonkin racing team up in Portland, Oregon. These two cars are presently unaccounted for. The roll cage hoop in your car appears to be shaped differently than the white car in the photo so even though it was sold new through Dana it may not have raced until later and may have been set up for racing by somebody else. Share as much information as you can and we'll see what we can figure out.

[stevegriff]

Well I have had a look for the trim tag and it is not present. I’ve registered the car for historic papers and a registration inspection is the next step. Ive taken a few photos and they are below. Any views most welcome. The first shake down test is at Brands Hatch in two days time. I’ll keep you posted. Thanks for all the replies. Steve

[Jon Mello]

Steve, thanks for the photos.  I hope your shake down test went well and you are pleased with how the car performed.  The cage in the car does not appear to have any resemblance to the two other cars that I know which were prepared at Dana Chevrolet.  Is there any number stamped on the main hoop and, if so, do you mind sharing?  The Dana-prepared cars also typically had pins that helped secure the doors in place and I don't see any evidence of that.  Still very neat that it was sold new at Dana though.

[kgu]

What a beauty. Quality fabrication in a well fitted and welded rollcage and also a really nice switch panel. Not sure that I see sub frame connected to rollcage in engine bay though, except maybe behind suspension. Does the heart good to see these cars brought back to life and raced as God intended.