CRG Discussion Forum
Model Specific Discussions => Trans-Am Camaros => Topic started by: Jon Mello on November 24, 2011, 06:31:19 PM
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Waterford Hills (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterford_Hills_Road_Racing_Track) is a racetrack that is about 25 miles northwest of downtown Detroit. It has been around since 1958 and is a short
1.5 mile course featuring continuous elevation changes (although not dramatic ones like you would see at something like Laguna Seca).
While this track was never one that was on the Trans-Am schedule, it did see a lot of action from people connected with the auto industry
and thus saw many interesting cars and competitive drivers. Since Ron Lathrop took many nice, color pictures there, I thought I would
post some here for us to enjoy. Thank you Ron for sharing these!
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills001.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills002.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills003.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills004.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills005.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
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The 1962 "Fall Classic" A/Production winning Corvette of Tom Payne from Ann Arbor, MI.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/1962FallClassic024.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
The 1962 Corvette of Tom Swindell. His wife Mary also drove in the women's race and won.
This car is currently owned by Franz Estereicher.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/1962FallClassic025.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
The 1963 Z06 Corvette of Ralph Salyer. Photo taken at the September '63 SCCA Divisional race.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills9-63SCCADivisional032.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
Ralph Salyer bought himself a Bill Thomas Cheetah and cut the roof off, making it a roadster.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills8-64SCCA004.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
Same car as seen from the rear. This photo was taken at the August '64 race at Waterford Hills.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills8-64SCCA003.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
Here's Ralph in the Cheetah as he is exiting the course.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills8-64SCCA061.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
Here's the start of a production class race at the September '64 "Fall Classic".
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills1964SeptFallClassic123.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
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Tom Swindell's '63 Z06 roadster next to the "Harley Earl Corvette" (http://www.carofthecentury.com/the_real_corvette_story.htm). According to Franz Estereicher, Tom used this special Corvette
to tow his race car to the track (notice the tow ball). Tom Swindell was one of the top Corvette salesmen in the nation and worked
at Dawson-Taylor Chevrolet in Detroit, which sold many hi-performance cars (including the L88 Corvette raced by Tony DeLorenzo).
That's Norman Luther's '57 Corvette in the background. This photo was taken at the July '64 race at Waterford Hills.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills7-64007.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
Here's Tom Swindell's '63 Z06 roadster at the '63 Spring Sprints race at Waterford Hills.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/1963SpringSprints027.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
Here comes Tom along the outside to pass a Lotus Super 7 and a Corvette coupe.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/1963SpringSprints030.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
And there he goes...
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/1963SpringSprints010.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
Here's the '63 Corvette Z06 of A.W. Joslin, who hailed from the Lansing area.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills9-63SCCADivisional015.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
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Here's the Corvair of Don Eichstaedt. Don also competed in a later Corvair in the 1966 Sebring Trans-Am. Photo taken August '64.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills8-64SCCA066DonEichstaedt.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
Don in a wheel-to-wheel duel with the Valiant of Scott Harvey. Scott was a factory backed driver and both of these guys raced in Trans-Am in '66.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills8-64SCCA065DonEichstaedt.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
Here's Bob Johnson in the former Tom Payne Cobra. Bob raced in Trans-Am and was on the Penske Camaro team in various races from '67 - '69.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills8-64SCCA060BobJohnson.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
Tom Payne got himself a new Cobra for this August '64 race and won with it. Tom co-drove with Dick Guldstrand in the Dana Camaro
when they won the St. Jovite sedan race (http://www.autocourse.ca/index.php?file=photos.html) on May 21, 1967. Some believe St. Jovite was a true Trans-Am race in '67 but that is not true.
It didn't get on the official T/A schedule until 1968. That's Bob Johnson standing in front of the guy in the red coat. The black '63 Z06
Corvette cruising by in the background was driven by Jud Holcomb.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills8-64SCCA136TomPayne.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
I guess this is Tom Payne's precursor to the Fickle Finger of Fate? :P
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/WaterfordHills8-64SCCA006TomPayne.jpg)
Photo by Ron Lathrop
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To tie this in with Camaros and Trans-Am racing, here are some photos of Dave Horchler (http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=7769.0) running his '67 Z-28 at a driving school at Waterford Hills.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/HHRacing3.jpg)
Dave Horchler Collection
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/HHRacing2.jpg)
Dave Horchler Collection
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/HHRacing4.jpg)
Dave Horchler Collection
Here's a shot of the Horchler/Hoffman Z-28 as seen at Nelson Ledges, another Michigan track.
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Ron%20Lathrop%20photos/HHRacing1.jpg)
Dave Horchler Collection
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Great photos and history. And thanks for the Harley Earl link Jon; that's a good read.
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Jon:
Who's you're insider?
I provided no captional information with the images.
And thanks for IDing vehicles I forgot such as the Harley Earl tow vehicle.
Great work captioning!
Ron
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Ron,
I got some help from John Hinckley and Franz Estereicher. Other details I either knew already or figured out on my own.
I'm glad your happy with what I posted. Even though these were not actual Trans-Am photos, they were too cool not to post.
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Ron,
I got some help from John Hinckley and Franz Estereicher. Other details I either knew already or figured out on my own.
I'm glad your happy with what I posted. Even though these were not actual Trans-Am photos, they were too cool not to post.
I LOVE the historic photos... I get so engrossed in looking at them I can lose hours upon hours. Thank God the economy is so bad I have the time to lose!!! hahahah
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I got this yesterday from Jerry Melton.
"There really was water in the natural pond at "Swamp Turn" (Spitfire picture) necessitating workers to be in a boat in case someone spun into the wet. It's solid now. In the same picture the proximity of the back straight to the back yards of the subdivision is clear. The club was always at war with the 'hood about noise, etc. Racecars have to meet decibil restrictions. The final shot shows the current wall which looks strong enough to contain King Kong."
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Jerry%20Melton%20photos/WATERFORDHILLSAERIALPHOTO.jpg)
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Jerry%20Melton%20photos/WATERFORDHILLSTRACKMAPMELTON.jpg)
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Jerry%20Melton%20photos/WATERFORDHILLSSWAMP.png)
Photo by Jerry Melton
(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309/1967z28/Jerry%20Melton%20photos/WATERFORDHILLSWALL2011.jpg)
Photo by Jerry Melton