Messages

3916

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Tracks of the '66-'72 SCCA Trans-Am series

« on: June 26, 2011, 04:01:43 PM »

Mid-Ohio  was a great track that had a Trans-Am race every year during the 1967-1972 timeframe. Here's a nice
write-up by Jerry Titus from the 1968 Mid-Ohio program describing the challenges of the course.






Here's a track map with the turn numbers shown in red ink.

3917

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Original T/A racing photographs, late 60's & early 70's

« on: June 26, 2011, 04:52:29 AM »

Mark Donohue broke an axle (twice) at the '67 Bryar Trans-Am and tore up all his new, thin-gauge sheetmetal.
Do you see that little dot on the rear spoiler, just outside of the rear stripe? That's a big slotted head screw
(painted body color). There were three of these, one in the middle and one each to the outside of the stripes
to hold down the front of the spoiler. Style points = zero.


Photo: Sports Car Graphic

3918

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.

« on: June 26, 2011, 03:51:53 AM »

This photo is from the August 6, 1967 Bryar Trans-Am. Its shows the location of the battery in the
right rear corner of the trunk, the taller than stock rear spoiler with the notch for the trunk pin,
the lack of a pinstripe on the spoiler versus the striping on the rest of the car, the hole in the lid
for the fuel filler and maybe one or two other details if you spend the time and look closely.


Photo from Bryar Racing magazine

Here's another shot taken at the same time but by a different photographer. More interesting details to see.


Photo by Ron Lathrop

3919

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Original T/A racing photographs, late 60's & early 70's

« on: June 26, 2011, 03:38:26 AM »

I've posted these in the thread discussing GMP models but they should probably be here too.

The Penske Camaro at the August 12, 1967 Marlboro Trans-Am.

Photo by Andrew Keller

Penske Camaro interior at Marlboro.

Photo by Andrew Keller

Penske Camaro interior two weeks later at Continental Divide Raceway.


Penske Camaro at the August 6, 1967 Bryar Trans-Am showing location of battery in the trunk. Note
the rear spoiler is taller than a stock GM piece and 1/4" pinstripe is not seen on the spoiler itself. This
is the rear spoiler I talked about earlier that was used only at Bryar, Marlboro and Continental Divide.

Photo from Bryar Racing magazine

3920

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Firebird and the Trans-Am series

« on: June 25, 2011, 08:57:16 PM »

Great photo and information, Bruce, Thanks for posting! So what track do you figure they were testing at in the photo I posted?

3921

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Firebird and the Trans-Am series

« on: June 25, 2011, 02:39:11 PM »

The photo was sent without any background information on it so I took my best guess, failing miserably. Funny thing is, when I first started typing I wrote that it appeared to be from a very early test session but I went back and looked at the picture and the aluminum spoiler caught my eye. It is fairly similar to what Craig Fisher's car had at Laguna Seca in 1970. Hence, I went back and changed what I wrote and did a "crash and burn" from there. Thanks guys for keeping me in line. 

3922

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Firebird and the Trans-Am series

« on: June 24, 2011, 08:21:16 PM »

Here is a picture sent to me from Vic Laskorski. Based on the aluminum front spoiler, it appears to be from an early test session for the '70 season. As such, it would seem to be the car that Craig Fisher drove that year. I'm not sure if this is at the end of the pits at Laguna Seca or somewhere else.

3923

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Firebird and the Trans-Am series

« on: June 24, 2011, 08:15:46 PM »

Mike, thanks for posting the text from that ad. I can't speak for Bruce but I know I hadn't seen it before. My collection of CP&As from 1970-1972 is not as complete as for the earlier years.

3924

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Tracks of the '66-'72 SCCA Trans-Am series

« on: June 24, 2011, 07:08:47 PM »

Edmonton International Speedway  was kind of a bit part player in the Trans-Am series. A road race track was not incorporated into the facility until 1968 and Trans-Am cars only ran there in 1971 and 1973. Kind of off the beaten path, the place was closed in 1982 to make way for a housing development.





"A Quick Lap at Edmonton International Speedway"

3925

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.

« on: June 24, 2011, 02:43:56 PM »

You're very welcome, Mike. I'm glad to be of help.

I don't recall where I heard the story but it seems that Donohue was given the wheel prior to the start of the season. Can't remember who it came from but he felt inclined to use it. You can see that they had to fabricate their own hub out of billet aluminum to mount it on the steering column so whatever it was originally meant for, it would likely be foreign. The names you suggest would be a good start. I was thinking Les Leston might be another. The slots in the spokes are shaped very much like the standard Corvette wheel of the mid-'60s however this steering wheel is not dished at all. The Nardi wheels have a slot that is much too narrow and they also have the Nardi name engraved on them. This wheel Donohue used had nothing engraved on the spokes.

3926

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Tracks of the '66-'72 SCCA Trans-Am series

« on: June 24, 2011, 04:08:06 AM »

Robert, this is what became of the original Bryar Motorsport Park.

3927

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Tracks of the '66-'72 SCCA Trans-Am series

« on: June 23, 2011, 08:53:21 PM »

Bryar  had a Trans-Am race every year during the '66-'72 timeframe. This is a track that did not favor the V-8 ponycars because of the numerous turns and the short straights. In the earlier years when over-2-liter (O-2) and under-2-liter (U-2) cars ran together during the same race, the U-2 cars were extremely competitive with the big iron at Bryar.



This aerial photograph of Bryar is flipped 180 degrees from how it is shown above.

3928

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Racing seats

« on: June 23, 2011, 08:44:39 PM »

B&B Motors also offered a fiberglass racing seat very similar to the Yenko and Bill Thomas seats but having a "tubular frame" around it.





Here is an original one of these B&B seats, with and without the cover.

3929

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Stewart-Warner oil pressure sender

« on: June 23, 2011, 08:28:54 PM »

Bill Howell just gave me this reply regarding the SW electrical oil pressure sender...

"Yes, I suspect or remember that they used an electrical oil pressure guage.  They weren't too concerned about the accuracy, only that they had pressure.  In fact I discovered by accident that Mark, and most other good drivers, were too busy to give good feedback on oil pressure, unless they happened to look at it on a straightaway.  We  [all Trans-Am teams] had many failures due to oil pressure loss (particularly the Fords) because we were forced to use the stock oil pan.  And, only with telemetry were we able to get good feedback.  As a further insight, a mechanical oil pressure line and gauge is a potential oil leak."

3930

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.

« on: June 23, 2011, 06:30:57 PM »

One photo of the crash at Bryar. I don't recall if this is the one from SCG or not.