Messages

106

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

« on: May 28, 2011, 04:52:10 AM »

Swede 70,

That is fantastic work you are doing. It is so neat to see someone taking the time, and I know it s a LOT of time, to get things 'right'.
Congratulations, I look forward to seeing the finished cars.

Bruce.

107

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Engine photos

« on: May 25, 2011, 09:33:32 AM »

You can also see the forward bars from the firewall to subframe, usually a trademark of Jerry Schwartz Titus Godsall cars, but he had a hand in the second Roy Woods Camaro from memory.

Bruce.

108

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967

« on: May 14, 2011, 07:41:32 PM »

Hi John,
I am out of town until the end of the week, but I will take some pics when I get back.

Bruce.

109

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967

« on: May 14, 2011, 04:06:55 AM »

Robert,

My Titus/Godsall built '69 Firebird has the rear sway bar. It is not the same as the one above, it was made in house by T/G and has a 3 positions for the connector links.
It certainly gave more tunability to the handling and bottom line. it worked.

There are some cars in Historic Trans Am running rear bars, but they would be the better sorted ones.

Bruce.

110

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Factory rear sway bar set-up, 1967

« on: May 13, 2011, 09:58:07 AM »

Holy smoke, that is very neat.   Way to nice to ever fit to a car, even if that is where it belongs.

Having the factory finish, and the parts number stickers is priceless.

Where do things things live for 4 decades before coming back out into the light of day again ?

Bruce.

111

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: 69 Penske vinyl roof

« on: May 12, 2011, 09:53:19 AM »

From what I have read, and understand, the vinyl roof cover was an attempt to disguise the very thin, and prone to wrinkling acid dipped roofs.
It seems to be that the vinyl actually drew more attention than if they had not been fitted.

The trim on the lower edge of the vinyll, whist not very aero, would not have been that bad in the greater scheme of things. The Camaro is a great looking car, the RS front would probably have been better than the regular grill as far as aero is concerned.



Bruce.

112

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

« on: May 09, 2011, 06:51:54 AM »

Indeed the cage design looks exctly like the Titus/Godsall built Firebirds. The front tube, tight against the A pillar is a very strong clue.
The design and placement of the bars behind the driver is also typical of the T/G cars.

Sadly I cannot find anyone that was close to Gord or the team that can give me any clues to the history before Gord bought it, or after he sold it.
Gord Dewar died relatively young, due to complications after what should have been straight forward surgery.

There is a good chance that this car survived for some years after this shot was taken, maybe it still does.

Bruce.

113

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

« on: May 08, 2011, 10:29:35 AM »

This is Canadian Gord Dewar (unknown photographer) he had some very impressive results for a privateer with relatively little backing or experience .

The car appears to be an ex Titus/Godsall Firebird that was converted to Camaro sheet metal for the '70 season. There is also speculation that it is a Gorries built car, but without independent verification we cannot be certain either way.

His results would point to it being a a well built and prepared car, and well driven.

Bruce.

114

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: General talk about Trans-Am cars, parts, whatever...

« on: May 07, 2011, 09:21:46 PM »

Those are great pics of the Pontiac cross ram intake. The top plate looks to be very similar to the Chevrolet item, I don't have one hand to compare them closely, does it look that way to anyone else ?

The other thing I notice is that the Pontiac cross ram intake ports are for the non Tunnel Port heads. No doubt they tried all the heads and manifold combinations , and it may well be that the smaller intake runners on the regular heads worked better than with the Tunnel Ports items.
Al Bartz has a fabricated intake on the engine he is looking over.

I have spoken to Dave Billes at Performance Engineering but he can't recall many specifics of the twin Dominator engines. Just another race engine.

Bruce.

115

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Engine photos

« on: May 07, 2011, 04:09:54 AM »

Here is a copy of an SCCA recognition form for the "1968" Firebird. This version of the page only shows the manifold in question'



Another page shows the Edelbrock cross ram manifold. There was still a lot of rivalry between Chevrolet and Pontiac at this time, despite both being part of GM, they were competing for sales and market share as they would with Ford and Mopar.  T/G Racing had a friendly Chev parts man who would source the good racing parts for them, but if asked who the parts were going to, he would name one of the local Camaro racers.

This page shows the Edelbrock manifold

SCCA papers generously provided by Chad Raynal.

116

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Engine photos

« on: May 05, 2011, 08:16:37 AM »

This engine shot (photographer unknown) is the Joe Miller backed, Paul Hecker  driven, # 19 '69 Camaro, better known as the (ex) University of Pittsburgh  car.
This pic was taken at Watkins Glen 1972.

Again, some neat details to be seen.



Bruce.

117

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Engine photos

« on: May 05, 2011, 07:59:21 AM »

One of my favorite engine bay shots. Taken by Dave Friedman, this shows the Chevrolet engine in Jerry Titus' '69 Firebird at Mid Ohio.
The twin Holley Dominators were perhaps a little large, and I understand that they were only used on this one ocassion.

The engines were built by Dave Billes' Performance Engineering Ltd, the company decal can just be seen on the front runner of the manifold.

There is plenty of other detail to take in for the keen eye.


Bruce.

118

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Wheels used on Trans-Am Camaros

« on: March 30, 2011, 06:08:53 AM »

That is something I haven't seen before. Surely very telling that they came in a wooden box. they were taking race parts very seriously.

Are thes still NOS ?

Bruce.

119

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: YouTube (or other) videos of early Trans-Am racing

« on: March 17, 2011, 06:08:37 AM »

Here is another taster, this for a DVD of 69 Trans Am. Mind numbingly slow intro, but it looks like it will lead into something worthwhile.

http://vimeo.com/5430289

and another of the '68 Daytona race. Not our finest moment, but it's always good to watch racing.

http://vimeo.com/5207048

Bruce.

120

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

« on: March 15, 2011, 08:54:06 AM »

Jon, I haven't seen any other team pics with that removable front, but I have seen a photo of a '69 Penske car that had a tube locator where the front radiator support to subframe bushes would normally be. With a lock pin through that locator, and maybe even the 4 bolts each side at the back of the fenders, it wouldn't be hard to do.
Perhaps it was something that was used back at the garage more so than at the track.

All the teams, and privateers, watched each other very closely. Looking for the latest trick or speed secret. i could say whether Pontiac were first to use this in the T/A series but I very much doubt taht they were the only ones.

Bruce.