Messages

31

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: 1968 St. Jovite Trans-Am (Le Circuit Mont Tremblant)

« on: September 16, 2012, 04:31:09 PM »

Thanks for sharing your photos Mike.  Nice to know that there are still some unseen/unpublished photos from these early events that give us a close look at the cars and how they were prepared originally and photos of the guys that drove them. 

Mike Camicia

32

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Monterey

« on: July 21, 2012, 04:32:47 AM »

I'll be there Robert.
Mike Camicia

33

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: For All of You That Want to Own A Trans Am Race Car

« on: May 24, 2012, 12:56:32 AM »

Thanks for clearing that up Jon.  I thought it was one group.

Camicia

34

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: For All of You That Want to Own A Trans Am Race Car

« on: May 23, 2012, 12:29:26 PM »

Jon,
In regards to the Historic Trans-Am plaque I'm confused.  I too have seen these plaques in a couple of cars that I didn't believe should have them.  I thought you had to have PROOF before you were handed one?

Mike

35

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: "Inside the Cars of the Trans-Am" and other articles

« on: May 11, 2012, 05:15:38 PM »

I agree, I don't believe it was there in 1970.  In fact, I believe I read somewhere (I think it was a quote from Donohue) that the SCCA didn't want suspension links coming into the interior unless they were covered up (like Gurney's horizontal shocks). Ken Epsman's Posey Challenger has a very similar link coming through the center of the rear seat area and attaching to the rear of the roll cage that was not there in 1970 as well.

Camicia

36

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Cross Ram Hood - Fiberglass -

« on: May 11, 2012, 02:28:59 AM »

Jon,   I thought that car was rebodied as a 69"?

37

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Sonoma Historic Festival June 1-3 at Infineon

« on: April 13, 2012, 05:39:56 PM »

Robert, or anyone else for that matter,
I'll be there and if anyone needs help I'm available.

Mike Camicia
Gunn Auto Tech

38

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

« on: March 18, 2012, 06:11:05 PM »

Crazyamc...I agree that in the early years of Trans Am the wet sumps seemed to work just fine.  What led to the problems in 1970 was tire technology had improved to the point that the cars had some grip rather than sliding around (just look at the photos of the earlier years) and everyone tried to lower the engines in the chassis for a lower center of gravity.  That meant oil pans that were not as deep as before and little room to go wider in the chassis.  Even Mark Donohue admitted in his book that if they had simply raised the engines back up (as Penske had suggested) they would have probably been more successful but Donohue just couldn't realize the benefit at the expense of raising the center of gravity.  The Pontiacs simply had a crankshaft that was too large in diameter and the crankshaft speed/surface area killed them.  Dry sumps fixed all that.

Camicia

39

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

« on: March 15, 2012, 01:30:04 PM »

Hi Dale,
But  Canepa's 70' Penske Javelin has a dry sump.  Hmmm...  I thought you could run the correct equipment through 72' to be included in the Historic Trans Am Group?
The Wood's Javs are both dry sump. Donohue's 71 too.

klvn8r thanks for the clear up info.  I'm mostly the Mopar expert but I have soaked up most things Trans Am !

Camicia

40

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Roy Woods Racing, California Trans-Am racers

« on: March 14, 2012, 10:39:33 PM »

Well I'll tel you most of what I know.  The 71' Championship car (Donohue-Collins-Jocko) has been restored to Donohue era and was supposedly sold at Russo last year but I'm not sure of the sale.  That  car is no longer listed on the Historic Trans Am website roster.  We've seen it run, just look though the old event photos.  Both of the Roy Woods Cars still exist, Epsman and Sorenson owned, listed on the same website and still raced.  Those 2 cars were originally the Penske 1970 Javelins with updated sheet metal.  There was a third 70' Javelin (Donohue called it the s**tbox / mulecar) and it was donated by Donohue to the University of Pittsburgh at the end of the 70' season.  I believe this is the car Brooke Mosgrove restored and is now owned by Bruce Canepa.  David Feece owned a 68' Javelin and I believe that car now resides in Canada?  There is a 68' Javelin in Texas...I don't know which one, and then there is the Javelin owned by Craig Jackson that has a 1970 front end on a 69' car...I don't know what that's all about.  Buzz Dyer still has his 1970 Javelin, a beautiful restoration I might add, but the Historic Trans Am group wants him to repaint it to a different scheme than when HE raced it so you'll only see him at different vintage events because he won't. I haven't seen Ted Robert's Fyr Fyter Javelin (a RK 68) in some time.  I'd say most of them still exist but a bunch of them were re-skinned and updated.
Camicia

41

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Photo Gallery for A/Sedan and A-B/Production cars

« on: January 22, 2012, 06:21:42 PM »

Fenders look wrong for ex-Penske Javelin but Boss 302 looks legit.

Mike

42

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: 45th anniversary of the first Z-28

« on: December 30, 2011, 06:02:09 PM »

Jon,
  That Camaro is beautiful!  I've always liked that color combo and the race trim.  Can't wait to see it finished.

Camicia

43

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Chaffey College and Sam Contino

« on: October 31, 2011, 05:36:30 PM »

Jon,
Didn't this Camaro recently change hands?  Mark and Linda Mountanos are now the new owners?

Camicia

44

Trans-Am Camaros / Slot Cars

« on: July 25, 2011, 01:33:10 PM »

I have helped a bit with these.  Looking forward to seeing them all done.  Camaros, Mustangs, Javelins, Cudas...maybe more.
www.pioneerslotcars.com

Mike Camicia

45

Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Another Penske Camaro Model (Spark, 1:43 Diecast)

« on: July 24, 2011, 07:28:08 PM »

Yeah...saw something about this  a month or so ago. Haven't seen one in person yet but it looks good in the photos.
Mike