Author Topic: Help me find out more information about this Trans Am Camaro  (Read 8452 times)

shawn18jgr

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Help me find out more information about this Trans Am Camaro
« on: September 17, 2013, 06:42:02 AM »
I'm seriously in love here! Can anyone give me the specifics on this Camaro besides it's a Trans Am Camaro? Anyone have any idea where this car is today? Thanks a billion!!!! Shawn  :)

Jon Mello

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Re: Help me find out more information about this Trans Am Camaro
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2013, 01:54:50 PM »
Thanks for signing up and making your first post. Those photos were taken at Performance Classics in Eagle Rock, California
which is between Glendale and Pasadena. The business was owned and operated by my friend Dave Miller. There were three
cars built by AIR, and the red car and black cars in your photos are two of the three made. Both cars pictured still exist although
the black one was repainted red in the '80s. None of the cars were ever raced in Trans-Am. They were built as ultimate street
Camaros meant for Mullholland Drive canyon carving. They were not built by James Garner's AIR but by the person who bought
the rights to the name from James Garner. More later...
Jon Mello
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Pickle

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Re: Help me find out more information about this Trans Am Camaro
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2013, 06:01:52 PM »
That is one mean looking street Camaro.
Loud Pipes Save Lives

shawn18jgr

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Re: Help me find out more information about this Trans Am Camaro
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2013, 06:33:39 PM »
Thank you Jon for the welcome!!!! Look forward to many more post!!! I have a 1991 Camaro Z28 Pro Touring. Check it out when you can ok...https://www.facebook.com/projectz28?ref=hl

Thanks so much about the information, and if any one can find additional pictures I would love them! I have never wanted a car so bad in my life! I will see if I can find out more details based on the great information you provided. Talk to you soon!!! Shawn

shawn18jgr

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Re: Help me find out more information about this Trans Am Camaro
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2013, 08:52:18 PM »
John I found your post on another forum so thank you!!!

Steve,

Yes, that's the same car that was black on the Performance Classics car lot. According to Dave Miller, the car had a Traco 302 in it when it was black and the hood was a true GM fiberglass crossram hood also. In the photo above, the car has an Enderle injected 350 in it. Subsequently, some pin striping and minor graphics in gold leaf were later added, and then it won first place at a show called Blackie's in Fresno. This was back in the mid-1980s.

shawn18jgr

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Re: Help me find out more information about this Trans Am Camaro
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2013, 09:01:18 PM »
Link to the latest information that exsist: Thanks John!!! http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?690-Bobbys-Camaro/page3

Jon Mello

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Re: Help me find out more information about this Trans Am Camaro
« Reply #6 on: September 18, 2013, 01:19:35 AM »
Shawn, looks like you've found the Roaring Season where I did post a fair amount of info on the two flared cars on the car lot. Stealing back some of what I wrote over there...

OK, I got some information from my friend Dave Miller. He says...

"I kept that (black car) for the next 10 years. I leased it to a friend I met in Santa Maria after my relocation, and he and his pals repainted it (red) and put in an Enderle injected SBC. It took first place at a big car show in Fresno, 8 foot tall trophy which my friend still has, then it was featured in Super Chevy or Popular Hot Rodding, and a cover car on Car Craft, all in the mid 80's. It sold for a nominal sum in 1986 at an auction in the bay area. I heard a rumor that Reggie Jackson eventually bought it, but I have never bothered to confirm that."

I mentioned to Dave that the Aloha Bobby and Rose car (the red one on the Performance Classics lot with the side pipes) and the black car with the round tail lights had a similar style to them and he told me... "Both cars were built by the same person, the late Dan McLaughlin. Do some research on Dan and you'll find he owned American International Racing after Jim Garner and his buddies. Dan was mostly associated with Porsches, but in the late 1970's he built some radical "canyon racers" (read Mullholland Drive) and those two were part of a trio."

Apparently each car was stamped with a number, 1, 2 or 3. Dave thinks the black car was #1, the Aloha car #2 or #3; not sure which. Anyway, the cars were built by Dan McLaughlin and his AIR company. James Garner did not have anything to do with them other than the fact that McLaughlin acquired the rights to use the AIR name from Garner.


Where did you get those photos that you posted at the top of this thread? I've never seen them before.
Jon Mello
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shawn18jgr

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Re: Help me find out more information about this Trans Am Camaro
« Reply #7 on: September 18, 2013, 05:04:33 AM »
I have been researching this car for months, but couldn't find one bit of information, so thanks to you. Not to sound like a crazy person, but that black Camaro if the most amazing car ever to me...I messaged Reggie on Facebook, hope to find out some more information ok. I will post the rest of the photos too ok! I know that car is 1 in a billion, I will never own it, but it would make my day to see an updated photo of it! I will get back with ya ok!

Jon Mello

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Re: Help me find out more information about this Trans Am Camaro
« Reply #8 on: September 18, 2013, 04:22:29 PM »
I'm not on facebook so thanks for reaching out to Reggie via that method. Let us know what you find out even if it's just to say you got no response.
I had not heard the story that he was a possible later owner of the car so thanks for sharing that.
Jon Mello
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