Author Topic: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show  (Read 19692 times)

SMKZ28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2816
    • View Profile
While searching the Getty Images website I found some interesting pictures of a 1967 Camaro hardtop show car I had never seen before.  This particular Camaro was parked next to the Cherokee Camaro convertible show car and in front of a Z28 at the New York Auto Show in April 1967.  In the first picture you can see several unique show car items on the car including a hood that looks similar to the one on the Cherokee, aftermarket wheels with different size tires front and back, wrap around nose stripe and the lack of a front bumper.  In the second picture you can see the rear end of the show car to the left of the Cherokee (convertible) and in front of the Z28 with aftermarket wheels.  I zoomed in on this picture and while some of the letters are obscured by the rope pole, the rear license plate on the show car says "CALIFORNIAN."

Does anyone have any information on this show car.  Did it appear in any period magazines?  I did a search on this forum and it was only mentioned in one thread, and then only by name.  I did a quick search of all my Camaro reference materials and did not find anything.

Click on the following links to see larger versions of the pictures:

1st Picture: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/new-york-auto-show-a-350-chevrolet-camaro-ss-hardtop-on-news-photo/163091840

2nd Picture: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/new-york-auto-show-a-variety-of-chevrolet-camaros-on-news-photo/163091838

On the Getty Images web site the car is incorrectly identified as just a regular 1967 Camaro SS 350 in the metadata.

« Last Edit: December 06, 2013, 06:11:19 AM by SMKZ28 »
Scott
I don't have a 1st Gen but I have 1971 Z28 RS 4-spd, 1997 Z28 Z4C 6-spd, 2000 SS Convertible, 2010 RS 6-spd

dannystarr

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1745
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2013, 05:50:26 AM »
Here it is punched up the best I could... Looks like CHEVROBOSS or something similar... CHERRIOS?..  ;D ;D.. .  Danny

SMKZ28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2816
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures
« Reply #2 on: December 06, 2013, 05:54:10 AM »
Here it is punched up the best I could... Looks like CHEVROBOSS or something similar... CHERRIOS?..  ;D ;D.. .  Danny

Thanks, but that is the license plate for the Cherokee show car (convertible on the left) and it says "Camaro cherokee" .  I'm talking about the hardtop on the left.  That is the same car as the car in the first picture.  The rear license plate says "CALIFORNIAN"
Scott
I don't have a 1st Gen but I have 1971 Z28 RS 4-spd, 1997 Z28 Z4C 6-spd, 2000 SS Convertible, 2010 RS 6-spd

dannystarr

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1745
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2013, 05:55:08 AM »
Dam, I just can't get it right to read it. Could be CHEROLIASS??  Somebody is just going to chime right in with the right answer tom. So I will leave it at that... Danny

SMKZ28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2816
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2013, 05:58:47 AM »
Dam, I just can't get it right to read it. Could be CHEROLIASS??  Somebody is just going to chime right in with the right answer tom. So I will leave it at that... Danny

Thanks for your efforts, but that is the license plate for the Cherokee show car (convertible on the left) and it says "Camaro cherokee" .  I'm talking about the hardtop on the left.  That is the same car as the car in the first picture.  The rear license plate on the hardtop says "CALIFORNIAN"  I zoomed in on the picture after I downloaded it and that's what it says.
Scott
I don't have a 1st Gen but I have 1971 Z28 RS 4-spd, 1997 Z28 Z4C 6-spd, 2000 SS Convertible, 2010 RS 6-spd

dannystarr

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1745
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2013, 06:02:42 AM »
Got it, I see it now. But hey, what DOES the other plate say?? Might as well find out.?? Danny

69Z28freak

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 364
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #6 on: December 06, 2013, 08:38:38 AM »
Very interesting. Th Californian car and the others look like they got some serious polishing and most likely a wet sand. I have never seen pictures of any new Camaros from back in the day with that munch depth and shine in the paint. Also check out the lower front valence panel, it has much smaller/ narrower cut out than the stock model. Also the ride height on the cars seems quite high. Look at the gap between the tires and the top of the wheel well opening. Since they were car show cars, I wonder how real they were and what mods that had. I am wondering if they were even actual drivers or strictly display?
Mike 1969 Grandma Camaro

SMKZ28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2816
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2013, 03:00:33 PM »
Very interesting. Th Californian car and the others look like they got some serious polishing and most likely a wet sand. I have never seen pictures of any new Camaros from back in the day with that munch depth and shine in the paint. Also check out the lower front valence panel, it has much smaller/ narrower cut out than the stock model. Also the ride height on the cars seems quite high. Look at the gap between the tires and the top of the wheel well opening. Since they were car show cars, I wonder how real they were and what mods that had. I am wondering if they were even actual drivers or strictly display?

Good points.  The Cherokee convertible was and still is a running "normal" vehicle.  It was used later in 1967 to pace the Can Am races at Road America and Mosport and it has just been completely restored, so it is likely that the Californian Camaro was also a running/driving show vehicle.
Scott
I don't have a 1st Gen but I have 1971 Z28 RS 4-spd, 1997 Z28 Z4C 6-spd, 2000 SS Convertible, 2010 RS 6-spd

JohnZ

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4365
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #8 on: December 06, 2013, 03:45:13 PM »
Most Chevrolet show cars and displays of that era were made and/or finished at the Chevrolet Show & Display Facility in Flint; we did a lot of their final Show Paint work at the Chevrolet Pilot Line building on Van Slyke Road (where the first 300 Corvettes were built in 1953, bulldozed in 2003).
'69 Z/28
Fathom Green
CRG

elcamino72

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 105
    • View Profile
    • More Information on Camaro Fraud
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #9 on: December 06, 2013, 04:51:57 PM »
The Cherokee's VIN is 124677N233228 and according to the cowl tag has an 06B build.  The car was for sale at Russo & Steele in Jan. 2012.  How could of it then have been at the April '67 auto show?  Or were these pictures from the 1968 show?

http://www.russoandsteele.com/collector-car/1967-Chevrolet-Camaro-Cherokee/14681

Mark

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1089
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #10 on: December 06, 2013, 05:35:16 PM »
Was the Cherokee built by GM, or by someone else?  Story's seem to indicate it was just pulled off the assembly line and sent to the GM design center  but its cowl tag indicates it was originally a white car with a white convertible top.  



If GM was making it wouldn't they have started with a red, white topped car (even though its not really a standard GM red now)?  Or did they just grab some guys Camaro off the line and hijack it to the design center for modifications.



Story also says it has an L78 in it, but the tag clearly indicated it was built as an L35, so if it really had an L78 it must have got that at the design center as well.
Mark C.
1969 Indy Pace Car
350/300HP RPO Z11

SMKZ28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2816
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #11 on: December 06, 2013, 06:07:29 PM »
The Cherokee's VIN is 124677N233228 and according to the cowl tag has an 06B build.  The car was for sale at Russo & Steele in Jan. 2012.  How could of it then have been at the April '67 auto show?  Or were these pictures from the 1968 show?

http://www.russoandsteele.com/collector-car/1967-Chevrolet-Camaro-Cherokee/14681

It's the 1967 Auto Show, the Z28 seen in the pictures has the '67 front end as well as no side marker lights.  If it did have an 06B build then maybe this picture proves that there actually were two of these show cars built? 

A video of the unveiling of the newly restored Cherokee can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wCGLVc3hj0   In it the restorer explains that it was originally a white car.

Information and pictures of the Cherokee can be seen here: http://camaropacecars.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3100015833/m/4950009635/p/1  The thread was started several years ago, but I have been updating it with pics and info as I find it.

Anybody have any info on the Californian Camaro?
« Last Edit: December 06, 2013, 06:43:48 PM by SMKZ28 »
Scott
I don't have a 1st Gen but I have 1971 Z28 RS 4-spd, 1997 Z28 Z4C 6-spd, 2000 SS Convertible, 2010 RS 6-spd

Mike S

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2665
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #12 on: December 06, 2013, 06:12:18 PM »
Could the car have been assigned a VIN and tag later being it was a show car?

Mike
67 04B LOS SS/RS L35 Hardtop - Original w/UOIT
67 05B NOR SS/RS L35 Convertible - Restored

VINCE Z28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 760
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #13 on: December 06, 2013, 07:43:39 PM »
Let me throw this out there.... is the tag a repop?
" He who knows naught, knows not that he knows naught"  It's not you...  It's just the way my brain is wired.

SMKZ28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2816
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #14 on: December 06, 2013, 10:04:52 PM »
All the information I and several others have been able to gather is that there were at least two of these Cherokee convertible show cars built in 1967.  One of them (the one in the picture in the first post of this thread as well as in the Sept 1967 edition of Hot Rod Magazine) had a white nose/side stripe, a red interior, vette like turbine wheels and no tach on the hood.  The other one (the one that has just been restored and is documented in pictures pacing the 1967 Road America Can Am and the 1967 Mosport Can Am) does not have a nose/side stripe, has a black interior, had different wheels in 1967, and has a tachometer on the hood.  Since the one that still exists shows a build date of June 1967 it could not possibly be the one in the above picture taken in April of 1967 at the New York Auto Show.  I believe this picture proves that at least two Cherokee Camaro convertibles were built.

Anyone have info on the Californian Camaro?  I have never seen any other pictures or read anything about this show car.  Somebody must know something about it...   
Scott
I don't have a 1st Gen but I have 1971 Z28 RS 4-spd, 1997 Z28 Z4C 6-spd, 2000 SS Convertible, 2010 RS 6-spd

VINCE Z28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 760
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #15 on: December 06, 2013, 11:41:08 PM »
SMKZ28 there's a paragraph on the cars in the book, Camaro From Challenger to Champion page 45. Terry
« Last Edit: December 07, 2013, 12:07:51 AM by VINCE Z28 »
" He who knows naught, knows not that he knows naught"  It's not you...  It's just the way my brain is wired.

SMKZ28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2816
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #16 on: December 07, 2013, 03:07:45 AM »
SMKZ28 there's a paragraph on the cars in the book, Camaro From Challenger to Champion page 45. Terry

Thanks Terry.

I checked my copy and Gary L. Witzenburg wrote, "Back in Detroit on May 2nd, Chevrolet unveiled a trio of Camaro 'dream cars.'  A candy-apple red customized convertible called 'Cherokee' sported aluminum wheels, a rear-deck spoiler and twin exhaust pipes.  A pearl blue SS-396 convertible called 'Cabriolet' was fitted with heavy-duty suspension and engine mounts, and other high-performance components, plus simulated air scoops on the hood.  And most unusually, a pearl yellow Camaro coupe called 'Californian,' with special paint stripes and exhausts exiting from behind the front wheels, was mounted on a matching trailer pulled by a matching Chevrolet pickup customized with Camaro styling cues."

I'm wondering about the "May 2nd" mentioned in the book.  The New York Auto Show ran from April 1st to the 9th, 1967.  Is this a misprint in the book?  Did he mean March 2nd?  The car couldn't have been introduced a month after it appeared in front of the public at an auto show.

Very cool to find out that the car was yellow.  That means I was finally able to identify the car and truck combination in the attached picture I have had for a while.  It is a blown up picture from the September 1967 edition of Hot Rod Magazine.  I found this version of the picture here: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=267224

Now to find info and pics on the "pearl blue SS-396 convertible called 'Cabriolet.'  Anybody have a picture of this car?
« Last Edit: December 07, 2013, 04:51:36 AM by SMKZ28 »
Scott
I don't have a 1st Gen but I have 1971 Z28 RS 4-spd, 1997 Z28 Z4C 6-spd, 2000 SS Convertible, 2010 RS 6-spd

Jon Mello

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4413
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #17 on: December 07, 2013, 05:16:29 AM »
Here's a larger version of that page from Hot Rod. I've had it cut out of the magazine for over 30 years. Couldn't remember
what magazine it was originally in. I'd like to see more pics of the '67 Z-28 show car. I believe it is the 15th Z-28 built, a
very early car. Never knew they had D-spoke Americans and Firestone racing tires on it. Very cool.

It interesting that the Cherokee has a red interior here and the one at MCACN has a black interior. The statement was made
that the car at MCACN had the original interior except for the carpet. It does seem like there must have been more than one
Cherokee made but the question would seem to be why.

Jon Mello
CRG

SMKZ28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2816
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #18 on: December 07, 2013, 06:17:29 AM »
Thanks Jon!  Your huge collection of stuff comes through again! 

Not sure why they would have made a second Cherokee but maybe the first one (red interior/white stripe/non-tach hood) was destroyed in a shipping accident or maybe they wanted to display it simultaneously at two different venues?  At first I thought they might have just changed the interior color, removed the stripes and added the tach on the hood for its appearance in the fall Can Am races but the build date of the surviving Cherokee (June) comes after the date of the photos I posted (April) so there must have been a second one constructed.  This also begs the question, were there 2 Californians built as well?

I also liked the look of the Americans with Firestones on the Z28 show car.  Do you know what color the 15th Z28 was?  It's obviously a lighter color.
Scott
I don't have a 1st Gen but I have 1971 Z28 RS 4-spd, 1997 Z28 Z4C 6-spd, 2000 SS Convertible, 2010 RS 6-spd

dannystarr

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1745
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #19 on: December 07, 2013, 06:23:55 AM »
But what does the other plate say??... Danny

Jon Mello

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4413
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #20 on: December 07, 2013, 07:25:34 AM »
I also liked the look of the Americans with Firestones on the Z28 show car.  Do you know what color the 15th Z28 was?  It's obviously a lighter color.

Scott, I don't know the color of the Z for sure but suspect it was Butternut Yellow.
Jon Mello
CRG

MyRed67

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 805
  • SZZLN 67
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #21 on: December 07, 2013, 07:40:57 AM »
Very interesting. Th Californian car and the others look like they got some serious polishing and most likely a wet sand. I have never seen pictures of any new Camaros from back in the day with that munch depth and shine in the paint. Also check out the lower front valence panel, it has much smaller/ narrower cut out than the stock model. Also the ride height on the cars seems quite high. Look at the gap between the tires and the top of the wheel well opening. Since they were car show cars, I wonder how real they were and what mods that had. I am wondering if they were even actual drivers or strictly display?
Mike, I also noticed the smaller opening in the lower valance.   On a original valance the opening goes up behind the Bumper, on this car they removed the Bumper, filled the upper part of the opening and painted the stripe on below the Grille.
1967 Camaro  LOS  11A
Original Engine   Z - Tribute
Mike C.    NW - Illinois

Mark

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1089
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #22 on: December 07, 2013, 03:01:40 PM »
Heres one of them in the GM Design Center, probably the first one since its obviously not a white Camaro (which the 06B car was) and this one hasn't been painted yet.

Mark C.
1969 Indy Pace Car
350/300HP RPO Z11

SMKZ28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2816
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #23 on: December 07, 2013, 05:52:08 PM »
Heres one of them in the GM Design Center, probably the first one since its obviously not a white Camaro (which the 06B car was) and this one hasn't been painted yet.

Great point Mark!  That makes total sense.  The pieces to the Cherokee puzzle are all coming together.  Its funny, I never get tired of looking at that cool picture.  The design drawings on the wall are so cool!
Scott
I don't have a 1st Gen but I have 1971 Z28 RS 4-spd, 1997 Z28 Z4C 6-spd, 2000 SS Convertible, 2010 RS 6-spd

VINCE Z28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 760
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #24 on: December 07, 2013, 06:01:05 PM »
Jon, I don't know if this helps.... but In the book  The Great Camaro on page 70, Lamm's shows a picture of a 67 Z  yellow in color that was the first Z released to the press. Terry
" He who knows naught, knows not that he knows naught"  It's not you...  It's just the way my brain is wired.

Jon Mello

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4413
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #25 on: December 07, 2013, 06:54:16 PM »
Terry, that's not the same car as at the NY Auto Show. It had RS equipment and a black vinyl top.
Jon Mello
CRG

Jon Mello

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4413
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #26 on: December 07, 2013, 07:02:23 PM »
Here's the only other Auto Show '67 Z-28 photo I have seen to date. No RS pinstripe on the side, stripes on rear go up too high for the car to have a vinyl top and there are no rear bumper guards like on the Press Preview Z. Also, the rear spoiler is not flat across the back like that car either and has a unique cut-out shape around the emblem on the decklid. This is Z-28 #15 off the production line for the Central Office Show Program. Notice that Z-28 had a hyphen and not a slash for all '67 Z-28s. The slash did not start until the 1968  model year. Then it became the Z/28.
Jon Mello
CRG

MO

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1132
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #27 on: December 07, 2013, 07:04:48 PM »
maybe they wanted to display it simultaneously at two different venues?  

Scott, That is probably the the answer. With all of the car shows across the US, the same cars couldn't possibly be at all of them. So there must be variations of those models to use as fill-ins. Most attendees wouldn't have known if it was the real show car or not. If it had the nameplate (or license plate) and color, it was most likely perceived as the actual show car by most people. At least that seems logical and likely to me.


Jon Mello

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4413
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #28 on: December 07, 2013, 07:06:58 PM »
Here's a larger view of the red interior Cherokee. This car has a nice form fitting cover for the convertible top and the black interior car has the standard production cover.
The wheels on this version of the Cherokee are not the '67 Corvette finned wheels like on the car at MCACN. Hard to say for sure but it appears there might be a black
four-speed shift knob visible in this shot.
« Last Edit: December 07, 2013, 08:41:46 PM by Jon Mello »
Jon Mello
CRG

Jon Mello

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4413
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #29 on: December 07, 2013, 08:34:06 PM »
Cherokee competition-style gas cap says SS396 on it.
Jon Mello
CRG

Jon Mello

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4413
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #30 on: December 07, 2013, 08:35:27 PM »
Cherokee big block engine with Weber carbs.
Jon Mello
CRG

Jon Mello

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4413
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #31 on: December 07, 2013, 08:37:07 PM »
Larger view of the Californian Camaro on the trailer.
Jon Mello
CRG

Jon Mello

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4413
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #32 on: December 07, 2013, 08:38:26 PM »
Close-up look at the special exhaust pipe on the Californian Camaro.
Jon Mello
CRG

Mark

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1089
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #33 on: December 07, 2013, 08:53:12 PM »
How did they get the exhaust around the subframe?  Did it go thru it somewhere?
Mark C.
1969 Indy Pace Car
350/300HP RPO Z11

Jon Mello

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4413
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #34 on: December 07, 2013, 08:58:58 PM »
I have no idea, unless it's purely for decoration.
Jon Mello
CRG

SMKZ28

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2816
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #35 on: December 07, 2013, 10:00:34 PM »
Cool stuff Jon.  Thanks.  Where did the black and white pics of the Cherokee, Californian and Z28 show car come from.  Were they in a magazine, a newspaper covering an auto show, or a chevy press release or something?  I have never seen any of those pictures.

It does appear to be a round, black shift knob on a manual transmission in the Cherokee with the red interior.  The surviving Cherokee with black interior has an automatic transmission.  Could this be the reason they built the second one?  Knowing that they were going to use the car to pace the Can Am races maybe they didn't want to use a manual transmission for fear of a missed shift or something like that (although with Sir Stirling Moss performing the pace car driving that would have been pretty unlikely).  Having an automatic lessons the chances of something going wrong during the pace laps.

In addition, the surviving, newly restored Cherokee does not have the numbers "396" on its racing style gas cap.  Also the black and white picture of the rear end seems to lack the little light that shines on the rear license plate that appears on the surviving one.
« Last Edit: December 07, 2013, 10:25:33 PM by SMKZ28 »
Scott
I don't have a 1st Gen but I have 1971 Z28 RS 4-spd, 1997 Z28 Z4C 6-spd, 2000 SS Convertible, 2010 RS 6-spd

Jon Mello

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4413
    • View Profile
Re: 1967 CALIFORNIAN Camaro Show Car pictures from 1967 New York Auto Show
« Reply #36 on: December 08, 2013, 04:48:55 AM »
The newly restored car has a smaller gas cap with the hinge at the top and the latch at the bottom and it was the other way around on the first one. Also note that the first gas cap is so large that the latch takes up the spot where the trunk lock would ordinarily be. The original show car also appears to have the cap more recessed into the body than the newly restored car does.

As to where I got the pics, I have had them scanned for some time and unfortunately forgot to make note of the source. I'll have to do some digging to find out.
Jon Mello
CRG

 

anything