Author Topic: 1969 Camaro RS/SS Convertibles used for Driver Intros at 1969 St. Jovite Can-Am  (Read 11052 times)

SMKZ28

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I have come across some cool color film footage on Youtube that shows that multiple yellow 1969 Camaro RS/SS Convertibles with Endura bumpers were used to parade some of the race drivers around the track prior to the Labatt's 50 SCCA Can-Am event held at Le Cirquit Mont-Tremblant, St. Jovite, Quebec, Canada on June 15, 1969.  The other drivers were chauffeured around in multiple orange 1969 Firebird 400(?) convertibles and multiple green 1969 GTO convertibles.  See the footage here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_-3wo6uiAw  The title is mislabeled "1968" but it is definitely 1969.
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

SMKZ28

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In addition, a 1969 Camaro RS/SS convertible Indy Pace Car edition was used as the pace car of the race as you can also see in the Youtube footage.
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

Pacecar

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Have you posted this on the Camaro Pace Car site. Any better photos of that 69 Pace Car. Thanks

KurtS

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Wow, I count at least 6 yellow RS/SS convertibles. 
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x44d80

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Wasn't the OJ Simpson Camaro a Daytona Yellow SS/RS convertible?

william

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The OJ Simpson car was not an RS.
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Kelley W King

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I would have thought his would have been orange?? With stripes??
69 Z28 RS Scuncio Hi Performance
69 SS L78
67 SS Chevelle
64 Corvette
66 GTO Tiger Gold
77 Trans Am Special Edition

william

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There are a few black & white photos of OJ posing with the car, one with John De Lorean. De Lorean joined Chevrolet February '69 so it must have taken place after that. The occasion was OJ signing a promotional contract with Chevrolet. It's possible the car was just a prop for the occasion; he may have never owned it. Had CA tags.

The car is an SS convert, 396 engine. Has style trim, VE3 bumper, rear antenna. It's a lighter color with black D90 and top. The D90 stripe is the early design so the car was built no later than early November '68.
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SMKZ28

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I no longer post stuff on the Camaro Pace Car site because I worked for five years researching and documenting every single Camaro pace car from 1966 to 2017 in hundreds of threads with a multitude of rare pictures and most of that work has been completely wiped off the site.  The threads that still remain have been altered by the powers that be.  Someday I hope to put all the information I have found out about all first generation Camaros that were official cars or used to actually pace Can-Am, Trans-Am, NASCAR, USAC Champ Car, F-5000, ARCA, etc., etc. on this particular web site because the threads seem to be kept for documentary purposes.  I can pull up threads from years ago and that means the information from the hours and hours of research doesn't get lost.   

Anyway, I did have a thread going on this particular Camaro.  It was not only used to pace the Can-Am race at St. Jovite seen above, but it also was the pace car for the Les Trois Heures du Circuit SCCA Trans-Am event held at the track on August 3, 1969 and the SCCA F5000/Continental race held there on September 7, 1969.

The first picture shows the Camaro on the pace lap prior to the Labatt's 50 Can-Am race.  It came from page 82 of the book authored by Pete Lyons entitled, "Can-Am."  It is credited to Claire Lyons McHenry.

The second, third, and fourth pictures came from The Dave Friedman Collection at The Henry Ford.  They show the Camaro parked in front of the Can-Am grid prior to the start of the race.  You used to be able to see larger and clearer versions of these images from this collection on the web but the pictures from this particular race were not posted on their new Flickr site, so no link is available for them.
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

SMKZ28

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More pictures from The Dave Friedman Collection at The Henry Ford.

#1  Camaro in pit lane after releasing the Can-Am cars for the start of the race.
#2  Camaro parked in pit lane behind the pickup truck while Can-Am cars pitting during green flag conditions.
#3/4 Denny Hulme, the winner of the race, in the back seat of the Camaro after the race and prior to victory lap.  Stirling Moss in passenger seat.
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

SMKZ28

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More from The Dave Friedman Collection at The Henry Ford.

More with Denny Hulme in the back of the Camaro prior to victory lap.
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

SMKZ28

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Here are the pictures of the Camaro being used to pace the SCCA Trans-Am event.

#1 This color shot was taken during a yellow flag session during the race.  You can tell it wasn't the pace lap because they are not lined up two by two and the Jerry Titus Firebird is missing the entire front end from an earlier crash.  Mark Donohue, following right behind the pace car, would go on to win the race in his Penske Camaro Z28.  You can find this picture here in the "1969" section: http://autocourse.ca/index.php?file=photos.html

#2 This is also from The Dave Friedman Collection at the Henry Ford.  Fortunately, the pictures from this race have been posted to their Flickr page here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thehenryford/sets/72157632996058216/

#3 This picture shows a spectators personal 1969 Camaro RS/SS convertible pace car in the parking lot directly above the Penske Camaro.  It is also from the Friedman Collection Flickr page.
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

SMKZ28

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Here are the pictures of the Camaro taken during the SCCA F5000/Continental event.

#1 This color picture was taken after the conclusion of the event.  It shows that the top of the regular 1969 Indy Pace Car door decal was cut off and positioned lower on the door while the symbol for the track was placed above it.  While I'm not exactly sure, it looks like the Camaro is picking up stranded race drivers from around the race track after the conclusion of the race.  The two guys on the right side of the Camaro have drivers suits on as well as the guy walking down the track.  It appears from the lit brake lights and the arm angle of the driver on the steering wheel and the angle of the front wheel that the car is turning and stopping to pick up the walking driver to bring him and the others back to the paddock.  The picture was captured from the movie entitled, "The Racing Scene," which was produced by James Garner and released in 1970.  I found the picture at the Internet Movie Cars Database: http://www.imcdb.org/movie.php?id=180946   

#2 This shows the Camaro in pit lane prior to the start of the event.  The convertible top is up due to the rainy weather.  You can see it just to the left of the rear wing of the #75 car parked in front of a pickup behind the guard rail.  I found it in the "1969" section here: http://autocourse.ca/index.php?file=photos.html
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

KurtS

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Sorry to hear that your posts were removed.
We try to have a very light (moderation) touch. The members help set the tone and this is one of the easiest to manage forums that I've seen. The policy of this site is to only remove spam or for sale posts. Very few posts have been locked, none deleted.
Feel free to post. I'm happy that you posted a pic that showed the door decal of that pacer.
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SMKZ28

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Sorry to hear that your posts were removed.
We try to have a very light (moderation) touch. The members help set the tone and this is one of the easiest to manage forums that I've seen. The policy of this site is to only remove spam or for sale posts. Very few posts have been locked, none deleted.
Feel free to post. I'm happy that you posted a pic that showed the door decal of that pacer.

Thanks KurtS.  I know you and I have communicated in the past and I believe you even posted a few comments to some of my threads over there.  I remember discussing the 1969 Bristol Motor Speedway NASCAR pace car with you after the current owner contacted me through that site.  Luckily I printed out most of my threads before they were all deleted so I still have all the information.  I hope to present it here chronologically (1966-1969) in the future so that more people can see 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

 

anything