Interview with Gary Morgan, Trans-Am racer

[Jon Mello]

[yenkomark]

  I noticed the Gulf horsehoes  and Gulf emblems on Gary's Camaro.  Because of Gulf's involvement  with Yenko and Stinger development, I had the Gulf horseshoes reproduced fron an original set that I saved. Anyone who would like a pair, email me at yenko037@yahoo.com.

[MO]

Short Q&A with Gary Morgan on page 29 of the March Mecum Monthly. The car is being auctioned at Indy in May.

http://www.mecum.com/view_pdf_2012_03.cfm?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mm_2012_03&utm_term=

[MO]

Sold for 160k.

[oldtransamdriver]

That's a good price in today's economy for that car - the seller must be a happy guy.

Gary, do you remember what kind of lap times you turned at the Glen and Mid Ohio?

Robert Barg

[Jon Mello]

Thanks for updating us on the selling price, Fred. That's half of what it sold for 5 or so years ago.

Robert, I found these lap times for Gary Morgan in the '69 Watkins Glen Trans-Am program. They
were A/Sedan track records at that time.

"Chicane" course, time: 1:28.0, avg speed: 94.06 mph (set in 1968)
"Loop" course, time: 1:26.6, avg speed: 95.61 mph (set in 1967)

[oldtransamdriver]

I don't remember that "chicane" course in 68-73 - you are referring to the chicane placed in the middle of the uphill esses?  I think that didn't come till the mid-seventies?

I remember qualifying at the 71 T/A race at 1:26 something and my fastest race lap was a 1:24 in our 67 camaro - a very basic A sedan car with about 375 HP.  The factory guys, of course, were way faster.

Robert Barg

[oldtransamdriver]

OK, now I'm looking at my 68 Glen T/A program with the track map, and see the chicane you are referring to - just at the start of the loop after the straight.  That chicane was never used in a T/A unless it was in 69, which I didn't enter - must have been for SCCA racing only.

Robert

[MO]

Jon, the price was lower than I thought it would go for, but compared to some other cars that went across it was actually decent money. The reserve came off at 150 so the seller must have gone in with low expectations. It's a good thing it didn't have a Hemi in it!

Fred

[OCTARD]

I hope we'll see this car out on a track now, instead of the various auction corrals...

2006 Barrett-Jackson (Palm Beach): $324k
2007 RM (Monterey): No sale at $160k
2012, Mecum (Indianapolis): $160k

[Jon Mello]

I feel the same way, Chad.

[Jon Mello]

Gary Morgan's '67 Z-28 race car is up for auction in this ebay ad (#281003581836)

The seller's ID is rkmotorscharlotte and more info is available at rkmotorscharlotte.com



Here are some detail shots of the rear axle and suspension. I noted that, for some reason, previous owner Don Wattie
restored this car using '69 style brake calipers front and rear. This is not the way the car ever ran and it will hopefully
be corrected by a future owner. I see here that the stock, round rear traction arm (as used on early production '67 Zs)
is still present and accounted for and like many Camaros that began road racing in '67, it has a traction arm added to
the LH side. However, this is the later style rectangular (often referred to as "square") traction bar and the snubber has
been left off since the round bar never used that add-on.

[MO]

Jon,

The traction arm body mounts look opposite hand. Is the left side a Firebird bracket?

[Jon Mello]

Fred, the driver's side floor brackets would be from a Firebird since Camaros were never available stock with such an item. The LH bracket welded to the axle would be a Camaro piece however. The Firebird axle bracket was a different design.

[Pickle]

Neat story, love the period color photo's.  Thanks for posting!