Original T/A racing photographs, late 60's & early 70's

[Jon Mello]

Here you go, Mike.  Was this the same car that was sold to Allen Hewitt, Jr
and was raced by him in Trans-Am starting around 1970?

[wolfmin]

Yes, Allen and Arnie made a deal at Meadowdale after the Trans Am.  I saw Allen race it at IRP right after he bought it in the same paint scheme. Later he painted it in a multi-color scheme and ran it in Trans Ams.

[Jon Mello]

Mike, what was done with the taillights on this car? They look different than stock.

[wolfmin]

Jon,

Because the car was a repo (it was stolen and found later, stripped), the taillight chrome was missing also.  Lenses were used as seen in the pictures, which was common on Arnie Fick owned cars.  His GT350 had the lenses with no chrome too.  

Later when Allen Hewitt owned the car, taillight chrome was added.

Mike Jarchow

[Jon Mello]

Thanks, Mike.

Here's a photo of the John Putnam Camaro in the '70-'71 paint scheme. John was in the San Francisco Region
of the SCCA at this time but the car ran in the '71 Riverside Trans-Am, the '72 Bryar Trans-Am and the '72 Road
America Trans-Am, as well as numerous IMSA and A-Sedan races before John sold it at the end of 1973.


Photo: Dave Doyal Collection

[Jon Mello]

Mark Donohue in the #6 and Bob Stevens in the #19 at the Kent (Washington) Trans-Am, October 6, 1968.

[oldtransamdriver]

Bob was from Vancouver BC  He was a tech guy at a GM dealership and built that car himself as soon as they were available.  It was mostly club raced and eventually put back on the street - has not surfaced.

After the camaro, Bob built and raced a quick Datsun 510 in the 2.5 Challenge in 72

Bob has passed on, but his son Bob jr is a sprint car racer at Skagit Speedway in WA and his daughter Cindy was the SCCBC club points champion racer in a Honda at the Mission Raceway road course in 09.

Robert Barg

[Bruce302]

This is Canadian Gord Dewar (unknown photographer) he had some very impressive results for a privateer with relatively little backing or experience .

The car appears to be an ex Titus/Godsall Firebird that was converted to Camaro sheet metal for the '70 season. There is also speculation that it is a Gorries built car, but without independent verification we cannot be certain either way.

His results would point to it being a a well built and prepared car, and well driven.

Bruce.

[OCTARD]

The Gord Dewar Camaro above looks great. 

The rear flares look very much like a Titus-Godsall built piece.  Too bad the 1969 Titus Firebirds didn't use window hold down tabs in '69, preferably with each car having the tabs in slightly different locations, as it might be another tool in tracking them in their later use.

-Chad

[Bruce302]

Indeed the cage design looks exctly like the Titus/Godsall built Firebirds. The front tube, tight against the A pillar is a very strong clue.
The design and placement of the bars behind the driver is also typical of the T/G cars.

Sadly I cannot find anyone that was close to Gord or the team that can give me any clues to the history before Gord bought it, or after he sold it.
Gord Dewar died relatively young, due to complications after what should have been straight forward surgery.

There is a good chance that this car survived for some years after this shot was taken, maybe it still does.

Bruce.

[Jon Mello]

The Washburn Chevrolet sponsored '67 Z-28 was from Santa Barbara, CA and was a very competitive "privateer" entry.
Here it is shown winning an A/Sedan race at Willow Springs. Tony Settember was the driver and Bob Joehnck was the
team manager and engine builder. This blue Z-28 is rumored to still be around as it was sold to a collector who later
ended up in jail. Anybody know of it's whereabouts?

[Jon Mello]

Craig Fisher sent me this photo from a test session done at Marlboro in December 1967. Note the Goodyear tire on the front of the car and Mark with the Firestone patch on his driving uniform. Roger had been a Firestone dealer but they switched to Goodyears at Kent (Washington) for the Trans-Am finale because Mark cut better lap times with them and they were wanting to close out the season with a win (of course). After Kent and this test session, Roger became a Goodyear racing tire distributor and gave up his Firestone franchise.

L-R, Craig Fisher, Mark Donohue, Peter Reinhart pouring oil, and crew chief Roy Gane.

[OCTARD]

Here is a picture of the Dick Lang 1968 Z/28 Camaro, before it was turned into a race car.  According to Dick Lang's son, Todd Lang, the first picture shows:

• Owner/driver Dick Lang on the right.  The fellow on the left was Dick Lang’s mechanic, “Matt” Mathews.  Matt was a long time mechanic at the Lang's Chevrolet dealership.
• A blue 1968 Z/28 Dick Lang ordered, along with a bunch of road race specific factory parts to make the car into an A-Sedan and Trans-Am racer.
  

[OCTARD]

The picture below is of Dick Lang's 1968 Z/28 Camaro at the 1968 American Road Race of Champions.  Dick Lang won this event and was crowned the A-Sedan national champion.

 

[OCTARD]

And I must thank Todd Lang for the above information on his Dad's Camaro, and for allowing me to post these photos.

-Chad