Chaffey College and Sam Contino

[Jon Mello]

From the 1971 Hot Rod Yearbook #10, something our own Mister "Cuda 48" can relate to. An article about Sam Contino and the Chaffey College race cars. The '67 Camaro is still around and owned by Tom Wiederhold, who has had it since 1974. I don't know what happened to the Mustang. Anybody know? I don't know how anybody else feels but it is just strange to see Dick Guldstrand in a Mustang.

Thanks to Frank Dihartce for sharing the article with us.

















Unusual roll cage design...

[firstgenaddict]

AWESOME!!!

[Jon Mello]

Robert Lodewyk and I saw Sam Contino at the Legends of Riverside event that we attended back in 2009. He had a really neat scrapbook with him which showed the many cars and projects he worked on at Chaffey College.

[oldtransamdriver]

The camaro was listed for sale some time ago - maybe ebay or was it at an auction?

Paul Van Valkenburgh drove the car out from CA for the 71 Mid-Ohio T/A.  After the race was over and we were on our way home with truck and race car I spotted the Chaffey College car going the opposite way with race tires in the back seat and dump cans sticking out of the rear side windows. Don't remember if he was heading home to CA or just going to the next race.

Robert Barg

[Jon Mello]

Yes, it has been for sale for awhile and has been on ebay but Tom still has it. I do remember seeing a story about Paul driving the car to the Mid-Ohio race but even better to hear your first-person recollection! As a side note, when Paul owned the car it was just plain white, no red stripe or Chaffey College on it. He ran as car number 96 or 99.

[Jon Mello]

Another couple of relevant photos for the Chaffey College (and Paul Van Valkenburgh) Camaro.

[Jon Mello]

Frank Dihartce sent me another photo of the car to post. Thanks, Frank!

[Jon Mello]

Car Life Magazine

[Jon Mello]

Yet another feature on the Chaffey College Camaro, as found in Competition Press and Autoweek. There are a lot of real Trans-Am cars
from the old days whose owners wish their car got the kind of press coverage that this car got.



                                                                                                                                                              

[Jon Mello]

December 1969 Stock Car Racing magazine

[cuda48]

Jon,
Didn't this Camaro recently change hands?  Mark and Linda Mountanos are now the new owners?

Camicia

[Jon Mello]

Yes, Mike. That's true. They bought it from Tom Wiederhold, who had owned it since 1974. I think the car has gone to a good home.

[Jon Mello]

Here's a good look at the Watts Link arrangement on the back of the Chaffey College Camaro.

[Jon Mello]

Mark and Linda Mountanos brought out the Chaffey College Camaro at the 2013 Sonoma Historics. It has not been out at an HTA
event for a number of years but they bought it last year and have done a nice job getting it back into racing shape.

[oldtransamdriver]

Did this car get back out on the track?

Robert Barg