"Inside the Cars of the Trans-Am" and other articles

[Jon Mello]

National Speed Sport News article on the new AMC Javelin team entering the Trans-Am series. (Jon Mello Collection)

The article text says the Javelin engines were being built by "Taco" in California, instead of Traco. 

[Jon Mello]

CARS magazine article on the Z-28. (Jon Mello Collection)











Note: That is Chevrolet engineer Bill Howell in the coat and tie holding the cross ram lid amongst the pile of engine parts.

[Jon Mello]

Motor Trend named the Mercury Cougar its "Car of the Year" in 1967 and provided the info below in its February '67 issue.

[cook_dw]

Jon,
I just wanted to say thanks for posting all these amazing magazine articles for everyone to read..  Great history and knowledge in those pages..

[Jon Mello]

You're welcome, Darrell.  I'm glad you and others are enjoying this stuff.

[Shadow Ahead]

On page 2 the article: ' American Motors' Trans-Am Racing Effort ' contins the following two quoted statements:

"The Javelins were fastest at Michigan International Speedway n the first race of the year, but SCCA banned the engine because AM couldn't produce enough of them to meet the regulations...

After the last race, Kaplan had his crew pack up what remained of the two Javelins and dropped them off at the local American Motors zone office. He called Detroit, told them where he left them and where to stuff them. Exit Ronnie Kaplan."


They are almost the complete opposite of other stories I've read where in the first instance AMC failed to produce the proper homologation papers in time to allow the low deck block, 4-bolt main, special port head combination engine to run after Michigan, and in the second, Bob McNealy summoned Kaplan and fired him.

So which is true other stories outside the ones quoted in the article or the -facts- above?

Shadow Ahead

[Jon Mello]

I'll leave official word to some of the AMC experts. I'm certainly not one of them. From what I have read, I believe the second scenario you listed is more accurate.
They didn't get the good engine stuff homolgated due to a new guy coming in an dropping the ball on filing the proper paperwork with SCCA. This was no fault
of Kaplan's. He was busy getting new cars ready to race. I think AMC would have made enough of those engines if that is what they had to do to be legal and the
engine was potent enough to be a winner, which I think it had the potential to be. If Kaplan got more money to operate with and the good engine pieces, they
would have made some noise in '69.

[Shadow Ahead]

I'm fervently hoping that someone that has talked to Kaplan ( hint: Javelin GT ) can set the firing vs. take-this-job-and-shove-it seesaw straight and level.
I entirely agree that the responsibility for either a) producing enough blocks and/or b) getting the specifications approved by the SCCA's  standard rests entirely on AMC. From what I understand not only did Kaplan have his hands full with getting cars prepared and with the racing enterprise itself, but, he had, at his own expense and initiative, had gotten the blocks that showed up at Michigan cast by a foundry ( one G.M. might have used? )for use in the '69 season.
 

S A

[mike343sharpstick]

Yes, someone did and published it in a book. Ronnie Kaplan has written it out pretty clearly in the new book "The Cars of Trans-Am Racing" on page 105
The book is very good, I think anyone marginally interested in this part of the CRG site should just buy this book as a basic text book we can all refer to from time to time:)

[SMKZ28]

Yes, someone did and published it in a book. Ronnie Kaplan has written it out pretty clearly in the new book "The Cars of Trans-Am Racing" on page 105
The book is very good, I think anyone marginally interested in this part of the CRG site should just buy this book as a basic text book we can all refer to from time to time:)

It would make a nice Christmas gift for all of us who are interested in this sort of thing!  Tell your family members.

[Shadow Ahead]

I believe my copy is arriving through Mrs. Claus via Amazon for Christmas...

S A

[Jon Mello]

Interesting little article about Swede Savage getting his start in the auto racing business by working for Holman-Moody as a 21 year old.


Jon Mello Collection

[Jon Mello]

Interesting article by race driver Peter Gregg on race preparation and strategy for running endurance races
such as those at Sebring and Daytona, as found in the December '71 issue of SCCA's Sports Car magazine.




Jon Mello Collection

[Jon Mello]

A short write-up on the University of Pittsburgh Trans-Am team and their '69 Camaro, as found in the 1971 Road America Trans-Am program.




Jon Mello Collection

[69Z28-RS]

Nice story, Jon!    Here is a racing photo of the Univ of Pittsburgh TA Camaro...
in 2008, Legendary Motorcars had the car for sale (restored) and was beautiful and expensive...
I'm fairly certain they sold it, but unsure to whom or where it is now?