Hey everybody, Normally I don't do things like this, but the other day I was browsing thru the TEAM CHEVELLE site and came up on a topic that I really thought was the coolest topic that I have ever read "on either one of these sites". A guy over there named canadiancarnut396ci had asked all of the true muscle car guys that lived in that era "what it was like back then", and man, you should read some of the responses he got. For those of you who are not registered to team chevelle, I thought I would borrow this topic and place it over here for all of us Camaro guys. How many of you guys (and gals) were around back in the actual muscle car days and what was life really like back then? Please share all of your experiences with us both good and bad with the rest of us. Since a lot of us either were not born yet, or were still babies and were too young to participate in any of that era's events,(like myself) please feel free to fill us all in and let us know what we missed http://www.camaros.net/forum/cool.gif

I have some fond memories of 1967-1970 (My pubescent years when I started noticing girls and cars). My neighbor had a 65 GTO with 3 deuces, his & hers shifter Mickey Thomsons 50’s on chrome reverse rimes with baby moons. I remember one time hearing him and his wife having a loud argument out one day, the wife came out jumped in the GTO and blazed the tires for two blocks. They also had a speed boat ( before jet boats)With a big block Ford and 3 deuces also. A friend of theirs came over once in a 67 or 68 400 Firebird, first one I ever saw, and it really looked cool! A kid I went to school with had a big brother with a 66 or 67 Nova that made the ground vibrate, he was working on it one day when the kid told me his brother had just put an L88 in it, I had no clue… Another friend’s mother worked for the Mercury dealership and always drove new demo Cougars. I remember riding in a convertible with some sort of hood scoop, power windows, and white leather interior once. A girl I use to play with had a big brother that drove a 67 Cougar. One time I was walking out of the corner store when my demure lady teacher pulled up in a new 428 Cobra jet Torino, white with black stripes and hood scoop. My other neighbor, (a geek dentist) bought a new Mach 1 Mustang, dark green with a shaker hood scoop in 69 or 70. I went for a ride once, he was either afraid of it or just couldn’t drive it. This was in a small town in southern Oregon population around 15000. To top it off and I suppose why I hang around here and own early Camaros, on November 13, 1967 my father traded in his old Corvair and came home with a brand new 1968 Camaro! Forward a couple of years to the year or so before I got my license somewhere between 1970-1972: I moved to Texas and was hanging around guys a couple of years older that had their own cars. One good friend talked his mother into cosigning for a 69 Charger RT SE 440 with a Dana posi and 4 speed. Some of the other cars the circle of friends had were an early 383 I think? Road Runner, a 71? Mustang 351 Cleveland, a T bucket, a 68 440 Charger, and the guy that worked nights at the Mobile station with access to the Sun analyzer had a 69 Z28, dark green with black stripes, gauges on the console but I think it had a flat hood. I spent many nights helping tweak that RT/SE Charger trying to get it fast enough to beat that Z28. We just couldn’t get the Charger to hook up, it would sit there blazing the tires through 2nd and the Z would launch like a rabbet.

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Geezer

[This message has been edited by Geezer (edited 07-26-2002).]

I was 12 in 1972 and I remember going down the dodge car dealership and looking at the roadrunners chargers and cudas. They looked like a bunch of brightly colored lollipops on the lot. The salesman would let us get in and sit behind the wheel. Man o man did I want that roadrunner. Gas was cheap and all the bigboys had cool cars.

life was good

bob spears

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69mscle (http://www.pro-touring.com/featured_cars/Camaro/1969_Camaro/Robert_Spears_69_Camaro/right_front.JPG)

[This message has been edited by bspears (edited 07-26-2002).]

Well, I missed the 60's being I was born in 69. My dad was into cars big time. I only saw pictures and heard stories about all the 50's cars he had and the 63 Impala SS 409 he used to race at the local air strip.

Then he and my mom bought a new 68 Chevelle. One day while down at Pismo Beach with his water pumper buggy, a friend drove his velle down to the beach to meet him and parked it close to the water on the hard pack sand. They returned from the dunes to find waves crashing into the velle in high tide http://www.camaros.net/forum/eek.gif

They took the car down to his mechanic friend, cleaned it up, replaced the passenger window and traded it in for a new 68 RS 327 Camaro. This would be the car I remeber most. I remember the 15 mile drive to work with my mom during the summer months, seeing only a handful of cars most of them being todays classic muscle.

Now that same drive is nearly bumper to bumper.

Our bikes were bannana seats and ape hanger bars. Catarmaraning Skateboards (that were no wider than 5 inches, the same width of the big fat simms wheels) down hills. Sexwax shirts were banned at all schools. Dirtbikes had less than 2 inches of suspension travel. I could make a fortune on ebay if I'd only saved my entire wardrobe. Gass shoes, OP pants, shirts and shorts were the coolist. You didn't know music unless you owned every Kiss album.

T.V. shows couldn't use the words damn, arse and few other choice words I won't mention.

If you got in trouble the police would take you home and let your parents deal with you.

Life just seemed innocent and laid back compared to now.

In 1962-64 I was in Jr high that was across the street from a Shell station where the owner bought I new Vette every year. I'll never forget that split window 63. I was hooked on bowties from then on.
I had a neighbor that worked on the Vette line back then. He used to bring home stuff for me like decals and I put them all over my notebook.
Those were the days alright. Cruisin and street racing every friday and saturday night. I only wished I had been born a few years earlier. Then I would have had some $ for muscle before I did. I couldn't afford much in high school but I did get at 350 hp 327 67 Vette when I got out of the army in 70.

Here's the Chevelle thread...
www.chevelles.com/forum/Forum2/HTML/011848.html (http://www.chevelles.com/forum/Forum2/HTML/011848.html)

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...Dennis
"The '69 (http://chevelles.com/showroom/ww.jpg), the '96 (http://www.camaroslimited.com/graphics/memcars/96ss.jpg) & the club (http://camaroslimited.com/)"

Ahhh the 60's - 70's http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif
Those were the times when kids respected everyone's parents and teachers. You were home before the street lights went on. You never talked back to an adult. At school if you messed up you got whacked then when you got home you got whacked again. ACLU was not present to mess up things. Men were going to the moon, what an awesome sight to see them land on the moon LIVE.
The corvair was a fun car to drive, GTO's, chevelles and of course camaros and mustangs were the hot cars. Barracuda's, GTX's, Hemi's, pumped up rear ends, and loud.
every little town had a drag strip nearby
there were auto parts stores everywhere.
Everyone went to church on sunday,
I sold gas at a station for 16 cents a gallon. Man that would be so nice today.
There's a few things to think about.
click http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif
graduated high school in 69, thats why I drive a 69 Camaro.



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69RS 350/255 LM1,TH350,Dover White,Blue Vinyl top
F&R spoilers,pdb,Close ratio ps,am/fm,3.08 Posi.,A/C,
fold down rear seat.
My RS www.brainerd.net/~knudsen/69RS (http://www.brainerd.net/~knudsen/69RS)

The 60's and 70's were a whole differrent era. It was a very tumultuous time with the body counts beind aired on the news every night and the rioting and protesting. Throw in the hippie movement, equal rights and the SLA and there was really a lot going on.

I think Muscle cars may have gained popularity as a result of the diversion that they created from every day life. They helped to bring fathers and sons together in a time when sons were coming home in body bags. I remember when I was about 13 my dad bought a brand new 71 Camaro. I was hooked.

I spent the summer of 73 roofing houses for minimum wage and somehow managed to save $700.00 to buy my first car. I wanted a first generation Camaro but they were running around $900.00 used so I had to settle for a 66 GTO that I paid $675.00 for.
Ah, those were the days. I never lost the desire to own a Camaro and 25 years later when the opportunity presented itself I bought my 67 SS.

I had a lot of fun with the GTO as a teenager. It had some problem that caused the back tires to wear a lot faster than the front ones. I never did figure that one out. I really got to know my dad a lot better when I bought the car. He would go out of his way to find things to work on with me.

I get a little melancholy when I look back on those times. There was a lot of sadness in America and yet you could tell that the world was changing for the better. Prejudices were falling, the war was winding down, sexual freedom was being born and life in general was starting to get better.

The muscle car era was about all of this stuff that was going on in 60's and early 70's, not just about the cars. Maybe that's part of the reason it died in the early 70's. Maybe it just didn't need to go on anymore. Of course, it never died in the hearts of those that lived it.

Scott.

Lets see....the 60's and 70's.....I remember my fist car, a 63 Impaqla SS, 327 4 speed, posi. Cool car. Girlfriend (now 1st ex) loved the car. Sold it for a 67 Camaro. Built a 327 for it. Great car. I also recall a low lottery number (draft), basic training, instant worldwide travel, but ended up in one place. Lots of trees, rain, humidity, people trying to kill me, my buddies. Sorry. I was gone for awhile, but I'm back now. They were great years. Muscle cars (before the EPA) were awesome. Just think, for teh right amount of money, you could walk into any showroom and order a ZL-1 Camaro, Boss 302, Hemi Cuda. Damn! those were the years. Think of the car parts you threw away and what they are worth now.

In high school in 67, it was a blast. A couple of guys (brothers) owned a 65 Mustang convertible with Cragar mags on it. Was the best looking car in the lot at school. My cousin had a couple of buddies that had muscle cars. 390 Javlin that was driven by a guy about 6' 3" and 350lbs. Strong as an ox that guy was. Too bad he didn't know how to drive. Another guy had a Yellow 69 Z28 with a 396 he bought brand new. Took out the 396 to do some work on it and when he put it back in, dropped it on the front upper valence and dinged it pretty good. This same guy had a 66 Chevelle, red with a 396 4 speed. Those days you could fry the tires in front of your buddies house and the neighbors just laughed and thought you were a goofy kid, wasting his money on tires. Today, you'll get hauled off or ticketed. Everyone today is too up-tight and worried about someone getting hurt, making too much noise with their car. Not the thumper sound systems but the tire screeching and loud engines. A guy my cousin dated in high school totaled about 3 cars in high school, finally settled on a 66 Chevelle, was hell on wheels, married my cousin and became a Cop. Go figure! Another cousin had a very nice Ford Fairlane and we had many a discussion about Fords vs Chevy's. Another cousin bought a 67 Chevy Impala w/396 4 speed new, for something like $3400-$3700 if I remember right. We could go fill the tank for .25 a gallon and cruise all night. Today, we have ordinances where the cops will ticket you if they see you cruseing up and down one stretch of road more than once in an hour. I don't understand that one at all. The good old days. If I only had had the brains to buy one or two of those cars and keep them.

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67 Coupe
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>ZZ4
<LI>12 Bolt Auburn Posi
<LI>4-Spd
<LI>reassembling it now
[/list]

We were and still are a F@&% family so most of my memories are of those cars. In 1967, I was 10 yrs old, my Dad's first lease car was a '67 Ford XL500 convert. with a big block in it. After that his lease cars were, '68 GT500 Shelby,'69GT500 Shelby,'70 Torino Cobra 429SCJ,'71 Mustang GT 351C. The Shelbys and Mustang were all Converts. A coworker friend of his had a '66 GT40 street car that he would trade to my dad oaccasionally when he needed a 4 seater. This same guy also had a '71 Pantera. My Grandpa had a '66 Mustang GT 289 hipo convert. My uncle had a '70 or'71 340 Duster. I have a Camaro because when I saw my first Camaro comercial on TV in '67, I had to have one.

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camarodave
'69Z 23,000 orig. miles
Rallye Green/White stripes

What a cool topic, especially for us who grew up in that time frame.

I got my driver's license in 69 and graduated from a small town mid western high school in 72. EVERYONE had a muscle car of some sort. All we did was ride up and down the main drag all night, every night. During the evenings muscle cars were the only things on the road. We would probably run 10 times a night from a stop light for a block or so. The police basically looked the other way. There was a piece of pavement on the edge of town we would race on. It was a lot like some of the movies I have seen. You might have half a dozen drag races during an evening with 50 cars and 100 spectators watching.

It was usually the farmers against the city boys. There were two different speed shops, one that catered to each group. I drove a 69 Camaro Convertible, 69 Mercury Merauder, 69 Dart Swinger and a 65 Corvair Corsa during those years. I hate to admit it but the Mopar kicked ***.

It always seemed like the best running car was the one with no hood, owned by the guy with a bad reputation that never combed his hair or washed his hands. We had little respect for the guy who's wealthy daddy bought him a car. We ALL took the Vocational Autos class at the high school. The turn arounds at each end of town were the Dog & Suds and the A & W. We went to the drive in movie and the local drag strip every weekend.

I want to go back there again!… Those were the best times of my life. I suppose that is why we build these cars today, to try to resurrect some of the best years of our lives.

Unfortunately I was not nearly old enough to drive or work on cars in the '60s. I do, however, remember seeing lots of really cool cars. There was a guy on the end of my block who had a Hugger orange '69 Camaro. My memory is so foggy that I can't recall if it was a Z or SS but I know it had black stripes and was loud. My dad used to shake his fist at the guy when he was rippin' it down the street. I just stood there and gawked as he sped by.

What I remember most about that time was the feeling of well being and comfort. Just seems like things were more simple and better back then (even considering the Nam and the hippies). Maybe it was just being a kid at the right time...

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See my '68 RS/ZZ4 (http://www.100megsfree.com/choptop/camaro.html)

[This message has been edited by choptop (edited 07-26-2002).]

Better then now,no greedy CEO's just plenty of HP

I was born in 62, so I was a little kid in the 60's and 70's muscle car era, but I was in love with those cars. What made it interesting, and aggravating, for me was that my dad worked for Johns-Manville and we lived everywhere but the U.S. When I was 1 we moved to Puerto Rico, then St. Croix, St. John, and Venezuela. The people in the Carribean are avid followers of sports car and motorcycle racing, so I was exposed to that and loved it. Muscle cars were indeed a rarity, although in 69 there were lots of RS Camaros in Venezuela. My dad travelled all over the place, and everytime he went somewhere I begged him to bring me back musclecar magazines. Most of my toy cars and models were sports cars, so everytime he went back to the U.S. he would bring back treasures like the Ramchargers dragster model or the Snake and Mongoose funny cars.
The news media down there was riveted by the war obviously, and the space program, but didn't cover all the war protests and rioting as much. When we went to the States for Christmas with my grandparents I remember being surprised at how much unrest there was here. The common misconception in Latin America was that all Americans were rich and happy and led Ozzie and Harriet type lives. There was always unrest going on somewhere in Venezuela, and you got used to coup attempts and bombings.
The other thing I was starved for was rock and roll. In between mariachi songs you had the ocassional Beatles or Rolling Stones song if you were lucky. I would record hours of radio on reel to reel tapes down in my grandfathers basement on this ancient tape recorder he gave me and listen to them till they wore out back home. My dad was into The Mamas and The Papas and Simon and Garfunkel, my mom was into opera and flamenco, and I wanted Led Zeppelin.
Wow, stuff I haven't thought of in 30 years...good post. Thanks Garfield.

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68 Camaro 355", TH-400, 3.73 10 bolt, Rally rims.
69 Nova 355" TH-350, 4.88 12 bolt, 150 shot...click here to see it. (http://members.tripod.com/pete_2112/petesnovapage.html)
And a garage full of vintage bmx bikes.

Summer early 70's, not sure when or even how old. Neighbor pulled out of his driveway with his Camaro, not sure of the year but I do remember the 396 up on the black front fender. Right in front of my little gang of kids playing in my front yard. We taunted him to smoke em up. By god he did too. It was so thick it was hard to breath. I remember saying "some day" just like that kid on the TV looking at the new 280 ZX all those years ago.
Mome had a 59 Caddy that was big enough to play kickball in the back seat. Then we had a huge Mercury monteray? I remember laying up in the back window in the winter time and the sun felt good on my back.
Lot of years ago.
Has any body seen the new Merc Ma-road-er yet? Seen the commercial last night. Looks tough for a Ford product.

Edit- Sorry it was a Marquis not a montaray. Does spelling count any more?... Or am I going to get ripped apart? Kidding.......

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Tim (http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/speedway/6792/CAR2.jpg)
67 ss/rs (http://www.geocities.com/sixt7ssrs2/Mvc-562f.jpg),
My slice of the web!! (http://www.geocities.com/sixt7ssrs)

[This message has been edited by sixtsevnssrs (edited 07-26-2002).]

[This message has been edited by sixtsevnssrs (edited 07-26-2002).]

The guy that owned the liquor store down the block drove a Yellow Pantera to work every day and I always drooled all over the school bus window as we drove by. My mom was involved with the youth group from church so we always had a bunch of teenagers around. Hip huggers, bell bottoms, tie dyed shirts, wild pants etc. I remeber making dip flowers, candles, and my mom made her own neon green mini dress that she wore with white knee hi go-go boots and love beads.

I remember one of the guys from church showing up in the driveway with a brand new yellow GTO. I don't remember the exact year model but it was pretty cool. My dad bought Mustangs and I can remember him putting the top down on the green with black convertible 67 and driving home while me and my brother froze to death riding in the back. It was late in the year and after dark so it was quite cold for the drive home. He was thinking about painting it up like the hippies did with flowers and stuff but thank goodness he never went through with it.

I do remember the nightly news always had a backdrop with 2 dark silouettes of military soldiers side by side. One was larger than the other one with the larger one being the wounded count on it and the smaller one having the dead count on it. I will always remember that.

-Mark.

[This message has been edited by stingr69 (edited 07-26-2002).]

I was 12 yrs old in 69 and remember my older brothers buddies hangin out working on ther cars: green 57 chevy, 63 silver (I think) split window vette, Dark green 69 roadrunner, maroon 68 GTO, and a brown 57 vette. Whenever my Brother had to get stuck with me "babysitting" on weekend evenings, we used to drive down to Brotherhood Way in SF and watch the races until the cops arrived, then go down to the Great highway near the Cliff House and old Playland (gone by then) and watch some more. Great Times, and Fast pure muscle, no ricers to be seen. Ever since then I have been Hooked like everyone else on this site ...Mike http://www.camaros.net/forum/biggrin.gif

Yepper I loved the late 60’s early 70’s, the cars and girls were fast, gas, oil and freon was cheap, air, water and love was free and I got my butt wet a couple of times trying to see if those v dubs would really float….

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Geezer

Garfield, you've opened a can of worms (memories).....

Vietnam was the big thing, Selective Service, my number was 23, b'day drawn from a jar decided the order of draft.

Street racing, fast women, and cheap gas (25/gal), was the menu for the day. Raced for titles, I turned down a '67 Mustang GT/390/4-spd b/c my '64 Impala/327/4-spd/4.56 beat'em. What a naive kid I was.

Did see Hemi Road Runner, Hemi Cuda convertible (San Franciso PD patrol CAR), '69 Boss 429, Z/28's till the cows came home, Rebel ST's, AMX's,'69 & 70,

Farmers drove trucks for farm use, b7w TV, Ozzie & Harriet, Lassie, Opie, Lone Ranger, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, Sky KIng, Rough & Ready (Sat AM), Capt Kangaroo, Beatles at Shea Stadium, all the great groups.

Grocery store trips, four bags full, $12-15.
Food for a week. Edward R Morrow, men on the moon, Charles Manson, Kent State, Nixon, Cartewr, Reagan economics, Patricia Hearst kidknapping, IN COLD BLOOD by Truman Capote,

Sorry man, but I have to quit. Live grandparents, good upbringing, don't talk back, say "Thank you", go to church, eat, sleep, study, or work.

The one thing I remember the most, Granddad stopping on the way home from a Little League game, whether we won or lost, Dairy Queen for a cone. Love you, Granddad!!

Everett

Darn you Garfield!!

Wow - what a subject. In the late 60's I was driving a 58 Impala - 348, 3 - 2's, stick shift that I bought for $250, then a 340 Duster - triple black 4 speed for $1800.....

It seems like life was simpler but at that age it usually is. Seeing the moon landing live, swapping cool cars with my buds, working in the local gas stations, Sunoco 240, vanilla cokes with fries/gravy, drive-ins, hanging at Dairy Queen or the local pizza joint, all the gearheads opened speed shops, it goes on and on. I enjoyed the era very much.

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Rick Dorion
69 RS Conv,355,M20,4.10's and I don't worry about stone chips ( yet ).

I was a young teenager (13-14) in those days. I grew up in a small town and can remember this guy my dad knew bought a brand new '69 Boss 429 Mustang that was the badest thing in town. He pretty much run it to death and didn't take care of it. I bet he was like to have it today. Restored and all original they are worth around $60k.

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Gary
1967 Camaro SS/RS 396-375 4sp.

http://community.webshots.com/user/amike95

I can remember "cruisin the gut" in my 67 firebird 326 H.O. Wish I still had that car. (If you put 389 heads on a 326 it means instant power). I got pulled over one night and written up for my license plate light being out. While the cop was in his car writing my ticket, I walked back to see if his light was working. He saw me do this and asked me if it was working or not. I told him "Funny, I didn't know if mine was working either". I really got the ticket then. Some of the stuff we used to do....it's a wonder I'm even alive.

Team! This is without a doubt the best post I have viewed! I was born in 73, so I am not included in the memory postings, but I wish I could! you guys were Incredible! I am sure when we get to heaven We can all do it once again though!

I was born in 58.Some of my best memorys are of those times.Muscle cars every where,drive in Movies.Everything was more simple back then.Mom drove a 68 396-375 4 speed Chevelle.It was the family car.It was a great time.When the goverment killed the muscle cars,along with the gas crisis in the early 70's.Things were never the same.Suddenly Mom was driving a Datsun.I will never forget what my older cousin said about the Vietnam War.(he was drafted).He said he prayed that the plane would crash going over there.After 2 yrs he boarded the plane back home,he said he prayed harder the plane wouldn,t crash and bring him home.Thank God he made it back..

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69 Camaro SS 350 4 speed
71 Nova

man this is a cool topic, I graduated high school in 69 the cars were fast, gas was cheap .16 cents on sale. I drove a 66 chevelle 327 4-spd 3:73 posi My senior year I still look at every chevelle I see looking for that car!(I lost my $%^#&* in that car.) my buddy bought a 70 cuda 340 4-spd after hight school back then the cars had a 5 year 50,000 powertrain warranty and everybody tried to blowup the motor at 40,000 to get a new engine matching numbers didn't mean a thing! I went to work out of high school for a chevy-olds dealer in the parts room and I still know of 1 69 SS 396 chevelle and a 70 olds 442 W30 1 owner cars, that was bought at the dealer I worked for.The chevelle, I drove back to the dealership on a dealer trade for the customer!

yeah, im really enjoying this. im a 79 baby so i have no memories at all but my dad tells me of the stuff he did in his cars...

he had a 65 GTO 389 tri power.. brand new, iris mist, white interior, 4 speed (1 of 1200 made), a 66 Chevelle SS 396, a couple of tempests, a vette...

he tells me of popping the clutch on old ladys carrying groceries across the street (3 cops on him in ten seconds for that), working at the gas station, racing, spending a few nights in jail for stupid stuff...

he says it was so different than it is now. my town is still a small town (back in ohio) but way bigger than it used to be. you could do anything you wanted and no one cared. man i wish it was still like that...

i really enjoyed this thread http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Everett#2390:

Vietnam was the big thing, Selective Service, my number was 23, b'day drawn from a jar decided the order of draft.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Naa, that was the modified and "fair" SS. I was num'bar 33. The war ended ahead of my number.
It was first a 67 RS 4-speed convertable that I had. A dog that had been trashed. $1800.00 out the door. I couldn't keep it. The mods, the gas, the highway patrol, the courts...the car was cursed. Worth a chunk of change today. Life is good.

I was a young punk with attitude and a driver's license (the ink wasn't dry yet).

When the 67 Camaros were introduced, a buddy and I went down to the dealership and test drove a "demo" 67 SS 396 (375 Horse http://www.camaros.net/forum/wink.gifTH400)..they asked us for a $40.00 good faith "deposit" first!. hahahahaha!

I couldn't believe the torque from that monster!...just touch the gas pedal...instant smoke from the tortured bias ply tires....

A few months later, we heard about a new Camaro that just arrived... it had a "puny" 302 that was rated at a laughable 290 HP....yes....I could have bought one of the 602!.....woulda....coulda...shoulda... http://www.camaros.net/forum/wink.gif

In our town, the streets were ruled by mostly tri-five Chevys, and 409 powered "bubble tops" were surprisingly plentiful, but one of the wildest machines was a 64 Falcon with a "full race" 427 high rise..ran 12's, and in those days that was something for a street machine.

Cruising the main drag or "dragging the gut" was a true happening!


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Don~ ZZ430DropTop (http://hometown.aol.com/zz430droptop67rs)
~~~~and~~~~
70 RS/Z28 (http://hometown.aol.com/performancespecs)
67 RS/SS Convertible, 70 RS/Z28

Well where do I start? I was born in 47 so the wonder years from 63 to 73 we right in the age from 16 to 26. I saw the whole thing develop and it was a huge factor in my life.
I saw 265s go to 283s to 327s to 350's. I saw 348s go to 409s then to 396s to 427s and 454s. Locally there was a dealer who was into and I mean into Trans am racing and into Muscle cars big time (Maurice Carter) I would say that his dealership was the Balwin, or Yenko of Canada. In 1967 he had a High performance lot that had a veritable feast of cars.
He had 427 Biscaynes with bench seat and four speeds. Camaros, Chevelles Impalas, 350 horse 67 Chevy novas Big blocks were common place here, Man it was cool.
I drooled on those cars for three years and when I graduated from college I got a job and went directly to the dealership. That was in August of 1969. He had gathered all the Camaros that were not selling due to the longer model year from all the dealers within 60 miles. The 70s were not out yet and everybody was waiting to see them.
He had about 30 on his back lot.
I had my choice of every color, and every option. There was even a COPO car and a 396 375 horse car there.
I settled on a low option Rallye Green Z/28 with black int. and white stripes. It had only Style trim and spoilers. It didn't even have a tach or radio. No console and a huge gas gauge where the tach should be.
The street I lived on was amazing. I had the Z, my best friend had a Hemi roadrunner five doors down. Around the corner was a matching 69 Z to mine and on the next street a guy had a 67 350 horse Nova. Within the same area were three other 69 Zs and a dark green, stripe delete 67 Z. I drove the Z, summers only for five years and in 74 sold it to buy a housse. Ten years later I bought a Vette and then another 69 Z. I have never been out of the hobby for all these years and I just sold a 32000 mile Z this weekend. I am 55 now and I am looking for my next project.
Looking back on those years I am so happy that I was lucky enough to be a part of it and I know I will never be able to get those Sunoco 260 fumes out of my blood!


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Only 69 Z/28s
Garnet Red 30,000 mi (http://www.geocities.com/gr_stew/shot.htm)
30,000 mi motor (http://www.geocities.com/gr_stew/engine.htm)
Glacier Blue
Rally Green new in 69

I wish I COULD remember that time...I think I graduated in 69.

I DO still remember the burns from uncapping white Hookers in the dark. I could put on my M&H's, uncap the headers, make two runs, collect the $20.00 bucks, recap and haul ***, in 25 minutes; long before the cops showed up!

With all the crap going on in those days, I didn't really keep up with it all. I did keep up with the new model cars coming out and who's on the bill for "Match Race Madness" at the drag strip. I got to see Ronnie Sox, Phil Bonner, Hubert and Houston Platt, Malcomb Durham, Melrose Missle, The Ramchargers, Don Gay, Bill Jenkins, Don Nicholson, Kelly Chadwick, Little Red Wagon and the original, first Hemi-Under-Glass, driven by "Wild Bill" Shrewsberry. He would come completely off the ground on his rear bumper and go on to shift all four gears doing his famous wheelstands.

The only thing that pulled me away from cars was "booger". That was OK too cause you could take her with you and show off to her and her friends. You could be that near famous, mysterious guy with the Black Chevelle from the other side of town! My 64 Chevelle had a 427/435 horse from a 67 Corvette, 4:56... real fun to drive.

I don't know about all these Hemi's you hear about driving around town though. Most of the hot cars in our area were Camaros, Nova's(really quick) 396 Chevelles, some 351 Mustangs and plenty of Mopars but no Hemi's that I knew about. Come to think of it, most of the cars terrorizing the streets back then were 55, 56, 57 Chevy's. The rich guys had the newer cars and there were a few of them around.

Now at the strip was a different scene. Lotsa big muscles out there. My most memorable one was a 67 Black L72 427 Impala. It ran mid 12's which was pretty quick back then and It WAS a daily driver. A couple of times, I got the pleasure of lining up with him during time trials. He would dump at 6000 and power shift to second while I was still next to him. I'd leave my window down so I could get the FULL effect!!

Gotta go now...have to set the valves and try and re-tune that dang 780 Holley again!

OLD GUY

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69 Z/28 white, original

[This message has been edited by OLD GUY (edited 07-28-2002).]

Boy were those the days. In May or June of 65 I went with my dad to pick up his new 65 Impala SS with the new 396 Turbo Jet Engine. It was black with red interior with SS hubcaps. I lived in Florida so I got my driver license when I was 15 in 1966. We moved to Ohio that year and I was hooked on Chevys. I worked 5 nights a week the last two years of high school so I could buy my own car. The first one was a 62 Impala SS, I had car payments of $40.15 a month, do you believe that? In the fall of 68 I talked dad into letting me get a 68 Camaro SS with a 396 350 horse engine. It had dog dish hubcaps on steel wheels. In April of 69 I got caught drag racing and would not tell the cops who I was racing with so the judge decided to make an example of me and gave a years suspension with no driving rights to work. Needless to say I had to sell the car. To make a long story short now I have a 69 Z/28 Rally Sport with 77,400 miles completly restored and another 69 SS I just put the frame back under the other day. My wife says when I die there will probably be an old Camaro in the garage, I hope she is right. I loved reading the other stories on here. Keep up the good work Camaros.Net

im only 17 and im living my own experience which seems to be where i live a late 60s early 70s era going on. my dad tells me stories about him and his mustang and his bike and all his other cars and being at camp pendelton, almost being drafted because they spelt his name wrong. he used to deal any drug known to man and do them all. causing trouble all sorts of **** . i really would like to experience that time if i could. i live in littleton and this town seems like it has that same late 60s early 70s them to it. always kids out on the local drag, we got the pot dealer out our school (columbine), its just like the movie dazed and confused here. i love it. im savin up for my own camaro which i hope to get before i graduate so i can still go drive it into the H.S. Parking lot and do a big burn out for all the dickhead campus security.its like every h.s. kids life here revovles around friday and saturday night. we have a local main drag here about 1 mile north of my house on wadsworth and another big one out in westminister that just got broke up it was on the news and stuff.everybody in my school smokes grass or do other drugs. well atleast 65% of them atleast and most people drink but maybe some of you old guys that experienced those times could give me some tips on being young while on drugs with a hotrod. thanks

mitch

[This message has been edited by mitchcocamaro (edited 07-28-2002).]

oh ya did everyone do drugs back then and trip out and weird **** . i know ive fallen into drugs and drinking and at this age in time its fun.

Mitch.
There were some dopers around but they didn't mess with cars. At a recent reunion, none of the known dope-heads showed up and out of the ones we could put a name to, six were dead from automobile accidents, two drowned, two were murdered and three are still in the penitentiary.

OG

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69 Z/28 white, original

Lets see, being able to drive to the old army base and race all day(it was govt. property and the cops couldn't touch us). Paying $2200 for a 2 year old 66 L-72 Corvette. Hemi cars in the show room. Having 3 dragstrips within 1 1/2 hours drive. Crusing North Main St in Walnut Creek. Crate L-88 short blocks for $400 being able to put a Pontiac center section in by myself.

Being born in 60 & turning 19 in 79' these 2 decades were a little influental to say the least. What I remember?
Ma & Pa Kettle movies, Francis the talking mule, My Mother the car reruns, the munsters, Batman, Abbott & Costello the 60 Impala with no air & hot sticky vynil seats, Motown, watching people die in Vietnam on TV, watching my uncle leave for there in 66, cousins, grandparents, the 66 396 caprice, wine, beer, arguing, yelling, green shag carpet, medeteranian (sp?) furniture in olive green & gold, big table lamps, going to frisco & berkeley to watch protests, looking at the hippies in Haight Ashbury, patchouli oil, smelling pot, looking inside Three Dog Nights tour bus and getting yelled at by one of them in Oakland, big cars, Camaros, my friends older brothers dying in Nam, waiting our turn to go to Nam, the Stones, Turtles, the Dead, Marvin Gay, no country music in our house, Yogi, Bugs Bunny, Johnny Quest, The Roadrunner cartoon & car, riots, Zodiak, when you could count the cars on 1 hand between Oakland & Pleasanton at night, the Black Panthers, my uncles return from Nam, All in the family, Good times, Maude, Led Zepplin, Hendricks, Annie green springs wine, my uncle stealing my dads car to rob a liquor store, getting laid with just a smile, no Aids, bell bottoms, hip huggers, woman burning their bras, homegrown, black lights, Mash, "I Ate The WHOLE Thing!" "Where's the Beef!!" my uncle shooting someone & going to jail, no VCR's, 8 tracks, 45's, AM radio, TV stereo consoles, dads 66 truck, dads 69 ford 4x4 highboy with the Zig-Zag man on the hood, Right on, Groovy, Alcohol abuse, drug abuse, smoking condoned, fishing, camping, my uncle disappearing after jail, no seatbelts, afros, custom vans, more homegrown, girls..yummmmm, respect for people, people having respect for you, less traffic, no good music on the car radio after 40 miles from the bay area, parents divorce, dads girlfriends, stock car racing, ABC Wide World of Sports, Howard Cosell, more homegrown, Coors, dads first pony tail, Bultaco's, Penta's, Maico's, no computers.
To this day we have never found our uncle.
Weww, I'm going to give my therapist a call, I think I've figured it out! LOL http://www.camaros.net/forum/biggrin.gif

YEA BABY!!!!

------------------
Steve
67 396 race car project
67 SS 396,4-sp mothballed for resto
67 RS 327,4-sp
72 RS 350/350, under current resto
69 4X4 suburban 350,4-sp
73 3/4 ton 454/400
Stevo Camaro's Toy (http://www.geocities.com/stevocamaro)
Our Muscle Cars (http://community.webshots.com/user/steve_lynell)

Many of the guys who were "cool" in Highschool back then were either short haired Jocks, or the long hairs who were smokin' pot or doing harder stuff, a couple of them died from drugs a fiew years down the road. The rest gave it up and moved on.

An old High School buddy came by a while back, he said he'd done time in prison for drugs. I didn't want to let him in the house! Talked on the porch for a a while...

I didn't go for the drugs and drinking back then and I still don't. I like to feel the opposite, I like to feel sharp and aware of what is going on. I REALLY feel that way when driving a hot race car. My Lola would do 9 second quarter miles but it goes around road courses, it's the greatest feeling to be able to handle driving it for lap after lap. Imagine a half hour of driving a 9 sec car!

I got a REAL charge out of riding with CarlC at Buttonwillow raceway open track and his brakes failed on the front straightaway.

There is nothing like improving yourself and increasing your abilities.
David


------------------
Check my web page for First Gen Camaro suspension info:
David's Motorsports page (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/David_Pozzi/)
First Gen Suspension Page (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/David_Pozzi/first_gen_suspension.htm)
67 RS 327 original owner. 69 Camaro Vintage Racer, 65 Lola T-70 Chev SB Can-Am Vintage Racer

David,
My dad was the same way, he stayed clean throughout the 60's and 70's, and still is, and he doesnt even drink.
Thats one of the big reasons why he's my hero!

Edit
Stevo, sorry i offended you, it was never the intent.
I was trying to help, not being "holier then thou" hell i'm an athiest so that doesnt work ethier way!

[This message has been edited by CamaroNOTcamero (edited 08-01-2002).]

CNC, I can't help but feel your last 2 posts were in response to my experiences of the time frame. I had no control in the events that surrounded my life as a child & teen. Nor do I regret my life. I don't see it necessary for you to try to "school" someone on how to live when you don't have that many years under your belt either. Save your holier than thou **** with me. That was my world pal, you don't have to like it, but you can keep the comments to yourself.
I don't want to hear "I wasn't talking about your post." Bull****.

------------------
Steve
67 396 race car project
67 SS 396,4-sp mothballed for resto
67 RS 327,4-sp
72 RS 350/350, under current resto
69 4X4 suburban 350,4-sp
73 3/4 ton 454/400
Stevo Camaro's Toy (http://www.geocities.com/stevocamaro)
Our Muscle Cars (http://community.webshots.com/user/steve_lynell)

Stevo,
Please take it easy! I don't see he's refering to you at all. Having met you, I see you are one of the nicest guys on this forum. If ever I needed help, I know you would do all you could.
Whatever you have been through, and it's really NONE of my buisness, I'm sure it has made you the good person you are today.

I made a fiew comments in my post above because I realized some members are young and may try to duplicate not only our cool cars of the day, but our mistakes too!

I enjoyed your recolections, you have a better memory than me.
David

------------------
Check my web page for First Gen Camaro suspension info:
David's Motorsports page (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/David_Pozzi/)
First Gen Suspension Page (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/David_Pozzi/first_gen_suspension.htm)
67 RS 327 original owner. 69 Camaro Vintage Racer, 65 Lola T-70 Chev SB Can-Am Vintage Racer

[This message has been edited by davidpozzi (edited 08-01-2002).]

Stevo, i edited my post. I consider you an internet friend, so i dont to **** you off.
I saw Mitch's post, i was never into drugs and i've seen alot of people's lives go to hell becuase of it.
The 70's were a little different, i dont hold anything against you for the way you 've lived your life.
I apologize, i must have misworded my post, it wasnt intended to be a "holier then thou" preachy post, but i guess it came out that way.

[This message has been edited by CamaroNOTcamero (edited 08-01-2002).]

I have to agree that this is one of the best post I've ever read also.

I don,t EVEN know where to start but I was 20 in 1968. Man what a time to be born. I was blessed to be able to grow up just in the right years to be able to drive most of these cars when they were new.

Yep I was one of those crazy guys who drank partied hardy, drove crazy and should of been one of those guys killed in a car wreck, and almost was a few times.

I grew up on the farm with no close neighbors until we moved to town when I was about 16. So in those earily years I wore out 3 Cushman motor skooters on sandy roads. I remember the first time I was ever out ran, and a kid in town got a new 8 horse skooter that out ran my 5 horse. That did something to me that made me want to go faster ever since then.

We had all we needed growing up but since I broke every thing that I drove I had to learn to fix it because I couldn't afford to have it fixed.

By the time I was about 12 daddy bought that new Forney welder. I learned to cut and weld and by the time I was 13 I was riding my first homade go cart.

My first ride was a 1950, flathead 6 Ford pickup that my brother had taken 3 of to make one, and was transfered in his job to Ill. and I got the pickup.

My cousin had a 1952 Ford pickup that cracked the block on the old flathead, so I bought it for $10.00. I took the front fenders, and hood off, the bed off and cut 22" out of the frane and welded it back together. I found an old nail head Buick motor and tranny cheap ($25.00) built mounts and put it all together. It didn't weigh nothing so it out ran every thing around for a long time. Later I put a 350 horse 327 engine in it and it was truly bad then for it's day. Then one night Jim Beam and I were driving it when we shouldn't of been and totaled it.

The first real car that I had was a 57 Chevy. The guy who ran the local body shop had built it to go to the local drag strip, and tried to tell my dad that it was not a street car but I talked him into letting me buy it and drove it on the street. This was an awesome car, it was a 13 second car, and that was healthy for a small block back in those days.

This 57 had an engine what the General later called a DZ 302. We called them a 301. This was a 283 boared .125 over. This made a 3.125 stroke and a 4" bore. These small journal engines had 5/16 instead of 3/8 rod bolts, but would turn 7500 time after time. This car had 2 4's, 4:56 posi, and a T10 4 speed.

One night there was a Camaro that showed up in town squeeling it's tires and showing off. When they flaged me over it was one of the local cheer leaders and she said this is my uncles car here from Dallas and he says it will out run any thing in this town and will run you or any one else for $100.00. Well I didn't make that much a week at the gas station. I told her that I didn't have a hundred but to go tell her uncle that I would out run him for free and that it wouldn't cost him a hundred when I was done.
This was one of the first 350 horse 350 Camaro's, and I figured I would get beat but didn't want to give up a hundred to see.

In just a few minutes there was the Camaro with some older guy driving. He pulled me over and ask if I was the guy and I said yes, and he said he really didn't want to waste his time to out run me for nothing, but by then half the town was gathered around and it had to happen. I had 1 bolt in the collector on my Hookers and could just reach under with a foot and push them open.

I don't know what that Camaro was geared but with the 4:56's in my 57 about the time you dump the clutch it was time for second. I was twisting that thing to 7500 and never let off to shift, just clutch it and yank.

This guy had just bought this car really didn't know how to drive it, I guess he didn't have a tach, my headders open, couldn't here it for mine, so when I would get second so would he, so we took off 6 times me banging second every time,when I rolled my window down to see what the problem was. I had at 18 to explain to him that he was shifting to early so the next time we got a run in. I beat him a good 2 cars and needless to say he and his little smart --- cheer leader neice weren't to friendly now.

So he said since he was having trouble getting off the line we should run from a tromp, and he would drop his hand when he was ready. Well he dropped his foot when he dropped his hand and jumped me almost a car link, but when I grabbed second I jumped up almost beside him, and when I went for third I should of woke up Leroy because I am sure he ain't never seen nothing like what just happened.

Remember this is now 8 times that I had launched and that clutch must of been some kind of hot by now. When I went for third gear the whole under side of my car lit up like day light, and things began to happen fast. The rear motor mounts are on the bell housing and when the clutch went it blew the bell housing completely off the engine. It even broke one ear off my T10, and the widest part left on the engine was less than 1" wide.

The only thing holding the tranny in was the drive shaft and shifter. It broke the nose peace off the starter also. The only thing left of the pressure plate was the medal out side shell. None of the springs, fingers, or the whole cast iron center part was there. All the pressure plate bolts are sheared off flush with the flywheel. The clutch disc was gone and the throw out bearing retainer was broke. This was before Lake Wood had come on the scene, so we made scatter shields out of truck rims cut to fit with tabs to the bell housing bolts. This thing had dents in it at least 1/4 inch deep.

Oh man the mounts left so the engine dropped down, hanging the 2,4's wide open, I hit the key and by now (no carpet) dirt is coming up like a west Texas sand storm from all the stuff hitting the floor board, trying to roll down a window to breath when the shifter started t disappear through the floor (no cross member in a 57) and now the drive shaft starts to shake and finally I get stopped.

A few years later I had a 56 set up almost identical to the 57 except it had 5:13 Posi Track. I could out run 396 Chevells with this car. I would be about 1 car past the finish line when they would blow by me but that was to late.

I could go on and on here because by the time I was 12 I knew what I was going to do and ended up quitting high school to go to work at the local dealership, and cars are my life and lively hood still today. I am in the process of selling my shop out so I can take a job and get off at 5:30 every day. I have 2 1950 Studebaker pickups in my back yard that have been calling me for over 2 years now. Do you need to ask what engine/tranny, LT1/4L60E no doubt.

This is the neatest part then I'll try to stop. Because I was the local gear head worked in the shop all the guys with new muscle cars brought them to me to get them running their best so I got to drive everyones car. Because of all this experience it became a known fact if you get beat go get Larry to drive your car and some how I could manage to make it win most of the time. I'm not bragging guys it's because all the experience (FUN FUN FUN!!!!) in all those neat cars. I call Chevells side winders because if you try to make a Chevelle go streight you can't drive it.

Sorry yall but this is just one story of hundreds, about all I have ever done is hot cars, and all out race cars. I'll be 55 in Nov, and ain't looking back.

Larry
www.lnjstreetrods.com (http://www.lnjstreetrods.com)

[This message has been edited by lnjstreetrods (edited 08-02-2002).]

[This message has been edited by lnjstreetrods (edited 08-02-2002).]

Thanks Dave, it's been a rough week.
CNC, I'm sorry for misunderstanding your post and the flame job.
Now let's kiss & make up. LOL http://www.camaros.net/forum/wink.gif

Larry, great post.
I had a cousin who had an old flathead pickup. we tried to push start it but it wouldn't fire. To test for spark, a friend squatted on the fender holding onto the plug wire with his bare hand while we pushed it with another truck down the road!
Lucky for him there was no spark!

I saw a similar 56 chev drivetrain failure in a street race that cracked the bellhousing and bent the driveshaft in half wiping the pinion out.

The local mini store owner got a new 67 SS350 camaro, his customer got a new Firebird. The bragging got to the point where they pulled right out front and drag raced! The Camaro won. I later "met" the Firebird owner while driving home from school. He pulled alongside me when passing on a two lane road and revved it, I punched my throttle and down the road we went. from around 55mph we went to over 120 as I still had the 3.08 gears. I was ahead and and backed off and drove another mile home. He followed me and I was worried he was going to tell my parents! We chatted about the cars, and he wanted to know what I'd done to my 327/275 that made it beat his Firebird 400. I'd put in the D-112p points and an advance curve kit, and opened up the snorkel intake on the air cleaner.

I saw a street race where one guy came back toward the start line at full speed! He hit a car that was turning around dead center and flipped over him in a flash of flame! He landed in a field after clearing a fence. Every one scrambled to leave before the cops got there. I was sure something bad was likely to happen, too many people there, and was watching from a safe farm field road.

When a crowd gathers for a race at night, there are allways some half-drunk people around who can do something stupid. I never did much street racing, allways felt there would be someone faster that was willing to make his car less streetable than me...
That's why I got into autocross where I could make my car handle and brake better thinking it would still be a streetable setup for my neck of the woods, and more fun than a dragger.

My cousin flipped his 55 chevy in a street race. He really slowed down his driving after that.
My buddy was passenger in a late fifties vette, they were chasing another vette on a mountian road. A sheriff passed the first vette going the other way, the Sherriff made a quick U turn to persue him, and that's when my buddy's car came around the corner and T boned the Sheriff!!! They had some 'splanin to do!

David

------------------
Check my web page for First Gen Camaro suspension info:
David's Motorsports page (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/David_Pozzi/)
First Gen Suspension Page (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/David_Pozzi/first_gen_suspension.htm)
67 RS 327 original owner. 69 Camaro Vintage Racer, 65 Lola T-70 Chev SB Can-Am Vintage Racer

[This message has been edited by davidpozzi (edited 08-02-2002).]

I lived in a small coal town with a lot of old coal money. Not me on the money end but some of the guys I new. I had a big block 69 Nova 427 Tunnel ram Big bump stick 4 speed 410 gears fun car to drive Almost every other car on Saturday night was a big block Vett. I can remember 4 Hemi cars 2 LS7 cars One Yenko a Nicky 67 Nova 3 Motion Cars one of them a Vega. Man those were the days racing all most every weekend. Gas was cheep Girls were hot and so were the cars. Man some of those Vett’s would come around the Dairy Maid it would sound like they would hit about three times the cam was so big. Man Big Gear Head can back me up on this one. It was the Hot Spot to be now it is dead. People (kids) came from ever were to run around there. Mommy wont you take me back to Mulenberg County.
TIM

I was born in the 50's and was interested in cars in the early 60's. My first car was a 55 Chevy that I bought for $200. and back then my brother and I bought whole complete running cars for range of $30.00 to $500.00.
We once bought a 57 chevy convertible for $37.00, the woman justed wanted her money back for the price of the battery she bought when the car failed to start.The problem points fused closed.I remember buying a 62 Impala ss Convertible 327-4-spd car for $250.00. I remember going down to the local dealers and sitting behind the wheels of 69 z28's, 69 gto-judge's,69 chevelle ss's, when they first came out.When in high school my brother's two friends came to school in their new cars a 69 383 Roadrunner and a 69 Gto.Those days you could buy a 62 vette for around $1800. dollars as the guys in town left for Vietnam and had to sell their toys.Nothing but great memories and raw horsepower and no big brother types looking to see that your dual exhaust met emission standards. Enough of this subject.
Ron

hey man no offense taken on your post , im just a dumb high school kid havin fun. peace

Hey Dave,

Good point on the gathering at night. It is a wonder that there weren't more accidents than there were.

Great story I love the days where the score was setteled by the fastest car, and that was that.

Hey Old Guy,

Man did you ever bring back the momries for me!!! I remember most all the names and cars you brought up. I saw the orignal Hemi under glass also.

Did you ever look at the floor board of the LIL Red wagon? He had a peace of plexi glass in the floor so he could see to do the entire 1/4 mile doing a wheele.

I see you are from Houston. All these guys came to Amarillo also. That is where I saw them.

Every post on this one has been good. Life was good back then. But I still enjoy life now!!! And would you really go back, just think of having to make all those stupid mistakes again to get to where you are now. Hummmmmmm http://www.camaros.net/forum/wink.gif http://www.camaros.net/forum/biggrin.gif

Larry
www.lnjstreetrods.com (http://www.lnjstreetrods.com)

I am afraid to start another one of my stories, as this thing is already 4 pages, how much more room is there any way??? http://www.camaros.net/forum/biggrin.gif

Hey Larry,
Glad to jolt your memory banks.

Do you remember the Seaton's Shaker Corvair? He also campaigned a 65 Chevelle painted all fancy orange and white. How about Tom Strom's yellow 64 Chevelle with one of the first 396's that came out.

I forgot to mention the most famous match racer, Dickie Harrel. I saw him running his 63 Chevy II with a 427 "W" motor and a tube front axle. Remember Dick Landy's altered 65 Hilborn Injected Dodge. I was also there when Don Gay jumped out of his 65 GTO Infinity I funny car and broke his arm. He was about to hit the finish line pole. I remember the plastic peep hole Bill Golden had in the LRW.

In 1970, I made my first trip to see the World Finals in Dallas. I saw Bill Jenkins and Ronnie Sox get it on with their 4 speeds.

I got to go to the Nationals in Indy the year they inducted Bill Jenkins into the Hall of Fame; I think, 1995. That was the only race the TV televised back then. Anyway, I got to meet Linda Vaughan at that popular steak house in Indianapolis. She struted by our table so I spoke to her. I tolded her that I had a picture of her coming out of the water with a wet T shirt on. She told me that the pic was controversial at the time and shouldn't have been printed!

I wouldn't want to go back then. If you think about it, you can have/build the same car you had when you were young if you wanted to. Kinda like the nostalgic racers do today. I've got my old 69Z and that takes care of the cravings.

I took it out yesterday after I adjusted the back float level. No powershifting but took her up to 6500 in the first three gears. I shifted like an OLD GUY.
I live about 1/2 mile from the main highway and OLD GAL heard me acting up. She called me an idiot after she said she could hear me going through the gears. I looked at her and said that wasn't me! She called me a liar and we both smiled.

OG



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69 Z/28 white, original

Hey Old Guy,

It's funny to me you can remember all those names and get home and not even remember going through the gears ten minutes ago. He He http://www.camaros.net/forum/wink.gif

I don't remember some of the first names you brought up but I do the rest. The big thing in Amarillo was Kelly Chadwick, and Carroll Caudle. Carroll first ran a 55 Chevy then a Vega.

I saw Don Gartlets (sp) break 200MPH the first time in Amarillo in Swamp RatII. Those days were fun days at the drag strip.

Well it's work tomorrow so I guess I better get before I get started here.

Later, Larry
www.lnjstreetrods.com (http://www.lnjstreetrods.com)

I remember in '68 at Orange County International Raceway, they had a 64 car Fuel Funny Car race!....Jack Christman had a major engine explosion...I'll bet that body went 200 feet in the air!

The next week they had a race with 32 Fuel Altereds and 32 Junior Fuelers! I really liked the Juniors...Small Block Chevys with Hilborn injection...

Those were the days when everybody raced..

At Lions, Jon Peters in the dual Chevy powered "Freight Train" ruled the Top Gas class, I have pictures of a young Don Prudhomme and the late Keith Black making plans for their undefeated (at the time) AA Fueler...

Big John Mazmanian, Stone Woods and Cook were regulars in their wild AA/Gas Supercharged machines....Lions had a "new" method of starting the diggers....rollers! This was back in the day when push trucks were used... and that took too much time for the San Pedro faithful!

------------------
Don~ ZZ430DropTop (http://hometown.aol.com/zz430droptop67rs)
~~~~and~~~~
70 RS/Z28 (http://hometown.aol.com/performancespecs)
67 RS/SS Convertible, 70 RS/Z28



[This message has been edited by ZZ430DropTop67RS (edited 08-04-2002).]

I grew up in So.Cal but the two stories that come to mind both happened at the drag strip. First one was at Irwindale Raceway (I lived 10 min. from it) Dyno Don ran his flip top Comet Funny Car but before the run they gave him some award and then he got in the car and blew the body off in the traps, man that was something to see. The next one was when my older brother and his friend took me to the 1970 Winternationals. Now back in those days you got there the night before and staked out a spot in the grandstands (that came from the Rose Parade, remember that one guys ?) now NHRA would shine a world war 2 spotlight right down the middle of the strip to stop people from jumping the fence (somethings never change). But in the early morning that's when the fun started, you see some guy hop the fence down by the finish line and sprint across the track and dive into the crowd. The crowd would start cheering (big crowd too !)then the NHRA guy would hop in his car at the starting line and haul *** down ther to catch him and the race was on !! This one guy hopped over it then was trying to get his girlfriend over and the place was going wild he grabs her and drags her across the track. The place is cheering and the NHRA guy is trying to stop them but once you made it into the crowd it was home free and he just made it. And this went on all night long some made it some didn't but a great thing to watch. The Drag race was great, front engine dragsters , funny cars and the first Pro Stock feild ever. Ronnie Sox Cuda was low qualifer 10.00 flat or a .01 I think but when the race started it was a pro Chevy crowd and every round Bill Jenkins Camaro won the place got louder and louder. Then came the final Ronnie Sox aganist Jenkins the two master of the 4 speed the place rose to it feet (people with cash betting all around me )the motors screamed the light turned green and roar got louder and louder with ever shift and when Jenkins crossed the finish line first the place went CRAZY !! It was just a out pouring of joy for every Chevy fan and when the Grump drove back by on his way to the pits you could see the smile on his face as the crowd went wild again. Man that was a great day for this young kid.

Started driving in 67. Bought a 57 210 chev. Swapped in a 327 300. Had a 3 on the floor and who knows what for gears. Got rid of the money pit 57 when I had to start saving money for school. Bought a 63 vw with a vinyl sunroof. College didn't work so in December of 1968 I bought a 67 RSSS. I had been eyeing it while a guy from town was street racing it. He got badly banged up in a GTO wreck and had to trade it. Many engine trans and rear swaps over a few years but I couldn't bring myself to really cut up the car. Did cut up a 65 Chevelle. A well warmed LT1, massive lightening job, some suspension & frame work and 5:38's. Going to the diner was a bitch but what a red light surprise. Had JC Penney (yeah you read that name right) wrinkle walls screwed on in the back.
(Yeah JC Penney sold slicks. Rumor was they were just relabeled M&H 3310"s. All I know was it was tough to slide down them and the price was right. I could tell you about my Sears scuba bottle and JC Higgens regulator but thats another story). Missed Nam, my number was too high. Saw family and friends messed up or dead though. Married in 76 and the Camaro hit the barn. Pretty much stayed there until 99 or so. I was one of the "old guy with the car in the barn who says hes gonna restore it someday but...." stories. Got it in the garage now. Working on it as funds and time allow. The years kinda peel off a little when I'm doing that.

odd memories.

Smart *** senior in high school showing off his new line lock in the school parking lot. Gorgeous 64 Plymouth Fury rag top white on red with a white gut. 426 wedge with a 4 speed. Stone parking lot. Thing was on the rear in a split second. He thought all us little "punks" would help him pick the car up. heh heh

68 Camaro Convert. Wild 327 4 spd. Showing off out front of the burger joint for the fans. Thats when I learned about reinforcing the spring perches. Wow was that a ride. Tried to pole vault off the drive shaft.

Smoking a big block Mustang with my "little" Chevy.

Gassers sneaking down the street....

wrecks....


Steve

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 3d cad:
[B]Had JC Penney (yeah you read that name right) wrinkle walls screwed on in the back.

Yeah, my dad said he got his gold cragars for his 68 from jcpenny's. man i would love to have those rims...

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79 Camaro Z-28
68 Camaro Z-28
68 Camaro Parts car
68 Camaro Parts car

Hey 3d cad,
Looks like YOU had some good memory jolts yourself!

OLD GUY

[This message has been edited by OLD GUY (edited 08-06-2002).]

I probably burned a tank of gas each weekend mainly cruising around our local McDonald's and Shoney's listening to my 8track and looking for girls. Bunch of the guys would always meet at one of our local gas stations to just stand around and talk about each others cars. Before the night was over there would always be some that would take their cars out in the middle of the main street that led into town and drag race them. They would race down to a certain point then turn into the back streets and return to the station and park behind it til they knew the law wasn't around looking for them. Some of the cars that my friends had were a '68 Chevelle, '56 Chevy, '68 Charger, Super Bee, '70 Chevelle, and others. I bought my first car in '73 which was a 1969 Camaro, and the sad part is I didn't even know what I had at the time or how popular, expensive, and in demand those cars would be today. Each and every time I drive my '69 Z28 that I have now it lets me feel like I can go back in the past and remember the good 'ol days because those were the times to remember http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif