10-21-2011, 08:08 AM | #99 |
Downright Upright
Drives: Daily Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Cruisin'...
Posts: 4,145
|
Specially built for "Pete" Estes, supposedly on the line in Norwood, 7/15/68. NOT as an RPO or COPO car, but as a "one-off"...under a special internal build code, and Dealer Code 00-500.
http://books.google.ca/books?id=sgcM...rtible&f=false Kinda like Lt. Dan gettin' a ZL1 Convertible GM-built with an LS9, if he was into that sort of thing... Or better yet, kinda like ME gettin' an Oshawa-built MY-'12 LS7 "Z/28"!! |
10-21-2011, 08:09 AM | #100 | |
Senior Camaro Fanatic
Drives: 2011 SS/RS manual - White Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: aiken, sc
Posts: 1,980
|
Quote:
|
|
10-21-2011, 09:33 AM | #101 |
Too Many Great Choices
Drives: Grand Sport/Z07 Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: A Mountain Road
Posts: 7,454
|
Wow that is a heavy dose of faith.
I've seen this car in a magazine it was built as a what if car. It was not factory done. I believe it was blue. Just looked at the link, this is not the car I had seen. Last edited by 2cnd chance; 10-21-2011 at 11:16 AM. Reason: saw link |
10-21-2011, 09:59 AM | #102 |
Drives: 1999 Camaro Z28, 1969 Camaro RS Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Charles Town, WV
Posts: 77
|
Pretty interesting ... I've seen that book in the discount section of the bookstore, and have always passed it by. I'll have to check into finding it again.
Regardless, that's certainly a rare car. Always new stuff to learn, no matter how old or smart you think you are ..... at least in my case!!!! Thanks for the info. |
10-21-2011, 10:38 AM | #103 |
Drives: '69 Yenko Camaro - 11.73 @ 118 Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Missouri
Posts: 178
|
The '68 Z/28 convertible Estes had built was British Racing Green...it went through the Central Office (COPO) and started on the production line and finished in engineering, iirc. There was some factory paperwork of some kind (P-O-P imprint) and Jim Mattison had some information on the car as well, but the original paperwork was stolen when a briefcase belonging to Al Maynard was taken out of his vehicle I believe, back in '04-ish? Al passed away about a month ago, unfortunately...
__________________
'69 Yenko Camaro - 11.73 @ 118, on F70-15 Polyglass tires, Pure Stock
'10 Yenko Camaro - 11.75 @ 117, LS7+A6+Converter |
10-21-2011, 03:41 PM | #104 | |
Drives: 1999 Blazer Join Date: May 2007
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 1,228
|
Quote:
Clyde |
|
10-22-2011, 08:49 AM | #105 |
Downright Upright
Drives: Daily Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Cruisin'...
Posts: 4,145
|
NOT questioning anyone about anything regarding the "convertible", but it would be nice to see the VIN...and the data plate (if there was/is one). And, of course, Chevy "documentation" from back then is not quite as "documentable" as Pontiacs are through PHS.
As Chevy454 sez, after leaving Norwood, "Engineering" had their way with the car...JL8 brakes and ZL2 hood (both RPOs for '69-only models, depending) and cross ram and 4.88s (!!) would make the finished product "unique" and, therefore, "non-production". The original intent, and final result, was a vehicle built "outside" more to "show car specs" (not uncommon...still done today!) than "let's build some more of these just like this one". As to the 302 being married to the convertible chassis, in Norwood, I wasn't there to see it... This entire saga blurs the definition of "production car". Yes, obviously, it spent some time at Norwood. Spent some time in "Engineering". What all did those folks do? Who can verify what? What "documentation" exists? Since it was commissioned and performed by GM (apparently), does that make it different than a Yenko...or a Baldwin-Motion one-off? If so, why? Because GM "customized" it, instead of the ABC Tuner/Custom Shoppe? An interesting piece of "auto history", shrouded in a bit of mystery, with a touch of "who dunnit?" thrown in... Last edited by LOWDOWN; 10-22-2011 at 09:06 AM. |
10-22-2011, 05:13 PM | #106 | |
Drives: 1999 Blazer Join Date: May 2007
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 1,228
|
Quote:
"One of the most interesting, rare and overlooked high performance options available for the early Camaro is the Heavy-Duty Dual Disc Clutch, Regular Production Option MA6. This heavy-duty (HD) performance option was first released for use on the high-performance optional engines during the 1969 model year. The intent was to offer a clutch system that would stand up to rigors of performance driving and, as it turns out, the design may have been overkill. The durability of this clutch is absolutely amazing; combinations similar to this were used as slider clutches in dragsters handling well over 1200 horsepower! The unit is especially well-suited for use with the Z/28-302 in conjunction with the M21-M22 transmission using the 2.20 first gear and any rear axle ratio numerically lower than 4. l 1: l . The combination of the 302 being relatively low on torque at the bottom end and the standard gearing being relatively stout requires higher revs and more slipping of the clutch to get rolling at a moderate pace. Even more revs and clutch slippage are required to get off smoothly and quickly. This action substantially reduces clutch life and the standard 10-1/2" clutch with its marginal performance characteristics was a compromise at best. In recognition of this, Chevrolet offered the optional HD dual-disc clutch. Unfortunately, the high cost of the option was a factor that kept it from being ordered on many cars. In fact, if a car was to see any real high-performance work, standard protocol of the day was to replace the stock unit with one of the lower priced high-performance aftermarket units. We know today in retrospect, however, that the dual-disc system was far superior." Other than the Pete Estes car being a Z/28 vert, nothing else was that unusual about it. Clyde Last edited by wildpaws; 10-22-2011 at 05:26 PM. Reason: text correction/addition |
|
|
|
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
PEDDERS SUCCESSFULLY FITS 305s ON ALL 4 CORNERS! | Info@PeddersUSA.com | Suspension / Brakes / Chassis | 467 | 06-11-2013 09:45 PM |
GT5 Camaro pics | brantley847 | Camaro Photos | Spyshots | Video | Media Gallery | 93 | 05-27-2013 08:35 PM |
Think about this and the Z28 5th gen | 13F20 | Camaro ZL1 Forum - ZL1 Specific Topics | 41 | 09-04-2010 12:59 AM |
The DEFINITIVE EXPLANATION OF CAMARO SUSPENSION, ISSUES, AND UPGRADES | Info@PeddersUSA.com | Suspension / Brakes / Chassis | 106 | 10-19-2009 06:08 PM |