Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Thanks Stefano for the details. It is unclear if the Al Olster Camaro began as a 396 or a 427. The Camaro had SS emblems and "427" was also put on the cowl hood. Al Olster was the runner-up with Dave Strickler in the WCS Super Stock points in 1970. When two of the Jenkins cars went to Dallas for the finals they had installed the drive train from Al Olster's car in the Strickler SS/J car. The NHRA officials would not allow Dave Strickler to race the car because he had not run an automatic in the car at any of the WCS meets. Bill Jenkins ran into the same problem with his SS/C Camaro that arrived with a trick automatic transmission. For the same reason he could not run with the automatic setup. He converted the car back to a 4 speed but could not come close to the record that had been set by Arlen Vanke. While Dave Strickler had gone 10.97 there was the potential to go even faster because the chassis setup for the 4 speed SS/J car was not the same as Al's automatic Camaro chassis setup.
Later 1970 would turned out to be a pretty good year for Dave Strickler when he became the first Pro Stock Champion in Division One. He accomplished this with the spare Jenkins Competition 1970 1/2 Camaro. Jenkins ended up tied for fourth place with John Petrie.

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Hey Jeff, That pic of Al Olster vs. Ray Allen looks like it was taken at Maple Grove Dragway in PA. I have a simular photo taken when Ray Allen won the S/S Circuit Meet on August 8, 1970. This is shown in the August 21, 1970 issue of "Drag News". That cross-over bridge in the back ground is the key to identifing the track. Can anybody on this board make a quality photo copy on glossy paper and send one to me? Many of you know I'm researching the Ray Allen SS/EA LS6 Chevelle convertible. I've started a cool web page if you want to see it, click on musclecarkids profile, then on home page. Thanks a lot for your help guys.......Kevin

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Does anybody have a name or contact info on any photographers that may have taken pictures at the New York National Dragway in the late 60s or early 70s? Anybody collect or sell pictures in the area?

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

An old-school photography outfit named "PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAN ELLIOTT" surely took pics of your car being raced at NYIR.

Didn't VITAR sponsor a pair of NJ Mopars in '69, one being a station wagon? I think the pics are in one of the SSDI's with the Yenko Camaro or Chevelle tests.

BTW, I have the phone # for the guy we spoke about yesterday, I'll try to call him tonight to see what he knows about the orange COPO from Wallace Chev!

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

That is excellent Marlin. I certainly appreciate the help. Keep me posted on your findings. Thanks again.

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Marlin,
Do you know where this photography outfit is located or if they are still in business?

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Actually, I do not. There was a stamp on the back of one of the pictures that I purchased at the funny car reunion last month at Englishtown, NJ. Maybe JoeC or Brian Potter has some additional info on these old photographers, since they got lots of good pics as well [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Charles, You got the Grump group down pat! You must be an old Division 1 racer. I think when they took Olsters drive train out of his car to go into Stricklers, was the first time they removed the 302 for the big block. Daves car started out as an early 1969 Z/28 with a flat hood. Saw him run at Cecil and Maplegrove with that car often. I don't think the 302 made it back into the car. Sam [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif[/img]

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Clint,
I'd suggest you contact Joel Naprstek for early photos.
[email protected]

Verne.

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

What did they do with Al's car? Did they sell it off or run it the next year with a different motor? Anybody know?

Mike

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Thanks Verne. I will send him an email. I will let you know if I can find anything from him. I appreciate it.

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

If anybody is interested, here are some pictures of the way I found my car.

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Another

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Another one

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Another one.

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

One more.

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Hi Clint, Great pictures! Are you planning on keeping the tubbs, or putting it back with the 12 bolt and 10 inch tires? Have you had any luck contacting the boys in N.Y. or N.J. for any help? Love the old ORIGINAL race cars. Day 2 from the get go! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img] Thanks for posting. Sam

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Thanks for asking. Yes, several leads are starting to pan out and 99% of those leads have come from sYc board members. I have several vintage pictures on the way and some other documentation. I appreciate the help.
The car will stay a race car and will be put back into the early "Vitar" paint scheme. It will stay tubbed. I am very excited about the project considering it will not take much to complete.

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Very cool car. Congrats!!

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

That is a great looking car. Can't wait to se it finished up the way it should be. Good luck on finding the info you need. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Clint I think you are doing right. I hope you are going to try to focus on the speed equipment of that time and not the new stuff. The car will be awsome in not much more than a real good day 2 style race car of that era. The old race cars that stay old when restored are the best. If those old cars could only talk. Saw that Vitar car run at Raceway park on Sunday afternoons many times. Englishtown was a haven for very strong stock and super stock cars from N.E.D.(1). Many of the surrounding N.J. and N.Y. dealers offered muscle cars for sale and tried to out do each other. Was good advertisement. The dealers back then would basically install any performance part you wanted. Have fun! Sam [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Cool car! Is that "SS/D" on the windshield? Was he running it at any NHRA events or is that what the car originally ran in? Any chance of that thing ever making any passes down memory lane, or maybe a drag strip? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif[/img]

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Sam, that is very cool! I am excited that you had the opportunity to see the car back then! I love to hear the old stories. The car will be taken back to a period piece to include old technology. Rob, the car did run SS/DA and EA both. I have pictures of the car in each class. The car ran NHRA and UHRA but mostly UHRA in the early 70s. When the car is finished, I intend to take the car back east so that the people who remember the car will be able to see it. I have heard something about an east coast nostalgic club that I may contact to see what events they have. Also, I will probably end up taking the car down the track a few times but only for fun at select events. As far as the cars future, it will no longer be a competitive drag car that frequently runs the strip. I have been quite surprised at the number of people who remember this car. Mostly the folks out east but everyone remembers Vinnie and the car. Neat stuff!!!! Thanks again to everyone on the board who has and continues to help with the research.

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

Do you know what kind of ETs the car ran in SS/DA and SS/EA trim?

Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
 

I do not know specifics but early on, the car ran very close to a flat 11 seconds per a magazine article that I read from around 1970. I think that the car was running the SS/DA class at that time but I am not sure. The car recently has run times in the high 9s and very low 10s. Enough to put you back in the seat.