Dedicated to the Promotion and Preservation of American Muscle Cars, Dealer built Supercars and COPO cars. |
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#1
08-14-2003, 11:43 PM
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69 Camaro Drag Car
This is a question for the drag Race fans in the NY and surrounding area. Does anybody out there remember a 69 Camaro Drag Car that raced with the name Vitar Engineering on the car? I am researching the car and would like some info/pictures if possible. I believe the car ran SS/DA and SS/EA in late 69 and into the early 70s. It had some magazine coverage in or around 1970. Any help or info is much appreciated.
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Clint R 
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#2
08-15-2003, 02:05 PM
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Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
Was Vitar Engineering a auto trans shop? They sponsored the Ed Hedrick Yenko Camaro and used it in one of their ads. They sponsored a few cars on the "Grumpys Group" team. I think just the auto trans cars.
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#3
08-15-2003, 02:12 PM
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Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
Yes, you are correct. They were transmission builders. The company changed names at some point in the 70s to Select Performance. I did not realize that they sponsored other cars. Good info.
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Clint R
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#5
08-15-2003, 04:05 PM
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Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
Good observation Rob. Yes, the car will will be kept in the 10 second range. Not many COPOs still running as active drag cars. I will take the car back to its early 70s paint scheme. I will be posting pictures of the car soon. Anybody who has any additional pictures or info on the car please let me know as I am trying to complete my research. The car is amazing with only 215 orlginal drag race miles. The car retains all of its original body panels and the car is spotless. It appears to have always been indoors. The car has never been on the street and always on the track. The car has some early magazine coverage from the 70s as well as some pictures of the car from 70/71/72. Real cool car and I excited about being the new owner. It has misc. placques on the dash and one is from Englishwown and says points leader 1974 and I beleive the car has a win at Indy. Still a large puzzle.
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Clint R
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#8
08-15-2003, 04:17 PM
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Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
Lets get some pictures! Nothing beats an unrestored original!
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#9
08-15-2003, 07:15 PM
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Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
That's intersting Clint. If this car has been raced recently, it would be a shock if it still had "all original sheet metal". Guys racing today have usually trashed the fenders, hood, & trunk, at least, to save weight. Are you saying none of this was done, and, the car wasn't tubbed, etc? I spoke with a guy in Iowa who claimed to have a car like this awhile back. Was he able to confirm it as a Copo?
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#10
08-15-2003, 08:05 PM
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Re: 69 Camaro Drag Car
If you talked to the guy in Iowa about this car, you would know that it was tubbed, right? Did I say it wasn't tubbed? Yes, that is the car in Iowa and yes it is a COPO. The car was tubbed but done very well and they did not "hack the car up" as it was a professional job. It does retain the original body panels as stated by current and previous owners and from what I could see on the vehicle the panels looked to have not been replaced (no seams and there are several remnents of orange paint) . The front clip was "dipped" so the metal is thinner on the fenders and I can only go by what the previous owners say about the fenders being original since it is unlikely that I will find orange paint on them. Other than that, no rust, dents or anything. It is a nice, solid piece. Original cowl hood still has the induction flapper. It is a complete time capsule that is in remarkable condition. It is a full race piece though. Has a cage, with wheel tubs, electronics etc. Car will retain wheel tubs and cage but other than that it will be taken back to what it was around 1970. It has always been a drag car and as long as I own it, it will stay one. I just wouldn't feel right taking it out of it's history as a race car. Are you in the Chicago area? If you are not busy some weekend, have a drive to Cedar Falls and have a look at the car. Maybe you can offer up some info about the cars setup as it may have been in the 70s since you seem to know about these cars. Forgot to mention that I have complete owner history on this car and the original owner is still alive. He purchased and drove the car under it's first name "Vitar Engineering". He appears with car in the February, 1971 edition of Super Street Cars. Won SS/EA class win at AHRA Nationals in August of 1970 and the magazine has pictures and a write up on the car. Still doing tons of research and it just keeps flooding in.
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Clint R
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