Lake Land International Race Track Near Memphis TN

[Stefano]

Letter [image]http://[/image] From the Original Owner:

Hi Clint,

It was an unexpected pleasure to get your call regarding the '69 camaro I once owned. The camaro was the first car that I bought myself and I have often wondered what became of it. I have attached the only photo of the car that I still have in my possession. This photo was taken by my father in 1969 shortly after I purchased the car - it still has the factory Goodyear tires on it! I had lots of photos and trophies that I won with the camaro, but through the years and multiple moves I have lost many things that I now wish I had. Our conversation regarding the camaro brings back many memories of my younger days. I have often told my wife that someday I would like to have another '69 camaro.

You wanted to know what I can remember about the car. I bought it new in 1969 at Union Chevrolet in Memphis. The car was purchased off the lot and was not a special order. It had the standard Z/28 302 CID engine, a M22 close ratio 4-speed transmission, and 4.10 positraction rear end. It had standard black interior with a center console and full instrumentation in the console forward of the shifter. I drove the car for about 2 years on the street. Being the young hot rod enthusiast that I was at the time, I did modify the car while using it as a daily driver; headers, cam, traction bars, electronic ignition and a competition clutch. I raced the car on the weekends at local drag strips (Lakeland & Collierville) in the stock classes and ran low 12 second ETs. In '72 I took the car off the street and built it into a modified production drag car. The engine was built with 13.6:1 dykes pistons, Lunati roller can and valve train, and Edelbrock tunnel ram with 2 660 CFM center-flow Holly carbs. The factory high-performance heads were ported/polished by Racing Head Service in Memphis and had triple valve springs and oversized valves. I installed a Lakewood roll bar and four-point harness, and a Lakewood bell housing (which was fortunate, because I did blow a clutch once). The transmission was modified into a "crash-box" by removing the gear synchronizers and replacing the factory gears with Liberty gears. The rear-end gears were 6.17:1, which was the lowest gear ratio available at the time for a 12-bolt housing. I was shifting at 10,200 rpm. I was told that it sounded more like a motor cycle than a car going down the strip. I removed the factory steel front fender wells and replaced them with fiberglass wells to reduce weight. The car was hooking so hard that it bent the factory leaf springs, and I replaced them with heavy duty springs that were made at a company in Memphis that produced truck springs. If I recall, the springs were thicker than stock springs and had a couple of extra springs on each side. I also had to weld the rear axle tubes to the center of the housing to keep them from turning in the housing. I am curious, is this still the rear suspension that is under the car? The car had Crager SS mags all around. That's all the modifications I can recall. I sold the car to Travis Hinkle in Memphis in '72 or '73 when I started driving Chrysler Pro Stock cars. Travis was a good friend and helped me build the camaro. Travis was a genius with engines and car design - he could make anything run! The last I heard, Travis was working at the UPS maintenance shop in Memphis, but that was 25 years ago. You are obviously more adept at locating people than I - you found me! If you happen to locate Travis or get any information about him, please let me know. I would very much like to contact him.

I raced the car at strips around the southeast; primarily in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. The name on the car was "Miss Carriage" in red and yellow lettering. The car ran consistent low 10 second ETs, and held the NHRA national record in D/MP in '72 or '73. I think I set the record at a NHRA points race in Phoenix City, Alabama, but I am not sure - that was a long time ago. I had the car repainted just before I sold it to Travis. It was painted pearl white with blue body panels on the side extending to the front and rear quarters. A tunnel-ram scoop was molded into the factory steel hood. I never raced the car with this paint scheme and the new paint was never lettered while I had it. I had a ton of trophies and actually won some money with the car - you never get back what you put in! Sadly, the trophies have disappeared over the years too. If you find out any additional information about the car's history, please send it along to me. I am very interested in the car's life after I sold it, just for nostalgia. It was great hearing from you - please keep in touch!

David T. Gildart

[Stefano]

Original Owner With the Z28. [image][/image]

[Stefano]

Recent Picture [image]http://[/image]

[Salvatore]

WOW, What a great story!

[Xplantdad]

That's too cool Stefano!

[PeteLeathersac]

Stories like this are soooo great!.


Hope you're planning on getting Dave G. to make a few passes in this great car again!?.

~ Pete

[BARNFOUND YENKO]

/v/

[BARNFOUND YENKO]

Cool story, seems as if i remember that car after it was repainted, theres been a many of cars pulled out of the weeds so to speak lately from union chevrolet.

[Stefano]

Paul,
What do you have from Union Chevrolet?

Someone there had to know about ordering some cool cars.

Black, 4.10, M22, Z28, just sitting for inventory. I thought it was a cool story of a very unique Camaro.

The only other options were AM radio and console gages.

It seems that one of the subsequent owners had done a bunch of mail order business with Motion Performance.

[mockingbird812]

Nice job Stephano et al. Love good detective work. Great car with cool history. Shifting at 10K+!!!