Wednesday, May 21, 2014

1967 - 1969 Camaro Parts - Ken and David's 1968 Camaro Race Story - Steves Camaro Parts San Bruno - 650-873-1890





The Camaro



It’s 1976.  A young high school student and his friend sit at a stoplight in his sisters 1968 Camaro equipped with a 390hp 427 engine. They had been cruising at lunch time with different friends exchanging seats for a cruise around the school.

    Next to them pulls up a guy in a 67 small block Camaro. The 67 was nothing to look at, aged silver paint and rear tires sticking out from the wheel wells, just a rough car overall, but from the rumble of the exhaust and the revving of the engine , it was obvious it should not to be dismissed as a weak puke of a car.

     The drivers eyes met and nods exchanged. They both knew what would happen next. The light turned green and the two cars launched with a trail of smoke behind. Side by side the two cars accelerated down the East Lake Avenue. The traffic was clear as they passed the Dairy Queen on the left at 50+ miles per hour. But on the right was one of the local black and whites waiting for such a display of power. With lights rolling the “City Kitty” began pursuit.

  The 67 turned left and the 68 broke right at the next intersection. The cop was in the right lane so naturally he followed the 68 427 car. With the police right behind me, thoughts of making a run for it down Trafton alley flashed through my head but were quickly replaced with images of going to jail and impound for the car. I pulled to the curb and shut‘er down.

   Now at this point I’d like to say I calmly removed my license and waited to the approaching officer, but the reality was I was shaking so much I don’t think I could even find my wallet let alone retrieve the license.
  The officer approached my window. “ License and registration please” A short pause, then the phrase I never really understood. “ Do you know why I pulled you over sir? “ Yah I think I know why. (I was thinking to myself.)  I kept silent still looking for my license and shaking in my boots.

   After fumbling for the requested paperwork and listening to a good butt chewing, the officer noticed my friends name on his license. “Hey kid I think I went to school with your mom.” The officer said.  My eyes began to dry as I watched my friend work us out of a ticket. “Yea that’s my mom” my friend responded followed by more small talk. At the end of the conversation I heard the words we all want to hear from an officer of the law. “ I’m giving you guys a warning this time , but don’t let me catch you doing anything like this again”.

   I don’t know if  the officer had pity on me because of the state I was in  or the story my buddy was giving him that led to the grace that was shown to me that day, but that didn’t matter. I was just was grateful to be able to drive back to school in “The Camaro”

  Fast forward 34 years later. July 4th 2010 the same Camaro was entrusted to me once again. This time the pink slip was signed over. The Camaro was my sister’s daily driver 29 years then it was stored in our mom’s garage. There it sat for the next 13 years being started periodically and cruised up the block a few times a year. 

   My goal is to restore this special car with the help of my sixteen year old son and my friends, enter it in car shows and also to honor my sister and brother in law who purchased it new.  When finished I would like it to be considered as a featured car in Hemmings Muscle Magazine  

   We have been doing the restoration in stages so we could enjoy driving and entering it in local car shows. The highlight so far was taking two laps on Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey Ca. as part of the Cherry’s Jubilee car show last year. The most fun I ever had in a car.

   So far with the help of friends we have rebuilt the engine, resealed the transmission, repainted the engine compartment, fire wall and sub frame. We also have rebuilt the front suspension/brakes. Did the interior and trunk. At the time of this writing, we have the rear differential; leaf springs, fuel tank and exhaust system removed and are painting the chassis.

  Hopefully we will be able to have the car exterior painted before July this year. We will be doing as much of the prep ourselves with a skilled person doing the painting.
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                        Ken and David H
                                                                        Watsonville Ca.
http://www.stevescamaroparts.com

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