Does anyone know what happened to the Barry Wearing 67 Z28 SS Camaro, sold in 74-75

[nick_tassie]

Nick, California does not keep VIN records back that far. Maybe since the car was exported, some export office or shipping company "might" have records back that far, but I wouldn't know where to begin to look. If you were to somehow find out a VIN, I could compare that the other very early Z-28s and see if it fit in with that group, but that is probably the best I could do. I sent you a private message on the other website on how to contact Ron Ogilvie and you can ask him directly about the two engines. That would be much better than me taking a guess. It sounds like there was a whole bunch of suspension pieces exported along with the car for Terry to tailor the car's handling to his liking. Seems a bit strange that he was reluctant to change anything. Good luck with your search!

Hi Jon, good idea with the import records, they might be worth a try although I'm a bit like you and don't know where to start with it at this point. I'll certainly get back in touch with you if I can get the VIN, it would be good to confirm if the vehicle as a "plain jane" or the "real Z28 deal".

From my conversation with Wayne Mahnken, Terry was reluctant to make major engineering changes to the suspension set up. Wayne suggested that once they convinced him that modifications were needed to improve the handling and performance the Camaro was sent off to a suspension guru, can't recall his name now. From the sounds of it they made major changes to the rear end, including I believe fitting track rods. Wayne said he could most likely identify the car if we found it from some of the work that was done although this could have been changed again when owned by Blanchard.

[nick_tassie]

These articles from the Bay Park event are great Steve, thanks for posting them. Please excuse my Aussie ignorance but was Bay Park a proper circuit track or a staged event around a particular public park similar to Albert Park in its early days.

[GD66]

A proper circuit Nick, just not a very imaginatively-designed one. Left, left, right, left. That's it.
Yet, the crowd could see damn near the whole track from anywhere, especially early on before the internal stock car circuit's surrounds became too high. And an aggressive marketing approach saw plenty of good racing there over the years. If you scroll down the forum index to the Bay Park RIP thread, there's an aerial pic of the track on the first page.

[Jon Mello]

Hello Jon, its great to see you on here. For those who don't know, Jon is a leading authority on 1st generation racing Camaro's, and particularly those of the Trans-Am series. Jon is too modest to admit to this, but I am more than happy to sing his praises. Jon has built a very impressive forum dedicated to 1st Gen Camaro's from the Trans-Am over at the Camaro Research Group website, I highly recommend checking this out: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?board=19.0

Jon, thanks for posting your interview with Ron Ogilvie over here. So when Ron said the car was a plain jane, what does this mean? Was it actually a big block car, or a basic small block car fitted with a big block motor?

Steve, I appreciate the compliments and for showing the link to my Trans-Am forum. I was happy to post my discussion with Ron Ogilvie here and thought this thread would be the most appropriate place for it. I tried to get clarification from Ron on what exactly he meant by saying Terry's car was a plain jane but he didn't elaborate. Rather than pressing the issue at that point, I felt that giving Ron's contact info to Nick and letting Nick ask the question anew was the best approach. Hopefully Nick will learn what exactly the car was to begin with and he will share that with us here. Speaking of "here", you have an outstanding website with much more diverse subject matter than I have and you have done so much with it in a short period of time. I know the effort it takes firsthand and wish you further success. Great job!

[Steve Holmes]

Steve, I appreciate the compliments and for showing the link to my Trans-Am forum. I was happy to post my discussion with Ron Ogilvie here and thought this thread would be the most appropriate place for it. I tried to get clarification from Ron on what exactly he meant by saying Terry's car was a plain jane but he didn't elaborate. Rather than pressing the issue at that point, I felt that giving Ron's contact info to Nick and letting Nick ask the question anew was the best approach. Hopefully Nick will learn what exactly the car was to begin with and he will share that with us here. Speaking of "here", you have an outstanding website with much more diverse subject matter than I have and you have done so much with it in a short period of time. I know the effort it takes firsthand and wish you further success. Great job!

Thanks Jon, yes it will be interesting to see what info Nick can gain. Thanks again for posting this interview.

[Jon Mello]

You're welcome, Steve. As time allows and opportunity presents itself, I will see what might be able to be figured out with regard to export records, Maybe Australia has kept import records that far back? In either case, one would think a VIN would have been recorded at the time.

[nick_tassie]

I have discovered some further info on the Indy Speed Shop / David Jarrett Camaro connection today after talking personally with David's brother Graham. Graham confirmed that their sports sedan was indeed the Indy Speed Shop Camaro which was owned and raced by John Kay. They brought the car off John and ran it in the late 70's. As I've mentioned previously I believe (not confirmed) it was then purchased after going through various owners by Bob Middleton who ran it for a while, and it is now owned and raced by Chris Templar.

So that once and for all closes the lead on the Jarrett Camaro possibly being Terry's car, we have already confirmed the Indy Speed Shop car was a converted imported road car by John Kay. The search goes on...!!

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks for the update Nick. So does the Indy Speed Shop Camaro still exist as a race car?

Its good you tried searching speedway racing for the Terry Allan Camaro. Several road race cars ended up on the speedway over the years. You would think something like a Camaro would have been relatively high profile, at least enough so that there were some photos of it somewhere racing. Its looking more and more likely it was pushed into the back of someones shed and forgotten about. So keep trying!

[nick_tassie]

I have received a reply from Ron Ogilvie who was the parts manager at Bill Thomas Racecars with some more info on the Camaro.

"What I can remember is that your uncle’s car was a standard Camaro that we added several Z28 components that we manufactured at Bill Thomas racecars. I don't believe the car was originally a Z28.It was a standard 327 Camaro, we removed the small block engine and added a Hi-Performance 396 with a 4 barrel Holley Carb, which was standard at the time for the Nickey Camaro, we also added exhaust headers and beefed up the front and rear suspension; added a large capacity fuel tank; upgraded the clutch assemble and rear axles gears".

"I do remember helping Terry pack the inside of that Camaro with everything from sway bars and shocks to sparkplugs. Also we removed the passenger seat and bolted a complete engine in the space where the seat went. Your uncle was torn between using the lighter 302 engine in the standard Trans Am configuration that was successful at the time in the USA and Canada or using the brute horsepower of the 396".

I imagine Uncle Terry would have been unsure at the time if he would have been allowed to run the 396 big block engine in Australia, hence the backup plan with the Trans Am spec 302.

[Ellis]

First trip to Symmons Plains Tas......
Without finding my original slide I reckon its Jan 1967..Edit Nov 67
Mank is in background with fag in his cakehole



Same meeting...fr 8mm movie...Leading Elliot /Pare Mustang into Pit Cnr


Same meeeting...fr 8mm movie....Sweeper at Symmons

[Steve Holmes]

I have received a reply from Ron Ogilvie who was the parts manager at Bill Thomas Racecars with some more info on the Camaro.

"What I can remember is that your uncle’s car was a standard Camaro that we added several Z28 components that we manufactured at Bill Thomas racecars. I don't believe the car was originally a Z28.It was a standard 327 Camaro, we removed the small block engine and added a Hi-Performance 396 with a 4 barrel Holley Carb, which was standard at the time for the Nickey Camaro, we also added exhaust headers and beefed up the front and rear suspension; added a large capacity fuel tank; upgraded the clutch assemble and rear axles gears".

"I do remember helping Terry pack the inside of that Camaro with everything from sway bars and shocks to sparkplugs. Also we removed the passenger seat and bolted a complete engine in the space where the seat went. Your uncle was torn between using the lighter 302 engine in the standard Trans Am configuration that was successful at the time in the USA and Canada or using the brute horsepower of the 396".

I imagine Uncle Terry would have been unsure at the time if he would have been allowed to run the 396 big block engine in Australia, hence the backup plan with the Trans Am spec 302.

Great work Nick! The efforts by yourself and Jon over at CRG have really produced some good results unravelling the history of this car. Up until now, much of what has been written about this car has been heresay, and unproven. But this is a real breakthrough. Knowing that history, the Bill Thomas connection, is quite exciting and makes this an even more interesting car.

[Steve Holmes]

First trip to Symmons Plains Tas......
Without finding my original slide I reckon its Jan 1967
Mank is in background with fag in his cakehole.
I have some 8mm movie of it as well. I'll put a single frame shot from it up later

Ellis, beautiful photo. Look at the workmanship thats gone into those front brake ducts.

[nick_tassie]

First trip to Symmons Plains Tas......
Without finding my original slide I reckon its Jan 1967..Edit Nov 67
Mank is in background with fag in his cakehole



Same meeting...fr 8mm movie...Leading Elliot /Pare Mustang into Pit Cnr


Same meeeting...fr 8mm movie....Sweeper at Symmons

These are great Ellis, thank you for going to the trouble. I would dearly like to get a digital copy of the 8mm footage you have of the Camaro racing at Symmons, how rare is that.

[Steve Holmes]

First trip to Symmons Plains Tas......
Without finding my original slide I reckon its Jan 1967..Edit Nov 67
Mank is in background with fag in his cakehole



Same meeting...fr 8mm movie...Leading Elliot /Pare Mustang into Pit Cnr


Same meeeting...fr 8mm movie....Sweeper at Symmons

Ellis, these film stills are fantastic! Does the footage you have come with sound? I think there must be some footage of the car from Bay Park when it raced there too at the Xmas event. I recall many years ago watching an endurance race on tv, and after an ad break the editors cut away to a bunch of old colour Bay Park footage from the late 60s/early 70s. It had a Jimi Hendrix soundtrack with it, and was probably only on for 30 seconds, but among the footage it showed Bryan Thomsons '68 Camaro accelerating out on to the front straight (I think). Terry Allan was also at that event and it seems likely he would have been filmed. So somewhere, someone has footage from that meeting. I'd love to know how to track it down.

[Ellis]

Steve
My 8mm films have been converted to digital (at great expense) with music...not V8 music I might add .
8mm and the later Super8 were a bit before they knew how to have sound as well as flickery pics.... lol.
They didnt even have electric lights in the caves in Tas at that time.

If I could work out how to put a segment of the DVD onto Youtube we could link to it.
I also have a lot of Symmons and Baskerville and Longford on the DVD's.

[Leo D]

You can never have too much of a good thing!

Terry Allan in what I believe was his first outing in the Camaro at Calder...... It was yet to aquire the white stripes...
This pic was taken towards the end of the main straight..... Notice Norm Beechey already half way up the back straight in the background.

[Leo D]

It difficult to see on the scanned picture I uploaded because its re-taken off a typical 70's darkened photo of the day and not very clear, but looking at the better quality one Barry sent me you can just make out what looks like the 67 quater vent window.

Another interesting story on another lead I chased up. I was searching through a wonderful historic speedway site on the internet with heaps of photos, just trying to find a camaro that matched. I came across these two photos of Liverpool Speedway icon Peter Crick driving a Camaro. It had a white nose cone, similar alloy wheels to the photo in Barry's garage, interesting, I wonder? Worth a try so I sent a quick email off the Barry Wearing and asked the question if it rang a bell for him, I think I sent the email off about 11:30pm on a Friday night. To my amazement Barry was on the phone at 7:00am the next morning suggesting I might be onto something (he must have been up with the sparrows). Seems Barry had links with Peter crick in that he developed his fuel injection system for the Captain Rats drag car, he also did all his engine dyno tuning.

Now that's a good lead so onto the internet and phones to track down Peter Crick, at first I got hold of James Cockington from AMC and he suggested the #49 Camaro may have been a spare car of American speedway driver Gene Welsh, I also had an email message from Liverpool Speedway facebook page administrator Mike Raymond (the one and only channel 7 comentator) suggesting the same thing. By the Saturday afternoon I had found Peter on the phone and was having a good chat about the ol days. He confirmed to me that the car was the spare car of Gene Welsh, he looked after and ran it for Gene for a couple of years.

It wasn't until after talking to Peter that I actually realised the #49 Camaro has the rear guard vents of a 69 model anyway, blinded by excitement maybe!! Another lead closed.

Nick.... I notice no mention of the Camaro with "Indy Speed Shop" signage..... also notice the "Winston" signage as well..

Winston Kim.... owner of Indy Speed Shop?

That shot is at Calder BTW.... Bob Jane Transporter in the background....

[nick_tassie]

Hi Leo

Thank you for posting those amazing photo's of uncle Terry racing the Camaro today, just fantastic shots, along with what Ellis has shared its amazing that these great images have been unearthed for myself and others to see and enjoy.

Regarding the Indy Speed Shop/Winston Camaro what I've managed to find out is that it was brought into the country as a road car by the then Indy Speed Shop owner John Kay. John and his crew built and raced the car under the Winston ISS signage, it was also raced I believe at some stage by Peter Finch. The Winston signage was from a cigarette brand of the day, (not a smoker and to young to know) but that's what I've read somewhere, I've checked on the internet and it is a genuine brand.

I've also confirmed this Camaro was bought by the Jarrett's and run as a Sports Sedan by David in the late 70's at some stage with Shell sponsorship. I haven't confirmed it but from what I've read this car was then rebuilt after a workshop fire, it was then owned and raced by Bob Middleton, and is now owned and raced by Chris Templar still as a sports sedan. There is a great shot of it and Chris on Bob Middleton's race team web page newsletter.

Ellis sent me some other photo's today of what looks very much like the Indy Speed Shop car #14 in bare blue paint schemes (there are 2 clearly different shades of blue but its the same car), maybe when raced at a later date prior to the Jarrett ownership. Ellis may post these at some stage, close review (model, flares, race wheels, bonnet pins, bonnet scoop, roll cage) seems to point very highly towards all three of these cars being one and the same. Someone else might be able to confirm this.

I must say this photo of the Indy Seed Shop Camaro was also taken and posted by Ellis, he has some great Australian Motorsport history saved in his personal files.

[Leo D]

Hi Leo

Thank you for posting those amazing photo's of uncle Terry racing the Camaro today, just fantastic shots, along with what Ellis has shared its amazing that these great images have been unearthed for myself and other to see and enjoy.

Regarding the Indy Speed Shop/Winston Camaro what I've managed to find out is that it was brought into the country as a road car by the then Indy Speed Shop owner John Kay. John and his crew built and raced the car under the Winston ISS signage, it was also raced I believe at some stage by Peter Finch. The Winston signage was from a cigarette brand of the day, (not a smoker and to young to know) but that's what I've read somewhere, I've checked on the internet and it is a genuine brand.

I've also confirmed this Camaro was bought by the Jarrett's and run as a Sports Sedan by David in the late 70's at some stage with Shell sponsorship. I haven't confirmed it but from what I've read this car was then rebuilt after a workshop fire, it was then owned and raced by Bob Middleton, and is now owned and raced by Chris Templar still as a sports sedan. There is a great shot of it and Chris on Bob Middleton's race team web page newsletter.

Ellis sent me some other photo's today of what looks very much like the Indy Speed Shop car #14 in bare blue paint schemes (there are 2 clearly different shades of blue but its the same car), maybe when raced at a later date prior to the Jarrett ownership. Ellis may post these at some stage, close review (model, flares, race wheels, bonnet pins, bonnet scoop, roll cage) seems to point very highly towards all three of these cars being one and the same. Someone else might be able to confirm this.

I must say this photo of the Indy Seed Shop Camaro was also taken and posted by Ellis, he has some great Australian Motorsport history saved in his personal files.

Nick, I'd be inclined to look into my "Winston Kim" suggestion, as he actually does exist.

Read this list of cars sold by Brian Sampson in Melbourne.... Winston Kim is mentioned (1990's) as having purchsed an Elva Courier.

http://www.speco.com.au/racing.html

[nick_tassie]

Nick, I'd be inclined to look into my "Winston Kim" suggestion, as he actually does exist.

Read this list of cars sold by Brian Sampson in Melbourne.... Winston Kim is mentioned (1990's) as having purchsed an Elva Courier.

http://www.speco.com.au/racing.html

He certainly does, Winston was a regular racer in Tasmania in the Targa Tasmania with various Turbo Porsche rocket ships and Tasmanian Laurie Pitt as his navigator. His Targa cars were always well prepared with PBR brakes sponsorship, seemed to always rock up each year with the latest model red porsche. I did hear once that he was the owner of PBR Brakes but I don't know if thats correct or not. I haven't followed Targa closely lately so I don't know if he is still involved.