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Old 8 May 2007, 12:15 (Ref:1908955)   #1
Jeff Barley
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Martin Thomas race crew?

Looking to contact any of Martins crew from the late 60's - early 70's, especially those who worked on his camaros.. Hoping they can shed some light on my silver / blue 67 ex-T/A camaro and his original blue camaro with twin white stripes ..
Anyone out there can help?
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Old 8 May 2007, 13:15 (Ref:1908992)   #2
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Thomas Camaro

Hi Jeff,

I worked on the Group 2 Camaro for one season when it was in Ovaltine colours, and part time with the Group 1 Z28 that was sold to Gerry Marshall.

If i can be of any help to you.?

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Old 8 May 2007, 15:11 (Ref:1909077)   #3
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Hi Pete.. Thanks for the quick reply!.. i'm sure you'll be able to help..

First of all can I ask if you are aware of my car.. its a 1st generation 67 camaro that was imported into the UK in the early 70's (not yet sure on the date).. It was supposedly owned by "Curley Coachworks" (Ring any bells?) but was put straight into storage (a London Lockup) when it arrived.. The car is / was silver with twin blue stripes on the bonnet (z28 style).. The car was found by Rob Potter in the late 70's as a "turn-key racer under a dust sheet" and he went on to race it in ASCAR.. winning the series in the first season and then wiping the rear off at Paddock Hill the next year.. The car then went into storage again.. The car had lightweight panels; sand filled rocker covers; period 4 wheel disc brake conversion; shortened A-arms; Holman Moody fuel filler; seam welded front clip; american instruments; M22 box and either a traco or a Bartz engine when it arrived..lots of other interesting bits that make it "period correct"
We don't believe the car actually raced in the UK before Rob found it, but the car has all the hallmarks as being an ex-TransAm car.. I have a pretty good idea as to which car it is but would like to independently establish the history of the car on this side of the pond before I link the two..
Its possible that there is a connection with a guy called Jerry Mahoney who may have somthing to do with fibreglass
Martin obviously had a "few" camaros and I'm pretty sure that this one didn't go through his hands.. Any light that you can throw on the above would be really appreciated!
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Old 8 May 2007, 16:31 (Ref:1909150)   #4
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The Ovaltine car is shown on 100 great sporting moments and is on here if it helps at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY5zdnGvT0c&NR


The race is in 2 parts , the only thing i can remember is it had a Holman Moody transmission and at the time illegal air ducts to the diff did i say that .

Also it had drill holes in both bonnet hinges where the metal had been removed, only the rules said it must have its original hinges open to different interpretation.

I am digging for any further info i can find made more difficult by the fact my father who also was one of Martins mechanics at his garage in Biggleswade is now dead , so i cant ask him he would have known more.

The other Camaro you mention the the Blue car i remember seeing at Snetterton but that was not in my time .

Pete

Last edited by petestenning; 8 May 2007 at 16:35.
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Old 8 May 2007, 18:22 (Ref:1909228)   #5
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Cheers Pete.. The race at Crystal Palace is a classic.. Do you recall which of Martins cars became the Ovaltine car and what happened to it at the end of 71?.. I believe I know but it would be good to have it verified by someone who was actually part of the team!?..

The Blue camaro I mentioned did indeed appear briefly at Snett and also (earlier) at Brands, but then seems to have dissapeared.. This is obviously not to be confused with the Wiggins Teape car.. I'm just intrigued as to where it went because the trail has gone cold.. Any ideas?
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Old 8 May 2007, 19:41 (Ref:1909302)   #6
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Niether Camaro was indeed the Wiggins Teape car of Brian Muir.
I dont know the were abouts of Martins Chief mechanic who worked at his Luton branch, but i will make enquiries as i am off work this week and see what i can dig up.

Regards,
Pete.
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Old 9 May 2007, 05:06 (Ref:1909565)   #7
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Thanks for that Peter.. Appreciate the clarification.. There has been a misprception that the car in the Crystal palace video was originally the Wiggins Teape car, which of course it cannot have been because both cars appear on the UK circuits in 1971.. The Wiggins Teape car aka "CAB"(A genuine Penske car imported by Reinhart which was the car briefly driven by Posey) went to Terry Sanger and became the Research Consultants car.. it was later found here in the UK by David Tom (USA) and initially sold to George Mongon (USA) who restored it and it remains in the US.. I actually own the original cowl induction hood off the original CAB car which has the blue sunoco paint and the red of Sanger and the "Paper Chase" bonnet decal..
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Old 9 May 2007, 08:04 (Ref:1909649)   #8
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As i remember the front runners when Martin was racing the Ovaltine car were the Yogi Muir Wiggins Teape Camaro , Frank Gardners SCA Camaro a later version than our car, and Dave Matthews Capri RS and Martin Birranes Cona Coffee Boss Mustang, by the way the coffee was excellent .

As you say both raced together and Martins car was definately not at any time the Wiggins Teape car.

Having thought about this over night my thoughts have turned to who used a Camaro of this type in 73/74, the first and only answer so far is Doug Emms who raced in 74 with the right type of car.

So can anyone confirm where he got his car.?


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Old 9 May 2007, 08:17 (Ref:1909663)   #9
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The Doug Emms car was the original Wiggins Teape car.. It was in Dougs colours when it was found although barely recognisable.. I have a photo of it when it was loaded into the container to ship it back to the US...
The first generation SCA camaro (a 67) was an ex-T/A car which I documented and tied the link back to the Bob Browns car that ran in the '67 T/A.. it was owned by Camaroz (who regularly contributes to this forum) and is now owned by Bill Withy here in the UK

Maybe you can clarify the fate of the ovaltine car Pete?.. Its been suggested that it was rebuilt for the following year as the "Flame Out" (Red and white) camaro.. Or was that a different car?..Do you recall?
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Old 9 May 2007, 08:31 (Ref:1909681)   #10
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Having thought about this over night my thoughts have turned to who used a Camaro of this type in 73/74, the first and only answer so far is Doug Emms who raced in 74 with the right type of car.
There was a white Camaro racing in Special Saloons in 73 driven by a gentleman with an Asian sounding name. I remember at as being 73, as it was my first year of Marshalling and I was on the old pit wall at Siverstone. It spun gently into the wall at Woodcote and was facing the wrong way. It was unfortunately hit quite hard by a mini a few laps later.
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Old 9 May 2007, 08:44 (Ref:1909695)   #11
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You have just nugded my memory it did indeed become the Flame Out car i recall seeing it in the garage, I would certainly recognize the old Ovaltine car as there are several other things i know that i have not made public that only i or the crew would know.

I can say that the car had just been sprayed in Ovaltine Colours when the chief mechanic was bleeding the brakes out, i had just topped up the cylinder but before i had put the cap back on the master cylinder. He had pressed the brakes and sure enough the fluid came flying out all down the left hand wing we rushed to wash it off. But the pot holes were clearly visable on the paintwork and to Martins horror we had the front repainted.

Did Flame Out have something to do with an extinguisher company who sponsored an Imp production saloon racer , i can picture the car .

It will come to me .


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Old 9 May 2007, 09:07 (Ref:1909719)   #12
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Alan,

Ali Hussien?


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Old 9 May 2007, 11:57 (Ref:1909804)   #13
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Thanks for that Peter... I was pretty sure that the Ovaltine car became the Flame out camaro and yes indeed that was an extinguisher company.. By the way, do you remember which car became the Ovaltine car in the first place?
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Old 9 May 2007, 12:00 (Ref:1909810)   #14
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Peter.. I think you and Alan are correct.. I have a note somewhere that Ali Hussien (spelling?) ran a camaro in the ASCAR series which is the same series that Rob Potter drove my car.. I have never found a picture of Ali's car (anyone got one?) but it unfortunatly can't be "my car"
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Old 9 May 2007, 12:41 (Ref:1909849)   #15
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I think it was L & G Fire Protection seems to ring a bell, and Simon Watson was the Imp driver.

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Old 9 May 2007, 12:45 (Ref:1909855)   #16
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Cheers Pete!.. By the way do you recall where the Ovaltine car came from?
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Old 9 May 2007, 13:23 (Ref:1909879)   #17
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Alan,

Ali Hussien?


Pete
Yes. I've just driven back from Liverpool and the name hit me around Warrington!
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Old 9 May 2007, 13:57 (Ref:1909890)   #18
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I don't know if this will help, as it looks like it has been well covered above, but there were a few Camaros around in the early '70s in Group 1 when Dad raced the Camaro (I think it ended up as a one-off, something to do with money!!) but at the same time his was being prepared there was a Scottish one, which Dad refers to in one of his columns, as he didn't want people to think he had anything to do with it. what happened to that one and whose it was I don't know!!

Also, Jeff, have you asked Martin Thomas about the cars? Martin is still very much around and is pretty good at remembering things; I especially loved reminding him of Crystal Palace and the fact Dad won the race (Mike Crabtree jumped the start and got a penalty)!!

P.S. Jeff - I take it you're the same Jeff Barley who had the red and white Corvette?
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Old 9 May 2007, 14:11 (Ref:1909899)   #19
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Hi Gregor,

Do you know where Martin lives now ?

His Group 1 Camaro was sold to Gerry Marshall it had one of Stuart Mathwells engines in it, The one with the welded block that we knew nothing about till a Silverstone round when we had smoke billowing from one bank of cylinders. When we removed the heads we found a weld had been blown out of the block.

The engine was returned to Mathwells and on its return was fitted back and the vehicle sold on.

I then believe that the cars engine let go again with Gerry at the wheel, due to the block being welded up again.

But memory could be playing tricks.


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Old 9 May 2007, 14:17 (Ref:1909902)   #20
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... One and the same!.. and your father set up my other camaro (at Mallory Park) and then took me round Mallory in a TVR ..in the wet.. at a speed which defied the laws of physics on a wet surface!.. I will never forget it!!..
I did indeed speak to martin some time back.. helped me with some really good info..
I don't recall Gerry driving a camaro "in period" (any other info?) nor a scottish camaro.. any other titbits would be welcome !!!
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Old 9 May 2007, 14:20 (Ref:1909903)   #21
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Missed Petes reply when I was replying to GBRM..
Martin lives in Sandy Beds (as far as I know!)
I was not aware that MT had sold a Gp 1 camaro to Gerry.. Thats news to me.. What colour was that car Pete?.. any ideas?
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Old 9 May 2007, 14:52 (Ref:1909920)   #22
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He may not of sold it direct to Gerry, but i know Gerry drove it .

I am going to have to think about the colour of the G1 Z28 i thought it was blue, dark coloured i am sure.

Its a danm pity i threw all my programmes away when we moved to a bungalow.


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Old 9 May 2007, 16:21 (Ref:1909982)   #23
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For the record guys theres a couple of pics here which include the Emms Camaro and somewhere Iv got a pic of it spinning on the Mountain at Cadwell completelly blocking the track....
http://www.racing70s.pwp.blueyonder..../camaro_01.htm
http://www.racing70s.pwp.blueyonder..../camaro_02.htm
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Old 9 May 2007, 17:27 (Ref:1910010)   #24
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He may not of sold it direct to Gerry, but i know Gerry drove it .

I am going to have to think about the colour of the G1 Z28 i thought it was blue, dark coloured i am sure.

Its a danm pity i threw all my programmes away when we moved to a bungalow.


Pete
I am going to have to think about the colour of the G1 Z28 i thought it was blue, dark coloured i am sure.

You might be right Pete.. the earliest car I am aware of that Martin drove was the "blue" car at Brands.. could have been as early as '68.. Would be nice to know if that was indeed the car that Gerry drove, but wonder where that one went?
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Old 9 May 2007, 17:29 (Ref:1910011)   #25
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Thanks Colin.. yep thats the Emms car.. hardly recognisable as an ex-Penske car.. and when Doug had it the entire front end came off the car.. Got any more?
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