3rd Gen Camaro at Le Mans?

[Al Weyman]

I came across this photos doing some browsing, never knew these cars raced much outside the States and definitely not Le Mans and the picture is titled runner up in GT2 Class. Owning and racing one of these cars I am interested to know if anyone has any further info or pictures on this effort, was it factory backed for example as I did read GM homologated the car for european racing (Touring Cars??) One of the photos says Billy Hogan at Watlins Glen.

[Jesper OH]

The car was from Billy Hagan's Stratagraph racing and the car running to American IMSA GTO regs. It was said to be quite fast in a straight line and actually lined up 32nd on the grid. I don't think there was any factory backing, but that is only a hunch. This and a second generation Camaro usually raced in IMSA back in the US and the second gen. car had actually been to Le Mans the year before. The team was entered for the 1984 edition, but was a no-show. BTW 1982 must have been the very first year of racing with the third generation car.

As for Europe Robert Lappalainen imported an IMSA GTO spec third generation Camaro to his native Finnland for the 1985 Nordic Super Saloon Car series. He only ran the car for two seasons, but it was raced on and off into this milleneum, at one point even racing as a Pontiac Firebird.

Belgium Serge Power had their fingers in a Camaro/Firebird (can't remember) for the French super production series around 1985/86 with Jean-Pierre Jarier driving - that can't have been too boring to watch!

Finally Peter John tried a 5.7 Camaro IROC-Z in the 1988 DTM. At a time when the manufactures flooded the championship this privateer effort soon vanished. This car was basically run to group A regulations.

Jesper

[Al Weyman]

Thanks Jesper, very informative, I thought I was the only nut this side of the pond to try to get these cars working, still slowly getting there! I personally think they have great potential and have been somewhat overlooked.

[Jesper OH]

So, current WTCC Chevrolet Cruzes don't make it for you either, Al?!

What kind of Camaro are you actually referring to as yours? Some time ago you mentioned a former IROC-car, which I presumed was a second generation, but..

Jesper

[Andy Clegg]

Al, Went to Le Mans first in 1976, and went most years until 1983. There always seemed to be entries of cars like these from the States. Try "racing sports cars" website for photos.

[skycafe]

Al, this is second gen car but thought you would find this interesting
http://alex62.typepad.com/imsablog/2...hafer-the.html

Robert

[Al Weyman]

Thanks guys. I have three race cars Jesper a 2nd Gen Historic saloon early 70's, a 1987 3rd Gen IROC-Z both road car derived and I have (awaiting restoration) a 2nd jen 77 Penske IROC 2nd gen car as raced in attached poster. My car was originally beige (unfortunate) and is the 5th car in the poster. I do have footage of Al Unser driving it in a Havoc Video.

[Bob Riebe]

Originally Posted by skycafe

Al, this is second gen car but thought you would find this interesting
http://alex62.typepad.com/imsablog/2...hafer-the.html

Robert

I actually spent nine dollars on Ebay to buy a Super Chevy magazine with an article of the last version of Carl's Camaro.

I spoke to him at Road America, and the car was an ex-Chaparral car, but outside of the swoopy body-work, was still actually a basic leaf-spring Camaro with an engine from George Foltz.
The non-rock crushing nature of the Muncie Rock Crusher transmission was the cars weak point.
The car chewed up trannies with regularity.
At that it was not hard-ware related items that caused him to quit using it, but lack of sponsorship funding.
He paid for it out of pocket.
He said even a hundred and fifty thousand dollars would have kept it on the track.

[Al Weyman]

Actually I read an article on the Muncie box which stated that the M21 helictical cut box was actually stronger than the nearly straight cut M22 something to do with more contact area for the gears, kind of made sence to me in the same way as you wouldnt use a straight cut crown wheel and pinion. I have always found the boxes strong but I am only putting under 500bhp through them.

[Bob Riebe]

this site, while not all inclusive, has more photos and information on where Camaros ran, and different styles, than any other.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/type...et/Camaro.html

One thing about Camaros, the post 1982 style cars are, near without exception, tube frame cars; whereas the pre-'82 cars are mostly production based, including the short-track cars used for road racing. They still used the production sub-frame as required by most short-track sanctions.

[jan bot]

Hi Jesper, do you know where the Camaro/Pontiac of Robert Lappalainen is today?

Best regards,
Jan Bot
The Netherlands

Originally Posted by Jesper OH

The car was from Billy Hagan's Stratagraph racing and the car running to American IMSA GTO regs. It was said to be quite fast in a straight line and actually lined up 32nd on the grid. I don't think there was any factory backing, but that is only a hunch. This and a second generation Camaro usually raced in IMSA back in the US and the second gen. car had actually been to Le Mans the year before. The team was entered for the 1984 edition, but was a no-show. BTW 1982 must have been the very first year of racing with the third generation car.

As for Europe Robert Lappalainen imported an IMSA GTO spec third generation Camaro to his native Finnland for the 1985 Nordic Super Saloon Car series. He only ran the car for two seasons, but it was raced on and off into this milleneum, at one point even racing as a Pontiac Firebird.

Belgium Serge Power had their fingers in a Camaro/Firebird (can't remember) for the French super production series around 1985/86 with Jean-Pierre Jarier driving - that can't have been too boring to watch!

Finally Peter John tried a 5.7 Camaro IROC-Z in the 1988 DTM. At a time when the manufactures flooded the championship this privateer effort soon vanished. This car was basically run to group A regulations.

Jesper

[Jesper OH]

Originally Posted by jan bot

Hi Jesper, do you know where the Camaro/Pontiac of Robert Lappalainen is today?

Best regards,
Jan Bot
The Netherlands

Sorry, no clue what so ever.

Jesper

[zakspeed]

jp jarier Ã* dijon 1985 /1986