Trans Am Racing Series

[JRSully]

A few years back, I bought a huge parts stash here on Long Island from a guy that was a privateer in the TA series form 68-71. He said it was extremely tough going against the factory teams, said their "cheating" was top notch! He had some great stories. He raced nothing but Camaros and used all factory Chevy parts sourced locally (had a pile of 272 and 854 BB crate motors/intakes/holleys/muncies etc.) that had not seen the light of day in 40+ years. Had the 1970 Car Life magazine on a work bench with Donohue's Sunoco Penske Camaro on it, solid half inch of dust on it. Wish they would bring this series back in earnest

[JoeC]

Don Yenko ran some 1969 Trans Am races in the ex Smokey Yunick 68 Camaro

and ran it at Daytona with many of the top TA cars

[markinnaples]

It'd be pretty cool if it was still in their garage. What was your Chevelle like?
Do you happen to remember a black T/A with flared rear wheel wells? I remember one like that as well. And since we're talking about old Pgh cars, do you remember a 71/72 Chevelle that was red/pink metal flake (I think)? May have had a tunnel ram or blower, big Cragars, etc.? There are probably a bunch of other cars that we both saw BITD in Pgh.

[racer67x]

I graduated HS in '79..got this Chevelle SS not long after my graduation.. it was rough when I got it for a Grand,stripped it to bare metal..spent all the proceeds of my $5 an hour job to pay for it..lol used to hang at South Park with a pretty big group of guys that all had some kind of muscle car..we even had red satin jackets made with South Park Street Machines printed on..buddy of mine still has his jacket. sold it in '94 after having it 15 years...kick myself everyday..lol I had started racing dirt cars and the girl I was with at the time told me I couldn't afford the ragtop and the racecar,she was probably right to my credit I still race at PPMS,made my way up thru the ranks and in '05 was Rookie of the Year in the highest class..Super Late Model. run the Sportsman class now and ready for another year. have a '72 Nova I built over the last 10 years as a mid life crisis,plan to have fun till I no longer can. those two cars don't really ring any bells but then again my memory isn't what it used to be..lol there were so many badass rides out in that area back then it makes you wonder how many are still around. pic was taken in my Aunt's driveway in Syracuse,NY during the Car Craft Street Machine Nats..1984.

[x33rs]

Speaking of parts stashes. In the mid 1980's a retired Traco Engineering employee moved to the Glendale, AZ area and along with him he brought his personal 69 Z along with tons of engine parts and pieces.
Of interest to Jerry, a friend of mine, were 2 1178 crankshafts that he had laying there. Wish I could remember the guys name, but he told Jerry they were used in engines that were in one of the blue Penske Camaros at one time. Jerry bought both, and I ended up with them later.

I used one a few years ago when I rebuilt the engine in our 69 Z. If the story is true, and I have no reason to think otherwise, I thought it would be neat to have a little piece of that history in my engine.

I don't know what happened to that fella or if Jerry could even remember his name, but he had some cool stories.

[markinnaples]

Originally Posted by racer67x

I graduated HS in '79..got this Chevelle SS not long after my graduation.. it was rough when I got it for a Grand,stripped it to bare metal..spent all the proceeds of my $5 an hour job to pay for it..lol used to hang at South Park with a pretty big group of guys that all had some kind of muscle car..we even had red satin jackets made with South Park Street Machines printed on..buddy of mine still has his jacket. sold it in '94 after having it 15 years...kick myself everyday..lol I had started racing dirt cars and the girl I was with at the time told me I couldn't afford the ragtop and the racecar,she was probably right to my credit I still race at PPMS,made my way up thru the ranks and in '05 was Rookie of the Year in the highest class..Super Late Model. run the Sportsman class now and ready for another year. have a '72 Nova I built over the last 10 years as a mid life crisis,plan to have fun till I no longer can. those two cars don't really ring any bells but then again my memory isn't what it used to be..lol there were so many badass rides out in that area back then it makes you wonder how many are still around. pic was taken in my Aunt's driveway in Syracuse,NY during the Car Craft Street Machine Nats..1984.

I think I remember seeing your Chevelle in South Park once in a while. I didn't start going out there until 1983/84 when I was in high school. I lived down in Curry by Griffith Funeral Home (my brother in law) but in Baldwin. Man, I loved your Chevelle.