Thomson now owned probably the most powerful Touring Car in Australasia, but the increased power tortured equipment, with the Camaro destroying an M21 gearbox every time it went out on track. So Thomson had Peter Holinger build him a special M22 box, which helped with reliability.
Thomson raced the Camaro until 1971, running a limited campaign in the ATCC, his best result being a second placing in the final round at Symmons Plains, a lap behind race winner Jim McKeowns Porsche. But the cost of running the Camaro, against ever incresing oposition, forced Thomson to sell the car. Eventually, he moved to a new emerging motorsport category, Sports Sedans, which were gaining a strong following at Calder Park and at Oran Park in New South Wales, and had Peter Fowler build him a V8 powered Torana. Sports Sedan regs allowed a large number of freedoms, good prize money, and in cars that were cheaper to build and run than the Camaro.
The Camaro was sold to Tasmanian Don Elliot, for his driver Robin Pare to steer, replacing the aging Mustang coupe the pair had been running for years. The pair ran the Camaro throughout 1971/72, before it was sold to Peter McKinley, who campaigned it in 1973/74, after which Peter Sportelli purchased the car. Sportelli replaced the big block with a 350ci small block Chevy, and raced it until 1984, at which point it was retired. From 1973, the Camaro was forced to compete in the Sports Sedan class.
Sportelli tried to sell the car in the early 1990s, for A$10,000, but had no takers. Eventually, he set about having the Camaro restored, which including buying back its 427 motor, and magnesium 15” x 10” American Racing wheels. The restoration was completed in 2007, and the Camaro has appeared a few times at historic racing events, and is currently for sale.
Special thanks to Chris Bowden and Ellis French for their help putting this story together.