Hi Eric, hey that is very cool! Can you tell us some of the history of your Camaro? Do you have some photos?

As you know, dry sump systems weren't allowed in the Trans-Am until 1971. By this stage, all the manufacturers had left, except American Motors, and it was Penske who were pushing the SCCA to allow dry sumps. The Javelins suffered fluctuating oil pressure when Penske began racing them in 1970, and they destroyed several engines as a result, so they were very keen to get this accepted. If they had continued racing the Camaro in 1970, with the well developed baffled sumps that had been made, maybe they wouldn't have been so motivated. But other than AMC, all the other teams were independents, so its unlikely any fitted a dry sump system on a 1st generation Camaro.

Out of interest, why don't you present your Camaro as a Group 2 car, rather than Trans-Am? Group 2 rules of the period, as used in the UK and Europe, were far more liberal than Trans-Am, and allowed bigger engines, multiple carbs, wider wheels etc. And there were several 1st gen Camaros which raced in Group 2. I have read the FIA Appendix K rules about three times (all 90 pages!) and my understanding is that you can go up to the maximum allowed under the rules, but you can't go beyond. So, for example, if the maximum wheel width in Group 2 is 12", you can fit wheels up to 12", but not more than 12". So you could still race your Camaro to Trans-Am spec, such as fitting 8" wheels and 5 litre motor if you wish, but then you could also use some of the extra freedoms allowed with Group 2.

I could be wrong, but I thought the Adrian Chambers SCA Freight Camaro driven by Frank Gardner was fitted with dry sump. This is the old Bill Brown Trans-Am car that raced in TA in 1967 before going to the UK in 1968. It continued to be developed under different owners, eventually ending up with Chambers. Frank Gardner took this car to New Zealand to race in late 1972, then to Australia next, and it was sold to Bob Jane, who eventually sold it to John Pollard. One of our Roaring Season members, Rowan Harman, owned this car for several years before selling it back to the UK, where it has since been restored. Do you have a contact for the current owner?

Out of interest, what is the new championship you will be racing the Camaro in?