July - August 2014

PNWCC 2014 Officers and Representatives

President Glenn Wiest 206-938-3002 [email protected] Vice President Jean Krehbiel 206-359-2700 [email protected] Secretary Kim Mejer 253-535-0307 [email protected] Treasurer Mike Mejer 253-535-0307 [email protected] Larry DeCamp 206-427-4674 Activities Director [email protected] Dale Krehbiel 206-359-2700 Charitable Events OPEN [email protected] Sam Besser 425-670-0185 All Chevy Show 2014 [email protected] James Nance 206-715-1204

2014 NW GM Larry DeCamp 206-427-4674 Nationals Don Berry 360-805-9611 Robert Copeland 206-234-1102 All Chevy Show 2015 [email protected] Jon Nidermayer 360-412-0994 Club Challenge Mike Cox 425-481-6777 [email protected] Historian Barbara DeCamp 206-427-4674 [email protected] Webmaster Robert Copeland 206-234-1102 [email protected]

SPONSORS Offering Member Discounts – Please note changes and additions SUNSET CHEVROLET D&L RESTORATIONS, INC. Bruce Douglas Louie Cohn 425-259-8151 253-863-8221 th 910 Traffic Ave. 2626 119 ST SW Sumner, WA 98390 EVERETT, WA 98201 Www.RestoreYourCar.com GM parts 20% over cost Ricks Camaros LEE JOHNSON CHEVROLET GOOD CHEVROLET 1-800-359-7717 800-877-9016 Brian Ainsworth th Customer Number: 11845 NE 85 425-235-2030 10193534 Kirkland, WA 98033 325 SW 12th Street Discount on selected parts 20% off selected parts Renton, WA 98055 MUST CALL TO ORDER Ask for Dick for best price FRIENDLY CHEVROLET BURIEN CHEVROLET Bill pierre chevrolet Rusty Smith Ed Donovan Bud Guydete 253-838-7600 206-243-5800 11323 Lake City Way NE st 400 River Road 14400 1 Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98125 Puyallup, WA 98371 Seattle, WA 98168 (866) 660-9187 15% off selected GM parts 20% off selected parts 15% off GM parts JET CHEVROLET TITUS-WILL CHEVROLET Evergreen Supply 253-838-7600 2425 Carriage Loop SW Bob Everett Steve Paul or Walt 800-594-2957 1502 #5 15tSt NW Auburn 35700 Enchanted Parkway S. Olympia, WA 98502 253 735-2402 Federal Way, WA 98003 Show membership card for Auburn, WA. 98001 15% off selected parts 10% off selected parts and services Discount varies

Note: You must call Ricks Camaros and use the customer ID listed. Make sure you specify your address for shipping or your parts are going to Mike M’s house!

A word from the President

It is that time again for the next addition of the newsletter. One of the problems I have is coming up with something to write about, unlike Mike our news writer. Things seem to come to him more easily. During the last General Club meeting 6-28, Mike asked for submissions from the club members, you know, first car, first Camaro and such. That said, I had the privilege of growing up in the 50s, in a very small community a place called Skamokawa, Washington it had the entering and leaving sign on the same post,,, POPULATION 219. And yes, it was a better time to grow up, almost until the mid 60’s where everything seemed to change faster than we could cope. Moved to Seattle in 62. In the 50s and early 60s I think some of the most appealing ever built were in that time frame about 54 to 67 or so, some into the late 60s, Corvette and Camaro come to mind. (That is just my opinion). My thoughts turned to my first car, a 1956 two door post Chevrolet 150, it was white, had a big dent in the door which popped out one day when I slammed the door real hard in anger, damn thing wouldn't start. I bought it from my next door neighbor for $150. My grandmother helped me pay for it for HS graduation, Yea Franklin "65". The guy I bought it from never changed oil... just added... (did not know it at the time) the car would run for about 5 minutes and the oil light would come on, even though it showed full on the dip stick. After I had paid for the car, I pulled it onto a vacant lot across the street, and pulled the oil pan to see what the problem was. What I discovered, even for a 18 year old kid, blew my mind. There was so much sludge in the oil pan that the crank shaft had made grooves' in it. The pump pick up screen was 98% blocked so very little oil could ever get past. Cleaned out all the sludge on the bottom end, put it together, and added new oil, wow, what a concept,,, oil pressure! The car still ran poorly, so pulled the heads, in doing so, more sludge in the camshaft valley, yep, up to the bottom of the intake manifold... more cleaning. Had the valves ground at Jacks Payless for a whole $22.00, the lifters were gummed up, but used them anyway, at a job paying $1.25/hour, did not have a lot to spend. Anyway, put it all together, and the car ran pretty good for all of its bad maintenance. But it was my car, and I liked it and put a lot of miles on it. A friend had a 4 barrel manifold for the 265 ci. engine, so I bought it and put it on, and I also put on a glass pack muffler, on the single exhaust pipe, sounded louder, anyway, it seemed to run better, and I thought I had a pretty hot car. Don't forget, I was just out of high school, what did I know.... About the same time, the kid up the street, had a brother who had a 58 Corvette with a three speed. His brother would let him have it once in a while, and he thought it was the fastest car around. He always wanted to race me, I was kind of a scaredy cat, and did not want a ticket, so I sheepishly said no. Anyway, I was cruising Empire Way heading for Dag's (remember this was a long time ago) just started rolling, when I looked over and here was the Vette, we looked at each other and we were off, I pulled it down to low (two speed automatic) and floored it. We were neck and neck with him just starting to pull me, we were about 75 or better when a friend riding with me said you better shift, I did, shifted to Drive, and with the RPM of the engine and the pressure built up in the trans, I leaped ahead of the Vette and stayed there until I turned chicken and pulled over. The Vette pulled up behind me and the kid said WOW that thing really is fast and he left. I was shaking so hard that I could not even light a cigarette.... Truth be told, I could not beat a Chev Six after that, but the neat part is that I had that neighbor kid's respect for a while. We have a lot of events coming up this July, August, and September, with car shows that the Club is putting on, rally's to attend, and a lot of cruising to do and meetings to attend, busy summer, and I know I will be seeing a lot of our Members helping and participating in the events. That said, I hope to see some of you who have not attended meetings or events so far, so come out and have some fun!!!

Glenn Wiest

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 3 The Heartbeat of the Northwest is the official publication of the Pacific Northwest Camaro Club and is provided bimonthly to active members. Distribution is also provided, by the direction of the Club President, to other individuals, clubs, and/or commercial enterprises. The Pacific Northwest Camaro Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of the Chevrolet Camaro, and no person shall be denied membership because of age, sex, race, or religion.

Are you receiving an electronic copy of the newsletter? We’re still working out the kinks, but if your name is on the President’s email list you will receive the electronic newsletter with color pictures and live hyperlinks. If you don’t get the online version and you want it, email “add me to your email list” to [email protected] and you will get both. If you decide you no longer need the hard copy version, send a separate email to the president saying “no more hard copy for me!”. Newsletter publishing and mailing is one of our club’s biggest expenses, and you can help the club save a few bucks if you opt out of the hard copy.

Treasurer’s Corner Store Manager Robert Copeland has a number of club items for sale, including: T shirt, club logo on the front, 5 generations on back: Short sleeve in black or ash - $10.00 Long sleeve in black or ash - $15.00 PNWCC window cling - $2.00 PNWCC pin or patch - $3.00

PNWCC Club Gear We still have a few tee shirts left with the new 2013 design as well as 2012 design. The new 2013 PNWCC shirt design consists of the front view of all five generations (white design on black T shirt). You can also order last year’s design (profile of all five generations), black design on white T shirt. Ball caps with the PNWCC logo are also available. Contact Robert Copeland for ordering information at [email protected]

From Road and Track

The magazine tested a Porsche 911 Turbo, a Viper SRT-10, a Lamborghini Murclelago and a Saleen S7. The Porsche 911 Turbo took the crown as the fastest car and the car with the best stopping power then but none of these cars posted a better 0-100-0 time or distance than the new Z/28 Camaro with its LS7 and huge carbon brakes.

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 4 Articles and Activities: 2014 Car Show Planning

NW GM Nationals:

The GM Nationals team is on track to host the NW GM Nationals on September 13that Pacific Raceways. The event will feature multi class racing along with the car show which will be open to all GM brands. The team is working hard to obtain monetary donations for the show awards. Although we have obtained some funding we still have work to do. Larry DeCamp did an excellent job this year of soliciting items for the goody bags for both shows. He was able to obtain items for 300 bags which is not and easy task as Tim Loewen and I can attest. Larry volunteered to take on the goody bags task even though he is the project leader for the Nationals Show. We will be asking all those who traditionally “work” the All Chevy and Camaro Show to please plan on helping on September 13th.

All Chevy and Camaro Show:

Sam Besser and James Nance gave a final review of the show plan and assignments at the All Chevy and Camaro show planning meeting on June 28th. All action items are completed and the show team is ready so this year’s show should be a great success. Come to the Issaquah XXX on July 6th,, show your Camaro and have fun with the PNWCC.

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 5 Skagit Valley Car Show By Bruce Mercer

The day started out with the normal Puget Sound overcast as Jon Nidermayer, Marc Goodwin, and Bruce Mercer got their First Generation Camaros out and headed for the Skagit Valley College Car Show just outside of Mt. Vernon. The clouds burned off and the day became perfect for a Car Show. There was about 40 cars attending, with a wide verity of types and years. Marc Goodwin won the award in the best “60-69 stock” category. After the show Sam & Sue, Don Berry, Jeannette Wallace, and Cheryl joined in and we all went over to Chuckanut Drive for a cruise and dinner at “The Oyster Bar”. Just the guys were up for raw Oysters. (Don, Sam, and Bruce) Can’t beat a nice day in Western Washington when you’re out in Camaros.

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 6 Marc Goodwin, Bruce Mercer and Jon Nidermayer enjoying the day.

Marc is actually thinking about the excellent fuel mileage he is getting with his 69 Z/28.

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 7 Summer Panacea

Burn up that quarter mile Just tuned my car, now she really peels A-lookin real tough with chrome reverse wheels A Blue Coral wax job sure looks pretty Gonna get my chick and make it out to Drag City Jan &Dean - Drag City

Summer - As George Gershwin wrote “Summertime, And the livin' is easy”. Cruise nights, car shows, drag races and sunny day drives, the experiences are perfect and timeless.

The notion of a time machine is science fiction unless you’re lucky to have a classic car or street rod. Climb in and it just takes you back to the first really nice car you owned or that feeling when you finally were old enough to get your driver’s license and were able to go out on your own. (see My Back Pages in this newsletter). Most of us have some sentimentality for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations and experiences and many of those memories involve our cars. Now as you read this new edition of the club newsletter we are in the midst of the summer season a final few days remain before the annual All Chevy and Camaro Show. So now it is time to apply the detailing tips from the last newsletter and prepare the car(s) for our two car shows and the various other events the season brings and the PNWCC has planned. Giddyup, giddyup, giddyup 409 The Beach Boys - 409

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 8 USPS releases stamps to speed up your delivery

After one of the worst winters in recent memory for much of the country summer is finally here. It's time to drop the top, open the sunroof or at least put down the windows and take a long drive. The United States Postal Service is celebrating the season's sun in automotive style with two new hot rod Forever stamps.

Both stamps depict classic '32 Ford hot rods (probably running a Chev engine). One shows the car from the front at a low angle in red (pictured above), while the other depicts the car from the back in black with flames running down the side.

To introduce the new stamps on their first day of availability, the USPS went straight to the source at the National Street Rod Association Street Rod Nationals in York, PA. They were unveiled by Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, Car Crazy host Barry Meguiar and NSRA Special Events Director Jerry Kennedy. The hot rod stamps are available now in booklets of 20 from your local post office, or they can be purchased online. The Post Office is also selling a framed 7-inch by 9-inch print of the art featured on the stamps for $19.95, through its website.

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 9 Orchard Find Chevys: “I understand you buy old Camaros…” From Hagerty

Yakima Valley apple orchard yields classic Chevys in much better shape than you usually expect from “ran when parked” By: Paul Duchene

Out of the blue, a gravelly voice boomed: “I understand you buy old Camaros.”

As Dan Stafford said, it’s the kind of a phone call you dream about if you run a muscle car wrecking yard in the eastern Washington desert. The barn find might not be as big as the Lambrecht Chevrolet sale in Nebraska, but surely the cars would be better. “As I talked to him, I realized he’d just found me on the Internet; he had no idea who I was,” said Stafford, who has run Dan’s Garage in Kennewick, Wash., since 1981. It’s a 3.5-acre wrecking yard that specializes in ’50s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s GM performance cars – Chevy Camaro, Impala, Chevelle, Monte Carlo and Nova; Pontiac GTO, LeMans and Firebird; Oldsmobile Cutlass and 442; Buick Skylark, Grand Sport and Regal. He usually has about 200 project cars for sale at any given time, and the yard contains about 150 Chevelles, 75 Camaros, 75 Firebirds and some El Caminos. Sedans and wagons provide spares.

Stafford, who is 62, has been wrenching on muscle cars since high school. The Tri-Cities of Pasco, Kennewick and Richland sprawl across the junction of the Snake and Columbia rivers. The area is best known for the Hanford nuclear reactors, where Stafford worked before he followed his dream (after his wife complained about cars cluttering the pasture).

Hanford has provided jobs and construction work since the 1940s, and what’s a kid with a good paycheck to do? Surrounded by dark desert highways and light traffic, it’s just the place for a 396 ci 4-speed Chevelle with booming glasspaks. With only seven inches of rain a year and no salt on the roads, the survivability rate of old cars is excellent, provided you don’t roll your 1964 409 Impala into Badger Canyon.

Stafford’s caller was in Las Vegas, Nev. But his girlfriend’s father had retired 12 years ago to the family apple orchard outside Wapato, at the end of miles of gravel road in the Yakima Valley. Dad had died some months back and his daughter returned to find the house ransacked. There were several cars under cover in the orchard, and something needed to be done quickly.

“They sent me some murky pictures and were trying to sell the cars with Nevada plates and no paperwork,” said Stafford with a sigh. “They had ’68 and ’69 Camaros, a ’56 Chevy Bel Air, a ’61 Ford Econoline Pickup and a ’77 Dodge Ramcharger with a 440. I made them a substantial offer – I wasn’t trying to steal the cars, but I told them they’d have to find the paperwork.”

Thus motivated, the family gave the house a second ransacking. “I got another call a week later,” said Stafford. “Same voice: ‘You got the money?’ They’d turned the place upside down and at the bottom of a hamper of dirty clothes in a bedroom closet was a little safe. Inside was all the paperwork. I bought the three cars, and then because they didn’t want to take anything back to Vegas, I bought the Ramcharger and the Econoline. We took care of the licensing, and with the death certificate and affidavit of inheritance, it’s all sorted.”

The three cars were driven to their resting place and have been covered since, so the desert sun hadn’t cooked the paint or the interiors. “They’re really good cars: straight, not rusty, nice patina. The interiors aren’t ripped, though the carpets have faded. The red ’68 Camaro isn’t a Z/28, despite the badges, but it’s a V-8 auto car with power steering and air conditioning, missing the compressor. The Hugger Orange ’69 Camaro is also a V-8

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 10 auto. It’s an a/c car, too, but also missing the a/c unit. It’s also got power steering and disc brakes,” said Stafford.

“The family said the red and white ’56 Bel Air sedan was driven from Vegas to Reno for Hot August Nights the year before it was brought to Wapato,” he added. “It’s a 265 ci V-8 with Power Glide automatic transmission, radio and clock. The interior is black and white and was redone at some point.”

The ’78 Ramcharger’s paint is faded, but Stafford says it’s loaded with options and has the 440 V-8. The Ford Econoline pickup is very straight, but needs paint. It has a six-cylinder engine and 3-speed transmission and lettering on the tailgate that says “Ramos Drug Company.”

Stafford says he’ll get the cars running and sell them. “I’m going to ask $8,000 each for the Camaros, $5,000 for the Chevy Bel Air, $2,000 for the Econoline and $2,750 for the Ramcharger.”

Looks like most of the treasures are now sold http://www.dansgarage.net/

Seems like just a short time has passed since Marc Goodwin’s 69 Z/28 looked like this

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 11 New ZO6 LT4 Rated at 650 HP

The all-new 2015 Corvette Z06 is the most powerful production car General Motors has ever produced and one of just a few production cars available in the United States that delivers more than 600 horsepower.

The Z06’s LT4 supercharged 6.2L V-8 engine is certified at 650 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 650 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm.

“The LT4 Small Block sets a new benchmark for power and torque at GM,” said Steve Kiefer, vice president, GM Powertrain Engineering. “The engine also puts the new Corvette Z06 on par with the most powerful supercars offered in America, while delivering performance with impeccable manners that make it suitable for daily driving.”

Compared with other supercar engines, the LT4 is a veritable fountain of low-end torque, producing 457 lb-ft (619 Nm) just off idle and 625 lb-ft (847 Nm) by only 2,800 rpm. The V-12-powered Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, for example, produces about 28 percent less torque than the Z06, despite offering about 12 percent more horsepower – and its peak torque isn’t achieved until 6,000 rpm. The LT4 maintains 90 percent of its peak torque, or 592 lb-ft (802 Nm), from 2,500 to 5,400 rpm. The new LT4 engine eclipses the Porsche 911 Turbo S engine’s peak power levels by 90 horsepower (67 kW) and 134 lb-ft of torque (182 Nm).

And now that we have seen that Chevrolet used the same ZO6 Corvette engine in the new Z/28 we can anticipate this engine installed in a future Camaro. Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 12 Mecum Seattle Auction

Nobody Sells More Collector Cars. Nobody….. Supposedly the Mecum Auction Company is the world leader of collector car, vintage motorcycle and Road Art sales/Gas Station memorabilia. They host auctions throughout the United States and have been specializing in the sale of collector cars for 27 years. Mecum claims to sell more than 15,000 vehicles per year so we decided to go have a look at their first Seattle auction on June 13th at Century Link Field.

Last year when we went to Hot August Nights we attended the Barrett Jackson Auction which was the first time we had been to an auction and the first time we actually watched the banter of the auctioneer. It is actually quite fascinating and I marvel at how they do the “Auction Chant”. Auction chant (also known as "bid calling", "the auction cry", "the cattle rattle", or simply "Auctioneering") is a rhythmic repetition of numbers and "filler words" spoken by an auctioneer in the process of conducting an auction. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9WPcbKFnBA

Within minutes of arriving at the auction floor we ran into club member Larry DeCamp who like us was just looking, enjoying the experience and wandering about the display floor. Serious buyers are registered and wear proper identification but the auction floor is open for all to walk around and check out the cars. And many cars were there to be looked at!

The entire Century Link Event Center was full of cars and Mecum claimed there were over 600 vehicles waiting to be auctioned during the two day event. We looked at all the cars waiting in line that were to be auctioned then stood close to the podium to watch some of the cars “cross the block”. I was astounded to see some real bargains as a nice 63 Buick Riviera sold for $12,000 and a very nice 65 Chev short box truck sold for $7,000. If Mecum returns next year I plan on registering to buy just in case a few bargains like these cross the auction podium.

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 13 Unlike the sales just mentioned there were also numerous very high end expensive cars waiting to be sold. In the last newsletter in the article about muscle car values and the “Boomer Generation” I stated “who would have thought that Hemi cars would someday sell for $1,000,000. Well at Mecum on Saturday the famous collector Kevin Suydam sold his 1971 Hemi Convertible for $3,500,000.

There were several other muscle cars that sold for high prices at Mecum so it appears that the current market values are quite good. From Car and Driver: It’s mind-boggling. You sit there for hours, watching middle-aged guys in Hawaiian shirts and big watches bid stupid money on muscle cars on the myriad cable channels that broadcast collector-car auctions these days. Crappy models that were being swapped among migrant farm workers a decade ago for tens of dollars go for high five figures now. And the good stuff is all over $100,000. The great stuff? That’s in the millions: A 1967 L88 Corvette went for $3.5 million at Barrett-Jackson….. Mecum has a contract to return t Seattle for two more years. Go check it out, the auction is interesting and you may just find a steal of a deal.

2016 Chevy Camaro Will Get a Turbo Four, 70’s Looks

Like the new Mustang and other comparable sports cars currently available, rumors are that the next generation of Camaro will be putting to use a new high performance four-cylinder engine.

According to a new report by Automobile Magazine, the next generation Camaro coupe will use a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that will put out over 300 horsepower. The new design powerful four will go along with the lighter and smaller chassis used in the Cadillac ATS. The new chassis and engine allows a weight loss of several hundred pounds from the current version of the car.

But don’t worry, obviously Chevrolet will keep the V6 and V8 options alive in the SS, Z/28 and ZL1 spec Camaros.

And even better rumors for the muscle car faithful, the next generation car is going have an even more retro look. Reports are that the next car will likely use cues from the 70’s era Camaro. I hope they do not change it too much and instead evolve the design like Porsche has done with the 911.

Somebody’s Guess

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 14 Camaros in the Cellar 2014 By Gary and Maggie Gregory

Camaros in the Cellar was the first event we were invited to participate in when we joined the club 3 years ago by Dale Krehbiel, 3 years later, we finally made it! We are so glad we did. It was a relaxing, fun and a great event to get to know other PNWCC members. Thanks to everyone who makes this event happen and knowing where those wineries are. Thank you Dale and Jean for letting us invade your patio and room when outside wasn’t available.

We have been to Yakima, but never really toured around the area. The scenery is gorgeous and of course travelling with such beautiful cars makes it even more beautiful.

I still think the 20 question quiz was rigged 

And of course, no rain, a balmy 75 degrees every day, great company, what more could one ask for on Memorial Week end?

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 15

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 16

2015 Chevrolet Camaro Pricing Revealed

Earlier this year Chevrolet’s order guide for the 2015 model year Camaro was put up online, showing new color options like Blue Velvet Metallic and new optional extras such as illuminated foot wells and a different 5-spoke 21-inch wheel design. If you’ve had your wallet ready ever since reading that news then get your notepad out, because here is what it will cost you.

According to Camaro News, the 2015 Camaro 1LS base model will start at the same entry price as the 2014 model did, $23,555.00 not including a $995.00 destination fee. The 2LS trim line will now start at $24,995, up from $24,755 in 2014. The 1LT convertible will cost the same for 2015, however the 2LT droptop will now fetch $34, 995, down from $35,155 in 2014. The rest of lineup, including the coupe and convertible versions of the 1SS, 2SS and ZL1, will cost the same.

As you can see, the prices between the 2014 and 2015 model year Camaros have not changed much. The biggest fluctuation in price is for the track focused Z/28, which carried an entry level price of $75,000 in 2014, including a $995 destination fee. For 2015, the Z/28 will fetch $72,305.00 plus that $995 destination charge. Chevrolet didn’t reveal a reason for this, however the 2014 run of Z/28s was limited to just 500 units and will thus be more exclusive than the 2015 model, which could have contributed to the smaller price.

Read more: http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/06/2015-chevrolet-camaro-pricing-revealed/#ixzz34AiecljK

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 17 Member Meeting 6/28

Meeting minutes are not consistently published in the newsletter. The reason for that is sometimes I forget to take notes and I do not assume that the newsletter writer is supposed to document the member meetings. I propose a process change and would like this change to be implemented at the next meeting.

At each meeting a volunteer should assume the role of producing meeting minutes. I propose this be voluntary because some do not like to write or do not feel that they can. This issue should be decided by our leadership Board.

What I remember: Kim Mejer reported we have 128 members which is up from last month. No new members were in attendance at the meeting. Mike Mejer reported “we still have money in the bank”. The account is down a little due to costs of the car shows.

Sam Besser and James Nance reported on the status of the All Chevy and Camaro Show which is included in this newsletter.

Larry DeCamp was on the road to the Sturgis Camaro gathering so Don Berry reported on the status of the NW GM Nationals, also included in this newsletter.

Don also went over the upcoming club activities:

7-6 - All Camaro and Chevy Show 7-11 – Pacific Raceways Car Club Challenge 7-19 - Garage Plus Corvette and Camaro Show 7-19 - Lillooet Show and Shine – (flyer in this newsletter) 7-22 - Camaro Club Board Meeting 7-26 - Camaro club meeting- 5:00 pm 7-31-8-3 - Vintiques car show in Yakima, Bruce Mercer is going 8-2,- 8-8 - Hot August Nights 8-9 - Wally Camaro cruise and meet in Buckley 8-23 – Crystal Mountain Cruise - BBQ at Copeland’s cabin followed by member meeting

The meeting concluded with the 50/50 Card Draw and monthly raffle.

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 18 Modified Chevrolet Bowtie Makes Z/28 Even Cooler

DETROIT – In developing the 2014 Camaro Z/28, the team scrutinized every component looking for ways to improve track performance, lap after lap. Even the iconic Chevrolet bowtie faced audit. During aerodynamics testing, Powertrain Cooling Development engineer Richard Quinn noticed that the bowtie on the Z/28’s grill was displacing air away from the radiator, which can impact engine cooling – an important aspect for all vehicles, especially track-oriented cars. Removing the bowtie altogether did not seem to be an appropriate solution. Instead, Quinn took a cut-off wheel to the gold fill of the bowtie, leaving the silver outline intact. He installed the prototype on the grill and retested to see the results.

“There are engineers in our team that race as a hobby,” said Quinn, “and we used that racer’s mindset to look for ways small or large to get better performance out of the Z/28. Even the smallest details on the Z/28 were weighed for cooling benefit, and this is one that stuck.” The “Flowtie,” as the engineers now affectionately refer to it, is just the chrome outline of the traditional bowtie, with the center removed. This simple solution alone was enough to allow three additional cubic meters of air into the engine per minute. Engineers found the Flowtie dropped the temperatures of engine coolant and engine oil by 2°F (1.2°C) during extended track sessions. That seemingly small improvement was enough to justify making the Flowtie standard on every new Z/28. “The Flowtie is just one example of the team’s focus on track performance,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. “That same attention to detail is evident throughout the cooling systems for the LS7 engine, as well as the carbon ceramic brakes and the differential.”

The naturally aspirated Z/28 weighs 300 pounds less than the supercharged Camaro ZL1 and 55 pounds lighter than the Camaro 1LE - with changes ranging from lightweight wheels to thinner rear-window glass. “The Camaro Z/28 has more than 190 unique parts, compared to a Camaro SS,” Oppenheiser said. “Like the Flowtie, each of these parts were changed with one objective: to deliver incredible performance on the track – not just for the first lap, but lap, after lap, after lap.” http://www.camaronews.com/camaro-videos/first-modified-2014-camaro-z28/

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 19 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 - Chevrolet challenges Ferrari

From the May 1970 Issue of Car and Driver

The world's menu of powerful GT cars contains a few selections of uncommon merit. Almost invariably they are European, frequently Italian in descent, few in numbers and high in price—the precious gems of the car builder's art. There is nothing precious about the Camaro Z/28, Chevrolet will stamp them out like the government does cupro-nickel quarters, but it is an automobile of uncommon merit. It would be every bit as much at home on the narrow, twisting streets of Monte Carlo or in the courtyard of a villa overlooking the Mediterranean as it is on Interstate 80. It's a Camaro like none before.

As everyone knows by this time the 1970 Firebird and Camaro were introduced late in February rather than during Detroit's annual fall festivities. Several weeks before Camaros were due in the showrooms, Chevrolet turned loose a half-dozen Z/28s to various members of the automotive press for whatever kind of evaluation pressmen make. We had requested one with an automatic transmission but with its new 350 cu. in engine the Z/28 was very enjoyable with the manual transmission. The car we tested was an early production model that had been carefully inspected and the result was an automobile of commendably high quality.

Almost all car flakes dream of driving some new car before it's available to the public and it can be a completely unique experience. It can also give you an insight not otherwise possible. One young man summed it up best. "I know it's a Z/28, but a Z/28 what?" Only the hard core car underworld knew that it was a Camaro. The rest had to ask. And although we think it's a stunning machine from almost any vantage point, it generally went unnoticed—even in Los Angeles where the car reigns supreme. It's a hard situation to explain. We can only theorize that the Camaro's finely drawn shape, free of Detroit's customary visual trickery, is somewhat removed from the mainstream of public taste. Indeed, if the world approves of Monte Carlos and Rivieras, the Camaro must be an eyesore. We can only hope that is not the case. In fact, there is good reason to believe that the Camaro and Firebird are the leading edge of a new trend in Detroit styling. The Europeans, particularly Giugiaro, have popularized the concept of a strong, simple shape with extreme tumblehome and tuckunder that doesn't need stick-on ornamentation to make it work. The Camaro is certainly of this school. Only the high, pointy grille seems inconsistent with the rest of the car.

And as the styling is restrained in comparison to past Camaros so seems to be the performance image. The cold air induction hood is gone now and so is the Z/28's front spoiler. A change in the Trans-Am rules allows the racers to use a front spoiler whether or not one is available from the factory, and Chevrolet figured it was no Ionger worth the trouble to bolt them on at the production line since customers just knocked them off on curbs and snow banks anyway. But the cold air hood is another matter and the racers need that. Actually, it's not so much performance as performance image that's been dulled. The engines, which have most of the say about performance, are stronger than ever. The Z/28 is richer by 48 cubic inches and 70 rated horsepower (tough break for those with insurance worries), 350- and 375-hp 396s (now actually 402 Cubic inches) are still on the list and a 454 lies hidden in the fine print. No discrimination against thrill seekers there.

The Z/28 is not quite as thrilling as it once was although it is more tolerant to driving techniques and is more mature in its behavior. All things considered, it's a better engine but the loss of a carefree and irrepressible adolescent spirit can never be witnessed without some regret. And although the Z/28 seems much tamer now than it once did, the transformation is more a function of the car than of the increase in displacement. The mechanical lifter valve gear still makes its busy clatter and the exhaust pulses still cascade and reverberate through the pipes with the same abandon they always did but the sound engineers have so diligently sealed off the passenger compartment that all of those endearing vibrations are filtered out somewhere before they Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 20 reach your ears. It's a whole different kind of car now. Better, but not unilaterally. In their zeal, those persecutors of noise have even gone so far as to clamp a silenced air cleaner down on top of the Holley 4-bbl. (automatic transmission versions only). The result is a car of brilliant performance for its displacement and with prep school manners—not the combination that brought the Z/28 to pre-eminence within the car culture.

But it does deliver the performance. The manual transmission test car had a little help from a 4.10-to-one axle ratio, not exactly what we would have dialed up of our own free will. The surprising part is that the high- winding gear is relatively tolerable in this speed-limited United States, provided you're not short of gas money. The interior noise level is so modest that, had we not known about the ratio, we might have suspected some affliction of the tachometer. If you're interested in acceleration, the test car achieved 14.2 seconds at 100.3 mph in the quarter which is as good a measure as any of its physical fitness. Because of the high coolant tem- peratures required for emission control the power drops off as the engine reaches operating temperature. When fully warmed up the Z/28 is 1–2 mph slower—a situation avoidable when outside air is ducted into the carburetor.

Predictably, the manual is a great pain when you're beset with a traffic jam. And with the console shifter you are better off leaving the shifting to whatever makes it automatic. If you try to do it yourself you will probably, unless you sandpaper your fingers, lose your way through the shifting maze. Because the decent for the 1-2 shift is indiscernible the result is too often 1-3. Chevrolet promised a motorcycle-type ratcheting shifter several years ago but as soon as our backs were turned it reneged.

Or perhaps the engineers became involved in something else, steering and suspension for example. The new Camaro has completely redesigned steering linkage, now located forward of a line through the ball joints rather than behind as in most other cars. To reduce noise and ride harshness all suspensions have a certain compliance, or ability to deflect, built in. With the linkage mounted forward, the compliance toes the wheels in an understeering direction which contributes to more manageable transient handling. Along with this, all power-steering Z/28 and SS Camaros have a special high-effort steering gear. High effort is not to be confused with increased road feel but it does reduce the tendency to overcorrect. The result of these two developments is a car of exceptional road handling—probably the best Detroit has ever produced. The transition as you enter a curve or change is extremely predictable and this, combined with a low body roll angle, is the essence of good road handling. In more demanding situations, those which you would encounter on a race track or perhaps on a road you had all to yourself, the Camaro is disappointing. It understeers heavily; sometimes you can trick it and get the tail out, sometimes you just have to slow down until the front tires regain their hold on the pavement. Never does it offer the driver very much road feel and never does it give him any confidence. The engineers admit being faced with a compromise, ultimate cornering ability or transients, and they chose the latter. And the driver's lot is made even more difficult by the seat which is just the inverse of a bucket—a seat that is easier to fall out of than in to

Generally, the Camaro's interior is quite hospitable. Visibility forward is very good because of the narrow, curving windshield pillars, and the wide C-pillars to the rear are less obstructive than they would appear from the outside. The seats in the test car were more upright than those of the early press preview cars (C/D, March) and the driving position suffered slightly. We particularly like the Camaro's inner door panels which are molded of a soft material that gives the sensation of deep padding. It is far more appealing than the hard panels used on 's sporty cars.

The Camaro, like all cars from Detroit, is a series of compromises, one upon another. At least in the Camaro they've all been made in pretty much the same direction, that of a stylish, quick grand touring car, and the final combination is well suited to its task. And yet, even though the Z/28 is not at all race car-like, some of the Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 21 strongest suggestions of its competition potential are right on the surface. Those to whom power bulges and love mounds are the only readable evidences probably wouldn't notice, but check the way the glass is nearly flush with its surrounding sheet-metal and the absence of drip rails over the side windows. That wasn't done for gas mileage. After two years of being Trans-Am champion things are expected of Camaro, and if John DeLorean and Jim Hall both like this one it has to have something going for it besides nice manners and a pretty fender.

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 22 Nickey Chevrolet

Nickey Chevrolet was one of the largest factory dealerships and they specialized in high performance Muscle Car sales and service. Nickey’s service department performed “hot rod” conversions, and their parts department functioned as a huge speed shop much like Alan Green Chevrolet functioned in the Pacific NW. Nickey was behind some of the most radical street/strip cars produced in the 1960’s. Nickey Chevrolet’s High Performance Department specialized in engine swaps, transplanting 427 engines starting in 1967 with the new Chevrolet Camaro and soon after that into Novas and Chevelles. A unique Nickey conversion was swapping the Z/28 Camaro's 302 V8 into various 1969 Chevelles.

Nickey also offered the capability to modify new Chevrolet cars to a customers’ unique specification. Anyone could walk into the dealership, pick out the car they wanted and then have it modified to their specific requirements. Anything from a street sleeper up to a national NHRA competitor could be ordered. Nickey Chevrolet’s Stage I, Stage II, and Stage III conversions are considered by many to have been the high point of the Muscle Car era and are amongst the most sought after and desirable of collectible cars produced from that time period.

Early in the high performance Camaro time period of the 60’s, it was the team of Dick Harrell and Bill Thomas that masterminded the Nickey 427 Camaro. At that time, Bill Thomas was the guru of big block Chevrolet race motors and as was written in a previous newsletter was the man behind the high performance fastback Nova one of which Alan Green campaigned. Dick Harrell, who was nicknamed “Mr. Chevrolet”, was one of the winningest racecar drivers at that time. Together they formed a notorious and formidable team and this combination of engine builder and racer had such fame that they created very desirable cars. Although Yenko Chevrolet, Baldwin Motion, and Gibb Chevrolet all joined in the same customization business, Nickey Chevrolet with the help of Harrell and Thomas were the forerunner of 427 Camaro and Chevelle dealer production.

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 23 As it states in the 1967 and 1968 catalogs, a customer could take delivery of their new "Nickey Car" either at Nickey Chevrolet in Chicago or at Bill Thomas in Anaheim California. There were no other authorized Nickey Car dealers. Sometime in late 1968, Nickey Chevrolet and Bill Thomas parted company and from that point on only the 69 cars purchased directly from Nickey Chevrolet are considered to be "Nickey Cars". Nickey Chevrolet also offered a service where they would pay your airfare to Chicago from anywhere in the country to Nickey to pick up your new high performance modified Chevrolet. In 1970 the 454 engine was added to the option list and any other part imaginable was available through their extensive parts department. Nickey Chevrolet was sold in 1973 and became Keystone Chevrolet. The key employees behind Nickey’s performance cars moved to a new location in 1973 on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. The New Speed Shop and Automobile Conversion Center was called Nickey Chicago. Nickey Chicago continued to build legendary Hi-Performance Chevrolets until 1977 when the speed/performance shop finally closed its doors. Recently Nickey Chicago Inc. has re-opened as a new business by several key individuals from the original Nickey Chicago Company. Called “The Original Super Car Headquarters”, Nickey's new location is located in St. Charles, Illinois. More info can be found at the Nickey Chicago website. The revitalized company is now building Stage I, II and III Generation V model Camaro Super Cars.

Several years ago when the PNWCC hosted the NW Camaro Nationals in Bellevue our club persuaded Kevin Suydam to show several of his Supercar Camaros and a Nickey Camaro was one of them.

1969 ZL1 Camaro # 65 Double COPO | Nickey Chicago

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 24 Car Club Challenge

Contact Mike Cox for more information about the club involvement. http://carclub-challenge.com/

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 25 Local Cruise Spots

If you don’t see your local cruise spot listed please contact me with the information and we’ll add it to the list, [email protected]:

Friday Nights - April-Sept. Lynwood Taco Time Friday Nights - June-Sept Lacey Speedway Brew Company Friday Nights – May-Sept Covington WalMart Saturday Nights - June-Sept Renton Fred Meyer Saturday Nights - May-Sept Triple XXX - Issaquah Saturday Nights - April-Sept. - Clearview McDonalds Saturday Nights Everett Hefty Burger Saturday Nights Lynnwood Fatburger Saturday Nights Bonney Lake Sonic Drive In *bonus ½ off entire order if you bring a classic car 1st Tuesday - April-Sept West Sound Bank, Bremerton Wednesday Nights - April-Sept Port Orchard A&W Friday Nights – May - Sept Downtown Harley Davidson Renton Friday Nights – May - Sept GasLamp Bar and Grill Issaquah Saturdays Year Round 4PM Haggens Food, Arlington

If you attend any car shows, cruises, or other noteworthy events including races, please send pictures to me and I will get them in the newsletter.

Fun from the Internet

A woman was driving her old Chevrolet Vega home in New Mexico one later summer afternoon when she saw an elderly Apache woman walking along the side of the road. She stopped the car and politely asked the woman if she would like a ride to her destination? With a silent nod, the woman climbed into the front seat of the woman’s car. As they drove the driver tried in vain to make conversation with the Apache woman. But the Apache woman was very quiet. The old Apache looked closely at everything she saw in the car. She studied every little detail, until she noticed a red gift bag on the seat next to the woman driving the car. 'What's in the bag?' asked the old woman. 'It's a bottle of whisky that I got for my husband.' The Apache woman was silent for another minute or two. Then speaking with the quiet wisdom of an elder, she said, 'Good trade.'

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 26 Camaro Club Birthdays

Tim Loewen 7/1 Rodric 7/23 Marilyn Muscat 8/13 Karen Filippi 7/2 Gail Karuza 7/23 Pat Marshall 8/16 Sue Besser 7/5 Tina Miller 7/24 Josh Hubanks 8/21 Jim Weaver 7/7 Mary Bowers 8/2 Dale Krehbiel 8/22 Phil Aldridge 7/8 Ron Liljemark 8/3 Alan Berry 8/23 Steve Hartson 7/10 Jean Krehbiel 8/5 Brett Peterson 8/24 Jennifer Masella 7/12 Jackie Wallace 8/6 Nina Harper 8/26 Drew Smith 7/14 Kylee Harris 8/9 Ed Shofstall 8/28 Garrison Gregory 7/17 Kim Mejer 8/9 Rosalie Maxworth 8/31 Vicki Wiest 7/18 John Thompson 8/12 Jack McEwan 7/19 Tracy Boyd 8/12 Andy Osterberg 7/21 Jim Jorgensen 8/13

Camaro Club Anniversaries

Timothy Smith 7/2 Marilyn Muscat 7/8 Daryl Mobraten 7/12 Dan Morgan 7/16 Lori Ron Neckermann 7/17 Larry Marcy-Angel Rosenlund 7/26 Rick Rohweder 8/5 Christopher O'Keefe 8/6 Mike Main 8/11 Michael & Lucy Harris 8/21 Chuck Lynda Kelstrom 8/22 Jerry & Betty Yoder 8/25 James & Sarah Nance 8/27 Jim & Shirley Jorgensen 8/30

Send your for sale or wanted items to me for the next newsletter.

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 27

2014 PNWCC Events and Activities

6-6 - Pacific Car Club Challenge Pacific Raceway - Kent 6-14 - Pacific Car Club Challenge Pacific Raceway - Kent 6-17 - Camaro club Board meeting TBD 6-21 - Camaro club meeting- 5:00 pm Round Table Pizza – Burien 6-26 to 6-29 Sturgis Camaro Rally Sturgis, SD 6-27 - Pacific Car Club Challenge Pacific Raceway - Kent TBD - Goody bag stuffing party TBD 7-6 - All Camaro and Chevy Show XXX Drive In - Issaquah 7-11 - Pacific Car Club Challenge Pacific Raceway – Kent 7-19 - Garage Plus Corvette-Camaro Show Spanaway 7-19 - Lillooet CN Meet Lillooet CN 7-22 - Camaro Club Board Meeting TBD 7-26 - Camaro club meeting- 5:00 pm Round Table Pizza - Burien 7-26 - After action show meeting (part of club mtg) Round Table Pizza - Burien 7-31-8-3 - Vintiques car show Yakima 8-2,- 8-8 - Hot August Nights Reno 8-9 – Wally’s Camaro Show Buckley 8-10 – NW Muscle Car Meet Issaquah X 8-19 - Camaro club Board meeting TBD 8-22 - Pacific Car Club Challenge Pacific Raceway - Kent 8-23 - Mt Rainier/Sunrise BBQ/Club Mtg Mt Rainier/Crystal –Copeland’s Cabin 8-24 - Bremerton Car Club Challenge Bremerton Raceway 8-30 – Issaquah XXX Saturday Cruise 5:00 PM Isaaquah XXX 9-5, 9-7 Rod Run to the end of the World 9-6 - Bremerton Car Club Challenge Bremerton Raceway 9-7 – Edmonds Car Show Edmonds 9-13 – NW GM Nationals Pacific Raceways 9-20 - Bremerton Car Club Challenge Bremerton Raceway 9-23 - Camaro club Board meeting TBD 9-27 - Camaro club meeting- 5:00 pm Round Table Pizza – Burien 10-11, 10,12 – Monroe Swap Meet Monroe WA 10-21 - Camaro club Board meeting TBD 10-25 - Camaro club meeting- 5:00 pm Round Table Pizza – Burien 10-31 – Halloween Party Mike and Joann Cox 11-18 - Camaro club Board meeting TBD 11-22 - Camaro club meeting- 5:00 pm Round Table Pizza – Burien 12-13 – Annual Christmas Party Mike and Debbi Montgomery House

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 28 My Back Pages

“My Back Pages" is a great song written by Bob Dylan but I plagiarize the title here as the heading for a new section of the newsletter. At the Mecum auction I was stricken by this beautiful 51 Chevrolet Belair that was auctioned and when I got home that day I pulled out some old photo albums and scanned some images of my very first cars. I will start this new section with my own story which really is a BRAG. Please peruse your old photos and send me the pictures of your first car(s) to keep this section going.

My dad helped me with this 50 Chev Styleline Deluxe custom when I was 15. It was lowered with Buick head lights, Corvette Grill, Pontiac Bumpers, frenched tail lights, Corvette 327, 4peed and a complete custom interior. This was my FIRST car and it was spectacular. I sold it to get a faster 57 Chev, it was a dumb move but I was young. (young and dumb) The 57 had the gasser look and it was super-fast. Stroked 327, dual quad AFB, Isky solid roller, I was so lucky!

The 50 was the nicest car in my high school maybe nicest in the region at that time. I still look for it at every event I attend and I still kick myself every time I look in the mirror.

Send pics of your first car!

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 29 Show and Shine – From PNWCC Member Maggie Gregory who is from the Lillooet area. If you need more information contact Maggie at [email protected].

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 30 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Design and Testing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSFcvOqoMb8

The first-generation Chevrolet Camaro appeared in dealerships on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year on an a brand new rear-wheel drive GM F-body platform and would be available as a 2-door, 2+2 seat, coupe or convertible with a choice of six-cylinder and V8 powerplants. The first-gen Camaro would last up through the 1969 model year. The Camaro's standard drivetrain was a 230 cu in (3.8 L) straight-6 engine rated at 140 hp (104 kW) and backed by a Saginaw three-speed manual transmission. There were 8 (in 67), 10 (in 68), and 12 (in 69) different engines available in 67-69 Camaros. And there were several transmission options. A four-speed manual was optional, replacing the base three-speed. The two-speed "Powerglide" automatic transmission was a popular option in 1967 and 1968 until the three-speed "Turbo Hydra-Matic 350" automatic became available starting in 1969. The larger Turbo 400 three-speed automatic was an option on SS396 cars. There was a plethora of other options available all three years, including three main packages: The RS was an appearance package that included hidden headlights, revised taillights with back-up lights under the rear bumper, RS badging, and exterior bright trim. It was available on any model. The SS performance package consisted of a 350 or 396 cu in V8 engine and chassis upgrades for better handling and to deal with the additional power. The SS featured non-functional air inlets on the hood, special striping, and SS badging. The Z/28 performance package was designed (with further modifications) to compete in the SCCA Trans-Am series. It included a solid-lifter 302 V8, 4-speed transmission, power disc brakes, and two wide stripes down the hood and decklid.

The last page is always a new member application, cut it out/print it and recruit a new member

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 31 2014 NW GM Nationals REGISTRATION

Saturday, September 13, 2014 • Pacific Raceways Hosted by Pacific Raceways and the Pacific Northwest Camaro Club

Name ______Address ______City ______State ______Zip ______Phone (_____ ) ______E-Mail ______

GM Brand and Model______Year______Color______Stock? Yes___ No___ STOCK or NOT - ENTRANT DECIDES. Minor modifications acceptable for stock. Trophies will be awarded in stock and modified categories. Individual classes will be determined day of show based on entries. trophies for winner and runner-up. Vehicle Description______

Club Affiliation______

$20 Car Show Entry - Car and Driver $______$6 Spectator $______$15 Pre-Order T-Shirt Size ______$______

TOTAL Make Checks payable to PNWCC $______

By signing I agree to release and discharge the Pacific Northwest Camaro Club, its officers, members, and assignees, as well as Pacific Raceways, its owners and employees from any and all known and unknown damages, injuries, losses, judgments, and/or claims, from any cause whatsoever that may be suffered by entrant to person or property. I also agree that the Pacific Northwest Camaro Club, its officers and members may use images and or descriptions of my entry on their website, in their newsletter, or for advertising purposes as they may see fit. Signature of Show Entrant ______

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 32

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 33

Heartbeat of the Northwest www.PNWCC.com pg. 34