The team conducted computational analysis and scale-model wind tunnel testing to help give the new body the airflow management qualities necessary to deliver the downforce required by the 10,000-horsepower supercharged race car, as it accelerates from 0 to 330 mph in less than 4 seconds – and in a mere 1,000 feet. Additionally, the new body, which is lighter than John Force Racing’s previous Camaro Funny Car bodies, carries the distinctive styling signatures of the 2016 Camaro SS’s front- and rear-end designs. The tour typically consisted of an eight-car Funny Car field, with representation from a variety of manufacturers and drivers such as Jack Chrisman, Malcolm Durham, Gary Dyer, Roger Lindamood, Raymond Beadle, and many others. “The 2016 Camaro has been a great success in the showroom and Chevrolet is proud to contribute to its debut in NHRA’s Funny Car class,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports. I thought that was rather awesome. Via media.chevrolet.com. A minimalist fuel tank mounted forward of the engine sent a 7075 percent mix of nitro to the Hilborn injection unit atop the blower. Hardy explained that he built this car with the engine offset an inch to the driver side, in an attempt to keep it from lifting the driver-side front wheel as much as it otherwise would. First sold in 1967, the Camaro was Chevy’s attempt to cash in on the growing pony car craze, and the vehicle’s rivalry with the Ford Mustang continues today. That included the legendary 1969 Camaro ZL-1, powered by an all-aluminum 427 originally developed for the Can-Am road racing series. He closes up as good as my grandson's Transformer toy. did too would like one. By 1969, Chadwick was known on the drag-race circuit as "The Professor," due to his years of teaching high school. "We had over 100 race dates in 1970, including the CARS Magazine meet at Cecil County Raceway, where we won the final by beating Pat Minick in the Chi-Town Hustler Charger. The Dana is still in the car. What we can't be accused of, however, is running too many stories on 1969 Camaro Funny Cars, because the reality is that they're few and far between. Chevrolet has even been developing a hybrid Camaro muscle car for the 21st century. Texan Lee Shepherd lead Camaro into the 1980s, with four consecutive Pro Stock titles, his performance enabled by the groundbreaking Big Block engines developed by his partners David Reher and Charles “Buddy” Morrison. “Racing improves the breed and that’s why Chevrolet races,” said Campbell. Even a quick glance at the car pictured here, and you know exactly what it replicates. This one sports plenty of Don Hardy's original tinwork. 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Even though the turbo model is considered the basic Camaro, the handling is still outstanding, which makes it great fun behind the wheel. Hajek had the opportunity to talk with Chadwick on several occasions before the racer's passing in 2013, with Chadwick explaining that the Cavalcade tour was lucrative enough to "put his kids through college. ", We had the distinct privilege of discussing the history of this vintage Funny with Don Hardy himself, as well as Ray Sullins, who served as Chadwick's mechanic from 19701972. Sullins reports a 7075 percent nitro mix. “The wins we record on the track help us design better cars customers will buy in the showroom.”, John Force 2016 Camaro SS Funny Car – Video. For comparison's sake, Sullins explained that by the end of the 1970 season, Chadwick's Camaro had touched the 6.90s at 212 mph. Which do we prefer? The new Funny Car body is the first based on the sixth-generation Camaro SS. Nice outfit...he must be an acrobat or something that's how he could bent his body... A forum community dedicated to 1st generation Chevy Camaros owners and enthusiasts. I want that costume too lol. This necessitated running the steering linkage to the right of the engine. Lane www.chevyhiperformance.com/featuredvehicles/0606ch_1968_chevy_camaro/index.html Next: Here’s The Evolution Of The Chevy Camaro In Pictures. Now where can I get one of theose costumes? Kelly Chadwick's 1969 Camaro Funny Car. We gleaned a lot from these two drag-race heavyweights, including the fact that Hardy was one of Chadwick's high school students in the west Texas town of Floydada. Clips of chevy camaro crashes and fails. INDIANAPOLIS – Today Chevrolet and 16-time NHRA champion John Force introduced the all-new 2016 Camaro SS Funny Car that he’ll race this weekend at the NHRA Kansas Nationals, in Topeka, Kan. Related: Review – 2019 Chevrolet Camaro 1LE Turbo – Entry-Level Track Fun. A Pontiac rearend was originally used when Chadwick's car was built, but Sullins reports the team changed to a Dana 60 for 1970, typically running 3.90 gears. A TH400 currently resides in the car and was popular with period Chevrolet FC racers such as Dick Harrell. Some drivers may see smaller engines as a disadvantage, but there is one major advantage that the four-cylinder turbo Camaro has over the more powerful V8 model; it is much more economical to run. Aside from the obvious fact that the turbo Camaro and the V8 model have different engines, the two vehicles also have their distinctive attributes. Force’s teammates … (Brand and model identification were still a strong suit of the sport in 1969.) It was the lone chassis Hardy built in this manner. In fact, some might argue we've run too many, but we'll save our defense on that one for another time. Hajek bought the car as a roller and described the Camaro as remarkably intact, save for the engine and trans. Driver Position DOB Residence Sponsor Social; Robert Hight: 01: August 20, 1969: Yorba Linda, California: Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS: Jack Beckman: 02: June 28, 1966 Coupled with the same impressive handling as the LS and LT Camaro models, the extra power under the hood makes the V8 version of the car great fun to drive. Related: Swapped! That would be an awsome costume for Halloween! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. No surprise here, but there's very little room in the cockpit of a Funny Car. The Chadwick Camaro is typical Don Hardy work in this regard, and the suspension consists of coilovers and ladder bars in the rear, and coilovers in the front. Even the standard LT1 Camaro boasts some impressive interior features when compared to the base model. New 2016 COPO Camaro models are hitting the strip this season, advancing the COPO legacy and pushing Chevrolet drivers farther and faster. Related: Review – 2019 Chevrolet Camaro 1LE Turbo – Entry-Level Track Fun. He was also a seasoned Chevrolet racer, having been through a series of wild rides that included an A/FX 1965 Chevelle, 1966 Chevy II match racer, and a steel-bodied 1967 Camaro Funny Car. One of the best things about cars like the Chevy Camaro, whether they date from the heyday of muscle cars in the 1970s or whether they have been designed in the last few years, is that they are fun to drive. Kelly Chadwick’s 1969 Camaro Funny Car ran in the Coca-Cola Cavalcade of Stars, winning the championship in 1969 and 1970. More recently, Camaro has become a fixture of the Pro and Sportsman ranks. 2016 Camaro SS 8 Speed Auto 1/4 Mile Drag Video - Road Test TV ® by Road Test TV. The different Camaro models may be different when you look under the hood, but to the untrained eye, the two vehicles appear to be exactly the same from the outside. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The Chevy has always been a stylish car throughout its history, and the current models are no exception. Sullins explained that the 1969 car ran the entire 1969 and 1970 Cavalcade series seasons, with various IHRA and NHRA event appearances mixed in. Pictures are the property of the developer of the the video game. JavaScript is disabled. At Car Craft, we've run plenty of features on 1969 Camaros. Even turbocharged, the 4-cylinder engine in the base model is not a patch on the V8 engine when it comes to power and acceleration. A V8 Camaro with the Redline Edition trim also features a stylish black interior with red seat belts. Soon, chromoly would be the standard bearer. As an example, they ran a flat-tappet cam instead of a roller. 0:50. Comments are property of their authors. Powerful engines are one factor in creating a real drivers’ car, but it is also important that the handling is up to scratch. Please enable javascript to view this site. That's admittedly a far cry from today's amazing e.t. John Force 2016 Camaro SS Funny Car – Video . A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. Funny Car exhaust is surely simple, consisting solely of "zoomie" headers. This site is best viewed with a modern web browser (Mozilla …