1968 CHEVROLET CAMARO

The car on display is Australia’s first 7.0-litre Camaro L88 race car. It has undergone an extensive restoration, completed in December 2007. In 1968 Bryan Thomson was in the market for a big V8 touring car to compete against the likes of Ian “Pete” Geoghan, Bob Jane and Norm Beechey. Australian Pro-Stock Drag Racing Champion Neville Thompson, who ran a wrecking yard in Shepparton, had his potent big block Camaro drag car for sale. The car was purchased and converted from a drag car to a circuit racing car. In search of more power Bryan Thomson, Neville Thompson and friend Peter McPherson made a trip to the US and returned with a 427 V8 crankshaft and conrods, a pair of aluminium open-chamber ZL1 heads, an 850cfm double-pumper Holley carburettor and a pair of exhaust manifolds in their luggage. With the massive increase in power a much stronger gearbox was needed and it was Peter Holinger who came to the rescue modifying the M22 rock crusher box. After crashing the Camaro in 1969 Thomson decided to sell the car. In the hands of Tasmanian Don Elliot who purchased the car and local driver Robin Pare the Camaro achieved considerable success over a three-year period, setting lap records at Symmons Plains and Baskerville. When Elliot purchased the ex-Neil Allen Elfin ME5, the Camaro was sold to Peter McKinley who campaigned the car during 1973-74 before it was in turn sold to Hobart mechanic Peter Sportelli. The car continued running as a sports sedan for a couple more seasons before being laid up. Peter ultimately chose to restore the car back to its glory days in 1969. On its first competitive outing in Tasmania after the restoration, the car recorded lap times just a second off the class record.