Bob Jane Camaro - Beneath The Skin

[Leo D]

Jim Smith in the Camaro at Calder....

[Steve Holmes]

It sure looked wild when Jim Smith had it, but obviously never performed as well again as it did with BJ. Prior to the Camaro, Jim Smith raced a rare works Rover. What happened to this car?

[aussiemonza]

It sure looked wild when Jim Smith had it, but obviously never performed as well again as it did with BJ. Prior to the Camaro, Jim Smith raced a rare works Rover. What happened to this car?

Last I heard the Jim Smith "Clarrie the Wounder Camel" Rover was still in South Australia with Ivan Partinassi (spelling) who has been looking to do a resto...

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks for the info. I'd have thought that would be quite a sought after car, especially in the UK. I think only one or two were built.

[aussiemonza]

Thanks for the info. I'd have thought that would be quite a sought after car, especially in the UK. I think only one or two were built.

Below is a link to the Rover project. Roy Pierpoint raced Bill Shaw's '67 Camaro before he sold it to Adrian Chambers for Frank Gardner to race. I think the Bill Shaw car described here is the same one that Jim Smith bought to Australia. It was originally supported by "Leyland Australia" when Smith ran it here but wasn't a "factory" car in the UK.

http://www.roverp6.info/TestGB/P6racerJoMoRo.htm

[aussiemonza]

Or here, there were two cars...

http://www.roverp6.info/TestGB/P6RacerII.htm

[Leo D]

Steve,
The Rover....


And again, the Camaro..... modified further still


I'll post a few more pages from Myles over the next few days on the restoration

[Ellis]

Pics by Perry Drury Launceston Tas

[Leo D]

[Leo D]

[thunder427]

...thanks Leo D...the saga continues...the lower photo's show Shane at work, in this day and age its very hard to 'one; get talented people and Two;find passionate people.

Shane, whom I renamed 'ROWDY', as every time the phone rang, Shane would find a reason to 'fire-up' the grinder or something equally as noisey!!!!!!!!!..."turn that F#@%&%$#!#%^ thing off ,I can't hear"!!!!!!!!!!!!...I would immediately cop this 'cheeky' sorta "Got Ya,Again" (one for the floor staff!!) grin with the standard..."Sorry BOSS"!!!!

Shane, a family man, came to work with me at a time when he had lost his 'personal' motivation, Shane was Punctual, focused,and became a very good at his craft...a valuable 'Team' member, for example Shane drilled out every spot weld in the Bob/ Camaro Firewall area and then did the same on the donor Camaro (pictures to come!) a very tedious job,trust me,never once complained and would have used only 2 pos 3 'Wurth' spotweld/ rivit drills....each part was nearly perfect to refit with little or no removal damage,,,,,,he left after the first 18mths to futher his career oportunities in the "panel' industry, where he went on to manage a 'top shop' and a team of 6.............Every Christmas for the next ten years he would ring and wish me a Great Christmas and thank me for believing in him and helping him re-find life's path..........Rowdy!, If you ever get to read this, you did a great job,you own commitment and passion took you the rest of the journey, proud to have worked with you.....and you KNOW how much I hate being called BOSS!!? ....ofcourse you do!!!!.....................regards thunder427/MJ

[Leo D]

[Leo D]

[thunder427]

....the photo of the fenders hanging on the wall has a great second part,Brian,a professional ticketed welder,whom carried out all the structual/HD welding on 'project Camaro',a fellow Camaro sympathiser,walked in and announced to me that he was selling his 69/Camaro 'Red' with 'Flares'..."Myles,Mate!!!!! I've seen how much work you've got infront of Ya!! with BJ's Camaro, so I'm selling mine,I would rather put the money on the 'Morgage,all the Genuine NOS panels I've bought go with the deal, the LOT"!!!...my mind went into 'OVERDRIVE'.......so!!.......the Bob Camaro recieved GENUINE Factory fenders in exchange for the 'Classic' Repo's and a 2/slabs of Brian's Favourite Beer....now thats what I call a deal !!!!!!!!!........I even got to have a couple of Beeeeeers!! .......regards thunder427/MJ

[thunder427]

.....the last photo shows the 'sub'frame,what it does'nt show is that it was a rare option,disc brake front assembly,still with the power booster connected (this Camaro was a Van Nyes built Z/28) ,nowhere to store this item,I put the word out that I had a 69/subframe.... 'FOR SALE'..$1000.oo's

Couple phone calls over a couple of months, with the usual 'Villians' wanting something for nothing,any money I recieved was to be channelled back into our favourite Camaro,phone rings this day,....Yeh!!Mate,Ya Gota A Cammero chassie for sale,bloke over Dandenong rekons yah gota one....How much???????????????

No Introduction,just straight to the point.."HOW MUCH!!!!.......well, I had put a price of $1000's for the lot, sub frame and brakes,tailshaft,10bolt rear end,remember 69/ Camaro's were still not the 'Flavour of the Month'Yet!!!

"A Grand!!!...."Shit mate I dont wont to buy the whole car'!!!!!!!!dont worry about it"!!
My turn...."Mate!!!..shouldn't you ask what you are getting for your money"????....."Let me tell you,so I out lined the Deal!

'Mate,Mate!!!..thats Mine!!..Gib me da address and I will be there tomorrow morning...and Mate...don't sell it as I would be real pissed off..like I will bring CASH!!!....su we gota Deal ?????????????????????????!

By lunch time next day I had a clear driveway,the Camaro fund was up a Grand!! and we had a real happy guy from up country,who still couldn't believe his luck.."Mate (after he paid me!!) ya Know how hard/rare the factory disc brakes are to get"!!??

At this point I reminded him of a point my Father had made to me about doing deals;
"Sometimes son its better to pay a little more and get a lot more,than to pay a lot less and get nothing"!!!!!!!!!!!!! .........................regards thunder427?MJ

[Leo D]

[Leo D]

[Leo D]

[thunder427]

..."Rowdy counted over 120 plus holes in the floor that had to be welded from both sides..no carpet to cover the floor,the inside is to be painted and shinny and the underside the same,the photo of Rowdy in the boot was before we had the 'Great idea' to cut the bottom out of the 'drop tank'........I got a real good 'Sun tan' from welding up the stress cracks in the rear boot floor,being used as Drag Car had absolutely taken its toll on the floor area,so I cut along every stress crack with the 'Air Saw' and the MIGed them up,I couldn't get the 'Boof' head in the space with the welding helmet on, so I used some old 'Raybans',your all thinking dedication, I know....."who!!! called me stupid"!!!!!!....it got the job done and every body at 'Safeway' thought ..."Shit!! he got a bit of sun on the Gold Coast" !!!.....which was nice,because they thought I had a holiday!!!!........Regards thunder427/MJ

[Shano]

Terrific thread and amazing to see the level you went to in order to restore the car. I'm following this with great interest, thanks for taking the time to do it.