The complete book of camaro covers the entire production history of chevrolets iconic pony car, from the original concept car, codenamed panther, to the latest and greatest fifthgeneration sensation. The car started life as a 2012 camaro zl1 with a stock lsa engine until it was delivered to nickeys performance shop in st. Unrestored 1967 chevrolet camaro had l88 power transfusion. History of the z28s first 25 years classics on autotrader. Nickey chevrolet was a chicago institution until it closed in 1977. For sale is an original nickey chevrolet high performance and speed equipment catalog. Every camaro fan has a favorite, from the yenko and nickey specials to the production models and each is covered here. Among the dealershipbased supercar builders of the 1960s and 70sincluding yenko, nickey, grand spaulding dodge, and royal pontiac to name a fewthe most outrageous builder of true street terrors was baldwinmotion.
Original nickey chevrolet sold 1969 chevrolet camaro, 427425hp 427425hp, muncie 4 speed, 12bolt 3. The complete book of american muscle supercars tom glatch. In fact, the radical looking l88 hood has already been shown on nancy gibbs fred gibb commemorative 2010 camaro photos inside. Documented and certified nickeybill thomas 427 camaro. Over time, pearse pieced together the story of how it came to be. Nickey chevrolet also referred to as nickey chicago was a chevrolet automobile dealership located in chicago, illinois, usa. Nickey chevrolet chicago came through with all of the extra performance hardware to back up its high power act with the l72 427 camaro. Offering performance and styling upgrades which only nickey chicago can provide, each of the new nickey camaros are custom built, serialized limited editions. The chevrolet camaro is a midsize american automobile manufactured by chevrolet, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car.
Produced in sport coupe and convertible styles, camaro offered an extensive menu of optional performance, appearance and comfortconvenience much to the delight of enthusiasts, then and now. New book on copo chevrolets tells tale of rare muscle cars. The option list on this particular tribute was put together to mirror the original cars performance envolope some of which include. Nickey ordered an l88 427 shortblock and the related engine components from the gm parts book, then. Apr 28, 2014 authentic firstgeneration nickey super camaros are very difficult to find, and are amongst the most valuable of collectible camaros, opening the door to highquality replicas like this 1967 rsss. Selling more chevrolets than almost any dealer in in america, the dealers highperformance department worked in conjunction with bill thomas as.
Nickey chevrolet news newspapers books scholar jstor april 2017 learn how and when to. When the camaro debuted in 1967, nickey claimed to be the first to drop a 427 v8 between its fenders, and into the 1970s did a brisk. Vintage motorsport magazine did a nice history of nickey chevrolet. Iii nickey camaro to guarise will not be the last one in this cars history that is. New reproduction interior, black deluxe bucket seats.
New super cool nickey chevrolet decal for your camaro. Nickey chevrolet was a chevrolet automobile dealership located in chicago, illinois, usa. Nickey camaro hood to be manufactured by acs acscomposites. As spring dawned in 1967, the roads around chicago were trembling.
Overall the catalog has been looked at many times and has wear on the cover, edges and spine. The l88 hood was introduced on the 1968 l88 427ci corvettes and was used by nickey chevrolet as well as other builders on many of its custom cars built in the 70. Nickey performance is readying their new super camaro lineup based on the 2016 chevrolet 1le camaro. This is a 1969 catalog due to the 1969 camaro being used as the reference car and options available on it. Nickey chicago shares with us photos of its prototype l88 for the 2010 camaro. Authentic firstgeneration nickey super camaros are very difficult to find, and are amongst the most valuable of collectible camaros, opening the door to highquality replicas like this 1967 rsss. Nickey 427 camaros and supercharged dodge demons by grand spaulding. It then underwent a transformation that turned it into the stage ii zl1 it is now. Not from the rumble of charging trains or wrigley field racket, but from the roar of 427 power. However, it was the most complete and well engineered of all. The complete book of american muscle supercars tom. As testament to its rarity and historical significance, the nickey camaro is featured in three books. Nickey chevrolet camaro heading to mecum gm authority.
Nickey, who started the dealership in the 1920s, then edward and john jack stephani, who purchased the dealership from mr. The original nickey chevrolet dealership traces its history all the way back to 1925. Mar 12, 2017 nickey campaigned at the dragstrip alot and if this car was a real nickey modified car the price would be great even with a little rust. Fully documented nickey sold camaro born with factory original gm window sticker born with factory original gm protect plate ncrs certificate. It was also was also immortalized as a limited edition diecast miniature by bill thomas old friend.
During the late 1960s, it became the largest chevrolet dealership and highperformance car parts shop in the world. He drove the car as is for a few months before deciding the beast needed to be tamed, and went. Taking nothing away from the grand spaulding 1967 dart gss or yenko copo camaro, the baldwinmotion cars were on a whole different level with. Inexpensive and smaller than the midsized muscle cars like the chevelles, it was able to accept a huge engine. Special order gold paint with black super sport striping. Apr 24, 2015 from the late 1950s onward, nickey chevrolet in chicago, illinois, built a reputation as one of the countrys goto dealers for high performance parts, and later, turnkey cars.
The opportunity to purchase a nickey camaro comes along perhaps once every decade. Affidavit from 35 year owner who purchased in 1977 as nickey super camaro. Ed pientas 1967 ss 427 chevelle didnt start out as an ss 427. David newhardts camaro, tells the story behind each featured model. Nickey was known for the monstrous big block camaros, chevelles, and novas they produced as well as their catalogue selling almost any high performance accessory a guy could imagine, literally from. The stripes will be available in vinyl gloss and matte and in various colors. It was madeira maroon with a black bench seat, sixcylinder.
Quick with a backward k before yenko, there was nickey. Nickey in the 1930s and owned it into the 1960s when it became famous, bill thomas, who helped create one of the very first highperformance nickey camaro, dan blocker, an actor famous for his role as. Car and driver tested a nickey camaro in 1967 and summed up the experience, the nickey 427 camaro is, no doubt about it, an attentiongetter. Some of the most radical streetstrip cars known to exist were created in the 60s and 70s in nickeys hiperformance shop. A great read for your teens to learn muscle car history. Nickey chevrolet of chicago, illinois was indeed the original super car headquarters. All firstgeneration z28s were coupes with a 302ci290hp v8 engine to keep within the 305ci maximum for the transam series, a 4speed. Given its rarity and historical significance to americas highperformance history, this nickey camaro is accompanied by documentation including a signed. Feb 21, 2014 the last nickey camaro this 74 camaro lt is a rolling landmark. From the late 1950s onward, nickey chevrolet in chicago, illinois, built a reputation as one of the countrys goto dealers for high performance parts, and later, turnkey cars.
Yenko remained a central figure in the story of how the copo. Camaro decal, nickey original super car headquarters. Judged 985 of february 2012 winter nationals platinum certificate. Theyve gone with a custom designed hood and hockey stripe, together with a twotoned custom leather interior. Veteran automotive journalist matt averys new book, copo camaro, chevelle and. Company release since nickey chevrolet, in collaboration with.
This book would be ideal for people wanting an overview of the history of the chevy camaro, for pony car fans champions of affordable compact cars that are sporty with powerful performance potential, for muscle car fans, and for people seeking more technical details about the camaro engines and performance potential. Nov 10, 2012 1967 nickey camaro burnout music by hammertowne video by ronnies bluegrass videos. Nickey chevrolet started the craze of dumping 427s into camaros. Nickey performance is an industry leading custom hiperformance shop. Bill thomas built this 1968 stage iii nickey in january 1968. This stunning 1971 baldwinmotion phase iii 454 camaro was originally ordered. It will also be featured in the complete book of camaro by david. These cars are true supercars, with ls engines producing anywhere up to 1,000 horsepower for the stage iii editions. Camaro is the story of all the milestone models, and the comprehensive history of chevys enduring musclecar. Camaro claimed the championship again in 1969, winning 8 out of 12 races. By 1970, factory support was dwindling except for american motors, who lured the nearly unbeatable roger penske team away from chevrolet. There is no additional writing on or in the catalog. So theres the brief as brief as we could be history on the hot rod chevrolet nickey engagement for the 5th gen camaros. It is clear from their solid history and dynamic future that nickey chicago will be handling all of the needs of the muscle car enthusiast, with a wide variety of cars and services, for those who will settle for nothing but the best.
Last stage iii camaro by nickey chevrolet heads to auction. It was the last car built by bill thomas and the only continuation car. Motion performance tells the inside story of how american muscle cars came to dominate. May 10, 2009 the new nickey chicago camaro super cars are poised and ready to once again make muscle car history. Camaro forty years by darwin holmstrom, camaro by david newhardt and the complete book of camaro by david newhardt, due in september 2011. The complete book of camaro showcases in photos, text, and technical specifications every model since 1967. Nickey chevrolet of chicago was one of the largest chevy dealers in. The last nickey camaro this 74 camaro lt is a rolling landmark. History of the 19671969 chevrolet camaro the 1967 camaro was chevrolets impressive, if belated, response to the ford mustang. Berger, nickey and harrell providedfrom wild to how the hell are you supposed to. The owner held onto the nickey camaro for 16 years before it was sold in 1980 to a mr. Chapter 5 supreme season 1970 chevrolet chevelle ss 454 ls6 1970 buick gsx 1970 oldsmobile 442 w30 1970 plymouth hemi cuda 19701. Foremost among these is the stage i, stage ii, or stage iii nickey super camaro 2010. Nickey performance is an industry leading custom hiperformance.
Camaro provides extensive coverage on the tireshredding, highperformance, firstgeneration cars, including the superb handling z28, the small and big block super sports, rally sports, and indy pace car replicas. L88 hood prototype by nickey chicago camaro zl1 z28 ss. Having made a splash, the camaro offered the ideal platform for performance. Considered by many to be the best known 1967 stage iii nickey camaro to exist, this car is one of an estimated 14 nickey 427 camaros built in 1967, but one of only three to receive the 427ci, 435hp, l89 aluminum head, tripower engine. Nickey chevrolet was the original super car headquarters.
It went on sale on september 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the ford mustang. Some 40 years of camaro history is recounted with detailed color photos, performance specifications, and trivia. Ordered new and built at btr headquarters, in anaheim, ca. Thankfully, a volume has been dedicated to preserving the history of those.
Nickey chevrolet of chicago was known as the original super car. Finished in tahoe turquoise with a black interior, its factory options include power steering, power brakes, console, gauge package and the rare rs. Retains engine built installed by bill thomas race cars. The car shared its platform and major components with the pontiac firebird, also introduced for 1967. Commonly found on the rear body, tail light panels, windows, etc. When the camaro debuted in 1967, nickey claimed to be the first to drop a 427 v. Nickey campaigned at the dragstrip alot and if this car was a real nickey modified car the price would be great even with a little rust. Nickey performance creates a 2016 super camaro lineup. Since nickey chevrolet, in collaboration with bill thomas, was the first to. Founded in 1925 and run for many years by brothers e.
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