When Dennis Collins received a message from an Indiana car broker letting him know that he had a 1967 White Chevy Camaro Convertible with bright blue interior that he was hoping Collins would be interested in, Collins called him back in less than 10 minutes. The color combination, along with the location of the car gave Collins an inkling that it could be much more than just another classic Chevrolet — and he was right.
The Camaro Had Been Sitting For Over 30 Years
Upon heading to Terre Haute, a little over an hour north of Indianapolis, all Collins knew was that he was going to look at the 1967 Camaro. What he was hoping to find, as he called it, was the ultimate pace car. Reason being, as far as first generation Camaros go that would be the 1967, because it was the first year.
The car was bought after sitting since 1990, and the owner at the time was legally blind and couldn’t drive it anymore. Based on the inspection sticker on the front window, the car had been sitting since 1976. But it is an SS/RS, 4-speed convertible, which even being in need of restoration is a very valuable car.
How We Know It’s A Pace Car
By looking over the trim tag, Collins was able to break down the numbers and find that the unit was an actual Indy Pace Car. Turns out, there are different levels of pace cars, all identified based on the codes. A code of “01” means that the car was an actual pace car at the race, or a festival car. Code “03B” indicatedsthat the cars were made between January and March, and were ready and could have been at the track in May. This car, an “04B” was produced after March, and is considered a replica. These were sent to dealers and collectors, but are still very valuable cars.
This Car Is Just One Of A Hundred Made
The “01” cars, or “brass hat” cars as they are sometimes called, had only 40 produced. But the “replica cars” are still a rare breed. While Dennis doesn’t like the label — he feels it’s just the 01 owners being snobby — those like the one Dennis bought here is just one of one hundred made. The car will be restored, according to Collins, so future episodes should make for an interesting journey through that project.