CHEVROLET CAMARO
INDIANAPOLIS '500' MILE RACE
PACE CAR ACTIVITY MAY 1967
The following vehicles are
necessary to satisfy Chevrolet's commitments to both the '500' Festival Committee and the
Indianapolis Speedway in connection with this activity.
500' FESTIVAL COMMITTEE CARS
43 Camaro Convertibles (Pace Car replicas)
SPEEDWAY VEHICLES
3 Camaro Convertibles (Pace Cars)
10 Camaro Convertibles (Pace Car replicas)
BRASS HAT CARS
40 Vehicles approximately 25 of which will be Pace Car replicas and the
others, Station Wagons and Impala Sedans or Coupes. Nankivell Chevrolet, 3800 South U.S.
#31, Indianapolis, will receive and make ready 19 Camaros and all five Station Wagons.
Bill Kuhn Chevrolet, 1045 Broad Ripple Avenue, Indianapolis, will
receive and make ready 24 Camaros. All of the above vehicles are to be available for
delivery to the Festival Committee on March 30. (Actual delivery April 1 a.m.-War Memorial
Plaza.)
The three actual Pace Cars have been ordered for delivery to Chevrolet
Engineering where they will be conditioned for delivery and prepared for their use as Pace
Cars. These three units will be re-shipped by Traffic to the Speedway, to be delivered on
or before April 24.
The servicing dealers will be paid the regular dealer delivery and
handling charge for conditioning these units for delivery. In addition, each unit will be
personally inspected and road-tested by a member of this committee and, if not
satisfactory, out-of-line conditions will be corrected and an individual repair order
written on each unit. The zone purchase order will cover any miscellaneous labor other
than conditioning for delivery, which requires the use of dealership personnel. This will
take care of the affixing of decals, attaching of license plates, vehicle identification
numbers and so forth.
Mr. John Hail of Campbell Ewald, Detroit will work with the decal
supplier and be responsible for affixing the proper decals to the various vehicles.
The only thing that was not thoroughly discussed were the flags required
on the ten fire trucks and the three Pace Cars. These flags will require special brackets.
It was the Zone's intention when they were handling this program to have the brackets made
by the Chevrolet truck body plant which is located in Indianapolis. If you wish to explore
this source Bill Gerrard Indianapolis can give you the name of his contact at the plant.
The brackets must be well built since they must withstand the wind resistance that is
created by high speed travel. I am sure the brackets for the Camaro will have to be
specially designed for proper fit. These will have to be chromed.
'500' Festival Committee Vehicles
43 Camaros: 1-43
Speedway Vehicles
Camaros:49-58 Pace Cars: 78-80
Additional vehicle
identification numbers 81 and above will be reserved for brass hat cars. The three
official Pace Cars together with the ten 3/4 ton fire trucks must be equipped with
appropriate brackets to retain metal poles on which will be affixed appropriate flags
approximately 28x32. Exception: One of the three pace cars, to be determined at a later
date, will be presented to the winner of the race at the Victory Banquet ceremony on May
31.
QUEEN CORONATION BANQUET
The Queen Coronation Banquet is
a formal (black-tie) affair except that the Chevrolet official making the official
presentation to the queen will be dressed in white tie and tails. Chevrolet will make the
official presentation of a set of keys to her personal Camaro Convertible pace car replica
(from Festival Fleet), as well as a matched set of luggage. Chevrolet will also present
suitable favors to the five princesses attending the queen.
It is suggested that Mr. R.D. Lund make the presentation of the keys to
her car to the queen. Camaro No. 33 will actually have been delivered that morning.
'500' FESTIVAL PARADE
Chevrolet will have a float in the parade and celebrities will ride in
the Camaros. It is estimated that over 100 Camaros will be in the procession.
'500' MILE RACE- PRE-RACE
ACTIVITIES
All cars will start from downtown with celebrities aboard All 43 Camaros
will parade around the track with celebrities and dignitaries aboard after celebrities
take their places in special reviewing sections. The Camaro Pace Car will then lead the
race contestants around the track twice and the race is on. (Mr. Tony Hulman extends his
personal invitation to Mr. E.M. Estes, or whomever he designates, to ride with him in the
Pace Car.)
ZONE BRASS HAT CARS
ASSIGNMENT
It is contemplated that of the recommended 40 Zone brass hat cars,
approximately 25 be Pace Car replicas. Eight of these replicas should be assigned to the
Chevrolet Headquarters Room at the Speedway Motel beginning May 12 through the end of the
month. These cars are to be used by Chevrolet Central Office personnel.
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