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Topic starter
20/08/2025 10:53 am
So said Henry "Smokey" Yunick, racer car owner, builder, driver, engineer. He was twice NASCAR Mechanic of the year and won 57 NASCAR Cup series beginning with two championships in 1951 and 1953. He was known for stretching NASCAR regulations to the breaking point. His 1968 Camaro epitomized the lengths he would go to to achieve success. This acid dipped Camaro was given both a small and big block engines to compete in different classes. It is said that the 305 engine was fitted with hemispherical heads, and there must have been a helluva story behind that.
20/08/2025 1:25 pm
The iconic Yunick black and gold....love all of them.
20/08/2025 4:50 pm
The man was a genius when it came to doing things outside the lines.
20/08/2025 5:22 pm
Awesome post Rich. Three things:
1) Hemi-heads for a 305, wow! I had a 305 in my anemic '84 T/A H.O. .... I could've REALLY used those heads! 🙄 😏
2) "Acid dipped bodies" ...now, that's trying to maximize every possible advantage! 😎 😎
3) Should those vents, below the grill, be open? They almost look like decals. ???? 🤔 🤔
Marty Johnson reacted
20/08/2025 8:35 pm
Great models of an awesome car! I think that V8 was a 302, though.
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA
20/08/2025 8:59 pm
20/08/2025 10:43 pm
@chris - Those "vents" are decals, and they should be open. GMP did some uncharacteristic cost-cutting on that detail.
John Kuvakas and Christopher Moroni reacted
Topic starter
21/08/2025 10:08 am
@jkuvakas Hi John. Researching the car, it's almost 50-50 that it was a 302 or a 305. What do I know myself... nothing. LOL
Topic starter
21/08/2025 10:10 am
@marty-johnson They're not decals. They are molded in (embossed). Openings may have required an extra die piece to the tooling that they weren't going to expense.
23/08/2025 9:32 pm
Part of my Smokey Yunick collection.
23/08/2025 9:55 pm
The first indy car to ever run a wing at Indy, the wing was only ran in practice because it created so much drag the car would corner at 146 MPH which was faster than any other car but down the straight it would only do 146 MPH, the drag was so much Smokey Yunick did not think the engine could last the 500 miles. Wings were banned after that years race. A man by the name of Bruce Crowler, yes of Crowler Cams helped Smokey Yunick with the wing as Bruce Crowler was very instrumental in getting it built and helping get it on the car, that style of wing made it's way to the NHRA and Top Fuel dragsters again via Bruce Crowler leading the way.
Here is a little trivia for everyone, the blue number 4 1960 Watson Roadster in the photo is the winner of the 1960 Indy 500 and Smokey Yunick was the crew chief of the car, Smokey got screwed over and was never given credit for being the crew chief, Smokey ended up buying the car and ran it in the 1962 Indy 500 so it is the same car that won the 1960 Indy 500.
This post was modified 9 months ago 5 times by john3976
23/08/2025 11:06 pm
Smokey ended up buying the car and ran it in the 1962 Indy 500 so it is the same car that won the 1960 Indy 500.
Interesting! 😎 😎
Rich Sufficool reacted
23/08/2025 11:07 pm
...you may have the best 1/18 "Smokey" collection in the US. 🤔 🤔 🤔