In 1968, Lud Renner was preparing to graduate from college when he decided to ditch his aging Ford street rod in favor of something that would rule the local competition. To Lud’s great fortune, he was living not far from Baldwin Chevrolet of Baldwin, New York. Impressed by “Hi-Performance Magazine” tests of Baldwin-Motion products, Renner approached Baldwin’s Dave Bean, who referred him to Rosen.
In a 2010 interview with Marty Schorr, Renner described meeting Rosen as “an incredible experience… having him cherry pick the options needed to go as fast as I wanted to. He suggested options that I didn’t even know existed, like the aluminum-head L88 engine.”
Rosen specified Chevrolet’s full-blown big-block racing engine, further adding Motion’s renowned Stage III dyno tuning package and a 950 CFM Holley 3-barrel carburetor fed by an electric Super Pumper fuel pump, tuned Hooker headers, dual-point Motion-Mallory ignition, signature fly-eye air cleaner and finned alloy valve covers.
Well aware of Renner’s racing plans, Rosen also chose a Schiefer Rev-Loc clutch and aluminum flywheel, a steel scattershield, M22 four-speed with Hurst shifter and a 4.56:1 Positraction rear end, a complete Super-Bite suspension with traction bars and shocks, metallic brake linings, Mallory rev-limiter and a trunk-mounted battery.
After what Renner calls “maybe the longest three months of my life,” the new Camaro arrived.
Renner soon decided to use it for strip duty only. Mere months after taking delivery, he took it to nearby Englishtown Raceway, with 11-inch M and H Racemaster slicks, open headers, fresh plugs and a load of 110-octane aviation gas, the car ran 11.60 at 121 MPH on the first pass and went on to win its class.
In the spring of 1969, Renner won the NHRA World Championship Series opener at Englishtown, running 11.28 on the way to collecting the Grand Opener Championship trophy against fierce competition.
Renner retired his Camaro from competition after that win, subsequently moving to California to start his own graphics business and limiting the car to the occasional show or cruise. The two remained together for more than 40 years—until 2010, when Renner sold the car
I think the rims, and tire sidewall height had a lot to do with it's great looks.
New cars have a short sidewall for better handling around corners, but, this is the way tires should fill the wheel wells
1968 Motion Phase III 427 Camaro RS / SS L88
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I can't remember the exact date, 1968 or 1969, my girl friend's roommate's boyfriend, recently returned from Vietnam, bought a BP Camaro. The gent let me drive it briefly one evening. It was the scariest street car ever. The new clutch prevented normal launches, lighting-up the rears. And, I do remember how hot the floorboard felt. A wonderful beast which remains in my memory to this day.
ReplyDeletewow! That's a rare ride... I'm surprised you were allowed to get behind the wheel! Most people are leery of letting anyone else drive a monster
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