Chevrolet V-8 Trivia Questions of the Week:  1. In what model year did Chevrolet introduce their first V-8 engine?  2. What model years did the ‘first-generation’ Camaro span?  3. In what model year was the name Impala introduced in the model lineup?  4. This Lincoln, Nebraska duo produced a song which would reach the number one slot on Billboard Magazine’s pop chart for the year 1969.  The song opened with the lyrics “If man is still alive, If woman can survive, They may find...” and continued a series of ominous predictions for the future of man and the planet earth.  What was the name of the male vocalists who performed this top hit and what was the name of the song?  Hint: The song was written by Rick Evans.  5. Released on Atlantic records on January 12, 1969, this debut album for an English rock band of the same name and headed up by former Yardbirds guitarist Jimmy Page, is considered by many to be one of the earliest examples of ‘heavy metal’.  What was the name of this group and album which included the track titles: “Good Times Bad Times”; “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”; “You Shook Me”; “Dazed and Confused”; “Your Time Is Gonna Come”; “Black Mountain Side”; “Communication Breakdown”; “I Can’t Quit You Baby” and “How Many More Times”.  6. Nineteen sixty-nine saw the introduction of the first ‘wide-body’ jumbo jet, the Boeing 747.  How many have been manufactured in total over the past four decades?  Is the number, A. 389; B. 747; C. 900 or D. 1,415?  7. The Boeing 747 has been produced in many variants including 45 examples of the stubby little ‘SP’.  Nearly fifty feet shorter than a standard 747-100, the SP could almost be called ‘cute’.  In round numbers, what do you think it would cost you to roll a loaded 747 off the showroom floor in Everett, Washington?  Oh yeah, the top-of-the-line 747-800.  Would you write a check for A. $3 mil.; B. $12.5 mil.; C. $158. mil.; D. $225.0 mil. or E. $300.0 mil.?  8. America’s quest to explorer outer space was in high gear by 1969.  In late May of this year a lunar module flew to within 15,400 miles of the Moon’s surface during a successful 8-day test of all components, in preparation for the upcoming first manned lunar landing.  What was the name of NASA’s program at this point in U.S. space exploration history?

You can find the answers to these trivia questions and more at The FIN MAN’s web site at http://www.thefinman.com.  E-mail The FIN MAN at mailto://the_fin_man@msn.com.  

In today’s turbulent global economy, every time you turn on the TV or pick up a paper, the news about the American automobile industry is nothing but gloom and doom.  With that thought in mind, I find it very refreshing today as we celebrate a milestone in Chevrolet history.  As I sit here this morning, with my trusty HP laptop at hand, I think about the historic event that is unfolding across the country today, Wednesday, May 20, 2009,  as Chevrolet introduces the all-new 2010 Camaro.  What a proud day it is for this great old American marque that’s been around since 1915 when former GM executive (and later GM CEO) Willy Durant teamed up with race car driver Louis Chevrolet to introduce a new, low priced car for the masses.  While the 2010 Camaro may not fit that demographic to the T... it IS a top notch, high-performance car that is reasonably attainable to many new car buyers.

Rolling the clock back forty years, Camaro for ‘69 found itself smack dab in the middle of the muscle car era.  Competing with Ford’s fabulously successful Mustang, the Camaro was a member of the ‘pony car’ club, a more compact and personal muscle car for those who couldn’t have cared less about rear seat passenger comfort or luggage compartment space.  Folks with that mind set could buy a Fairlane or Chevelle. 

A choice of nine engines was offered to Camaro buyers for model year 1969.  The standard, base model was the 230 cubic inch, Turbo-Thrift in-line six which produced 140 horsepower.  Next in the lineup of ‘standard’ engines was a slightly larger (250 cubic inch) in-line six which upped power output to 155.  Climbing the power ladder one more rung, Chevy’s ‘Turbo-Fire 327 V-8’ produced 210 horsepower.  From there on up, one had to reach further down into the pocketbook to lay claim to one of Chevy’s high performance V-8s.  Two ‘Turbo-Fire 350’ V-8s were available and were rated at 255 and 300 ponies.  Displacement took a jump from this point with 396 being the magic and mighty number.  Entry level 396 Turbo-Jet engines produced either 300 or 325 horsepower and king of the ‘mills’ was the 375 horse, 396... a fire-breathing, gas guzzling monster that blazed a trail from one gas station to the next in record time. 

Transferring the muscle to the rear wheels was accomplished by a range of available transmissions including Chevrolet’s Powerglide; a GM Turbo Hydra-Matic; Torque-Drive, 4-Speed manual in close or wide ratios and Standard or Special 3-Speed manual.  Although the brochure lists a ‘floor shift’ as optional for 3-speed equipped Camaros, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen one with a column-mounted shifter. 

A full compliment of convenience, appearance and performance options was available to Camaro buyers including the expected power steering and brakes, power windows and seats, and various combinations of AM/FM Stereo radios.  Keeping your cool while driving in the summer was made easy with Four-Season Air Conditioning, a feature that was becoming ever more popular by the end of the sixties– one that cost Camaro buyers nearly $400.00 more at the cashier’s window.  Camaro rag tops went up and down by hand, unless buyers were willing to shell out an extra fifty-three dollars for hydraulics.  Several sport packages with striping and performance features were offered at various price points.  One of the top versions was the RPO Z-28 Special Performance Package which sport suspension; heavy-duty cooling system; quick ratio steering; white letter tires; Rally stirpes on hood and rear deck and dual exhaust with special ‘deep toned’ muffler.  Now you’re speaking the FIN MAN’s language!

This is a day to celebrate.  This day has been a long time coming.  It has been eight years since car lovers have had the opportunity to feast their eyes on a brand new Camaro.  And feast they will, as this new car is absolutely stunning in real life, and arguably the best in class when it comes to looks.  We’re used to strolling the aisles of America’s Center at the annual new car show in January... ogling all of the beautiful prototypes, or ‘dream cars’ as they were called in the day.  And they ALL look great, especially when on a rotating turntable, lit up with halogen spots and accompanied by a professional model in a slinky black evening gown.  Of course the package is always beautiful.  But, when we walk back out to our daily drivers to make our way home, we say to one another, well, that was a beautiful car, but we’ll never see one like that on the showroom floor.

Those were my precise feelings after gazing at the Camaro prototype, especially after reading in the automotive magazines, that the ‘production’ Camaro would be ‘toned down’ a bit and would lose some of the proto’s more extreme styling cues.  Not to worry.  Last night, I stopped by a local Chevy dealer to get a sneak peek at the production car.  Taking a 360 degree tour, I found no disappointments whatsoever.  This car is stunning from any angle and I suspect in any color.  The example I saw was solid black and stood on a pair of 19” chrome rims that belied their one-side-to-the-other spec, looking every bit as hot as a set of twenties.

American muscle car lover’s rejoice... your day has come!  Imagine, a 300 horsepower, drop dead gorgeous pony car that gets 29 MPG!!!!  Next year promises even more muscle and perhaps a drop top!  Holy cow... it’s 1969 all over again– but much, MUCH better!

The year 1969 saw the introduction of the Children’s Zoo at the zoo in Forest Park and the first steps by man on the surface of the Moon.  Average monthly rent was $135.00; average annual income was $8,550.00 and a gallon of gasoline cost 35 cents.

UPCOMING, ‘DON’T MISS’ EVENTS:  The end of this month brings with it one of the most exciting old car events you’re likely to attend all year long– the ‘Muscle Car Reunion and Nostalgia Drags.’  The dates this year are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 29, 30 and 31.  I was there last year and among the highlights of my weekend was getting the chance to sit down with ‘Big Daddy’ Don Garlits for a one-on-one interview.  Big Daddy will be here again this year along with a number of other features and special events.  For all the details, go to http://www.musclecarreunion.com/news.htm for more information and details.  Trust me... you won’t want to miss this one! 

FIN MAN detailing tip of the week:  Don’t skimp on car wash concentrate.  Always use a generous serving of car washing soap to produce a rich, sudsy mixture.  This ensures enough lubrication to carry away particles that might otherwise scratch your car’s delicate painted surfaces.  If you happen to drop your rag or mitt on the ground, be sure to wash and rinse it thoroughly before using it on the surface of your car again.  If possible, use a replacement mitt or towel and throw the other in with the next load of wash.  Even the slightest amount of grit in the wash water can cause a great deal of damage to your car’s fine finish.

‘The FIN MAN’ is available for your group’s special occasions.  In addition to his seminar schedule, he has been a guest speaker at group meetings including car clubs, engineering clubs and other professional associations.  He has also acted as host or emcee at a number of special events including trivia parties, holiday parties, social and professional club events, benefits and fund raisers.  During his appearances, he presents an overview of the collector car hobby plus a detailed look at American cars from the fifties and sixties.  His program includes a fascinating Power Point presentation with images of collectible automobiles and various associated nostalgia and Americana.  Guests also have the opportunity to play “FINS for FUN,” the video game he produced in 1987 which inspired his nickname, in which players compete to identify the year, make and model of cars from tightly cropped photos of fins and taillights.  Those who score the highest win auto-related prizes donated by supporting Fin Man sponsors.  For more information, go to http://www.thefinman.com.  We are currently accepting bookings for the remainder of calendar year 2009 and 2010.

The FIN MAN is a member of the Society of Automotive Historians and the St. Louis Chapter of the Buick Club of America.  At one time or another, he has held membership in the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, the DeSoto Club, the Imperial Owners Club and the Edsel Club of America.  He welcomes your questions, comments and suggestions regarding the column or old cars in general.  We’ll see you at the next Chuck-A-Burger cruise on the Rock Road in St. Ann.


Bruce Kunz - a.k.a. "The FIN MAN"
http://www.thefinman.com

Others talk about the golden age of American automobiles...
The FIN MAN lived it!