In 1967, amidst the phenomenal success of the Ford Mustang, General Motors pulled off a sensational introduction of the Chevrolet Camaro by delivering over 212,000 units to dealer showrooms that year. Keeping in fashion with the Mustang formula, the Camaro was offered with a laundry list of options at both the factory and dealer level. Camaro customers could custom build their own car with a host of options previously only available on Chevrolet's higher-line models. Desiring the same custom performance treatments being offered by Shelby America for the Mustang, Camaro enthusiasts looked to the dealerships in hopes of finding these performance options. Happily, the folks at Toronto-based Gorries Chevrolet/Oldsmobile dealership answered the call to incorporate their race knowledge into the new Camaro. The result was the "Black Panther" Camaro.
Already known in racing and rally circles with their work on the Corvette, Gorries's geared up to modify a limited number of Camaros into Black Panthers, giving the Camaro some real street muscle. Modifications such as heavy-duty front coils, rear leaf stiffeners, tubular shocks, 10" front disc brakes, power assist brakes and steering, 500 magnum wheels and low profile Uniroyal 8.55 X 14 tubeless tires were added to the dealer-modified cars. Brake balancing valves and other small tuning points remarkably improved the handling and the drivability of the standard production car.
All Gorries Black Panther Camaros were of course painted black, with a painted gold band around the nose. The Black Panther nameplate was fixed to the forefront of each fender and on the rear deck lid. A gold stripe was added along the bodyline above the rocker panel area and a Gold pin stripe was added just below the upper side bodyline.
The Panther's came with a deluxe Gold interior and any of the regular factory options a customer might desire. This first Panther out of the Gorries shop was equipped with the "007" James Bond panel as a bit of a joke. Simply enough, a console was added in place of the glove box lid between the seats. The console featured a row of six or eight toggle switches labeled, Seat Ejector, Machine Guns, Smoke Ejectors, etc. What began as a joke later turned out later to be a customer demanded option that even the most reserved customers opted for.
Gorries offered both the 327 and 427 V-8 engine options for their Panthers. The 327 offering was the 275HP L30 engine, at 10:1 compression and made 355FT pounds of torque at 3,200 RPM. The optional blueprinted 427 - 435HP, ZL1 engine with its neck snapping 460FT pounds of torque at 4,000 RPM put some real teeth in the Panthers. At 12:1 compression, the ZL1 engine with its large 4-barrel carburetor proved to be a formal opponent for the Shelby GT-500 Mustangs, which carried the 428 big-block Ford engine, but only developed 355HP in 1967.
Gorries franchised the sale of the Black Panther to Chevrolet dealerships as far way as New Orleans. It's estimated that less than 50 Black Panthers were produced. Only two cars are known to exist today, with the remainder unaccounted for. The Black Panther Camaro may be the rarest of the dealer inspired street racers and no doubt the best looking. While not as well know as the Yenko Camaros, the Gorries "Black Panther" stands out as great example of dealer derived street muscle at a time when "Race on Sunday and Sell on Monday" was the performance enthusiast creed.
-- Edited by 68sd on Wednesday 23rd of December 2009 11:28:28 AM
I have never given much time to these dealer optioned cars but the Black Panther is definitely the top looking if not performing with the 427. The fact that it is a Toronto dealer is just the icing on the cake.
I have never given much time to these dealer optioned cars...
Ray, during the summer of 1968, I made the journey to Mecca (on the east coast). Motion Performance on Long Island, NY.
It was a memorable visit. Motion Performance (owner Joel Rosen) operated out of an old 5 or 6 bay service station. As many of you know, they sold highly-modified new Chevys to crazy people like us. Through an arrangement with Baldwin Chevrolet, they would order in a new Chevy (from Novas to full-size) and then swap in the biggest engine you could afford.....even a L-88 in any of them.
And, my fellow car nuts, they would ensure that your new car warranty was unaffected by the swap.
During my visit, as I dragged my tongue around the shop, I noticed a mechanic (who had been working on a 427 Nova) back it out of the shop onto Sunrise Highway....a 4-lane road in front of the shop with a concrete median down the middle.
He revved it up and popped a 100-foot wheelie down the road, smokin' it in all four gears, and he was gone.
In five minutes he returned, climbed out of the car, slammed the driver's door and muttered, "F...in' piece of crap".
<--------- That was me. I wonder how it performed when it was running right?
I have never given much time to these dealer optioned cars...
Ray, during the summer of 1968, I made the journey to Mecca (on the east coast). Motion Performance on Long Island, NY.
It was a memorable visit. Motion Performance (owner Joel Rosen) operated out of an old 5 or 6 bay service station. As many of you know, they sold highly-modified new Chevys to crazy people like us. Through an arrangement with Baldwin Chevrolet, they would order in a new Chevy (from Novas to full-size) and then swap in the biggest engine you could afford.....even a L-88 in any of them.
And, my fellow car nuts, they would ensure that your new car warranty was unaffected by the swap.
During my visit, as I dragged my tongue around the shop, I noticed a mechanic (who had been working on a 427 Nova) back it out of the shop onto Sunrise Highway....a 4-lane road in front of the shop with a concrete median down the middle.
He revved it up and popped a 100-foot wheelie down the road, smokin' it in all four gears, and he was gone.
In five minutes he returned, climbed out of the car, slammed the driver's door and muttered, "F...in' piece of crap".
<--------- That was me. I wonder how it performed when it was running right?
rubber in fourth ? so that was past the 100ft of the wheelie I guess
1967 Camaro Official Pace Car It is not known exactly how many pace cars were built, but the best number is approximately 82 for the race and 100 to perhaps as many as 560 for a special Camaro Pacesetter campaign. The number of cars built for the "Pacesetter" campaign is not known and varies widely. Most of the books I have read put the total number at around 100, including the speedway 81 vehicles. Personally, I think the number was at least 200. After the race was over many of our friends in the Great White North learned of the Pace Car Replicas, and weren't happy to have been excluded from the promotion, and they apparently knew who to complain to. Chevy ordered up 21 more cars under ordering code 80055, eleven 396-325HP Turbo 400's and ten 350 Powerglides. These were distributed to Canadian dealers who remain unknown.
A.J. Foyt won the '67 Indy 500, but according to USCC member Matt Murphy he turned down the car because it didn't have air conditioning or a power top! So Chevrolet decided to build another car for A.J., and it was produced in the same run of cars as the special Canadian built cars. Because they were all produced together they all got the special clear coat paint and the 0-1 code. In addition, and they were all built after the race, date code 06C.
An authentic pace car should have the following details:
Ermine White paint, code C-1 or 0-1. "C" specifies Ermine White, while "0" is the code for Special Paint, in this case a clear coat over the Ermine White. The code appears on Festival and Official cars. "1" specifies a white convertible top. (There is one documented car coded 0-4, signifying a blue top.)
Interior trim code 732, Bright Blue.
Rally Sport equipment.
Super Sport equipment.
"Bumblebee" nose stripe factory painted blue. The regular D91 stripe was black.
Blue RS pin stripes, factory painted.
Pace Car decals. These were originally shipped in the trunk and installed by the dealers in Indianapolis
The Cowl Tag should show the following items:
Date Built: 03C through 04D, for the cars used at the race. There were also 21 Special Built Canadian cars, which would be 06C.
Paint Code: C-1 or 0-1
Interior Code: 732
Style Code:12637
Rally Sport Code: 3L
Super Sport Code: 4P, 4N, or 4K
Special Paint Stripe Code: - (a dash, indicating other than the standard white or black stripe.)
Special Fleet Number: Norwood cars-050A, 061A, 062A, or 070A. Los Angeles cars-L181A
-- Edited by 68sd on Thursday 24th of December 2009 11:10:19 AM
-- Edited by 68sd on Thursday 24th of December 2009 11:11:48 AM
Seems all the pics in the links are the same , there were two different articals on black panter cars and their owners in the old "Canadian Classics Mag "
The 427 Black Panther that was raced by a guy named Trembley from New Brunswick ended up with a friend of a friend in Lower Sackville Nova Scotia. It went thru a couple of owners before Garry Banks ended up with it. It had RS/SS combo, power windows, tilt wheel and a bunch of options. Gorgeous car. In 2006 I was in Sault Ste Marie and went to a cruise nite. Lo and behold was the car pictured above. It's still the original owner who has it. It's a 327. Nice guy. We chatted for an hour as he was happy to talk to anyone who remembered the cars. There was a Baldwin-Motion car that raced at Drag City in Nova Scotia once and awhile back then also. I think it was from Maine or New Hampshire.
The 327 car in Sault Ste Marie? I don't have a clue., I doubt the owner will ever sell it and I'm sure he said he has a long list of well known Chevy lovers who want it. The 427 in Nova Scotia is long since faded from sight and was probably junked. I may have been saved as it was always known as a special car. But the last time I seen it was the mid 70's and it was pretty rough. It had been hit in the front, quarter panel smashed in and engine smoking badly, but still driving around. I do remember the LineLoc was still on the Hurst shifter. No one at the time ever thought any of the "pony" cars would become collector cars. By '74 an early Camaro was not a sought after car, just a 7 yr old rusty Chev.
Back in 69 I was starting a new job in Scarbourgh, at Pat Kemp Ply. Chry. [ now Eastway Chry ] A few of the new new staff were ex GM guys & I was coming from Ontario Automobile on Bay [ chrysler] The sales dept tried to do a Cuda up like the "Panther" & were going to call it that, but somehow Gorries found out?? or Gm [can't remember], but Kemp's was told " you can't use that name PANTHER " I do remember a couple of cars being done at Kemp"s one that sticks out was a Plymouth Fury 2 dr. htp. green with green viynal after market top looked like snake skin & Kemp's put "Turttle" emblems" on roof sails, special interior trim, & a clear plastic box on consol with many "dummy" switches [ some salemen must have been at Gorries] I also remember one morning, we came to work & the Road Runner sitting right in front of showroom with lights shinning on it, was missing it's hood, & intake & carbs. & later that day a "salesperson" was bringing a Cuda" out of back lot for customer to test drive & all 4 wheels came off as he came dowm the d/way. Customer "walked" & we had a badly damaged car, all 1/4's & fenders damaged!!!
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Some times I wake up GRUMPY, but today I let her sleep in !!!!!!!!BLACKSTOCK Ont.
The 427 Black Panther that was raced by a guy named Trembley from New Brunswick ended up with a friend of a friend in Lower Sackville Nova Scotia. It went thru a couple of owners before Garry Banks ended up with it. It had RS/SS combo, power windows, tilt wheel and a bunch of options. Gorgeous car. In 2006 I was in Sault Ste Marie and went to a cruise nite. Lo and behold was the car pictured above. It's still the original owner who has it. It's a 327. Nice guy. We chatted for an hour as he was happy to talk to anyone who remembered the cars. There was a Baldwin-Motion car that raced at Drag City in Nova Scotia once and awhile back then also. I think it was from Maine or New Hampshire.
Do you have more info on the guy named Tremblay and was it Gil Tremblay?. I believe Gil had Karbelt backing him at some point also I searched for him years ago on a different subject vehicle that I thought may have a Gorries connection!. Also on the Motion car you mentioned did it happen to be either a '68 Camaro or a '67-69 B-Body Chevy?.
~
-- Edited by Ghost Post on Friday 5th of February 2010 11:34:36 AM
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I like real cars best...especially the REAL real ones! ----------------------------------------------------------------
when i was in high school at bayview secondary in richmond hill ont an older kids mother had a 327 black panther as i recall it had full wheel covers this was when the car was 6 years old 1973, he did drve it to school on ocasion.
there will be an update as there is a 50th aniversary coming up nov 6 2010 and if i see this guy i can find out were the car went after 1973-74
The 427 Black Panther that was raced by a guy named Trembley from New Brunswick ended up with a friend of a friend in Lower Sackville Nova Scotia. It went thru a couple of owners before Garry Banks ended up with it. It had RS/SS combo, power windows, tilt wheel and a bunch of options. Gorgeous car. In 2006 I was in Sault Ste Marie and went to a cruise nite. Lo and behold was the car pictured above. It's still the original owner who has it. It's a 327. Nice guy. We chatted for an hour as he was happy to talk to anyone who remembered the cars. There was a Baldwin-Motion car that raced at Drag City in Nova Scotia once and awhile back then also. I think it was from Maine or New Hampshire.
Do you have more info on the guy named Tremblay and was it Gil Tremblay?. I believe Gil had Karbelt backing him at some point also I searched for him years ago on a different subject vehicle that I thought may have a Gorries connection!. Also on the Motion car you mentioned did it happen to be either a '68 Camaro or a '67-69 B-Body Chevy?.
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Yes I believe his name was Gil. Both Panther cars I remember were 67's The Motion car was a 68 Camaro I think.
-- Edited by Ghost Post on Friday 5th of February 2010 11:34:36 AM
E-mail to Carl from Peter Lerette of Old Gold restorations in Sackville N.B.
Was just on the Poncho site and noticed an article on Gil Tremblay and the Black Panther Camaro . He ran a speed shop in Moncton with Dennis Surette(D & G Speed Shop). Gil died when he was about 40.Dennis is a good friend and still kicking.
They raced a lot of cars together but I didnt know they had a Black Panther.Really neat.They usually were sponsored by Bob MacDonald Chev Olds in Halifax. I have attached a few pics of the Bob MacDonald cars in 67. I believe the black one on the top left is Gil Tremblays . That must be the Black Panther. MacDonalds also was a Motion Performance dealer at that time.The 66 Olds 442 tri power I had(The couch car) was also from there.They sponsored Clusterbusters Car Club for a year with the 442(I of 54). Also have a build sheet from Tantramar Chev in AmherstN.S. on a 66 Caprice 427-425HP 4speed car bought by Gil Tremblay.
He also owned John Kellys 70 Z/28(gold one).They raced it and had it looking just like a Motion car.Painted black and white with the motion paint scheme and a wild big block in it. John was going to check and see if it was a Motion car or not ,but $1500.00 for a yes or no changed his mind.
-- Edited by 427carl on Thursday 18th of March 2010 09:50:32 PM
The black car was probably it. After it was raced it was sold thru Bob Macdonald Chev/ Olds I think. A guy in Lower Sackville Nova Scotia by the name of Kelly had it for awhile then it went thru a few more owners.
Wait, is your car actually a real black panther from Gorries?
Ive seen it out this year, but didnt think it was a real one.
I thought it was the all black one that has been around for a number of years, just with a stripe and wheel upgrade this year. (The one i was thinking of was an oldlady 6cyl car about 7-8 years ago, Murray Chablak found it back then.) it was/is mint.
Guess i was wrong? it must be a different car? where did you get it? tell us more. I love these black panter cars.......almost as much as beaumont cheetahs
-- Edited by beaumontguru on Monday 19th of July 2010 10:39:43 PM
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Beaumontguru
MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH. The other one has a longer roof.
LOL....Yes it is my car....and you have seen it around the last couple years here in the Peg.....Was in storage for 15 years prior to that....My Father bought it from Gorries in Toronto...was the first one to roll out with the 007 switches, but he opted to get a glove box instead (wish he hadn't)...I actually learned how to drive in this car. Many moons ago....
Hey Carl the 66 Corvette in the pic's belonged to a guy named Richie Jenkins from Halifax. It was sponsored at the time by Alpine beer (Moosehead) and was metallic blue with white logos to match the beer cans. It was originally silver, 327 4 speed. I remember it well as a friend of mine's older brother hung around with him. I never noticed the Drag City sign til today.
Hey Carl the 66 Corvette in the pic's belonged to a guy named Richie Jenkins from Halifax. It was sponsored at the time by Alpine beer (Moosehead) and was metallic blue with white logos to match the beer cans. It was originally silver, 327 4 speed. I remember it well as a friend of mine's older brother hung around with him. I never noticed the Drag City sign til today.
I would have never seen a car, with a beer soponsership! Cool
The fact that it is a Toronto dealer is just the icing on the cake.
<--------- That was me. I wonder how it performed when it was running right?
The number of cars built for the "Pacesetter" campaign is not known and varies widely. Most of the books I have read put the total number at around 100, including the speedway 81 vehicles. Personally, I think the number was at least 200. 
