Written by means of Nicole Ellan James
2023 SCOTTSDALE AUCTION – 1967 CHEVROLET CAMARO NICKEY/BILL THOMAS 427 STAGE III RE-CREATION – NO RESERVE
Once in a while existence can throw a sluggish curveball that turns out extra like a 95-mph fastball.
5 years in the past, Harold Lewis – an established pal of Barrett-Jackson – skilled signs that exposed some well being headaches requiring extended remedy. Even if he has spent the previous two years in excellent well being, a up to date common checkup confirmed indicators of returning problems. Knowing the want to absolutely focal point on his well being, Lewis has reluctantly determined to phase with one in every of his prized possessions: his 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Nickey/Invoice Thomas 427 Degree III new edition, which shall be presented with No Reserve on the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Public sale, January 21-29 at WestWorld.
Lewis is a grasp craftsman that specialize in high-end residential finishes and portray. He has been a muscle-car fanatic for over 45 years, and, in that point, Lewis has restored a number of cars to concours specs, continuously running with the overdue famend builder Patrick Pogrant of Patrick’s Elegant Automobiles.
Over the process his existence Lewis has accumulated, restored and constructed a number of important vehicles, together with two 1969 Ford Boss 429s with back-to-back numbers KK1455 and KK1456. His present venture vehicle is an all-original, matching-numbers 1968 Plymouth HEMI Street Runner.
One car Lewis had all the time dreamed of proudly owning was once a 1967 Nickey/Invoice Thomas Camaro. Thomas rose to prominence within the Sixties whilst he was once a analysis and construction specialist for Common Motors’ racing program. He labored at the Cheetah and the advance of more than a few powertrain and chassis combos for Inventory and Tremendous Inventory racers.
Thomas was once gotten smaller by means of Chevrolet in overdue 1966 to accomplish big-block conversions for the newly presented 1967 Chevrolet Camaro. With the assistance of Thomas, Nickey Chevrolet of Chicago, Illinois, – one of the most biggest Chevrolet sellers within the U.S. – got here up with a plan to put in high-performance 427 Corvette engines into the Camaro in overdue 1966. It’s estimated there have been most effective 14 Nickey Camaros inbuilt ’67. The particular Camaro is continuously arduous to search out and unobtainable for many, so Lewis did what some other professional vehicle enthusiast would do: he re-created one for himself.
The 9-year venture serves because the end result of his years of revel in restoring vintage vehicles, in conjunction with his analysis and collecting of common portions to create without equal tribute 1967 Nickey/Invoice Thomas 427 Degree III Camaro. Lewis asserts that if the auto was once being judged as common, it might get up in opposition to any available in the market: “It doesn’t comprehend it is a clone.”
Lewis has all the time used the most productive within the trade for all his cars with regards to paint, frame and engine paintings, and this vehicle is not any exception. Beneath the hood sits an actual Tri-Energy 427ci L89 engine, one in every of most effective 14 ever constructed, in line with Lewis. This engine – which makes use of the unique block, heads and crank – has been balanced, blueprinted and dyno-tested with 500 horsepower.
The engine is hooked to an M22 4-speed guide transmission whole with an L88 grab and flywheel that turns a 1967 12-bolt rear finish with 4.10 posi-traction gears. It additionally options sq. bar traction, a chambered exhaust, a transistorized ignition, the unique energy disc brakes, the unique wheels with trim rings and the right kind crimson line tires. This Nickey/Invoice Thomas Camaro is done in Tuxedo Black paint with an Ermine White stripe and has a radio delete inner that includes a velocity caution.
Harold Lewis’ new edition has the guts of a real fanatic and grasp craftsman underneath the hood, and it displays in every piece of steel, every panel and every piston. Sign up to bid nowadays to carry this particular tribute house.
