Fantasy Junction

Description

1982 Chevrolet Camaro Racecar
Period Red, White, and Blue Stratagraph Livery

In addition to the vast hordes of Porsches and the occasional Ferrari Boxer, the 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans grid also had a pair of ChevroletCamaros numbered 80 and 81, which were entered by Stratagraph Inc. The owner of Stratagraph, an oil field services company, was Billy Hagan, a NASCAR driver from Louisiana. Co-driving the number 81 car with Gene Felton, a successful SCCA and IMSA racer, Hagan drove the car to 2nd in the GTO class and 17th overall while the number 80 car finished 19th overall. Car number 81, the example on offer here, was built by Tex Racing Enterprises using a Dennis Frings chassis and was run by Hagan from 1982 to 1984. In addition to running Le Mans in 1982, the car won the inaugural GP Miami IMSA GTO Grand Prix in February of 1983, as well as the GTO Class (6th overall) at the Daytona 24 Hours in February 1984, driven by Billy Hagan, Gene Felton, and Terry Labonte. The car also won its class at the Sebring 12 Hours (driven by Hagan, Labonte, and Gene Felton) and placed 8th overall in March of 1984. The car was then sold to sports car racer Chauncey (Jocko) Maggiacomo, Jr. in Poughkeepsie, New York, who then sold the car to Reynolds Aluminum engineer Hoyt Overbaugh, who raced the car several times from the mid 80s and into the 90s. This included outings at Daytona, Sebring, and Watkins Glen.

Throughout this period, Tex Powell, owner of Tex Racing Enterprises, kept track of the car and continued to supply driveline parts. Overbaugh sold the car to its most recent owner who undertook an exhaustive restoration. Tex Powell, the car’s original builder and Le Mans crew chief, was instrumental in the completion of the restoration, supplying many parts, many of which were from Hagan’s remaining stock for this car. Powell visited the car during the restoration and the car comes with a letter written by him in 2013 that corroborates the car’s history and remarks on the authenticity of the restoration and the passion and dedication of its owner. Every mechanical system was rebuilt or replaced, including correct 4-disc clutch, rebuilt magneto, rebuilt rear end, hubs, spindles, transmission from Powell, new fuel cell, and much more.

The engine was completely rebuilt by Petty Enterprises and displaces 358 cubic inches. The car has excellent racer cosmetics having been freshly restored and with test time only on it. The car’s Le Mans livery has been faithfully replicated with most of the graphics are hand painted, although some are stickers. The car wears the sponsorship of both Stratagraph and Jean Charles Chevrolet, the dealer in Paris that is still in business. The car wears powerful Marchal lamps appropriate for the Mulsanne straight at night, and lurid flares to cover the enormous wheels. The overall appearance is of a freshly restored racer that was done to similar standards as to when it was new. The interior is Spartan and function and features full Stewart Warner instrumentation.

A modern fuel cell and fire system have been installed. The roll cage is a very serious affair, giving the impression of a tub frame car. The undercarriage is extremely clean, confirming that the car has not been used since its restoration. The car comes with a variety of interesting documents including a February 1982 letter of acceptance to Le Mans from the Automobile Club de L’Ouest. There is also a letter from the same entity from July of 1982 thanking the team for their participation. There are also several prints of the car in action at Le Mans in 1982, as well as copies of the quick reference guide and rule book for the 1982 Le Mans race. There is also a congratulatory letter from Peter Schutz in which he expresses his admiration for the American team’s participation on the continent. A transcript of the letter from Tex Powell is also included with the car.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to acquire a truly historic American race car. A one off car, this example has illustrious history of success at some of the world’s great endurance races including Le Mans, Daytona, and Sebring. Additionally the car has a variety of interesting documentation, and has been authentically and freshly restored. Its known provenance for its entire life ensures that there is no ambiguity about its identity and it likely represents a fine investment as it becomes increasingly eligible for historic events as well.

The above vehicle information is complete and accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time it is posted to this website. Corrections or additional information is always appreciated. All advertised prices exclude government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document preparation charge, and any emission testing charge. Vehicles are subject to prior sale. All advertised to be true but not guaranteed. We assume no liability for errors or omissions.

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Fantasy Junction  •  510-653-7555  •  1145 Park Ave, Emeryville, CA 94608