Hello all, I was wondering if anyone new what the production number was for the 97 Brickyard 400 (replica) Pace Cars that GM sold to the public were??? (coupes & convertables)

I did contact Scott Settelmier, but he was unable to give me a definative number because all of his files are stacked & put away in boxes. Thanks if you can help, Brian

Brian, I'm going to assume you mean the 30th Anniversary model (white with organge stripes). This car was used at the 1996 Brickyard to introduce the car to the public and many people refer to it as a Pace Car replica. I found a site that says there were 3,476 coupes and 1,057 convertibles for a total of 4,563. I'm not sure how accurate the numbers are, but they should be in the ball park. This figure should include 957 30th SS'(240 coupes, 466 T Tops and 251 convertibles).

Thanks Peter, & yes I did mean the 30th anniversary cars. (white with hugger orange stripes)The numbers that you gave me though, were the 30th anniversary production numbers. I'm looking for the number of the (replica)30th anniversary 1997 Camaro coupes & convertables that were decaled by GM with the Brickyard 400 logos & sold to the public by GM. Scott did say that it was around 60-65 cars possibly. Thanks again, Brian

quote:

Originally posted by 30th97z:
I'm looking for the number of the (replica)30th anniversary 1997 Camaro coupes & convertables that were decaled by GM with the Brickyard 400 logos & sold to the public by GM. Scott did say that it was around 60-65 cars possibly.

When you say "replica", I guess I have some confusion. I consider a replica to be like the 67, 69, 82 and 93 Pace Cars that were a production option which could be ordered from a Chevy dealer. So to my knowledge, no Brickyard replicas have ever been made, only the Festival Camaros used at the Brickyard 400 have been sold to the public. Other than the three Pace Cars, I've never seen a picture a decaled coupe used at the track. That doesn't mean there weren't some used. As for the convertibles, it is known that there were 50 Festival Cars used in 1996. Now again, this doesn't mean that there weren't other cars decaled and labeled something other than a Festival Car. Long story short, I don't know if the public has ever has had access to the total number of Camaros used at Indy in 1996.

It seems to me that All of the '96 Festival
cars were '97 convertibles. Other than seeing them all lined up in the infield when I drove my car on the track in '96, I have no proof that, that was the case. As to the point of them being called 'pace' cars, I think the point is that the Camaro was used for festival purposes, while I believe the Corvette was used as the pace car.

GM took a certain number of 97 30th Anniversary Camaro coupes & convertable's and had them decaled to look like the 96 Brickyard 400 Pace Car and sold them to the public. THAT is the number that I have been looking for. Sorry if I have caused any confusion, but this was another stat that I wanted to add to my display board when I do the Detroit Autorama. Thanks again for the quick responses, Brian

No need to apologise, this is confusing for all.
Peter would know better than I, but I don't think there were any cars decaled as B'yard. cars other than the ones at the track known as festival cars.
As noted above, that would be a total of 50, all convertibles.

quote:

Originally posted by 30th97z:
GM took a certain number of 97 30th Anniversary Camaro coupes & convertable's and had them decaled to look like the 96 Brickyard 400 Pace Car and sold them to the public. THAT is the number that I have been looking for.

Brian, this is the first I've ever heard anyone say there were Brickyard 400 Coupes and Convertibles other then the track support vehicles made available to the public. This may help explain why every once and a while you'll see a coupe or convertible with graphics and not listed as one of the Festival Cars. If you find out more information about these cars, please post it. A person can always learn something new if their willing to keep an open mind.

quote:

Originally posted by PeterPar:

quote:

Originally posted by 30th97z:
GM took a certain number of 97 30th Anniversary Camaro coupes & convertable's and had them decaled to look like the 96 Brickyard 400 Pace Car and sold them to the public. THAT is the number that I have been looking for.

Brian, this is the first I've ever heard anyone say there were Brickyard 400 Coupes and Convertibles other then the track support vehicles made available to the public. This may help explain why every once and a while you'll see a coupe or convertible with graphics and not listed as one of the Festival Cars. If you find out more information about these cars, please post it. A person can always learn something new if their willing to keep an open mind.

If they, dealers, did do it I'd be VERY interested to know what the the part numbers were or RPO as this is the first I've ever heard of dealer cars from the 96 race.

I seem to remember getting into a similar conversation with Phil a few years ago. I kind of remember asking him if the 30th Anniversary model Camaro came with the door graphics from the dealer and he told me no. I believe he was interested in buying one when they were new. Maybe he'll see this and respond with what he knows.

Brian, as far as I know, there were 50 Brickyard 400 Festival Cars that were used in that race event. All were convertibles and there were 2 coupe Pace Cars that were made and GM owned one and the museum at the Brickyard has the other. GM may have sold their actual Pace Car at Barrett- Jackson a couple of years ago but no coupes were ever decaled and sold to the public from what I remember Scott Settlemire saying while we were at the Ontario Camaro Nationals a few years ago.

Along with the two actual T-top coupe Pace Cars, GM also made one HARDTOP Pace Car. GM brought that car to the Camaro/Firebird Gathering in Bowling Green at the Corvette Museum one year. I seem to remember it being car #3 on the windshield. Some of you who attended may remember that they had it displayed inside the museum along with other cars they brought for that show. GM did sell their t-top car at Barrett Jackson, but the Indy Motor Speedway still has theirs and bring it out every year at the Brickyard 400 for a lap of the track along with all the other year Brickyard Pace Cars.

Here is one other interesting thing about the two t-top actual Pace Cars from the 1996 Brickyard 400. Even though they called those two cars 1997 Camaros, I have been told that they were actually 1996 Camaro Z28's with upgraded cosmetics to make them look like what the 1997 30th Anniversary Models would look like. I have been told that they did this because when they started getting the cars ready for race duty that the 1997s were not available yet. In fact when GM sold the one a couple years ago at Barrett Jackson, they listed it as a 1996 Camaro. If you do a search in the sales archives of Barrett Jackson you have to find that car under the 1996 year instead of 1997. Anyone else know anything about this?

Heard the same thing. I think they chaged the tail lites and maybe the dash. If I remember correctly, the VIN on the car that was on display at Indy 08 showed it was a 1996. I don't remember which number car that was though.

I too heard the actual pace cars were a 1996 Camaro that looked like a 30th Anniversary. I have pictures of the actual cars somewhere on an old PC I have, Just got to figure how to get them off the now working PC.