Walter J Banacki

Camaro Z28 is Back! Walter J Banacki

Publisher Marketing: Some retired General Motors automotive engineers frequently have nostalgic excursions into the past. They enjoy telling stories of "Good-Old-Days" when work was fun, I possibly have more trips of nostalgia than the average guy because, fortunately, I was involved in numerous exciting assignments during my 46-year career with ten different GM organizations. One most enjoyable tale is the subject of this book: CAMARO Z28 IS BACK! A story of how a Chevrolet news release, challenged by Mother Nature, drove a team of dedicated people to complete a task on time successfully. This was a very expensive project. Announcement of new models and press releases are normal activities at Chevrolet, however, our assignment to assemble and deliver eighteen white Z28s to Daytona Beach in three weeks was unconventional, since both Camaro Assembly Plants were not setup or scheduled to build them. Writing this story line was a very challenging and fun experience. It is based on my firsthand involvement in various untimely significant events, personal observations and the experiences of many people who were directly or indirectly involved during our three-week project. Development Engineer, Chris Fulton, was the stimulus for writing this book. During one of our story-telling sessions, he suggested, "Walt, you need to write a book about some of your experiences." Therefore, here is my first venture. To verify most of the detailed facts reported, I had the pleasure of spending quality time visiting, or long-winded telephone conversations with several managers, engineers, technicians, drivers and others who graciously shared their knowledge. Some of their experiences, that I was not privy to, are included for your reading enjoyment. For your interest in this story, I extend my sincere thanks and greatly appreciate your tolerance with my writing skills.