While La Harpe, Illinois, may have been small in size and population, its local Chevrolet dealer, Fred Gibb, exerted great influence with Chevrolet’s head office by the 1960s, including a friendship with GM President Ed Cole and Product Promotion Engineer Vince Piggins, Chevrolet’s racing-parts guru. While Gibb’s success was based on selling practical Chevrolets in startling numbers, to his clientele, his performance-minded salesman Herb Fox convinced Gibb of the sales power to be gained from racing. Already a noted drag racer, Fox soon gained national notoriety with a new 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 that arrived at Fred Gibb Chevrolet on May 27, 1967, added to inventory as a “Demo 302 Camaro Racer.” Soon nicknamed “Little Hoss,” the Z28 was transformed into Gibb’s first racing car and the multiple record- setter that put Fred Gibb Chevrolet on the map as one of the biggest names in Chevrolet racing history. Early in the story of Little Hoss, Fox drove it to a St. Louis Cardinals game, and after getting lost, he stopped for directions at Dick Harrell’s shop in East St. Louis, where Harrell was assembling the first Yenko Super Camaro 450 cars. A conversation developed, with Fox inviting Harrell to visit Gibb Chevrolet. When Harrell arrived in August 1967, Gibb ordered two Dick Harrell-prepped Yenko 427 Super Camaros for resale, and Harrell agreed to prepare Little Hoss for racing. The work was completed the next month, including blueprinting of the 302 CI engine and upgrading it with oversize JE pistons, a Howard’s cam, Hooker headers, a Lakewood scattershield, a Hays clutch, 3.73 rear gears and suspension tweaks including added traction bars. External updates included a lift-off Corvette-style hood, Corvette “turbine” knock-off wheels and a bright red paint consistent with Harrell’s 1967 Camaro match racer. Bold, white, painted graphics announced the arrival of Fred Gibb’s first racing car. Updates for the ’68 racing season included a factory-experimental 2X4 cross-ram intake. On the track, Little Hoss chalked up a stunning 65-3 win/loss record in 1967 and 1968 at tracks including Chicago, Cordova, Bristol and Detroit, culminating in the 1968 AHRA Top Stock points championship and 1968 AHRA World Championship in class. Among their many achievements, Fox and Little Hoss set a world record fastest quarter-mile E.T. of 11.75 seconds. Compelling in its red exterior and racing livery, Little Hoss’s features include the potent 302 CI V-8 engine with a cross-ram, twin-carb intake, feeding a 4-speed manual transmission. Other highlights include a black vinyl top, black interior with roll bar, Hurst shifter, accessory gauges, fiberglass inner fenders and Corvette knock-off wheels. Sold with a historic title, Little Hoss comes with World Drag Racing Record certificates, framed photographs and newspaper articles, while the inner trunk lid proudly bears the autographs of Fred Gibb’s family.
