Reunited: Dale Jr.’s PR-3 Super Camaro and Its Original GMMG 427ci Engine
- Matt Avery
- 1 day ago
- 9 min read
Berger Supercar Camaro PR-3 and its original GMMG-installed 427ci engine are together once again.
Ordered new by Dale Earnhardt Jr., the 2002 Dick Harrell Edition prototype has been reunited with the powerplant that helped define one of the most distinctive Camaros to emerge from the Berger Chevrolet and GMMG collaboration during the early 2000s.
Supercar Conversion
The Berger Supercar Camaro program was commissioned by Berger Chevrolet in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was an ambitious undertaking, transforming a limited run of 30 numbered Camaros—along with a pair of prototypes—into what many considered the ultimate fourth-generation Camaro available off a showroom floor.
Honoring one of drag racing's most legendary figures from the 1960s, the package was called the ‘Dick Harrell Edition’ and featured a radical widebody treatment.
To bring the project to life, Berger partnered with GMMG, a performance shop based in Marietta, Georgia. New Camaros were sent there for upfitting before the finished cars were returned to the dealership for final sale.
A Black Z
Rather than ordering his car through Berger Chevrolet, Earnhardt Jr. sourced his own donor. The vehicle that became PR-3 was originally sold new as a black Z28 at Palm Chevrolet in Ocala, Florida.
It was purchased by Earnhardt Jr. in April of 2004 from the original owner, Roy Wireman, and shipped to GMMG for its transformation.
Being built outside the planned production run, the car was designated PR-3, identifying it as the third "prototype" constructed as part of the program. Earnhardt Jr.'s connection to GMMG and owner Matt Murphy was not a new relationship.
A few years earlier, his father, Dale Earnhardt, had partnered with the performance shop on the 2001 Intimidator SS Camaro program, which saw modified all-black Camaros built by GMMG sold through Earnhardt Chevrolet. In total, 84 cars were produced.
That existing relationship allowed Earnhardt Jr. to work directly with GMMG rather than ordering his car through Berger Chevrolet.
After discovering the Dick Harrell Edition, Earnhardt Jr. reached out to Matt Murphy for more information and to begin developing his own build with his required specs.
Like the others, the conversion included the signature widebody treatment, chassis upgrades, and a host of performance enhancements. Most notably, PR-3 received GMMG's top-tier Phase IIIX package, highlighted by a 427ci C5R-based V8 fitted with performance headers and exhaust cutouts.
Output was rated at 630 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque- unheard-of figures from a street-legal car of that era.
Gossamer Orange
Being such an over-the-top build, custom paint was a popular request among Dick Harrell Edition buyers. Many opted for heritage-inspired hues or unique contemporary finishes.
Earnhardt Jr. followed suit, but selected a one-off color tied directly to a race car he had driven in competition.
Known as Gossamer Orange, the bright color was inspired by the Looney Tunes character featured on his orange-and-white Busch Series car at competed with at the Richmond International Raceway during the Monte Carlo 400 weekend, where he won Friday night’s race.
For the racecar's motif, the cartoon monster appears to be peeling back the paint, revealing a white nose and a large Chevrolet bowtie underneath.
That car still exists and is still in Earnhardt Jr.'s possession. Covered in leaves and surrounded by dense foliage, the racecar's shell is nestled in the thick woods on his property on a trail outside his 'Whiskey River' Western town.
An Exclusive Hue
The paintwork on the GMMG Camaro was completed on January 20, 2005, by Chris Lee Hollifield in the paint booth at Cherokee County Toyota in Canton, Georgia. Hollifield painted many of GMMG’s custom Camaros, including Dick Harrell Edition prototype PR-2, maintaining an arrangement with the dealership for this type of after-hours contract work.
To ensure a distinctive finish, both pearl and metal flake were added. Completing the look was a full-length painted black center stripe along with painted “427” hood numerals (instead of graphics). Like the numbered run, the car also received a painted black taillight panel, along with the GMMG shield and “by Berger” badging.
For unknown reasons, the package's Dick Harrell Edition side stripes were omitted while the package's fender badges were initially left in place before being removed.
According to Hollifield, Earnhardt Jr.’s team was intent on preserving the exclusivity of the color, to the point that the required quantity of paint was sent with instructions that any remaining material be returned once the job was completed.
“After the car was painted, they wanted all the leftover paint sent back,” Hollifield said. “They only wanted his car to be this color.”
Underhood Signatures
Unlike the numbered Dick Harrell Edition Camaros, PR-3 did not receive the full suite of underhood signatures found on the run of production cars.
The reason is likely due to it not being present for the 2004 F-Body Gathering in Atlanta, Georgia, where the signatures occurred as part of the 'Dick Harrell Performance Center Reunion', taking place at GMMG.
Even so, several key individuals involved in the run signed the engine bay, including GMMG owner Matt Murphy, technicians Mike Carnahan and Ron Mowen, and painter Chris Lee Hollifield.
In 2025, Scott Settlemire (General Motors' Camaro Brand Manager), Dick Jacques, Dennis Barker and Matt Berger added their signatures during the dealership's final All-GM Show, coinciding with the dealership's 100th Anniversary.
At some point while in Earnhardt’s Jrs. possession, he signed the passenger side of the dash in silver pen with the car's third sticker also stating it was delivered after completion to JR Motorsports.
C5R to LS7
After several years of ownership, a significant change occurred in 2014 when the odometer showed approximately 3,200 miles. Seeking a more modern powertrain, Earnhardt Jr. enlisted ACME Hi-Performance Laboratories to replace the original GMMG-installed 427ci C5R with a modified GM-sourced 7.0L LS7 V8.
The conversion was overseen by ACME CEO Conrad Mohr IV and carried out at Earnhardt Jr.'s North Carolina property in one of his private garages.
During the process, the original GMMG-installed 427ci was carefully removed and, according to build documentation, "packed away for safekeeping." In its place, ACME installed a brand-new LS7, beginning the next chapter in PR-3's evolution.
The new powerplant received a host of upgrades including a FAST 102mm intake manifold, custom air intake tubing, a Lingenfelter camshaft, upgraded Comp Cams pushrods and rocker trunnions, and a lightweight 15-pound flywheel.
Because the original 1998-2002 Camaro front accessory drive system was no longer available through GM, ACME adapted a contemporary Cadillac CTS-V accessory drive assembly.
The project extended well beyond the engine swap itself. ACME replaced the engine and transmission mounts, heater hoses, sensors, and wiring harnesses. The shop also installed new front inner fenders after discovering the originals had worn through from improper wheel and tire clearance.
In total, ACME billed JR Motorsports for 98 hours of labor, bringing the project total to $31,215. Once complete, the combination reportedly produced 670 horsepower.
The car also received a Hendrick-developed oil cooling system and underwent approximately 400 miles of road testing, drivability calibration, dyno tuning and break-in.
Shop records noted the goal was to ensure the finished product operated "as well as a factory-built vehicle."
Following the conversion, PR-3 remained in the Earnhardt collection, though it was driven primarily by property manager Sonny Lunsford rather than Earnhardt Jr. himself.
Knowing the value and extreme potential, the original 427ci C5R engine was carefully preserved following its removal, beginning a nearly decade-long separation from the car it was built to power.
Earnhardt Jr. later gifted the engine to longtime property manager Sonny Lunsford, who planned to install it in a restomod Camaro project of his own.
Thankfully, it never went far.
Changing Hands
In July 2016, Earnhardt Jr. offered PR-3 on eBay alongside three other vehicles from his personal collection. Despite its unique history and extensive modifications, the Camaro wasn’t sold and remained in his collection, largely out of the public's eye.
Nearly a decade later, the vehicle resurfaced for sale along with some other Earnhardt family cars in the Northeast before finding its way to a Florida-based consignment dealer. In April 2025, it was purchased by GMMG enthusiast and Camaro collector Mike Wheatley.
"I missed the opportunity to buy the car at the auction but tracked down the buyer, determined to acquire this unique piece of GMMG history," recalled Wheatley. "The biggest draw was the color and story. You can build another orange Camaro, but you can't duplicate the connection to Dale Jr."
The Hunt Is On
Determined to return the car to the spotlight, after taking ownership Wheatley immediately began sharing PR-3 with the enthusiast community. The Camaro appeared at that final Berger All-GM Show in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in August 2025 and later at AutoFair 2026 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The latter event marked the first public gathering of all three Dick Harrell Edition prototype coupes —PR-1, PR-2 and PR-3.
At the same time, Wheatley became increasingly focused on locating the car's original GMMG-installed 427ci engine."I knew it still existed," he said. "There were always stories and rumors about where it ended up, but I wanted to know for sure."
Through a longtime friend employed by Hendrick Motorsports, Wheatley connected with Sonny Lunsford, who delivered the news he had hoped to hear: the original 427 still existed and remained safely stored on the same crate in the same garage where it had been placed after being removed from PR-3.
Willing to forego his own Camaro project to see the pair reunited, Lunsford agreed to sell the 427.
Meanwhile, as Wheatley pursued a new business venture and sought additional capital, he arranged to sell PR-3 to fellow GMMG enthusiast Michael Gregory. Gregory, already the owner of PR-1, took delivery of the Camaro during AutoFair 2026.
With ownership transferred, Gregory continued Wheatley's efforts to reunite the car with its original 427ci engine, finalizing the purchase from Lunsford.
The Retrieval
In June 2026, Michael Gregory, joined by fellow GMMG enthusiast Ryan Datko—owner of PR-2—and the author, traveled to Earnhardt Jr.'s North Carolina property to retrieve the long-missing engine.
"With so few Dick Harrell Edition cars built, each one is significant," said Datko. "To play a small role in helping reunite such an important piece of GMMG history with the car it was built for was incredibly rewarding."
Upon arrival, Sonny led the group to one of Earnhardt Jrs' buildings and pointed to the V8 treasure —still resting on the same crate in the same garage where it had been stored since its removal nearly a decade earlier.
In addition to Lunsford's firsthand confirmation of its history, the engine itself left little doubt as to its identity. Both the engine block and intake manifold retained the original "DH PR3" markings applied during the build process, conclusively linking the 427ci powerplant to Earnhardt Jr.'s Camaro.
This was the missing piece.
For passionate collectors, retaining a vehicle's original drivetrain is often a critical component of establishing provenance. While PR-3's LS7 conversion remains an important chapter in the car's history, reuniting it with its original GMMG-installed 427ci engine restores a key piece of its documented lineage.
After over a decade apart, the original engine was carefully loaded for transport and once again returned to the car it was built to power.
A New Chapter
With the reunion complete, PR-3's story is far from over.
The Camaro and its original 427ci engine are again on the move, this time finding a new caretaker in Las Vegas-based collector Aaron Barnell, a fellow GMMG enthusiast and member of the GMMG Registry board.
"This is my perfect-spec Dick Harrell Edition," said Barnell. "If I had the chance to go back in time and order one new, this is exactly how I would have built it. It checks all my boxes."
Like previous owners, Barnell is especially drawn to the car's unique Gossamer Orange finish and its connection to Earnhardt Jr.
"I love orange, and the Jr. connection is just the icing on the cake," he said.
Burning Rubber
Currently undergoing final tuning and prep at Hawks Motorsports in Easley, South Carolina, PR-3 will soon make the journey west to Nevada. Despite the reunion of the car and its original 427ci engine, Barnell has no plans to reinstall the C5R powerplant.
“It’s not going back in the car, although I will proudly display it,” he explained. “Jr. has made a career going faster, and this car reflects that. They also performed some incredible fabrication work that no other Camaro from the run received. I want to preserve the heritage while retaining the more modern drivability.”
For the first time in over a decade, PR-3 and its original engine are once again under the same roof—a fitting outcome for one of the most distinctive Dick Harrell Edition Camaros ever built.
With the car’s recent return to the spotlight, it also drew a reaction from its original owner. Dale Earnhardt Jr., seeing the car again on social media, left a simple comment:
“I miss burning the rear tires off that car.”
Date | Milestone |
Dec. 2001 | Donor 2002 Camaro Z28 delivered to Lou Bachrodt Chevrolet, Coral Springs, Florida |
Apr. 2004 | Sold to original owner Roy Wireman |
Dec. 2004 | Acquired by Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Jan. 20, 2005 | Painted Gossamer Orange by Chris Lee Hollifield |
2005 | Completed as Berger Supercar PR-3 prototype |
Summer 2014 | Original GMMG 427ci C5R replaced w/ LS7 by ACME Hi-Performance Laboratories |
Jul. 2016 | Listed for online sale |
Winter 2024 | Listed for sale again |
Apr. 2025 | Purchased by Mike Wheatley |
Aug. 2025 | Displayed at Berger Chevrolet's final All-GM Show |
Apr. 2026 | Displayed at AutoFair Charlotte and purchased by Michael Gregory |
Jun. 2026 | Original GMMG 427ci engine retrieved & reunited with PR-3 |
Jun. 2026 | Acquired by Aaron Barnell |
PR-3 FAST FACTS | |
VIN | 2G1FP22G122123876 |
GMMG Door Tag | GMMG26231 DH-PR3 |
Current Engine | LS7 V8 (670hp) |
Custom Paint Color | Gossamer Orange |
Painted by | Chris Lee Holifield |
Current Mileage | 4,867 |
Original Price | $125,486.00 |
LS7 Conversion | $31,215 |
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