During the early seventies Bob took a short leave
from driving when he helped Don Sherin run his B/D
in 1972 -73. When they switched to a injected nitro
Pro /Comp dragster, Bob jumped back behind the
wheel in 1974. Although the car ran good with a time’s
in the 7.20 zone at speeds of 190 mph, they made the
switch to a blown alcohol motor that produced results
with 7 teen second runs with speeds of 197 .The car
also had a Lenco with a Crower-glide, instead of an
outdated clutch automatic. The dragster was an old
Don Long car, a nice car in its own right, but it needed
more wheel base, so they lengthened the chassis with
the addition of new front rails. Two Alberta racers
signed Bob’s Pro/Comp license, Ken Mclean, who
raced both nitro dragster and funny car. The other
racer was, and is one the most well known Canadian
drag racers, Gary Beck. Upon signing Bob’s license
Gary asked Bob "Are you crazy to race a front engine
car?" One of their accomplishments in 1975 was to
qualify at the prestigious Indy Nationals, quite a feat
when you consider all the heavy hitters such as Dale
Armstrong, Joe Amato, Ken Veney and wild Wilfred all
came to Indy to race.
In 1979 Bob took a step back when he built a B/ED
with parts he had laying around, and a used chassis
that he brought up to specs. With a 350 SB Chevy
and a Power-glide transmission Bob Bob only had
7000 in the car. Although he was racing, it was not
quite up to Bobs idea of going fast, so after a season
he sold the car. A year later in 1980 he helped out
with a car that started out as a ‘Vette bodied A/EA, but
was soon changed over to a T body. With a T body,
and being lighter the car ran competitive times in the
8.80 range. Bob did some driving, but competition
eliminator is a class where there is a lot of effort with
not a lot of return, so he was looking to move on for
the following season. In 1981 Bob went back to the
familiar dragsters when he was asked to drive the
Hansell-Nakamura top alcohol rear engine dragster. It
was arguably Bob’s best ride as the car was competitive
every where it ran, and in fact in 1983 they won a
NHRA WCS points meet in Fremont California. With a
strong field that consisted of many of the best alcohol
dragsters California had to offer, and at the time
California cars were among the best that were around.
They won the race on a tricky track where they were
number one qualifier with a 6.9 sec run, and continued
to improve from there. In the final they ran a 6.57 at
209 mph, along with the good time’s Bob was on top
of his game that day, a tough combination to beat.
A Donovan aluminum Chrysler engine topped with a
10:71 blower, and a 6 finger Hays clutch helped produce
some real good numbers for the car from
Winnipeg. A small trailer, just big enough to fit the car,
and a Suburban were used to bring the car to the
track. It was not a high dollar operation, but they had
the desire and talent to field a good race-car.
Bob’s last car was a Corvette funny car he bought in
North Dakota which he wound up racing for four
years, and since it was funded by Bob he primarily
match raced the car.
The ‘Vette raced in places such as Winnipeg, Calgary,
Saskatchewan, and in South Dakota. Bob’s Corvette
used a small Donovan Hemi for power, and ran times
in the mid 7’s at speeds over 180 mph. After he finished
racing the car it sat for another 5 years before
he sold the car.
Bob now resides in Calgary, and helps his brother
building street rods, although the desire to go the
track still burns in him! Thank you to Bob Bucini
In October of 2003, the Berardini Bros. Racing Team was
honored with the first ever, California Hot Rod Reunion's
Golden Age award, at the drag races in Bakersfield,
California. Pat and Tony were given the award for their dedication,
innovations, and achievements during the infancy of
organized drag racing. Just one more memorable highlight
in my Dad's life.
Rudy Perez had vowed never to sell the "404" as he had
owned it for the past 37 years, having driven the roadster
some 185,702 miles. But, one day in January 2004 while at
the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, a true purist
and avid car collector from Salina, Kansas, Roger Morrison
made Rudy an offer he couldn't refuse.
Roger's offer, he wanted to preserve the history of the "404"
and the Berardini Bros. Racing Team.
Roger's goal, to restore the car to it' original racing glory of
the early pioneer days when Pat and Tony owned it.
The car went to Dave Crouse and his professional restoration
crew from Loveland, Colorado.The roadster was now
on a full restoration schedule in order to have it ready for
the 2005 Grand National Roadster Show. Roger interviewed
and videoed Pat at his home for several hours.He wanted
every detail on Pat and Tony and how they raced two of the
coolest looking and hopped up roadsters of the 50's.Well
let's give you some info on the restoration and parts used.
Dave Crouse and crew totally restored the frame and created
new bomber seats and a new two-point roll bar, with the
help of Pat's memory of the way it was in an 11 sec. racecar.
Custom Auto's Dustin Nere sprayed the 404 in black
DuPont 2-stage paint and recreated Pat's 1950's white
flames. Von Dutch did the pin stripping.
A stock 32 dash sports Stewart-Warner gauges. The steering
wheel is from a 1940 Ford. A 39 Ford transmission is
powered by a 10- inch Borg and Beck clutch pressing on a
lightened stock flywheel. An all original Moon 3 gallon fuel
tank along with a manual fuel pump (kept safe by Rudy
Perez) were resituated on the passenger's side floor boards.
The bomber seats were covered in red vinyl and a white
vinyl tonneau cover were created by Doug's Upholstery in
Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Pinstriper Alan Johnson studied Von
Dutch's style and completed all pin stripping as closely as
possible to Von Dutch's original stripes. Classic hot rod suspension
tricks were done with stock radius rods on 32
Deuce springs supported with 49 Plymouth shocks, a Dago
axle and 40 Ford spindles. Aircraft tube shocks were
installed on the 40 Ford 3.78:1 banjo rearend. The rearend
was supported on 40 ford transverse spring tied to some 40
Ford radius rods. Pat put 16x4-inch 40 Ford wheels on the
front axle and 15x5-inch Ford pickup wheels on the rear
axle. The rear wheels were mounted with 8.20x15 Coker
Firestone tires, while the front wheels were mounted with
6.00x 16 Coker reproduction Firestone tires.
The engine is a 1948 Ford flathead model 59A bored to
1/8th over. A SCAT 4 inch cast nodular crankshaft connected
to some SCAT 4130 steel H beam rods topped with
some Ross forged pistons and some Harrell finned aluminum
heads chambered and polished with stainless steel
valves yielding a modest 9.75:1 compression ratio. Of
course Ed Iskenderian found his very last 404 camshaft,
lifters and Isky valve springs, which Dave and crew would
have installed into this fresh flathead. Four Stromberg 97
carburetors rebuilt by Jake Yenny are mounted on an
Edelbrock 4x2bbl intake manifold, lit by a Harman & Collins
magneto rebuilt by Tom Cirello of California. Speedway
Motors high volume water pumps help cool this one of a
kind flathead. The Belond-style headers were recreated and
fabricated by Jake Yenny. All this horsepower was hooked to
the rearend by a shortened 40 Ford drive shaft and a 48
Ford 3 speed manual truck transmission, built by Don
Coleman of Englewood, Co. A 10" Borg & Beck clutch
pressing a lightened Ford flywheel covered by a stock bell
housing completed the final connection of the driveline.
The "404" restoration won the prestigious Bruce Meyer
Preservation Award. Dave Crouse's Custom Auto Crew did
an extraordinary job.
Roger gave Pat Berardini, Jeano LaCoste and Rudy Perez
one heck of an unveiling and reception, at the Wally Parks
NHRA Motorsports Museum on January 19th, 2005 almost
one year to the day. Several hundred people attended,
along with old and new friends, family, photographers and
journalists. Pat gave me (Moe Putney) from Action Sports
Photography a personal call and invited me to come to this
rare event to shoot images along side of the Rodder's
Journal photographer.
Jeano and Rudy made the night come full circle. Here were
the two men who helped make the history of the "404" complete.
The "404" was driven by Roger, from the Grand
National Roadster Show, on January 23rd, 2005, Into the
Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. It stayed there
throughout the Winternationals drag races. The "404" was
given a first rate write up in the Rodder's Journal. The roadster
was then taken to Northern California where it was further
photographed for the Rodder's Journal. After the
California shoot the "404" was taken back to the Wally Parks
NHRA Museum for a few months then on to the Peterson
Automotive Museum in L.A., not necessarily in that order.
Next the roadster was taken to the 14th Annual California
Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield, Ca. and displayed in the
lobby of the Double Tree Hotel.
But wait! Yes, it does get better! This past year 2007, Roger
and the "404" and Pat were invited to The Pebble Beach
show where the "404" 32 Deuce roadster took "first place" in
the roadster class.
Now the pinnacle has truly been reached both in Pat and
Roger's careers, all with many thanks to Roger and his wife
Sissy and Dave Crause and crew, along with all the previous
owners who helped save the "404" throughout the
years. A special request by Pat to Roger to have Tony's
name put on the right side of the "404" has been carried out.
Over the past few years I have seen Pat's memories of the
"404" rekindled from our first meeting at the hobby shop to
date. It is an honor to have you as my good friend Pat.
Happy birthday early Pat, soon to be 81 yrs. young.
Hey Pat! "Once a Hot Rodder, always a Hot Rodder!”
Moe
You remember that old jingle .. "Let's all go to A&W"?
There's a whole new spin on taking the family to the
"family burger place" and it's called "Cruisin The Dub".
For car buffs in the lower mainland whether you
owned or just liked to walk around and dreaming of
what was or what someday may be "The Java Hut"
was the place to be on a Friday night but it's now the
parking lot of the A&W in Langley and it's an all age,
all era event. Apparently even Steven Segal and his
"entourage" have been spotted checking under hoods
on 200th street in Langley, B.C. In an attempt to
resurrect the "good old days" pretty much every A&W
from B.C. to New Foundland has a "Cruisin the Dub"
during the warmer months and to really bring a
nostalgic feeling to these nightly, weekly or monthly
events you might even see a car hop walking up to
your window. For more information and complete
details on community cruise events and
Cruisin the Dub check out the website,
http://www.aw.ca/cruisin-the-dub.nsf/home
It's a great trip down memory lane ‘cuz no matter
where you lived at one time or another you went with
your family or a car load of friends just to hang out
and watch that "hot chick" or better yet the cheer-leadering
squad drink milk shake and giggle!
Let's face it, most of us were deeply saddened seeing
the drive in style go, making way for the drive-thru to
take it's place, so it's refreshing to see something "old"
become new again. It's a fantastic glimmer of the
American Graffiti days minus Ronny Howard and
Wolfman Jack!!
Very few things have remained anywhere near the
same since the 50's but A&W really hasn't changed
that much. Yes, you can buy an A&W rootbeer in any
grocery or corner store now but there's still something
about that frosty mug that makes it taste better and
why not .. it's been a best seller since 1919! Aside
from the addition of a veggie burger (that kinda makes
me queasy) the menu hasn't still has everyone’s old
favourites; Whistle Dogs, Grampa, Mama, Papa, Teen
and Baby burgers, mmmm and those fresh onion
rings .. it was always a fun place for the entire community to
gather no matter what the age or occasion.
The first Canadian location opened up in 1956
Portage Avenue in Winnipeg, Manitoba, which I
verified with John Thiessen who helped pave the
parking lot and to this day visits A&W weekly.
John and A&W have a long standing relationship ...
In 1957 John took his sweetheart Martha there on
their first date, still go for dinner after church on
Sundays and just this past July 5th John and Martha
visited the Maple Ridge location of A&W for their 50th
anniversary!! Despite the rain, members of the
Thiessen’s family, and the A&W staff, including the
Great Root Bear helped celebrate this marital
milestone along with the Golden Ears Classic Car
Club and their beautiful cars!!
CONGRATULATIONS, WOW ... half a century is truly
amazing!!! For the "rootbears" that like oval track,
A&W announced the title sponsorship for the A&W
300. This 300 lap NASCAR race which was held June
28th at Barrie (Ontario) Speedway is part of the
Canadian Tire Series and was broadcast live on
TSN.So what do ya say .. jump in the woody
and let's all go to A&W!!
Later,
Turbo Grrrl.
THINK YOU HAVE IT TOUGH AT WORK, CHECK OUT
THIS COMPANY'S LATEST MEMO.
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY NEW OFFICE POLICY
Dress Code: You are advised to come prepared to work
dressed appropriately. If we see you wearing Italian shoes,
we will assume you are doing well financially and therefore
do not need a raise. If you dress poorly, or lack clothing,
you need to learn to manage your money better, so that you
may buy nicer clothes, and therefore you do not need a
raise. If you dress just right, you are right where you need
to be, and therefore, you do not need a raise.
Sick Days: We will no longer accept a doctor's note as
proof of sickness. If you are able to go to the
doctor, you are able to come to work.
Personal Days: Each employee will now receive a total of
104 personal days a year. They are called Saturdays &
Sundays for those working weekdays, or your two days off
wherever they fall.
Bereavement Leave: This is no excuse for missing work.
There is nothing you can do for dead friends, relatives or
co-workers. Every effort should be made to have nonemployees
attend the funeral arrangements in your place.
In rare cases where employee involvement is necessary,
the funeral should be scheduled in the late afternoon when
no other customers are expected. Otherwise, you may work
through your lunch and subsequently leave half an hour
early, if no customers are around.
Bathroom Breaks: Entirely too much time is being spent in
the toilet. Unless you have a doctors note (see above), urologist,
with test results, there is now a strict three-minute
time limit in the stalls. At the end of three minutes, an alarm
will sound, the toilet paper roll will retract, the stall door will
open, and a picture will be taken. After your second such
offence, your picture will be posted on the company bulletin
board under the "Chronic Offenders" category. Anyone
caught smiling in the picture will be dealt with under the
company's mental health policy, and permanently placed in
customer service.
Lunch Break: * Skinny people get 30 minutes for lunch, as
they need to eat more, so that they can look healthy.*
Regular sized people get 15 minutes for lunch to get a balanced
meal to maintain their figure. * Chubby people get 5
minutes for lunch, because that's all the time needed to
drink a Slim-Fast.
Smoke Breaks: We do not hire people to smoke on our
company time. Either do it before or after work, or have you
heard.. it's bad for your health...and not allowed in public
locations indoor & outdoor... Quit!
Thank you for your loyalty to our company. We are here to
provide a positive employment experience. Therefore, all
questions, comments, concerns, complaints, frustrations,
irritations, aggravations, insinuations, allegations, accusations,
contemplations, consternation and input should be
directed...elsewhere.
The Management
As the investigation continues into the tragic accident that
took the life of driver Scott Kalitta, NHRA has announced
that beginning at the Mopar Mile High Nationals in Denver,
Colo., both the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes will race to
1,000 feet instead of the traditional 1,320 feet or one-quarter
mile. This is an interim step that is being taken while NHRA
continues to analyze and determine whether changes should
be made to build upon the sport's long standing safety
record, given the inherent risks and ever-present dangers
associated with the sport.
This interim change was made by NHRA in collaboration
with professional race teams. NHRA believes that racing the
Top Fuel and Funny Car classes to 1,000 feet will allow
NHRA and the racing community time to evaluate, analyze
and implement potential changes based on the safety initiatives
outlined last week.
With the change, fans will still be able to enjoy the sights,
sounds and thrill of NHRA nitro racing with speeds around
300 mph and quick elapsed times to 1,000 feet.
Over the years, NHRA has implemented many initiatives to
enhance safety including measures to limit speeds from
increasing, personal protective gear, vehicle improvements,
and track enhancements such as sand traps, catch nets and
concrete barriers the entire length of the drag strip.
In the wake of the tragic series of events that took Kalitta's
life, the following technical issues are currently under
investigation:
1) what might be done to reduce engine failures;
2) parachute mounting techniques and materials as well as
identifying a parachute material that could be more fire
resistant;
3) exploring whether there is a way to increase brake efficiency
when cars lose downforce due to the loss of the
body;
4) analyzing additional methods that might be developed at
the top end of the race track to help arrest runaway vehicles;
5) considering whether current speeds should be further limited
or reduced to potentially improve safety.
"The board members of the Professional Racers Owners
Organization (PRO) wholeheartedly and unanimously support
this decision," said its president Kenny Bernstein.
"We want to thank NHRA for listening to our input and suggestions
to incorporate these changes. It is not lost on any
of us that this constitutes a change in our history of running
a quarter-mile, but it's the most immediate adjustment we
can make in the interest of safety which is foremost on
everyone's mind.
This may be a temporary change and we
recognize it is not the total answer.
We will continue to work hand in hand with NHRA to
evaluate other methods of making Top Fuel and Funny
Car competition safer so that we might return to our
quarter-mile racing standard.
We also want to thank Connie Kalitta for his invaluable input.
He has been a rock through these difficult times."
The views and opinions of "Catfish" are his own and not
endorsed by his employer(s), Quicktimes, NHRA, the
Roman Catholic Church, his family, friends or any one else
in Canada or on this planet.
World-Class Cars From ...Three Hills ?
In the winter of 1970 Jim White was working at a
seismic camp in Northern Alberta. Four bucks an hour
was not bad, and there was no place to spend it. Jim
saved his money and avoided the poker games, so he
had a few bucks when he came back to Calgary.
In those days the common thought was that if you
worked hard for something, you would appreciate it
more. The self-esteem "experts" were not yet in the
picture. (How did we get by?)
Jim drove a '69 GTO convertible with a 400-V8 and
was quite happy with it. For a young guy who loves
cars, the thing to do in the Calgary summertime was
to get a bunch of friends, girls, and coolers and head
for the local drag strip.
Gene McMahon ran Shepard Raceway on an old runway
in southeast Calgary. It was a quarter-mile, the
standard length for drag strips, and the place was
packed every show. One car Jim noticed was a sizzling
Camaro called "Rat Patrol." It was from the
metropolis of Three Hills, Alberta. The sponsor was
Cliff Bristow Motors, the local GM dealer in the town.
They had GM all figured out when it came to specialorder
and C.O.P.O. vehicles.
Jim got talking to them and in April of 1971, he
ordered a new car through the dealership. At the time,
four thousand dollars would pretty much buy you a
Chevelle SS, or a Ram-Air GTO, or any number of
factory musclecars.
Most of us dreamed of having a Corvette, but didn't
dwell on it. With the order sheet in front of him, Jim
figured he could swing it, so he specified a 1972
Corvette T-Top with the 454-V8, turbo 400 automatic,
tilt & telescopic power steering and 4-wheel disc
brakes, also power.
1972 would be the last year for chrome bumpers on
the 'Vette, so Jim (correctly) figured it would be a
milestone. He put his carefully-saved $300 down,
along with the order, and the bank financed the balance
($6600). Jim was excited. He'd always wanted
a Corvette, and now it was about to happen.
Early April till late October is an eternity for a young
guy. But the Mille Miglia (famous race course) Red TTop
coupe finally arrived.
They were nice enough to bring it to Calgary in the
trailer, along with the racecars. Although the Corvette
was the envy of all his friends, Jim wasn't content to
stop there. He installed a set of Cragar SS chrome 15 x 8
mags, chrome Hooker headers and chrome side pipes.
Every stock piece removed from the new car was
carefully stored away, a wise move, indeed.
36 years later, the red coupe has about 58,000 miles
and has never seen winter. Jim had it repainted the
stock color, and installed new stainless steel brakes
throughout. I asked him if he had any regrets about
the car, like maybe choosing a 4-speed instead of the
automatic. We chuckled about the reason most of us
ordered the automatic transmission back then - it was
very expensive to miss a shift..
Nobody had a Centreforce clutch, only those heavyduty
3-finger types (same as a gravel truck).
Compounding that was the linkage on the outside of
the transmission, instead of inside, like the new ones.
And it was not that we were any less coordinated than
the whippersnappers of today. It just was very difficult
to take a big-block to 6500 RPM, stab the clutch
pedal, ram the handle from second to third and sidestep
the pedal without spilling the beer between your
legs. Some things are easy to explain.
Jim's a 'Vette fan for life, too. Besides having a new
Z06, his 1954 is being restored as you read this. He
also has a Silver Anny Pace Car he bought in (the
equivalent of Three Hills) rural Wyoming.
We'll save both of those stories for down the road.
Fred Nelson is an accredited Calgary appraiser who operates
Nelson Racing. Reach him at (403) 242-3856.
THE LIFE OF A HOT ROD CAR
When people first meet me, they say to themselves.
Boy, is he lucky to be a Hot Rod. While I may look
good now, the process was long, sometimes painful
and disappointing. Unlike a newborn baby, I was not
conceived in nine months. When first brought into this
world I was not cute and snuggly. I also did not let out
a scream when I was started; instead I started out
with a quiet unassuming bashful whimper. I first started
out as just an idea. My builder through looking at
numerous cars and magazines developed me. In
most cases just thinking about building me can take
as long as twenty years or more. In most cases I was
in my builders mind when he was young and growing
up. He was patient in developing me, due to the fact
that he had a wife, kids, house and a career to focus
on before it was my turn. Like all good things...it takes time
Finally it was my turn. He started slowly choosing my
frame and suspension. With care he worked on my
plumbing and brakes, making sure that I could stop in
time and dodge that dog that was going to run in front
of us. My builder had thoughts of a hemi with a blower
when he started this dream. But he soon realized that
this was not financially possible and more importantly
not practical. He still gave me 400 strong horses to
carry the load. Just choosing my engine was difficult.
I was asked, what colors to you want to be, how much
chrome and polished aluminum is required. How to
you want to breathe, electronically or naturally aspirated.
Do I require deep long breathes of air or is small
amounts OK? Just make sure I get enough air!!
How many shock waves of electricity are needed, 140
amps will do just fine? I know I will be cool, but I must
keep my builder and his companion cool. I need the
max cfms, at least 2750. My nose must be as wide as
possible to allow me to radiate coolest. Ok, now I
have power and cooling. Now my builder is asking
how much do I want to shift and what RPM's would
make me happy. We agreed on a four speed automatic,
with 3.55 gears. Now I can launch with the best of
them and also travel at an efficient pace. Now was the
time to see how he would dress me. How many seats
and windows would I have?
At times, he would sit in the garage and look at a picture
that he had on his wall, of what I would look like
when completed. I felt sad for him when this happened.
I am sure that more than once I saw a tear roll
down his cheek. He would get up and go into the
house. This scared me because I was not sure that
he would return. I would overhear him talking to his
car buds on the phone. He would explain the troubles
that he was having with me. I wanted to grab him and
say, be patient, we will make it together.
Then some of his friends would come over and help
with the problems. Some were cruel and make fun of
me, but my builder set them straight, immediately. By
the time they left, everybody was laughing and I was
again back in my builder's good graces. After they left
he always had a smile on his face and was re energized.
He also would spend hours talking to the people
at the local rod shop who tried to help solve some
of the problems he had with me. If it wasn't for his
friends and the rod shop I don't think that I would ever
have made it.
Now it was time to wire me up. More questions were
asked of me. What type of harness would I desire?
What about Power windows, door locks, trunk, cruise
control, etc. Always saying....Wire for More Power!
OK now I was fast, cool and sounded good, but I
needed shoes. I want grip, give me grip, but keep me
low. I was concerned for my builder. At this point he
was starting to look tired, After all we had been together
in the garage for almost 2 1/2 years at this time.
Finally he decided, I was to be deep dished with big
shoes in the rear and smaller matching shoes in front.
Now all that was left was to paint me and cover my
insides. Oh, no, has he gone crazy, is he tearing me
apart again. What did I do wrong? I thought I was
starting to look better. I am scared, I hope he has not
given up. Then, I noticed that he seemed happier and
more relaxed that he usually was. Now he was staring
at the picture of me on the wall more and more. He
would take a break and sit there and smile. This made
me feel better. He loaded me up and took me to the
paint shop. He would visit me during the week to
make sure that they were treating me right.
Finally just like a newborn baby he was there to take
me home. Not only did he come to pick me up; all his
friends were there too. I was excited, as were they.
Man, did they put me together fast and off to the
upholstery shop I went. Boy, I sure like the feel of ultra
leather. Finally I arrived back home only to be greeted
with a big party with all his buds. I felt proud for my
builder. Just before it was time to go to bed my builder
reappeared again. He walked around me, looked
closely. He sat down and just starred at me. He would
look up at the old picture of me on the wall and then
look back at meand say "Baby, you sure look good, I
am proud of you. We are going to have a lot of good
times together." Now you know my thoughts...............
I look forward to talking to you at the next car show !!!
Ur Hotrod
Fishtails
Due to my many years in the automotive industry and
background knowledge, I often receive technical
questions sent to me. I thought I might share one of
the most recent with you, my reader...........
Dear Catfish:I hope you can help me here. I am one
of your many local female fans, who looks forward to
your monthly "Fishtales" column and thought I could
turn to you for the right answer. The other day I set
off for work, leaving my husband in the house watching
TV as usual. I work close to home and hadn’t
gone more than a mile past Newlands Golf Course
when my small block 67 Chevelle SS engine conked
out and sputtered to a halt, it would crank but not
start. It has a Holley 650cfm and yes, I had a full tank
of gas. Before calling Harry the Hook, I walked back
home to get my mechanic husband's help, but when I
got there, I couldn't believe my eyes, he was on the
couch with a lady neighbour! I am 32 and my husband
is 34, we have been married for 12 years, when confronted,
he broke down and admitted that they had
been having an affair for the past six months! I told
him to stop seeing her or I'd leave him. He was laid off
from his job at a transmission repair shop last year,
he says he’s been feeling increasingly depressed and
worthless. I do love him very much, but ever since I
gave him the ultimatum he has become more and
more distant to me. I don’t think I can stand much
more of this, and cry myself to sleep most nights. Is
there anything you can suggest to help please?
Cheryl from Langley
Dear Cheryl:You are so kind with your words, thanks
for tuning in each month, it means a lot to me. I
know exactly how you must feel. Having had a 64
Chevelle SS factory 4-spd back in the day with a
temper-mental Holley Carb. A car stalling after being
driven such a short distance can be caused by a variety
of issues. Start by checking the obvious like a
clean air filter, that there is no debris in the float bowl ,
or a clogged fuel filter, check your choke for it operating
properly as it could require a slight adjustment,
or a simple carb overhaul could eliminate a lot of "if
ands". If none of these approaches solves the problem,
it could be that the mechanical fuel pump itself is
faulty, causing either low delivery pressure or volume,
to the carburetor. There are a lot of qualified shops
around that specialize in just the type of attention your
car needs, check out our directory listing in the back
of this magazine for one in your area. I hope this
helps, and thank you for keeping those old classic
muscle cars on the road.
"Catfish"
The views and opinions of "Catfish" are his own and
not endorsed by his employer, Quicktimes, his family,
friends or any one else on this planet.
Want to try out 100 ft. racing?
Now you can....heres a little breakdown on how you
can join in on the 100 foot fun.
1- Have Fun-the purpose of these events is for everyones
enjoyment and sportsman like conduct is expected
at all times.
2-All competitors must be licensed
3-All vehicle occupents must wear a helmet
4-Event organizer reserves the right to refuse racing
privleges as they see fit.
5-Be prepared to follow instruction from personnel
regarding all on-track procedures.
6-The Organizers will settle all disputes.
7- No impaired drivers will be tolerated.
8-Safety first, vehicles must pass a safety inspection
9-All competitors must sign a waiver
10-No stunting! Save your burnouts for the track.
11- Only one passenger allowed 12 or older
Tech Tips
Please ensure your vehicle is safe
All vehicles must be insured and registered!
Remove all inside clutter and obstructions inside
Have functional seat belts
All fasteners should be tight, have battery hold down.
Acceptable brakes are mandatory
Decent tires are mandatory
Have a radiator overflow
Make sure you have 0 fluid leaks
Make the car safe and have fun.
Class Structures
New Street-True Street-Real Street-Quick Street-Super
Street- Pro Street- Diesel-in addition, dependent on location,
unique classes could be added.
New Street- 4 cyl- no power adders
True Street-1 performance adder allowed
Real Street-2 performance adders allowed
Quick Street- 3 adders allowed
Super Street- 4 adders allowed
Pro Street- unlimited performance adders
Diesel- open
Theres something for everyone.
Power adders- Superchargers-Nitrous-Soft compound
tires-Wheel tubs (add as 2)-V6 engine- V8 or larger
(add as 2) Turbocharger, Alcohol fuel-All Wheel Drive
Registration is restricted to the first 100 cars, guaranteed
3 runs-weather permitting, Winners are based on
Best time during the 3 runs.
For more info contact Ron Rowe at 403-782-3596
days or 403-782-5152 eves.
Next dates are in Lacombe July 5/6, Ponoka July 26/27,
Spruce Grove Aug 15/17 and Lacombe Sept 6/7
One Country Song, Many Verses
If you were with us last month, we detailed some of
the trials and frustrations involved in building a street
rod such as Brian Mario’s little green pickup.
We had compared it to the perfect country song
because it involved lying, cheating, drinking, pickup
trucks, mean dogs, baseball bats, childhood sweethearts,
roundy-round racing, and a divorce (or two).
Naturally, due to several of the above factors, the
budget had been completely obliterated.
But we had no break the story into two parts because
we ran out of space before we ran out of material. I
love a story where I chuckle all the way through the
production of same. Brian’s good friend, Hugh
Williamson (TOP GUN Coatings) introduced him to
Tom Schweitzer (Sandman Customs).Tom is a great
craftsman and was able to get the truck running and
roadworthy.These old trucks originally had a windshield
on each side, with a divider strip up the centre.
The glass shop installed all new tinted windows
(important with A/C) and V-butted the flat glass together,
thereby eliminating the divider strip.
Next came the exhaust system, with ceramic-coated Hooker
headers, Flow-master mufflers and a full-length system with a
balance tube. Cascade Vans & Interiors designed the tan
leather cabin, with Ian Solomon doing the installation, including
the new stereo. Terry was holding a spot for the truck to
be in the car show. He painted the cab and hood, but held off
on the clear coat. Brian had thought it would look good with
some graphics airbrushed on, possibly a fifties diner theme.
Ian’s brother, Jason owns Poison Paint Custom Airbrushing,
and entered into the discussion of what might look good.
Brian wanted something different, and somewhere along the
line, the diner theme went out the window.
The name "Munewari" (Japanese for split tattoo) was
born, as the truck originally had a split hood and windshield
(now both gone). Jason does quite a few motorcycles
and came up with a few examples for Brian’s approval. It looked like they would have a week to
complete the airbrush work, which should be adequate.
Terry had to sandblast the truck box and reweld
the seams. It was a huge pail of bondo.
These old trucks have a rolled top edge that stops
abruptly at the rear. Using round tubing, Terry rounded
the rear corners to blend in with the lines of the truck.
The hand-made running boards also fit the overall
design of the truck-bed. But it needed a rear bumper
to have that finished look.The solution was to narrow
a bumper from a 1970 GTO, complete with built-in
taillights. Now everything looked right. Brian had
purchased new stainless strips for the box, and the
new oak floor was stained dark, to match the 3-spoke
steering wheel.
Everything takes longer than anyone expects, and the time
allotted for the airbrush work was shortened - from one week
to two days. As time began to run out, Brian realized that he
needed help with the final stages. He called Tom, who
showed up at 7 pm with a friend. It shouldn’t be that difficult to
install the box floor. It was soon discovered that body-man # 3
had shortened the box by three-eights of an inch. Nothing
would fit without modifications. As the three began the job,
Tom said "just don’t tell me what time it is." They finished at
5:40 AM and crawled home. After a couple hours of shut-eye,
Brian hauled the little truck to Dave and Lori at Personal
Touch Car Care. Sixteen hours were required, which included
removal of the light dusting of overspray from Brian’s latenight
attempt at detailing.The truck was awarded Best in
Class at the car show, and King of the Kustomizers,
George Barris signed the glove-box door. Brian found himself
humming that old Johnny Cash song about "one bolt at a
time, and it never cost me a dime." But he knows the cost of
his 14-year project is actually much, much higher.And, ex-wife
#1 was partially right; these things are never really finished.
Fred Nelson is an accredited Calgary appraiser who
operates Nelson Racing. Reach him at 242-3856.
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TRUCK KING, STACEY DAVID
What you see and hear is what you get, whether you
watch Stacey’s popular TV show or you are fortunate
enough to spend half an hour in an interview with
Stacey. Well, it happened for me at an earlier
Powerama car show in Edmonton.
But, first some history on the "Trucks" man!
Stacey’s experience and background began at the
ripe old age of his school days. He was fascinated
with any type of a vehicle with a motor, starting with
go-karts and moving onto his sister’s 1963 VW bug.
Stacey’s interest drifted to bigger items such as his
Dad’s 4x4 Willys Jeep, which was heavily modified for
off-roading. If you are a fan of Stacey’s, then you have
enjoyed the transformation to a bullet proof Willys
jeep.
Stacey like most car and truck builders was influenced
by many of the "Greats" such as Richard Petty,
Carroll Shelby and none other than "Big Daddy" Don
Garlits. Stacey says, "If it runs, I want to drive it as I
enjoy all types of vehicles". George Barris, Darryl
Starbird and John Buttera were also great influences
on Stacey’s early years of building, modifying and
driving his many creations.
In the 1990’s Stacey moved on to host the TV show
"Trucks" for several years and built a very loyal fan
following. The TV show was a super hit with Stacey’s
direction and "Hands-On" approach on the "How To
Do It". His travels to many car and truck shows like
Powerama, and doing the "How To" demos for the
crowds and answering their many questions. I met
Stacey’s wonderful and talented wife Kathryn who is
also his business partner, scheduler, organizer and
super supporter, which provides the solid foundation
for their successful endeavours.
I watched a couple of Stacey’s "How To" sessions at
the Powerama show and found the Turbo-Charger
info very interesting. Stacey is preparing several car
clinics for both men and women.
The clinics will cover several areas such as:
- driving techniques for school students consisting of:
- backing up safely - // parking - backing a trailer
- preliminary driving checks on your vehicle using
your 3 basic senses: 1) sound, 2) smell, 3) feeling. -
For example, checking for a coolant leak.
When I first met Stacey I immediately recognized, "
Stacey is as Stacey does".
He is enthusiastic, sincere, honest and loves to pass
on his knowledge on all his projects, past, present,
and future (TV shows).
I could feel his excitement and enthusiasm as he
mentioned his new show called "GEARZ".
There have been several episodes to date and I
believe more to come.The pleasure of having met
Stacey and Kathryn was all mine. Moe
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Fishtales........from the BC Classic & Custom Show
This years BC Classic & Custom Car Show at the
Tradex in Abbotsford was just shall we say............,
a bit different than others in the past, it was actually
pretty good. You need the perfect combination to
make any such event come together. The wetcoast
weather had it's first precipitation free weekend, a lot
of different cars on display, vendors, jet car fire-up,
major advertising & promotions, celebrities, and
similar to last year the King of Kustomizers, George
Barris was on hand. Not to take anything away from
the previous mentioned, the big draw that definitely
had a part in the largest single event ever crowd at
this location, was none other the star of the TV series
Overhaulin', Chip Foose.
What Mr. Foose did, with his household name, anddown
to earth demeanour, was entice people, with
kids in tow, who may not really be car people and he
introduced them to this car crazy culture crowd that
they have only ever experienced on Speed Channel
TV. I've been to many an event with an autograph
booth, but never witnessed one with a constant three
hour line-up, with smiles instead of complaints, and
discussions amongst them on different people's lives
he has touched via Overhaulin. Only taking time for
water, snacks and bathroom breaks, he greeted and
interacted with every single person who took the
time, as he put it, to come see him. He also came
back the following unscheduled day to do the same
routine. To sum him?.....A CLASS ACT.
What the likes of Barris & Foose do is create a new
following of dreamers who either are inspired enough
to take on a challenge such as customizing or hot
rodding a vehicle, or just get into the hobby by commissioning
one of the many vendors in attendance
to build them a dream ride.
This is where a another young Canadian up and
comer out of Oliver BC has already started showing
his talent by not only displaying, but bringing home
hardware, at shows across the USA competing with
the likes of Riddler contenders, his name J.F. Launier.
As you first walked in, the #1 vehicle spot, was his
yellow 51 Chrysler two door phantom wagon.....called
"Evolution" was on display, and you can see the word
TALENT that screams at you as you walk slowly
around the car, come back half hour later and notice
more cool stuff. Since I just met JF, I'm not saying it
to suck up to him cause it is not my style, and I don't
pay compliments unless they are deserved. As I
briefly talked to the shows promoter Richardt Scholz
on Saturday, he was ecstatic, and I must say, Richardt
with a T, you did it, you pulled off the BEST show
around here that impressed a lot of people, job well
done. Note: Richardt was seriously hospitalized for
over a week at the end of the Sunday show, was
recently released, and is recovering fine at home.
To the gang that relived the past with Kenny Shields
and Streetheart at the Langley Cascades Casino,
"Under My Thumb", is some wheel bearing grease....
Catfish
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Winnipeg Bob Part 2
With the success Bob had it was only natural to move
upward and onward, and so Bob did with his brother
Fred. They built a copy of a car they saw which was
owned by John Mitchell, a car they saw in one of their
trips south of the border.
The C/Dragster had the right look and used the tried
and true small block Chevy, and was built using mild
steel tubing ending up with a 120 inch wheel base.
Bob and Fred built the body as well, and painted it a
nice red. Their little C/D ran good with times in the low
10 second zone, but was plagued with transmission
breakage. Although they only ran the car for less than
a year, they did have a moment in the sun with the
car. It was a match race at their home track against
one of the better known early funny cars. With Fred
driving they beat the famous touring supercharged
Oldsmobile 442 funny car of Lutz and Lundberg.
One of Bob's most successful rides came next in a
dragster owned By Bill Balicky from Winnipeg. It had a
Bob Forsely mild steel chassis, and a Kellison fiberglass
body with nice metal flake paint. In 1966 they
used Bob's engine, and then in 1967 they put a 327
with a high comp roller cam. The car also used a trick
trans 2 speed transmission. This combination resulted
in times in the mid to low nines, which was very competitive
any where they ran the car. They raced the car
in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and in neighboring
states to the south. Their best outing was at the
NHRA world finals where they qualified in the number
three position in competition eliminator with a 8.90
second time at 155 mph.
Their biggest thrill was when they beat Norm Reis "Lick
em Stick em" BB/GD at the Indy nationals in 1969.
It was a time where there were no big tow rigs, and it
was kind of what ever was handy was used to get to
the track. In Bob's case, they utilized a 2 door 1967
Chevy, with an open single axle trailer to bring the car,
four people, the tool box and any spare parts to the
track. On a long trip to a race like the World Finals it
would have been an interesting trip!
Life and racing was a lot simpler then, and I'm willing
to bet it was plenty of fun. The car was sold in 1968,
and Bob made the move to go faster. A 200 inch
chrome moly car was built by Bob Forsely. A supercharged
gas burning 372 cu in small block Chevy with
a clutch-flite transmission provided enough power to
run in the 175-180 mph zone with low 8 second times.
In 1970 Bob built a 180 inch version of the old car,
and put the motor and trans from the old car into the
new chassis. Through out 1970-71 Bob toured the car
all over division 5, all the way from Manitoba down to
Oklahoma and Texas. It was a very competitive car
with times in the high seven second zone at speeds
nearing 180 mph. The car was a hard leaving car, but
like most small block Chevy powered race cars it
would run out of steam on the top end. Bob won his
share of races against the higher horse power cars,
and made many friends in his travels.
Part 3 to follow soon.
Vern Scholz
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Ride the Glass slipper
The year was 1956, the driver Ed Cortopassi.
Current owners: Ed Cortopassi / Doug Buttler, but this
may have changed by today. A very innovative,
smooth and streamlined dragster was introduced at
a 13,000foot sanctioned USAC runway. (What we
would call a drag strip in today's terms)
But, on January 26, 1958 at Marchfield, Riverside
California a record setting event was set up by none
other than Wally Parks, then editor of the Hot Rod
magazine and president of the National Hot Rod
Association.
One of the dragsters there was the well known
enclosed "Glass Slipper". The slipper was driven by
Ed Cortopassi and ran in a newly formed "Class C".
The Glass Slipper was a team project by Ed, his
brother Roy and Doug Buttler all from Sacramento
California. The dragster was designed, built and
presented both at this runway and at Bonneville
Saltflats. The car ran a 180mph at Bonneville and
160mph at the 1/4 mile drag strip. USAC starter
Reeves Dutton flagged the Glass Slipper and also
measured the stroke on the 302 Chevy engine in tech
inspection.
The original engine was a Chevy V8 bored out to
4.0015 inches and a 3 inch stroke which gave a 302
cubic inch engine. The engine was never dyno'd as
the dyno's of that era may have been limited to lower
hp engines.
So, they estimated their hp to be roughly 340 hp on
methanol and maybe a weee bit of nitro. Compression
was measured to be a low 8.25 to 1. In order to meet
the class "C" Limitations, the compression ratio was
kept low at 8.25 to 1 with a 3.25 inch stroke.
They were amazed at the high engine output since
the engine had no blower installed. In those days
porting, polishing and balancing were all applied for
higher hp and a smoother running engine.
Stock valves were increased by 1/8 th inch larger
diameter. The Chevy 302 used stock rods and bearings.
How many of us remember Forgedtrue pistons
and Grant rings?
Or, even yet, Scintilla Vertex magneto with Belden
wires and Champion N-63 plugs along with Thomas
Kit supplied rocker arms, push rods and rocker shafts
to achieve that 160mph.
Fuel mixture was approx. 15oz.of Benzole to each
gallon of nitro-methane and pumped through a
Hilborn injection system.
Ok, who remembers Racer Brown's camshafts?
Well, they were used on this 302 Chevy V8.
Glass Slipper record runs were made due to high
torque and horsepower, but in high gear only! Keep in
mind the Glass slipper was tiny in size compared to
today's dragsters and Ed definitely needed a shoehorn
to tuck himself into the small cockpit. The rear
axle was was updated to a 1936 ford rear-end leaving
no room for a gear box.
Since then many new safety features were added
along with numerous engine changes and updates
too!
But, I was lucky enough to see the Slipper run in
1999 at the Bakersfield Hot rod Reunion and then
again in 2007 to see the Slipper but only on display.
Just a weee bit of nostalgia for you.
Moe Putney, Action Sports Photography
back to top
A.A.A.D.D. - KNOW THE SYMPTOMS.....
PLEASE READ! (Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder)
This is how it manifests:
I decide to water my lawn.As I turn on the hose in the driveway,
I look over at my truck and decide it needs washing.
As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on top of the toolbox
that I brought up from the mail box earlier in the day. I
decide to go through the mail before I wash the truck.I lay
my truck keys on the toolbox, put the junk mail in the oildrum
garbage can next to the toolbox, and notice that the
can is already crammed full. So, I decide to put the bills
back on the toolbox and take out the garbage first. But then
I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take
out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.I go
take my cheque book off the table, and see that there is only
one cheque left. My extra cheques are in my desk, so I go
inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Coke
Zero I'd been drinking. I'm going to look for my cheques, but
first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don't accidentally
knock it over.
The Coke is getting warm, and I decide to put it in the refrigerator
to keep it cold.As I head toward thekitchen with the
Coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my
eye...they need water. I put the Coke on the counter and
discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all
morning. I decide I better put them back on my desk, but
first I'm going to water the flowers. I set the glasses back
down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly
spot the TV remote.
Damn it, someone left it on the side kitchen counter I realize
that tonight when I go to watch the hockey playoff games on
CBC-TV, I'll be looking for the freakin remote, but I won't
remember that it's on the kitchen counter, so I decide to put
it back in the living room, where it belongs, but first... I'll
water the flowers. I pour some water in the flowers, but
clumsily, quite a bit, actually a lot, of it spills on the floor. So,
I set the remote back on the counter, get some Bounty
paper towels and wipe up the spill. Then, I head down the
hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.
At the end of the day: the truck isn't washed, the bills aren't
paid, there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter, the
flowers have wilted, there is still only 1 cheque in my cheque
book, I'm cursin, cause I can't find the damn remote control,
nor can I find my glasses, and I don't remember what I did
with the truck keys.
Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,
I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I'm
really, really tired.I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll
try to get some help for it, but first... I'll check to see if I got
any e-mails....Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet,
your day is coming!!
YIKES SCOOBY! ... We've become our parents. I hope my
kids aren't laughing too loud when they read this!
Catfish
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No Lookin Back, A Meet like no Other!
And speaking of lookin' back, I have just come off an
experience that was an all-time attention-getter, insofar
as the history of hot rodders, the hot rod sport and
drag racing are concerned. It was the March Meet on
the legendary grounds of the old Bakersfield Smokers
club's drag strip-now the Auto Club Raceway at
Famoso, California.
It was as if time had jumped back to the 1950s and
earlier, as the array of street rods, customs, exotic
motorcycles and even rat rods was a challenge to
historic gatherings anywhere.
For sightseers, it was a combination of
yesterday's and today's finest examples of wheels
and showmanship-a weekend's experience almost
without equal and topped with a massive outdoor mall
that presented an endless array of premium car parts,
countless rare and historic publications, and scarce
other seldom-found treasures. In short, it was a
staggering success for all involved. And the Show n
Shine was second to none, it was all there!!
Topping it all, of course, was the on-track feature of
Nostalgia and Vintage drag racing dating back to
NHRA's earliest years, with an inexhaustible lineup of
veteran drivers, car builders and owners, crew members
and a veritable Who's Who of hot rod industry
pioneers.
But the race cars among the three-day weekend's
most outstanding and impressive 'features' was the
premium turnout of Nostalgia and Vintage drag racecars
that were embroiled in three days and nights of
on-track action. They came from all areas, and the
quality and caliber of their restored and/or re-created
vehicles was an absolute mind-blower. Hell, there
were even guys from Australia and the U.K. here!
It was a genuine Lookin'-Back experience that everyone
who was there will long remember, and I'm glad I
was there to be among them. Heres a few pic's,
watch for next month's feature. If you loke vintage
Drag Racing, you’ll love what’s to come in May!
Congrats CMHF Inductee Geoff Goodwin
Quicktimes magazine offers it's sincere congratulations
to Alberta's Geoff Goodwin -- the latest drag racer to
be inducted into the Canadian Motorsports Hall
of Fame.Geoff received his much deserved recognition
Feb. 23rd during the gala 15th Annual Canadian
Motorports Hall of Fame banquet in Toronto.
Goodwin, who lives in Red Deer, AB has had
vast activity within the sport of drag racing most
of his life. After racing gas-powered dragsters
and altereds early in his career, he did in fact
campaign nitro-powered Funny Cars during the
mid to late 1970s, fielding the familiar UAP-sponsored
Chevrolet AA/FCs driven by Bob Papernick
and Bill Spevacek between 1976 and 1981. After
taking a hiatus from racing he remerged on the
drag racing scene in 1997 with a General
Motors-sponsored Alcohol Funny Car driven by
Terry Capp.
Currently he is the driving force behind the formidable
Renegade Racing Chevrolet Alcohol Funny
Car effort, a Can-Am racing team which features
Montana's Ken Kraus as it's driver.
The CMHOF has played a very important role in
paying honor to top achievements in Motorsports
for Canada - inducting more then 125 members
since being established in 1993.
Renegade Racing is debuting a new car this
year, watch for it. The Renegade Racing drag
racing team is a Can-Am assault featuring both
Canadian and American crew members. Based
from a home shop in St. Albert, Alberta the team
which was founded by Canadian Geoff Goodwin,
features expert driving from Ken Kraus who is
from Montana.
The team last season raced a highly competitive
Dave Uyhera-chassied machine which featured a
2005 Chevrolet Camaro body built by Hairy
Glass. The team employs a 526 CID Brad
Anderson engine program which includes BA
cylinder heads, a PSI supercharger, Hedman
headers and a B&J Transmission.
Team owner, Geoff Goodwin, who is involved in
the restaurant industry in Central Alberta (including
Blarney Stone (South) in Red Deer), has
amassed vast activity in drag racing most of his
life. After racing gas-powered dragsters and
altereds early in his career, he did in fact campaign
nitro-powered Funny Cars during the mid
to late 1970s, fielding the familiar UAP-sponsored
Chevrolet AA/FCs driven by Bob Papernick
and Bill Spevacek between 1976 and 1981.
After taking a hiatus from racing he remerged on
the drag racing scene in 1997 with a General
Motors-sponsored Alcohol Funny Car driven by
Terry Capp. Goodwin's present team, including
former 7.50 circuit driver Kraus was first formed
in 1999.
During his drag racing career Geoff Goodwin
was also instrumental in the establishment of
Edmonton-area Capital Raceway, building that
track in conjunction with Robert Chaput, and
serving as track President.
The team receives primary backing from John
Edwards and Synoil Fluids (Calgary, AB). It's
highly valued associate sponsor list includes but
is not limited to: Pathway Mats (Nisku),
Northgate Industries (Edmonton), Ron Hodgson
Chevrolet-Olds-GMC (St. Albert), MTS Racing
Fuel, Landale Signs & Neon, Prowler Leasing,
Twister Piling Inc., and Castrol.
I can’t think of another racer that deserves this
more than Geoff, congratulations, can’t wait to
see the new car!!
Fishtales...................and NHRA notes
The recent passing away on March 2, 2008 of
Canadian musician Jeff Healey at the early age of 41
made me ponder, again, how we take not only the
gift of life, but people who have affected our lives in
whatever way, for granted.
Struck with Retinoblastoma, a form of cancer causing
blindness, when barely a year old, and given up for
adoption would of been a life altering struggle for
most to handle. Instead he learned to play the guitar
at the age of three, and continued his life the best he knew
how with what God gave him, to graduate in schooling like
any other student, and pursue musical career.
He even did an acting gig as Cody, a blind lap guitar
playing/singer of the house band in the 1989
"Roadhouse" movie with Patrick Swayze & Sam
Elliot. Swayze wasn't dirty dancing, but was hired as
a tough bouncer to tame a wild bar. It was then,
(where a movie, tub of popcorn, pop, & glosettes were
affordable) that I mentioned to my buddy Bill, this is
the same guy we seen play "Angel Eyes" at the Yale
Hotel, Blues bar in Vancouver last year. Looking back
now, if you do the math, he must of been about 18 or
19 years old. Incredible talent and distinctive voice,
that was easily recognizable without a doubt. We the
crowd were lucky to literally "see" him play, as he
could only hear and feel our response. It was on my
list, to go see him on the upcoming tour of his newest
album in seven years.
So when I read that Harlequin, another Canadian
band from the past, from Winnipeg, was playing in
our local town, I jumped at the chance and spread the
news via email to a few contacts, reminding people
that they sang, "Innocence". Come concert time and
there's about twenty odd people we know there, and
you feel young again, as most of the crowd is older
than you are, like at the Rolling Stones. George
Belanger at 57 is still the only original holdout belting
out tunes I forgot they even did. I Did it for Love;
Superstitious Feeling; Heart Gone Cold; Survive; You
are the Light; & The Sweet Things in Life.
I tend to associate a certain song from my past with
what I was doing and who with from my youth.
Memories are all we have, after someone leaves us,
so I just went and made new memories with the
friends at the Harlequin concert, and the party afterwards
at Newlands, with the band.
If ever in Toronto for a BlueJays game, do visit Jeff
Healey's Roadhouse. I was excited when my old
friend Bill from grade eight asked me to be a
Godfather to his first born girl...well Sammy just
turned 19 on March 15th, hope I had a positive affect,
if any on her life. Thanks Jeff, for teaching us,
to "See the Light".
NHRA's 2008 POWERade drag racing season kicked
off in high gear with perfect weather at the Auto Club
Raceway in Pomona. The event featured Professional
class winners with Tony Schumacher (TF), Robert
Hight (FC) and Greg Anderson (PS) all emerging
victorious.
Tony Schumacher's U.S. Army dragster was once
again dominating with crew chief Alan Johnson winning
with a 4.499 secs at 331.28 mph compared to
McClenathan's close 4.536 secs at 329.26 mph.
Robert Hight, scored a win in Funny Car driving one
of four great looking new 2008 Ford Mustangs which
debuted from John Force Racing at the event. Hight
edged out Cruz Pedregon in a great final round, 4.861
secs 284.39 mph to 4.879 secs 322.50 mph.
Greg Anderson, got his '08 season off to a positive
and rapid start by winning in Pro Stock driving his all
new Pontiac GXP. In the final round he unloaded low
ET of the race at 6.616 secs at 209.23 mph to turn
back defending POWERade Champion Jeg Coughlin.
Top Alcohol Dragster racing featured Duane Shields,
winning in his injected-nitro car to an event running
5.377 secs at 270.00 mph while Severance's supercharged
machine developed problems.
World Champion Frank Manzo covered the TAFC field
once again driving his Monte Carlo. Manzo ran a final
round 5.558 secs at 260.26 mph to beat Oregon's
Brian Hough who ran 5.779 secs at 250.27 mph.
Looks like the season is now underway, Spring has Sprung!!
Gord Jenner...He’s been there, done that!
What can you say about Gord Jenner?
It’s been over four decades since this native of
northwest Canada first became involved in drag
racing. During his quarter mile endeavours over the
years, Gordon Jenner has not only been a driver, crew
chief, and car owner, but also a track manager. You
might say he’s done it all. One of the highlights of his
career came in 2000 when he was inducted into
Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame as part of a team
along with Ron Hodgson and Gordie Bonin. It’s a fitting
tribute to the trio from the land of the Maple Leaf.
They joined such 1320 notables as Dale Armstrong,
Frank Hawley, Graham Light, Bernie Fedderly, Gary
Beck, and Ray Peets who had also been honoured by
the CMHF. Now theres a group of guys!
Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Jenner and his family
moved to Calgary, Alberta in 1958. Though he ventured
to nearby tracks over the next four years, either
as a spectator or helping out on a crew, it wouldn’t be
until 1962 that Jenner got a race car he could call his
own. He found a ‘57 Chevy with no engine that had
only 500 miles on it. It was not long before the car had
a 301 C.I. motor on board. But there was one problem
with the vehicle. Seems that it ran well at the drags
but not so good on the street. Having to take a bus
home from work as a result was not the way to go.
Thus Gordon decided that his next car would be a fuel
dragster or as he said,
"That’s why you race... to be the fastest guy there."
His first entry into the top fuel wars came in the fall of
1966 when he partnered with Nick Kozak and purchased
a Woody car from the San Diego team of
Lechien & Drake. It was the first in a series of dragsters
known as the Royal Canadian. A blown fuel
burning 392 hemi was added and Gordon was ready
for some quarter mile action. A trip to Southern
California not only showed what the car could do in
competition, but also gave the team a break from the
cold winter weather. Unfortunatley, the car was
destroyed in a towing accident later that year.
Moving along on to 1968, Gordon’s next car featured
a Don Long chassis purchased from Frank Pedregon.
Prior to buying the car, Gordon spent the winter racing
with Pedregon in southern California. The car was
also named the Royal Canadian and did well on the
northwest match race circuit during ’68 and ‘69.
Gordon drove the car himself and really liked everything
about it up to the eighth mile, but didn’t like the
top end charge these cars are capable of. Come the
end of 1969, Gordon decided to take a break from the
rigors of life on the road and he made the Golden
State his residence for a spell. During the week he
sold speed equipment at Ansen Automotive and on
the weekends he spent time taking in some of the best
1320 action around. But in 1970, Gordon once again
got the urge to go racing, nitro style.
This time he let someone else do the driving as he
wanted to expand his horizons and become a crew
chief. The next edition of the Royal Canadian featured
a new Don Long chassis as he partnered with friends
Don Kohut and Mike Broome. Kohut did the driving
while Jenner and Broome turned the wrenches. Once
again Gordon was on the move, spending time at the
shop during the week and match racing where he
could on weekends. It was a good couple of years for
the team, but soon it was time for a change. Although
top fuelers had been a crowd pleaser since the early
‘60s, there was another drag racing vehicle fast
becoming a fan favourite... Funny Cars!
Gordon was ready for his next venture.
During the winter of ‘71/’72, Jenner and Ron Hodgson
purchased a partially finished ‘72 Vega funny car from
fellow Canadian Murry Dyma after Murry decided he
couldn’t drive it following a licensing session at
Orange County Raceway in southern California.
The Vega had a blown 426 hemi for power and all the
other necessary components to make it competitive in the AA/FC class. More than that, it now had a crew
chief that could help it reach its full potential. Not
wanting to waste any time and with the 1972 racing
season fast approaching, Jenner placed a call to
Gordie Bonin and offered him the ride. Once Bonin
arrived from his home in the northwest and passed his
competition license at Lions Drag Strip, the team was
ready to go racing.
Known as the Pacemaker Vega, the car did well on
the match race circuit, and also won the Northwest
National Open in Seattle. The team then really made a
name for itself by taking runner-up at Indy in ‘72. To
call the team successful would be an understatement.
You might just say they had arrived.
In 1973, Jenner built another Don Long chassised car.
Also called the Pacemaker Vega, it had Gordie Bonin
at the helm part of the season and Frank Kirshner for
the remainder. Not only did it do great match racing in
the northwest and but also made a trip to Indy for the
U. S. Nationals. However, unlike the previous year, it
was unable to make the program due to driveline and
motor breakage during qualifying. As the season drew
to a close, Gord as he is known to his friends, was
asked to take on a new challenge; that of General
Manager at Raceway Park in Edmonton, Alberta.
The first thing he did after saying OK to the position
was to change the name of the facility to Edmonton
International Raceway. 1974 was a good year for the
track under his guidance,lots of racing and big crowds.
Skip forward to 1988. Friend Jerry Verhuel had passed
away and left Jenner with an Al Swindahl dragster that
was running in test mode with a turbo setup on its
engine. The turbo was soon replaced by a blower as
well as other components needed to make it a competitive
top fueler. Veteran shoe Terry Capp was
brought on board to drive. In addition to Jenner and
Capp, the team also included Ron Hodgson and Dale
Adams. What a foursome it was. Not only did they win
their class at the AHRA World Finals in Spokane, WA,
but also journeyed to Indy where they qualified ninth
at the U. S Nationals, only to loose in the second
round of eliminations due to a giant wheel stand.
1989 was another good year for Jenner, as he once
again put his crew chief skills to work with a new 300"
Al Swindahl car that Dwayne Tetz brought to the
table. It also teamed him with driver Gordie Bonin,
with whom he enjoyed so much success during his
early funny car days in the ‘70s. So it was now a team
of five: Jenner, Tetz, Bonin, Hodgson, and Adams.
This was one nickel package that nobody wanted to
mess with come race day. They ran five NHRA
national events, qualifying at each. In fact, Jenner
says, "In prorating our points for the entire year, we
would have ended up in fifth place." In addition, they
also won AHRA World Finals, setting both ends of the
track record in the process.
long time friend Ron Hodgson called and asked if he
would like to re-pop the Bubble Up/Pacemaker funny
car as a VRA legal nostalgia machine. Jenner jumped
at the chance and spent the winter of 2006/2007
building it. Aside from its wicked power plant, it has a
Victory chassis and a Donnie Reeves 1978 Firebird
body. It’s tuned by Roland Leong and crewed by
Jenner, Dan Brochu, Bob Papirnick, and Doug Syme.
In 2007 during the NHRA National Open at Mission
Raceway with Terry Capp driving, it became the
quickest and fastest nostalgia funny car on the planet
with times of 5.85 seconds at 249 MPH. Talk about
setting the class on its ear!
From his early days in the sport, Gordon Jenner knew
only one way to go drag racing.. ALL OUT. No matter
what the vehicle was, he wanted it to cross the finish
line first. 1320 feet may not seem like a lot to some,
but to him it’s been a lifetime. Thanks Gord.
‘Winnipeg Bob-Part 1
Like many young lads in the early 60's Bob Buccini was enamored with
the young and growing sport of Drag Racing. It was a time if you wanted to go drag racing you most likely would have to build a drag race car, and Bob was no exception to this.
Bob built hid first dragster in 1960, and the car
actually started out as a T bucket. During his
honeymoon he went to Fargo N Dakota and saw
some dragsters in action. It was then he knew he
had to have a dragster of his own. it took Bob
one winter to build the orange and white dragster
which he appropriately named the "Karrot". Bob
entered the car in car shows and always won
trophies, but he never did run the car on a drag
strip as he sold to Bob Forzley in Winnipeg.
Bob still wanted to traverse the quarter mile,
so he set out to build a new sleeker dragster.
He started with a pile of mild steel tubing,
and welded the chassis together with coat hangers
for welding rod. Bob also built the front end
using Ford spindles and friction shocks to dampen
the front end. It was a unique front end as it
had a 10 inch drop, and was almost too low as at
some tracks it would scrape the track or return
road. Not only did Bob build the chassis and front
end he also built the bell housing (out of big
diameter pipe), and the yoke/driveshaft arrangement.
On the rear he widened a set of steel
wheels to 8 inches, and mounted a set of Bucron
racing slicks. A 1948 Ford rear end , narrowed by
Bob was used in the rear.For a drive train a 283
small block with 2 -4 barrel carbs on it, a stock
ignition, and a Cad-Lasalle transmission was
installed. No fuel pump was needed as a hand
pump was used to pressure up the fuel tank.
Many cars in those days used this method, and it
worked well. The driver would us the pump to
pressure up the tank before start up, and then again just before the run. A Schiefer clutch was
used, and to get the car to make a decent run he
would rev the engine and dump the clutch to get
the tires to spin. If the tires did not spin the car
would bog and the time’s suffered dramatically.
During the 1964 season Bob ran the car three
times, and it ran a best of 11.60. Like all racers
he needed to go faster, so over the winter the
283 was replaced with a 327 SB Chevy that he
purchased from Fred Turner.
Fred Turner later became famous for his
involvement with the world reknown rock band
'Bachman Turner Overdrive".
A Vertex magneto , a Lingenfelter oil pan,
and an Engle roller cam was added to the mix.
This combination brought the car to life , as in
1965 Bob went on to win 14 Comp Eliminator
titles at Bison Dragway with times in the 10.20
range. A big hi-lite of the 1965 season for Bob
was during a race in Minnesota where he
stopped a win streak of one of the Minnesota hot
shots by winning comp eliminator with a time of
9.99 sec's at 142 mph.
Bobs talents and passion was typical of the early pioneers! Thanks Bob Buccini for all the great memories.
Vern Scholz
‘57 Full of Spunk
Garry Weslosky’s 57 shoebox is definitely full of
spunk, but very well behaved on and off the track!
This enormously popular and timeless design is
still a popular choice by owners all over the North
American continent.
Originally this super styling came with a V-8 that could
offer up to 1 Hp per cubic inch of displacement with the
correctly chosen 283/283 hp F.I. engine installed!
And I found it at the all tooooo famous 16th
Annual Columbia Valley Classics S&S. This event
is held yearly in Radium just down the road from
the "Radium Hot Springs" at the golf course in
B.C. I have been attending this event for several
years now and watched it grow every year!!
September 15th 2007 boasts over some 700 cars
+ or – a few vehicles with the best weather we
have seen for the last few Show and Shines.
This has become an event that you really don’t
want to miss, as there are varied interests for one
and all who attend. That Saturday night rock &
roll dance with a real live band sure brings back
some super memories of the sock-hops we used
to put on at our car club events. (A few days ago!)
Well, I am going to bring you as many show
vehicles from this event as possible. Starting with
one fine example of a 57 sleeper that I’m sure
you will enjoy. Garry purchased this 57 from a
fellow in Campbell River B.C. in 2002 as the 2nd owner,
so the history is minimal. The car had a 350 small block
already install with a turbo 400 transmission. A 2500
stall converter was used to drive a 28 spline non-posi
rear-end. The engine came with a light lift cam.
It sounded tough, but couldn’t even spin the tires!
Sooo….. Gary started with replacing the motor,
tranny, and rear-end. He found a supposedly
stout 377 SBC, a 700R4 with overdrive and a 31
spline Detroit-locker complete with Pro-Street
axles. But everyone knows that has to change
when a Monte Carlo beat him by a car length!
What comes next? Could it be NOS?
Yessireeee! Well, that only took off a second in
the ¼ mile with a time of 11:99. Garry was only
happy for a "short–snort", as the car weighed in
at 4200 lbs.
You guessed it, he found a GM 572, 720Hp crate
engine for a perfect 57 Chevy fit. The 700R was
pulled and replaced with a Turbo 400 tranny
pushing the 720Hp to the 35 spline spool.
Garry says," I now have a car that performs the
way I want it after 5 yrs. and 3 power-train
conversions." later. He tells me the car launches
hard and lifts the wheels from a dead stop, while
running a very modest 10:89 ET @ 123 MPH.
His run was made @ Castrol Raceway 2007.
You know what comes next?......, you guessed it!
Garry is going to do a strip-down and make some
more changes, just like the rest of us eh??
So, stay tuned as I will bring you more cars from
the Radium Columbia Valley Classics.
NHRA ACQUISITION ANNOUNCEMENT
In a press statement released today by the
National Hot Rod Association, the NHRA has
been notified by HD Partners Acquisition
Corporation that it did not receive the necessary
number of votes to finalize the transaction
announced last May to acquire all of NHRA’s
professional racing assets.
Said Eddy Hartenstein, chairman and chief executive
officer of HD Partners: "We are very
disappointed with today’s vote, given our collective
enthusiasm for NHRA and the NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series.
Unfortunately, in the time since we first
announced this transaction in May of 2007,
we have witnessed a dramatic shift in both the
financial markets and the perceived strength of
the U.S. economy, which we believe adversely
impacted the final outcome of this transaction.
With that said, we continue to believe that the
NHRA and the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series, led by Tom Compton and his management
team, are very vibrant properties with a
bright future. We wish them all the best for
continued success."NHRA will continue to
operate as it has in the past.
NHRA worked closely with HD Partners the last
several months to finalize the transaction. Given
the time and energy spent on this effort, NHRA
has no plans to pursue a similar opportunity in
the near future. For now, NHRA will remain
focused on the business and continued growth of
NHRA. "We appreciate the efforts put forth by
Eddy and the entire HD Partners team the last
year-and-a-half," said NHRA President Tom
Compton. "NHRA is in the best financial position in its history and prospects for future growth are
at an all-time high. It is the health of the company,
the sport and strong future prospects that led
HD Partners to pursue this transaction in the first
place and those elements still exist.
"Few would argue we have a great product and
an incredible opportunity in front of us to build
and grow the sport of NHRA and NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing," Compton added.
"The initiatives communicated during this
process still hold true and we will work together
with the racing community, sponsors and business
partners to achieve them and continue the
growth of the sport."Headquartered in Glendora,
Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for
the sport of drag racing in the United States. It
presents 24 events through its NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series. NHRA has
80,000 members and 140 member tracks. The
NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing
series provide competition opportunities for drivers
of all levels. The NHRA develops the stars of
tomorrow by offering the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag
Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Series and
NHRA Street Legal Drags presented by AAA.
NHRA also offers the O’Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag
Racing League for youths ages 8 to 17.
Alberta NHRA Chassis Inspection dates:
March 29th- Saturday- Calgary AB
Unlimited Performance-
Andy Scheu 403-243-49492-
April 5th- Saturday- Medicine Hat AB
Flint Energy
Jim Burden 403-526-10443-
April 12th- Saturday- Edmonton AB
Precision Performance-
Wade Sjostrom-780-477-7354
Racers must phone the appropriate
contact and make an appointment.
FISHTALES by Catfish
An 80 year-old man goes to his doctor for his
check-up...?The doctor asked him how he was
feeling, and the 86-year-old said,
"Great! I've never felt better.
My 22 yr-old new bride’s even pregnant with my child.
So what do you think about that, Dr. Cooper?"
The doctor pondered his question for a minute,
and repeats a Fishtales logic story.
"There is this older fella, Walter, much like you,
who is an avid hunter and never misses a
season. One day he was setting off to go hunting.
In a hurry, he accidentally picked up his
cane instead of his gun. As he neared the lake,
he came across a very large male beaver sitting
at the water's edge.
He realized he'd left his gun at home and he
couldn't shoot the beaver. Out of habit, he raised
his cane, aimed it at the animal as if it were his
favourite hunting rifle and went BANG-BANG.
Miraculously, two shots rang out, and the beaver
fell over dead.
Now, what do you think about that Ken?" asked
the doctor.The old man said, "LOGIC, would
strongly suggest, that somebody else pumped a
couple of rounds into that beaver.'
The doctor replied," MY POINT EXACTLY!"
Gold Mine in the Garage - Again-
It took ten years to finally get permission to do the
story, but it’s worth it. I was just finishing off an
appraisal on a Porsche. We were in an alley in NW
Calgary. The lady across the way was taking out the
trash, and asked what we were doing. "I have an old
car in my garage" she said. "It only has 31,000 miles."
Naturally, we asked what it was. "It’s a Hemi cuda" she
replied. We asked if we could see it, and she told us it
was all covered up, and stuff was piled around it.
With great amusement, I had to admire her spirit. This
blue-eyed girl was going to B.S. three heavy-duty car
guys. "There’s a knock in the engine" she continued.
"It’s been sitting there since 1979." We got intimidatingly
insistent, so she finally consented to let us have
a peek. I just locked my camera in the back of the van.
Skeptical, scrambling up the steps from the laneway to
her garage, we chuckled how this ought-to-be-good.
The garage was as packed as my own. Off to one
side, under a car cover sat some kind of old car.
As she uncovered the rear fender, the black stripe said
"Hemi." Yeah, well, anyone can put a stripe on a fender.
Let’s see the front. When she uncovered the hood,
there was the N96 scoop sticking through. On the side
were the correct badges saying "hemi cuda." About
this time, her husband Colin came home. I asked him
about the engine and a bunch of other questions. He
had specially-ordered it new.
It occurred to me as we left, that we were used to
hearing these kinds of stories in the bar, but no one
really believes a word of them. That was exactly the
case, even though we kept insisting that we had
actually seen it. Sigh. A couple of months later, I was
in the same district when I saw the same blue-eyed
girl drive by in her minivan. I flipped a U-turn and
followed her home. She remembered me, so I asked
if I could take a picture, at least. She (Shirley, Colin’s
wife) was good enough to uncover the car again so I
could snap a half-dozen shots.
When I mentioned the story at the Northern Mopars
Car Club meeting, some had actually heard about the
car from years before. In 1969, Colin was driving a
383 Barracuda, but his friends were driving Hemi
GTX’s and Hemi Coronets. The peer pressure was
enormous, so when the new Cuda was announced
with the Hemi, he went down to Fleming Motors in his
hometown of Lethbridge and ordered one with the
"E74 426 Hemi /w 2 x 4-BBL carbs." While checking
off the boxes for the desired options, Colin almost
checked "convertible." (the difference in value today
would have been seven figures). Knowing that he
would be out of town for Christmas, the dealer was
given permission to display Colin’s Cuda in the showroom
if it arrived during his absence. He also dropped
off his drag slicks. When Colin pulled back into town
New Years Day, his new car was the only thing in the
showroom. With the slicks mounted, it looked
extremely tough.
In those days, drag racing was the thing to do.
NASCAR hadn’t really caught on. As a member of the
Lebarons Car Club, Colin worked the tower of the
drag strip they ran at the old air strip in Granum. His
Lemon Twist Yellow Cuda could handle the other
street machines, although there was a Chevelle LS-6
that gave him trouble. The stock 4.10 gears were
upgraded to 4.88 and Colin fabricated his own set of
big-tube headers. Electronic ignition was also added,
but all the original parts were retained. This was a
smart move. When the transmission broke, it was
repaired under warranty. Unsatisfied, Colin pulled the
tranny out and redid it himself. No more problems.
When the knock developed one day at the shopping
centre, the car was towed home and put in one corner
of the garage. Colin told himself he’d fix it when he got
around to it, but so far ..... hey, how can it be 29
years already? Maybe after retirement.
Fred Nelson
Back To Top
Fast Eddie
Ed Beseau began his racing career forty two years
ago in Deseronto Ontario. At the time, a flagman was
used to start the race as the Christmas tree was not a
part of racing yet. Ed went through a number of cars
before he heeded the old saying, "Go west young man"
In 1970 the story of the "Fast Eddie" Corvette began.
Ed happened to find a complete 1956, two-4-barrel
carbed Corvette in a wrecking yard in Bakersfield
California. Although it was in rough shape, he saw an
unpolished gem. A deal was struck for the pricey sum
of 950 dollars, and the Corvette went off to Canada.
Thus began the 34-year association of a man and machine.
Once back in Calgary the restoration began, and in
1973, the little ‘Vette was out and about. Now that the
car was mobile Ed started making trips to the local
drag strip. At first Ed made small changes, this soon changed, to
where he had a tunnel ram on a bigger SB Chev.
From there he progressed to a 427 BB Chev built by
Ken Gilmour. For the 1975 season Ed knew he had to
have a better chassis to handle all the power he was
throwing at the Corvette, so off the car went to Terry
Graham of Airport Welding in Calgary. Terry built a
new chassis with a 4-link rear suspension, a tube front
axle and a fully braced 9-inch Ford rear end.
The original two-4-barrel 283, and power soft top were
sold for 5550-dollars. As the chassis was no longer of
use, Ed gave it away. If only one could look into the future,
but I’m sure that this has happened to many gear heads.
A number of different transmissions have been tried
over the years; M22 4 speed, Doug Nash 5 speed,
Liberty clutch-less 4 speed, and finally to a Turbo 400
built by Gary Savage in Calgary. With the Tubo-400,
the car was finally calmed down enough to become a
consistent race car.
The current engine is a 510-cid BB Chev consisting of;
Bowtie block, fully ported Bowtie aluminum heads,
Oliver rods, Venolia pistons(15:1), LS7 crank,
Hamburger aluminum oil pan, Bow Laws 980 Alcohol
carb. The 9-inch Ford rear end consists of: Strange
axles, Strange Spool, and 4:56 gears.
It wasn’t until the last few years that Ed has gotten
more serious about winning races, up until then he
was happy to entertain both himself and the fans with
wild burnouts and wheel standing runs. The car will
carry the front wheels 4-feet up in the air up to 150-
feet. Fun to drive and watch, but not good for winning
races. So Ed had to learn to make the car leave in a
more civilized manor. With that accomplished Ed now
has a very consistent and competitive race car.
During a pass the 2730 lb. car will use 3-gallons of
alcohol. Alcohol makes power, but as Ed has learned it
is not without its dangers. In 2002 he was on a great
pass until Murphy reared his ugly head. As he let off
the throttle Ed heard a loud bang, and from there on,
he was on a ride. The rear-end felt like it locked and
the car started to come around on him. The rear had
not locked, what had happened was the engine blew
and stopped the rotation of the drive-train, and oil was
on the rear tires. By the time the car came to a stop, it
had careened off the guard rail and spun around three
times. It was then that Ed noticed the roll bar padding
was dripping off like tear drops, Alcohol flames cannot
be seen in daylight. Needless to say, Ed made more
than a hasty exit from the car. Other than a singed
moustache, Ed did not receive any major damage.
The same could not be said for the ‘vette. A fuel line
had been ruptured and it caused a fire that melted
paint, wiring, plastics and padding. The right front
fender and lower valance received a lot of damage
from contact with the guardrail. After the incident Ed
did a lot of soul searching and fortunately for the fans
he did repair the ‘vette and has been racing since.
Interestingly the ‘Vette still has the original glass,
lights, body, serial number, door-jam tag, and keys.
The "Fast Eddie" Corvette has run a best time of 9.18
sec at 148-mph in Edmonton. With Ed, it isn’t winning
that matters, he has enjoyed the sport of drag racing
for so long that he races because he loves to race.
Thank you to Ed Beseau for the wonderful memories.
We look forward to seeing Fast Eddie out in ‘08.
Vern
Back To Top
Name Game
There have been many changes in the world of drag
racing, some for the good, and some for the bad.
With the stringent safety regulations drag racing has
become a much safer sport to compete in.
Track preparation and safer racing venues have also
made drag racing a much nicer arena for the racers.
Better and more reliable parts are also a big plus for
the modern racer. However with the increase in horsepower,
the cost of racing has escalated to a level
where racers wishing to compete in the top classes a
lot of cash input is needed. With the need of big
money, big sponsors are needed to continue racing.
Sponsors also want to see their name and logo displayed
prominently on the sides of the cars and team
support equipment. Hence the naming of cars is a part
of drag racing that is disappearing.
In the golden and formative years many cars were
given a name which gave the car and team their identity.
It was not only the top class cars that were given
a name, most of the lower class cars received names
that gave then individuality. AA/Fuel dragsters generally
were given names that suited the class, and the
same was true for all the classes that followed.
Names of cars also were suited to the time frame in
which they raced.
Altereds often were given names that represented
their wicked handling ways, and gassers were given
names that suited the breed. Not to be outdone in the
name game door cars received names that could only
represent a door car. Names on the cars gave a car
its own flavour and thus many cars received strong
fan support. Regardless’ of the class a car that was
both aptly named and also showed well on the quarter
mile became a crowd favourite. Other than corporate
names on cars I can’t think of too many cars today
that are readily recognized by the fans.
Many top fuel cars had names that have made them
remembered to this day, a few examples of such
names are ; Royal Canadian, Scorpion, Shark Car,
Wynnswinder, Magic Car, Northwind, Southwind,
Swinger, Nitro Fever, Samuri, Iron Horse, Nitro
Express, Joker, Bat Car, Shudder Bug, Starlite,
Fugowie, Nitro Thunder, Gladiator, Assassin, Candy
Cane, Vagabond, Tinker Toy, Hawaiian, Yellow Fang,
Chizler, Freight Train, Praying Mantis, Addict , Green
Dragon, Anaconda, and host of others.
Funny cars also had a myriad of names;
Assassination, Chi-Town Hustler, Canuck, Snoopy ,
Peanuts, Bronco Buster, Rebel, Dixie Twister, Banzai,
Crazy Horse, Pony Express, Colt 45, Phony Pony,
Gate job, Eliminator, Green Elephant, King Fish,
Dodge Fever, Blue Max, Mo Town Shaker, Black Magic,
Hairy Canary, Brand X, Travelin Javelin, USA- 1, Moby Dick,
Terrifying Toronado, Tickle me Pink, Warlord, Trojan Horse,
Invader, and the list goes on.
A lot of the funny cars were named to reflect a manufacturer
such as Tameless Tiger(GTO), Crazy Horse
(Mustang), and King Fish (Baracuda) , and so on!
Fuel Altereds were named to reflect their wild and
crazy antics; Winged Express, Pure Hell, Pure
Heaven, Panic, the MOB, Blue Blazer, Instant Nut,
Bad Habit, Altered Ego, Fantasia, Groundshaker Jr.,
Instant T, Godfather, Walt’s Puffer, Satan’s Revenge,
etc. Fuel altereds are still to this day the only class
where cars are named eg, Grizzley, Gorilla, Fast And
Forty, Defiance, Nasty Dave, Witch Doctor, Sweet
Thrills and so on.
Not to be outdone the sportsman and door car racers
had names that fit their cars to a T, and made then
crowd favourites; Old Trapper, Andy’s Dandy, Eight
the Hard Way, Czar, the Myth, Snarpezel, Street
Cleaner, Riddler, Cobrastang, Canadian, Shawnee
Raider, Buckshy, Scrapper, Old Timer, Obsession, Lil
Crawl Along , Mr. Pee Wee, Lamshus, Old Blue, Boss
Hoss, Anxious, Check Mate, Wild Oats, Mauve Stove,
Moo-Chick, Mr.Clean, and the list is as endless as the
owners imaginations.
Race car names are making a comeback with the
growing interest in nostalgic racing, and it gives the
fans a place to connect with a car other than a
corporate sponsor. Kind of like a personal one on
one connection.
Vern Scholz
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Gassers
If you're here, it's because you love the cars of the
Gasser Era. Maybe like us, you grew up attending
Sixties drag races where you watched in awe as "Big
John" Mazmanian's gorgeous candy apple red coupe
staged against Stone, Woods & Cook blue hot rod.
I got hooked on Gassers at that time and maybe you
did too. You don’t have to own a race car or rod to be
in the club. All you have to do is love the stars and
cars of the Gasser Era. They were very cool.
Anyone who remembers seeing a solid axle gasser
smokin' the tires down the quarter will forever be in
awe. I wasn't a fan in the early '60s but I've seen
enough track photos to know that nothing looks like a
Nova Gasser with the front wheels off the asphalt.
At a past trip to Bakersfield, I spotted anawsum '65
nostalgia Nova doing a mean burnout in the waterbox.
After a more detailed inspection we noticed that his
Little Chevy boasted a straight axle frontend and a
mechanically injected small-block running on alcohol.
This wasn’t a pro, just a guy havin’ some fun.
In the early to mid ‘60s, Gassers were all the rage in
drag racing. The "Gasser Wars" was a long series of
match races fueled by clever, taunting advertising by
sponsors such as Crane Cams, B&M Transmission,
and Isky Cams, as well as racers such as John
Mazmanian, Jr. Thompson and Stone Woods & Cook.
In their day, Gassers were at the cutting edge of drag
racing technology. Using bulbous old sedan and truck
bodies, with supercharged engines, these upright and
loud machings were a site to behold. Because of their
short wheelbases, most of the cars were difficuly to
drive and wanted to go every way but straight.
Wheelies and lane crossing was quite common.
As the winds of change blow, styles change, and theyrolled
right along with them. One year, goofy graphics
and rainbow colors might be all the rage, while the
following year chrome might be popular.
Then the very next year, painting over that chrome
might be the "next big thing."
While these stylistic gusts huff and howl, an evergrowing
number of hot rodders are turning their back
to the storm and anchoring themselves to the
nostalgic roots of where it all began. Nostalgia (or in
this case "Newstalgia" is the design or rebuilding of a
vehicle to a certain period correct look.
At Super Chevy shows across the country these period
correct nostalgia vehicles are showing up in ever
increasing numbers. Here’s a visual of what may soon
be the newest rage or at least another version of “cool.”
ED
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“Big’s Dig’s a.k.a. Garlit’s Drag Racing Museum
The name “Big Daddy” is known by most anyone that
is or ever was a drag racing fan. Garlit’s was once
dubbed “the king of Dragsters”, Drag Racing’s
Patriarch. Big’s 144 National event win’s likely didn’t
damage his reputation, doing so in 34 Swamp Rat
dragsters over 50 years now! He was the first to top
170, 180, 200, 240, 250, 260, and 270 m.p.h. as well
as the first to top 200 m.p.h. in the 1/8th mile. Hell, he
has a car in the Smithsonian Institute, received the
Keys to the city of Daytona Beach back in 1967 as
well as the Keys to Las Vegas in 1984, this man has
17 World Championships under his belt as well as 8
coveted Indy Nationals wins. Think he’s a has been?,
think again, if it’s got to do with Dragsters, he’s been
there and done that and to date is still contributing to
the sport of Drag Racing at his Don Garlit’s Drag
Racing Museum.
His human spirit is larger than life and his purpose
keeps him young, pushing him above and beyond his
years. It’s because of Don’s passion and drive that
sponsors like Chrysler stuck with him for over 40
years all while being married to Pat and having a
hand in raising two daughters and now five grand
kids. This man has no comprehension of mediocrity!
You can usually find Don today co-ordinating vehicle
restorations for the museum or as a broadcast commentator
for a variety of networks as well as a little
consulting on some fuel teams. If you need a vacation
and end up anywhere near Florida, check him out at
the Don Garlit’s museum of Drag Racing in Ocala,
Florida. More drag racing, exhibition and classic cars
than you can imagine as well as numerous racing
milestones on display..........it’s “BIG”.........Don
Moe would like to thank Don and Pat Garlits for their
hospitality and the super photo opportunity as well as
to Jim, Don’s machinist for his undivided attention.
Back to Stories
Art on the cowl
A rarity in today's drag racing is what was a must have on
any class of dragster during the golden years of drag racing.
Cowl art was just that, it was and can be an art. Dragster
cowl art was a perfect place for an artist to exercise their
creativity. Not only were the dragster cowls a place to display
some great art work they were also a place to display
names of cars , sponsors , and the names of the owners .
Much of the cowl art was not seen from the stands, so to
fully appreciate the cars a fan would have to visit the pits
.Come to think of it that is one of the reasons drag racing
captured the imagination of so many fans. The variety, diversity,
and detail of the dragsters, be it a full bodied car or a
short bodied car made them very interesting to see up close.
Much of the cowl art was a median to convey the cars identity, a
team, a nifty nickname, or just because it just plain looked bitchen!
Some of the early artists became well known for their
artistry, particularly the ones from California. Nate Quick and
Kenny Youngblood became two of the most well known
artists. Many local artists were not to be out done, as cars
from all over North America were beautifully adorned with
some very nice art work. It was not like today where a computer
can spit out a logo or name in no time flat, back in the
day the lettering and art were all hand drawn, and an artistic
eye could make or break a theme.
Art on the cowl was a varied as the names chosen for the
cars. There were the big names such as Swamp Rat,
Snake, Mongoose, T.V. Tom, Gentleman Hank, Kansas John
were used to tie in with the owner /driver. My favorites are
the cowls with the names of the car such as; Magic Car,
Candy Cane, Royal Canadian, Coyote, Outcast, Gladiator,
Joker, Vandal, Shutterbug, Chubasco , Pegasus, Nitro
Express, Shark , Scoundrel , Green Dragon, Addict, The
King, Boat Anchor, and the Flashback, are all examples of
names that were chosen for a car.
If it wasn't a name a team name was used, some of the
more well known were; Fighting Irish, Sour Sisters, Ridge
Route Terrors, Frantic Four, Red Mountain Boys, Green
Gang, Mother Lode, Poachers, and the Canadian Frantic
Four all denoted team cars. Not only were there names of
the cars on the cowl, many drivers had nick names such as;
The Mangler, The Zookeeper, The Hunter, Mad Dog, Mr. C,
The Ace, The Greek, Sneaky Pete, The Loner, The
Bushmaster, The Wizard, Mandrill, Northwest Terror, Smilin
Oakie, Starvin Marvin, Collector, lefty, Slick Nick, Bugsy, and
a host of others were all on the cowl of a dragster.
If not a name, team ,or a nick name then it was a name of a
speed shop or related business such as ; Champion Speed
Shop, Tognotti's, Speed sport, Ed Pink, Hoover Wheel
Alignment, Yeakle Plymouth, Mohawk Auto Spl, Cow Palace
Shell etc.
A favorite of the artists was the use of gold leaf which
always gave a car a real touch of class. The pictures or
caricatures were all done from the imagination of the letterers and it
gave each and every one of the cars a real individuality...........Enjoy
Vern Scholz
Back to Stories
How to Build A Rat Hot Rod
A rat rod is a throw back to the old way hot rods were
created. Today the term hot rod generally refers to
cars from a specific era designed for speed and
cruising and not much else. Billet and Chrome,
anodized and powdercoated...now thats all nice and
dandy but their are also other options out there.
A cultured rod is the same idea but without any preconceived
notions of what it should look like. When
you build your own rod you guarantee you will have a
vehicle unique to you! And this is all about you!
Instructions - read carefully
Difficulty - Challenging
Things You'll Need
· Engine
· Chassis
· Frame
· Power components
. Everything else optional
Pick out your engine; this will depend a lot on what
kind of frame you are considering and how much
weight you need the engine to power. If you have a
big budget you could shop around for an engine and
pick it based on performance specs. If your cash isn't
as plentiful, your best option is to go to your local junk
yard and see what you can pick up for a great price.
But lets keep this interesting, try and find something
unique and different, not a belly button Daddy-O.
Step Two
Build or acquire the frame. Since this is a culture rod
you can use whatever you want for the frame as long
as it is strong enough to not fall apart under the
influence of the speed you will hopefully be achieving.
Lightweight metals and composites are the trends, but
we’re not after trends here, we’re after cool and safe.
Step Three
Mount the engine in the frame and install the basic
power components. These will include things like the
transmission, battery, wheels and axles. If you are
starting your rod with a junkyard car you should be
able to find parts that fit together easily for your basic
structure. The interesting part is finding cool accessories
from other donor cars to make your ride special,
this may require some time turning up treasures.
Step Four
Test the heart and guts of the car; this means making
sure the engine will start, run, stop and turn the
wheels. As long as you can get that accomplished the
rest of the ride will be easy. But lets keep it safe cats.
Step Five
Install the steering control mechanism and gas and
brake pedals. The placement of these are up to you
Slick, however make sure there is room for some sort
of seat, no matter how crude, that can reach all of the
necessary controls. This tip comes in handy.
Step Six
Finish up the body and interior. As far as the interior,
you can make it as elaborate or as simple as you
wish, but anything you add for comfort also adds to
the overall weight and the interior is overrated anyhow,
hell, who needs a radio or heater anyway?
Any body panels you straighten are optional and the
original rust patina is desired, and contrary to popular
opinion, painting flames on them does not increase
your vehicle's overall speed. Keep this in mind.
Tips & Warnings
Traveling at fast speeds without a safe car and without
a proper roll cage is very dangerous, therefore it
is recommended that you wear special safety equipment
to minimize your risk of injury. Seat belts should
be mandatory. Remember the goal here is to have
fun, be creative and keep it a “Far Out” work in
progress.Hope this story helps you on your way.
