Sharing an older..."What a rush" experience.

[RCE1962]

What a rush.

The mid 60's is when small block chevys triggered my interest. Note that in 1967 there were alot of older cars still around. Nobody replaced their car as often as they do now.

Older brother's friend had a brand new 1967 Beaumont convertible. I still wonder how he go the money to afford this. Blue exterior, white interior-327 4-speed, ..wouldn't have known the rear gears. The driver had my brother sit in front, I was in the back..the top was down. Remember, 10 yrs old and limited exposure to this "stuff".

Long strip of black top. He started from a stand-still. Lots of rubber and engine. He went through the gears like he meant to win a ¼ mile race. I've never travelled that fast on land in my life, at the time, and was somewhat hearing impaired for several minutes due to the noise of the engine and the rush of open air in the back seat. (seatbelts were not mandatory).

All of us were suitably impressed. My older brother had a mild 170hp - 283-powerglide, in a full size chevy...so this was pretty much a "warp speed" experience for us.

These 327's were marketed at certain advertised horsepower levels, which when reportedly tested on a "dyno" were supposed to be actually somewhat higher.

Whatever the results, these engines were apparently the precursor to the Hi-po 302's. Depending on weight, trans, rear-end gears and tires, these engines could give the competitive small block/big block a "run" for the money.

P.S. I have had one of these engines but unused for years and needs a rebuild. I hope someday to freshen it up and have some fun with it.


RCE

[jim_ss409]

"Older brother's friend had a brand new 1967 Beaumont convertible."

RCE, It just occured to me that alot of people wouldn't know what a 1967 Beaumont was. :scratch The Beamont was a Canadian Pontiac that was almost the same as a Chevelle. They had a different dash, grill, tailites, hubcaps etc. but they were pretty much a Chevelle and they had Chevrolet drivetrain.

[gearhead409]

that story reminds me of my buddies 62 ss 327 4 speed conv. he stopped by early one summer morning and wanted me to take a ride in it. it was completely restored but he didn't have the interior in it yet, just two old ratty bucket seats and no conv. top. i was still working on my 2nd cup of coffee but i said yes lets go. we backed out the driveway he put it in 1st gear and nailed it. he shifted through the gears, we were headed for one ditch and then the other. at about a 100 mph he let off it. scared the hell out of me, my coffee cup was empty, the front of my shirt was soaking wet, what a rush! looking back on it, that is to me, a fun memory. and he is still one of my buddies.

[bobs409]

LOL :rofl :D

[Mr.Jimmy]

I remember dad in his LS6 taking me out in the country when I was 12ish.. Stopping, doing huge smokey burn outs...then winding the snot out of it down a 3 mile stretch of road..... I think about it today, it had to been going 145-150....

3 years ago.... I get done with replacing the clutch in my 69 GTO convert, dads wants to be the lucky one to test drive the hi-end clutch.. Takes it out slams 1,2nd, and misses third...."Kid you need a new shifter and that dual force clutch stinks...you wasted $300 on that kit".... "Dad...I think I need a motor"...bent valves when she over-reved the snot out of it. I swear it must of hit 8 grand before she slowed down. The 15 year old neighbor kid in the back seat was smiles...It was worth it for his smile on his face....like when I was 12....Even though it costed me another $2500.

:stooges

[RCE1962]

To: Jim SS409

Thanks for clarifying that. You're absoluetly right about the Beaumont/Chevelle thing.

You know...I suppose this car is what did it for me, in terms of "imprinting" in my mind, at a young age, a classy car, complete with an engine with "teeth". I learned later that it was a Hi-perf 327.

I guess I filed this for future reference, since the years that followed included a 1967-327 engine installed in a 1962 Impala SS.

This ±2-ton car, and this engine, with a 3-speed TH-matic with a shift kit, raised more than a few eyebrows on Saturday nights.

I guess I was trying to simulate that earlier "rush" in that Beaumont, many years previous.

Looking back... most if not, all were good memories, with that car.


RCE

[RCE1962]

To: Gearhead 409

The story regarding the 62' 4-speed car, and the coffee, was absolutely priceless. I'm with Bob re: LoL. I Found myself recalling the situation you described and that painted a pretty vivid picture. Still laughing!

Thanks for your reply.


RCE1962.

[fatride]

Something that stands out in my memory was the night in Erie Pa. 1965 I was 16 years old. We used to hang out on State st. that was the main drag, with drag being the key word here! We called it bugging state! I was at the south end of state st. the last light before leaving town. We were on foot, no ride yet. We were just past a RR overpass so we could not see the light but we could hear it coming! What came into sight was a 1965 light Metalic blue Pontiac 2X2 and he was cranking! The Poncho was a 4 speed car and I remember when he whacked 2nd gear the licence plate door where the gas fill was, flopped open with the force of that 421 Tripowers torque and a bit of gas shot out. With the street lights shining on that beautiful paint and chrome I was hooked. I have loved those beautiful big Pontiacs ever since. :love

[JimKwiatkowski]

I also have a memory of a 65 Pontiac 2+2, 421cu,4speed and tripower.It was in 1966 and I was 17 years old and a friend borrowed this 2+2 from a older that he hung out with, this older guy also bought beer for us all the time.( I think the guy must have been gay ) :dunno We went for a booze cruise looking for drag races on main street.The first drag was against a Ford and we left him in the dust,boy that 2+2 would fly :D The second drag race was against a 63 Biscane ( no 409 flags ) he beat us by 2 car lengths by 3rd gear :eek: .We just let him go,never did find out what he had under the hood :dunno

[CDNpontiac409guy]

It was summer, 1974 ( I was 14 ), Lac Du Bonnet, Manitoba...
Riding in the back seat of my Uncle's 69 Nova SS396 ( 375HP /stick ). He pulled up beside the gas pumps at the dealership where he worked as a mechanic... Nice cement ya'know. Without any warning whatsoever, he drops the hammer and goes nuts... 7000 RPM through the parking lot
Stops at the stop sign, looks back at me... big s*** eating grin on his face :D ( BTW... he's 56, STILL will drive like this on occasion... still has never had a car accident :beerbang ).
Well, that was a rush... actually it scared the snot out of me.

Fast forward to summer 1999, Lac Du Bonnet, Manitoba...
I have my Belair with a 7000 RPM 409 / 4.56's...
Invite my uncle for a ride in it ( he ALWAYS thought a 409 was an "old man's car" ).
We pull out onto the highway...
3500 RPM in 1st... without any warning whatsover, 7000 RPM, take 2nd take 3rd.. flywheeling the tires, using both lanes, the car slips to a 45 deg angle to the road, I straighten out, casual shift into 4th... look at him with a big s*** eating grin :D ...
and say, "There, we're even" :takethat :rofl

Here are the cars:

[Mr.Jimmy]

That was pretty good Aubrey..... :D Its those memorys that never die within us...that will always be 100% with us for the next 40-50 years. Hopefully your son will have some good storys in the next 20 years...hahaa

[CDNpontiac409guy]

Hey JimK... I forgot to mention.... I think we ALL KNOW what was in that Biscayne :p

Thanks Mr Jimmy
Oh yes, my monsters will have some stories. Seem to be gravitating to the 'ol Hayes though :dunno ;) . Like a couple weeks ago, when I took Cynthia and Donovan for a ride in it, out to the truck stop about 10 miles away, in the middle of no-where. I thought I'd go a little farther down the highway ( cold, but nice and clean & dry ). About 20 miles away, I decided it was time to turn around... so I stopped and backed down a short "driveway" approach into a farm yard. HHHMM :? ... that was weird. Brakes feel squishey... no stopping power... just kept going back :dunno .
Fortunately, the brakes were just fine.
Unfortunately, the last 30 ft of the "driveway" had 2 inches thick solid glare ice on it.
An hour later ( not a lot of traffic on this highway at 9:00 PM ), we got a ride back home. Had to go back out with a friend and his 3 ton tow truck. Used a chain, and he pulled me out. ( I was only about 30 ft from the highway ) :doh

Now when we go for a ride, my little guy doesn't want to turn around :(

[Tic's60]

57 Chevy with a 330 Old's in it! That car rocked! From there on it's been an adventure!!

[walkerheaders]

summer 1976........my friend at school is giving me a ride to work in his 67 chevelle SS396. it has a transplanted 427-425 and super T-10. we have this special place in town to get on a car hard and get away with it. i take him on a detour thru there one day, just to show him the place........he get's on it.....but has no coordination for grabbin gears. his daddy got him the car and he tore it up alot. it was painful to hear those gears beggin for mercy......i'm tellin him "dude. cut that out" "lemme show you how to do it" of course, he did'nt want to hear that. and days later at school, he begins to ask what i would do different, i did'nt want to dog him... so i offered to adjust the clutch for him as that could be the problem. i set the clutch to grab about an inch from the floor. he offers me a ride to work that i needed an d wants me to drive it. that little car fit me like a glove.... off we went and he wants me to make the detour............buckle up fella..he he he ...i line the car up in the center an d floor it, stab the clutch to break the tires loose, watching to keep rpms on 7000..car goes sideways...steer into it, yank second without a blink, car goes sideways the other way.. steer into it, tach on 7, grab third.. again without a skip in the black marx.... bring it back straight and get 4th. i look over and he's white asa sheet and has a death grip on the dash. by now, were rollin so i let off and coast her down to the 35 speed limit. he says rather excitedly, G#D D##M i did'nt think my car would do that!!!! i'm doing my best to stay composed and tell him, "i think it works pretty good" you might want to practice. for all the years after that on the street and at the drags, i drove the car. not sure if he ever got the hang of it.

[CDNpontiac409guy]

:beerbang
That's a good one, Bob :clap
Yes, I've been the "designated driver" a few times too :deal

[Mr.Jimmy]

Does it count that I have been the "Designated decoy" before??? :brow

[dq409]

High school 1969,,,,,

55 Chevy2 dr SW,,,,,,

HiPo 283,,, soap box seat (driver),,,,, gas can on inner fender as tank,,,,

I`m sitting on the passenger floor,,,,,

launch,,, I launch,,,, grabbing gears,,,I`m grabing at anything,,, rolling towards the back thrashing around like a beer can down a cliff !!!

WOW WHAT A RIDE !!!

this was a good start to know what a bad a** small block can do !!:rofl

[real61ss]

"I also have a memory of a 65 Pontiac 2+2, 421cu,4speed and tripower.It was in 1966 and I was 17 years old"


Fatride & Jim,
A 65 Pontiac!!!! boy, that brings back a flood of memories for me. I was involved with NASCAR roundy round racing from 1962 until 1990. We raced mostly Pontiac's and back in the mid sixties, I worked for a guy named Worth McMillion, he had 2 Pontiac's, a 64 and a 65, he drove the primary car and when he ran both cars, I got to drive the second car. We were running the Grand National division which at the time was the top division in NASCAR and later turned in to the Winston and now the Nextel Cup. We quit running that division in 69 because of the costs and started racing the local division. I continued to field cars in the late model sportsman division until 1990. I attached a photo of me with the 65 Pontiac that was taken before the race at the old fairgrounds race track in Richmond. It was May 15th 1966, I finished 12th, David Pearson won and Richard Petty was second.
I wasn't worth a hoot at driving race cars but I wouldn't take a million dollars for the experience!!!!!

[JimKwiatkowski]

Tommy,WOW!! thats one great memory.Thanks for sharing that memory with us :) :clap

[walkerheaders]

Your The MAN, Tommy!

thanx for sharing with the class.
when i posted this thread earlier, i realize i posted from the wrong point of view. since i started out riding down the track at full blast in my dad's aluminum nose super/stock dodge in 63 at the age of 5, i've been harder than average to scare. many have tried, and i've been in some nasty crashes while i was a passenger, and a few nasty ones while i was driving. 1 week after setting the national record on my harley XR1000 super stocker, i shoved it under a gaurdrail at over a hundred. it went under, i went over. my family begged me to quit racing bikes after totaling 4 of them. my 2 stroke triple kawasaki went 9.70s @140 then i took up dirt drags and wound up track champion for 3 years. from there i rode a nitro burning top fuel twin engine triumph. (i should probably post a pic of that one) my mom pleaded with me to quit bikes, i told her i had...then she saw me in national dragster and gave it to me good.
so i took up drag racing boats. that fixed her good.
as a kid, a guy in the 'hood had a kit car called a Valkyre. it looked like a gt-40 and had a factory injected 327 with a corvair transaxle. so cool, i begged a ride, we blast off down the street... i tell him i live to the right. "OK he says" i say make a right, "OK" i say your miss the turn! he says "NO problem" very calmly. I
m pretty sure were gonna slide thru the corner front yard and smash into the house. with out even a blink, he turns this thing at about 60 mph and it doesnt even scratch a tire! jeez, i've never been around a turn like that before or since.
sorry if i'm droning on........... i always made it a habit to make a memory every day incase that's all i had left when i get old.

[CDNpontiac409guy]

Tommy & Bob....
You two sure know how to make a guy feel inadequate :bow ;)

[real61ss]

I just happened to be a kid that grew up near a guy who had a race car. I get scared just read'n about the stuff that Bob did!!!! :)

[JimKwiatkowski]

Bob,you must have 9 life's,good memory Thank's for sharing :clap

[walkerheaders]

[real 61ss] I continued to field cars in the late model sportsman division until 1990. I attached a photo of me with the 65 Pontiac that was taken before the race at the old fairgrounds race track in Richmond. It was May 15th 1966, I finished 12th, David Pearson won and Richard Petty was second.

[Tommy] I just happened to be a kid that grew up near a guy who had a race car. I get scared just read'n about the stuff that Bob did!!!!

I admire your modesty Tommy, if you or anybody else on here was on the same track, at the same time with my stock car hero's Petty, Cale, Pearson, the allisons etc.......
then you my friend.....are THE MAN!!!!!!!..... :bow :bow :bow

OZ: i admire your modesty too buddy, your one tough guy. :bow

I crave action and always have. this life we get is not a test run... it's the only one. if nobody minds, i'll post a few pics of some of the different racing i've done.

[real61ss]

"I crave action and always have. this life we get is not a test run... it's the only one. if nobody minds, i'll post a few pics of some of the different racing i've done."

Please do, I for one would love see them, that's what this thread is all about.

[walkerheaders]

thanx Jim Kwi,

you guys are too kind. the stuff i did seemed pretty normal at the time. arent you invicible when your 16-30? i thought so. even still i'll drive anything i can get the keys to. my wife really is nervous about boat racing so i hung that up. i raced it for 8 years till i finally won the championship (1996 points) (i retired at the banquet that winter) it became a little scary when the boat started to run in the mid 7s at over 145, (with no seatbelts and a chute on your back)

I desperatly wanted to run top fuel at the dirt drags, our plan was to hook 2 750 2stroke triples together on nitro and run it. (est 450hp) i took all my parts to the machine shop and the machinist (he was also my partner) got killed. it was his twin triumph so my nitro carrer ended before it started. the triumph was 2 900 cc units side by side with hilborn injectors, a slipper clutch and a shaved truck tire. i had never felt that kinda torque before.

nowadays my action consist of babysitting, going to work, the occaisional ride in my 09 car, i have a Softail i never get to ride, and i do ride mini bikes with my son. i'm hoping my Sox & Martin 63 will cure some of the boredom.

this has turned out to be the best thread ever on the board. :cheers

[CDNpontiac409guy]

"if you or anybody else on here was on the same track, at the same time with my stock car hero's Petty, Cale, Pearson, the allisons etc.......
then you my friend.....are THE MAN!!!!!!!..... :bow :bow :bow "

And that, as they say, is that :beerbang

Hey.... I got ( and get ) stuck in the snow :dunno

[walkerheaders]

Please do, I for one would love see them, that's what this thread is all about.

I dont have many pics on my work pc. i've been meaning to csan some of the really old ones anyway. i'll post them another day. here's one captured from the news video of the boat races at Trenton NJ on the Delaware river may 1996. i'm in the right lane, the guy on my left nearly crashed, it's on the video. he got it straightened up and nearly caught me!. thats a guy on a raft working the lights between the 2 boats!

the next is of me on the kawi triple i called "Kamakazi" it went a best of 9.70 @140 obviously the wheele bars are in the stowed position. although several times i rode it that way to cruise night with open headers and slicks. one time, when the cops saw me and decided to chase, i took off and it rode on the wheelie bars till i could get it down. i lived in apartments with my mom and always parked my bike in my 65 chevy pickup. i had left the ramp down and could ride up upon arrival. i did this in a hurry this time, dropped the bike on it's side and shut the tailgate, ran in the house to the balcony.......the cops were so low in there car, they couldnt see the bike and did'nt get me....that time

[real61ss]

While we're doing this, let me show you two more photo's that were taken that day in 1965. remember, this was the top division in NASCAR in 1965. Compare our tow rig to the big shinny 18 wheelers that the NASCAR boys use today!!!! What a change, in those days, the fan base was pretty much limited to the southeastern part of the United States, today, NASCAR is almost worldwide and most of the fans today have never seen what it evolved from. :) According to the record books, Pearson won $2050.00 for winning, I got $175.00 for finishing 12th. Man, I thought I was rich!!!! It was fun then, Today, I hardly ever even watch it on TV.

[walkerheaders]

when i'm at work, i get carried away with the posts i read and write, I enjoy telling old war stories, it's almost like reliving them again. after all, we would'nt risk our lives racing if we could'nt have something to remember. anyway, most of my close people have heard enough or were a witness. so i get excited when it seems like someone actually wants to hear "em.
for those who were'nt there, i understand that some stories don't seem true. after all, why believe someone you don't know? I already confessed to growing up as a daredevil. fortunately, alot of people gave me pictures and asked for autographs along the way. here's a few of my very short top fuel career.
this happened in Annapolis Maryland summer 1982. (probably before Larry Dixon and Tony Shumacher were born)

[JimKwiatkowski]

Bob,I believe you,I like that rear tire I'll bet you got good traction,I also like your choice of beer :D

[walkerheaders]

Bob,I believe you,I like that rear tire I'll bet you got good traction,I also like your choice of beer :D

thanx Jim, i musta had a few too many beers when i wrote all that mushy stuff last night.
you can see in the action foto, not only the traction advantage...but what happens against the average single engine 125 inch shovelhead on nitro. it was quite a handful to drive the monster, it could keep the front end up the whole hundred yards, and take 200 yards to stop it. to launch it, you dug a 30 ft long gulley with a hoe and then backfilled with your foot. put the front wheel in the gulley, wait for green and blast off, first it would throw all the backfill, then lift the front wheel while still burning the back tire. sort of a balancing act. my idea of a twin 2 stroke on fuel woulda smoked everything at the track. looking back, the dirt drags were the most fun i ever had, i just took it for granted at the time. my dad and uncles had a fuel funny car, so what was so odd about this? i thought. like Tommy "the man" said......"i wouldn't take a million for the memory". my own bike competed in the 651-750 class. i raced against triumph 650s, they got me out of the gate from my high wheelspin, then i blew by about half track. my bike went 9.70s@140 on asphalt. try to get a trumpet to do that. if i raced a bigger bike, he had to give one bike per 100cc head start. i accidentally wound up with the KILLER combination.
I was usually drinking and racing in thoses days, who knows, i may have gotten scared if sober. the bikes went everywhere but straight. it was not unusual to for get the chinstrap or even where i had left my bike. i was all the way drunk when i won the first championship.....at the end of the return road, everybody was cheering and coming over, i forgot to put my feet down from laughing....splat! we all had a good laugh then. a team had brought a highly feared alcohol burning triumph up from the south, they had a fancy setup, and big mouths, people i had never met came to the pits to tell me to dust his A$$. they had a fancy roller starter, hilborn injectors and all billet stuff. the bets and tensions were high and so was I.
my brothers pushed my bike to the starting line and prepared the groove for the final round while i got set, i had forgotten to strap my helmet and did'nt notice till i was staged. meanwhile they had started this big alky burner and pulled along side......the light went off, i left when i smelt power in the green bulb (i was never caught sleeping)so i was with him out of the gate, my helmet started to fall off, so i sat up, reached behind my head and caught the thing, pulled it back on, and had to hold it there while getting gears with the air shifter button, the bike was almost sideways at the half point and i could see him gaining, I NEVER LIFT as i crossed the finish ahead of him, i'm crossed the other way, but closer to straight. it was quite an insult for him to get beat "single handedly" by a 2stroke "weedwacker" and he was so mad, he dumped his grill full of chicken packed up and left.

[JimKwiatkowski]

Bob,I'm looking foward to seeing your Sox's & Martin Project compleated :) Will you have it done in time for the next Convention and if so will you be attending? :dunno

[walkerheaders]

Bob,I'm looking foward to seeing your Sox's & Martin Project compleated :) Will you have it done in time for the next Convention and if so will you be attending? :dunno

You, my wife and me too!!!!!!!!! just came in from a few hours on the project. trying to finish all the floor skins. cage has been done for a while. making good progress. need to have it at York US30 reunion in Penn. this july. they are having a Sox & Martin tribute and want the car. i will try to take it even if it doesnt run and still has the tunnel ram and twin dominators. when and where is your convention? and shouldnt i bring my "W" powered car? this is also the final season for 75-80 dragway. the car needs to be there too. pretty sure i can get Ronnie to drive it on the last race at the track he put on the map. (I might cry that day) another historical landmark falls to the development of McMansions. probably a Volvo in every driveway. i wanna puke at that thought.

[walkerheaders]

I feel i should show the rest of the pics of the motorcycle race stories i've told. hope i'm not pressing my luck here, i just get carried away telling old stories and feel that pics help. End of motorcycle story. hope some of you enjoy.

PS notice the harley has the exhaust on the left side. quite rare. the dirt racing got me a sponsorship from the local harley dealer, it was quite a shock to go so slow at the races. i was the first to put a "stocker" in the 7s in the 8th mile.

[SS425HP]

:rofl Bob, have you ever had a sanity check, or are you afraid to?????????? You sure did live on the edge. It's my understanding that drag boat racing is or was the most dangerous sport for drivers ever. I see they have canopys now, so might be a little safer. Heard a story you might be familiar with. Forget who it was, but might have been Elmer Trent ( SP ). Tried to work out a parachute deal for the motorcycles. Tried it like the boat racers. Back pack. Pulled the chute, and was immediately removed from the cycle. Not a good idea. New idea, attach the chute to the cycle. Pulled the chute, and left the cycle over the front end. No more chutes on cycles. Saw Karen Stoufer break a front disc after crossing the finish line last year or the year before. Locked the front wheel, and she left the bike at high speed. Got up, and went to the bike to see if it was hurt!!!!!!!!!! I'm sure she was bruised, but seemed to be no really bad injuries. I've had a bike to 120 MPH before, but never thought about something like that happening. Or the engine locking up. Have seen that, too.
Well, maybe you are not the only one that needs a sanity check.

Fred

[walkerheaders]

I had been questioned at the time if i were crazy or not, heck, nobody wants to get hurt or killed.....but i figured "you cant get much done if your sittin around the house worryin about die'in" (my motto at the time)
these days, i drive a cavalier, and get uncomfortable if i get outta shape on my harley on the gravel driveway! funny how people change.
I manged to survive boat racing with only a few lumps. theres' 2 ways out of the boat drags....quit or die.
I dont know why but i never felt fear from cars or motorcycles. and would take the fuel burning version of each out this afternoon if possible. I do however have a scary respect for boats. i have seen video's of some close calls i've had. i've had friends, other racers and strangers ask me in the pits if i was nuts.......i didnt even know why till i saw some footage replay. my wife saw it too. and that put a stop to that. I've said before, i was getting nervous in the thing when it started going mid 7s and over 145. I managed to finally win the championship and retired on top.
I've witnessed several deaths at the boat drags and bike fatality at 75-80. recently another friend of mine John Hipwell was killed in a top fuel hydro driving for Ron Braaksma (madness TFH)
i cant let that stop me......see you at the races.