[Jack Gifford]

Reading back through coverage of the Aug '66 N.Y.Nationals, I'm reminded of how Beswick got to be such a Pontiac legend. After six pages of praise of the new funny cars with their fuel-burning SOHC Fords and Mopar hemis, comes this short paragraph about Sunday's runs:
"Then came the meet's most spectacular run. Beswick electrified the crowd with a double giant wheelstand shocker in his 'obsolete' blown 421 '63 Tempest en route to an 8.55 170.13...the fans roared their appreciation."

[Busster1]

There's nothing obsolete about being the best when you're considered the under dog! Arnie is somthing else, especialy when you take in account that he for the most part was an independent effort! Does anyone know what ever happened to his aluminum nosed mystery tornado 64 GTO? Was it lost in the fire that put him out of racing for years?

[Tom Vaught]

The body was sold and the chassis was used under the "Star of the Show" 1966 drag car.

Tom V.

[Jim's EEK!]

Does anybody have any idea why he's still racing that '64 Chevelle instead of a REAL Pontiac?

I mean, am I the only guy who can't figure out why, in 2006, he's STILL racing a Chevy?

Reasons only please, not excuses.

Thank you.

[J Brady]

Money!

[Jim's EEK!]

I said "reasons", Jim, not "excuses."

I mean, he's a Pontiac guy, not a Chevy guy, fer cryin' out loud. He's been at it for 50 years and is EVERY Pontiac racer's inspiration.

If I wanted to watch somebody run a bunch of low 7s with an old Chevy motor, I could go watch 100 other Top Sportsman cars in any given weekend that are just as fast, if not faster. Zzzzzzzzzz...

Bruce Larson still exhibition races the same '68 Camaro funny car that he raced in '68. And he only runs low 8s. But the fans love the fact that he's racing what he is famous for. Would Ronnie Sox drive a BBC?

There are too many used Pontiac racing parts lying around for that old excuse to hold any water anymore. Hell, even that moron Brian Baker is making due with used stuff he's scrounged on the Internet and from his Pontiac connections.

IA blocks, billet cranks, E Heads, Bruce Maichle's motor, etc., have all made their way to the PY classified ads. Not to mention the two free pairs of Super Chief heads that Arnie was given. Lord only knows what other parts deals he's been offered.

Anybody else?

[Tom Vaught]

Hello Scott!

Tom V.

[Brian Baker]

Originally Posted by Jim's EEK!

I said "reasons", Jim, not "excuses."

I mean, he's a Pontiac guy, not a Chevy guy, fer cryin' out loud. He's been at it for 50 years and is EVERY Pontiac racer's inspiration.

If I wanted to watch somebody run a bunch of low 7s with an old Chevy motor, I could go watch 100 other Top Sportsman cars in any given weekend that are just as fast, if not faster. Zzzzzzzzzz...

Bruce Larson still exhibition races the same '68 Camaro funny car that he raced in '68. And he only runs low 8s. But the fans love the fact that he's racing what he is famous for. Would Ronnie Sox drive a BBC?

There are too many used Pontiac racing parts lying around for that old excuse to hold any water anymore. Hell, even that moron Brian Baker is making due with used stuff he's scrounged on the Internet and from his Pontiac connections.

IA blocks, billet cranks, E Heads, Bruce Maichle's motor, etc., have all made their way to the PY classified ads. Not to mention the two free pairs of Super Chief heads that Arnie was given. Lord only knows what other parts deals he's been offered.

Anybody else?

Larson's Camaro has been low 7's...I witnessed it myself at Beaver Springs last summer. The reason you only see him run low 8's the majority of the time is because his 1968-era chassis will not pass certification. He typically lifts just past the 1/8th mile mark and still runs in the 8's. That day at Beaver Springs though, he let it all hang out, because Beaver Bob wouldn't have it any other way. If you or I tried the same thing with that car, we likely wouldn't be allowed on the track, but then again, we're not Bruce Larson 1989 NHRA TF/FC Champion.

As for my scrounging used parts, the only used stuff going into my engine will be the rods and cam (out of the Discomobile engine), and the induction system (intake, blower, injector, pump, etc.). Everything else is new (heads, pistons, billet crank, IA-2 block). Alot of other good used parts have been found for other parts of the car, however.

Arnie does what Arnie does. He's been making exhibition appearances and match races for years, the majority of them not Pontiac related events. The majority of the fans in the seats at those non-Pontiac events couldn't care less about what he has under the hood.

[Jim's EEK!]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

Hello Scott!

Tom V.

Egad, Pops. Are you ALWAYS the last one to find out everything?

[242177P]

Originally Posted by Jim's EEK!

I said "reasons", Jim, not "excuses."

Money is a pretty damn good reason. Not sure why you consider that an excuse...

[Jim's EEK!]

Originally Posted by 242177P

Money is a pretty damn good reason. Not sure why you consider that an excuse...

Because he can build a Pontiac if he wants to. For some reason, he chooses not to. And it's not money.

[Jack Gifford]

As I said, I only posted this so that others might find it entertaining reading, regarding Arnie BECOMING a Pontiac legend, without getting into any of his later-years activities. After all, he did a a LOT of racing behind Pontiac engines.

[Steve Barcak]

Jack, that was the Super Stock Nationals right? If I remember correctly.. he had 2nd overall low ET of the entire meet! I remember, Schartman was #1.
yup, those were the days when AB was a real hero, esp in the Pontiac ranks. 1964-6 were indeed his glory years with supercharged Pontiacs.
All those Fords, Mercs and Mopars (well most of the faster ones anyway) weren;t even owned or built by those guys. Mopar and Ford (esp Ford) pumped big bucks and GAVE these guys cars, parts, even street cars and tow rigs in some cases. Talk about easy! I am talking about people like Sox and Martin, Landy, Schartman, Chrisman, Nicholson, Ronda, etc.
Independents like Arnie had to do it on their own or hustle to get dealer sponsorships and the like to compete. Those guys ran as many as 120 race dates a year! can you imagine running that much??? That is incomprehensible in this day and age but it did happen.
I admire AB most for dumping the mercury contract ( he got and raced a SOHC Comet in early '65) and sticking with his Pontiacs.
What did he primarily do to be competitive with the 427 Cammers and 426 factory and independent cars in the 1964-6 era? Well, he put a blower on the car and the switched to the "good stuff" (nitro).
It is a disgrace what he is doing now and getting away with. He now has "forked tongue"
How cool that must have been to be around in those days ( as long as you didn;t get drafted).


Scott? Scott who????
Steve www.pontiacheaven.org

[BillK]

I'm really not trying to cause any problems with what I'm about to say, but....
I asked Beswick why he ran a Chevy and not a Pontiac and he told me it was more consistent and he runs a lot of events and he couldn't miss an event because he had to fix the Pontiac. He will always be one of my drag racing heroes because of his racing past and it's very cool to see an 82 year old race down the trace at nearly 200 mph. I'm sure no one on this site can say with a straight face that a Pontiac is cheaper to build then a Chevy. I'll only run a Pontiac in my race car more matter the cost, but I'm not going to complain when I get to talk to and watch a legend race at my local track, I think that is pretty cool. He's not sitting on his couch getting old, he's out there enjoying life.

[Brian Baker]

Originally Posted by BillK

I'm really not trying to cause any problems with what I'm about to say, but....
I asked Beswick why he ran a Chevy and not a Pontiac and he told me it was more consistent and he runs a lot of events and he couldn't miss an event because he had to fix the Pontiac. He will always be one of my drag racing heroes because of his racing past and it's very cool to see an 82 year old race down the trace at nearly 200 mph. I'm sure no one on this site can say with a straight face that a Pontiac is cheaper to build then a Chevy. I'll only run a Pontiac in my race car more matter the cost, but I'm not going to complain when I get to talk to and watch a legend race at my local track, I think that is pretty cool. He's not sitting on his couch getting old, he's out there enjoying life.

Arnie is running the same Chevy engine combination he built approx. 20 years ago, when there were no aftermarket Pontiac parts available to support a 7 second car on nitrous, let alone a 7 second naturally aspirated car. Now there is, but why spend more money when he already has a combo that works?

[LiL Jack]

^^^ Because its a phucking Chevrolet!

[Elarson]

Expanding on what Brian said....Arnie specifically built that combo (20 years ago) to race against Dyno Don at Super Chevy events. It was a well-paying deal and at the time, it was the only way to build a somewhat-Pontiac engine that could compete. Is there anyone here who would have rather seen him run a 100% Pontiac engine back then and get embarrassed by Nicholson by nearly a second, every weekend???

Now, Arnie doesn't have the money to build a new engine and he really doesn't even have the budget to properly maintain the one that's in there now. He's painted into a corner and at 83 years old, refuses to throw in the towel.

Eric

[Elarson]

And why was a 7 year old thread dredged up??

Eric

[Scott Roberts]

Originally Posted by Jim's EEK!

Does anybody have any idea why he's still racing that '64 Chevelle instead of a REAL Pontiac?

I mean, am I the only guy who can't figure out why, in 2006, he's STILL racing a Chevy?

Reasons only please, not excuses.

Thank you.

Instead of focusing on what you have identified as the "problem", why don't you dig deep, sponsor Arnie, thus solving the problem and put a Pontiac in his car..I'm sure he would accept. It is a matter of money for him.

[indiangiver 68]

As a friend of Arnies I know its a money thing. With as many members on this web site that are true Beswick fans, I'm sure if everyone pitched in $50.00 or offered free parts or machining services we could build him a 7 sec. Pontiac motor.
Any thoughts?