[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Brock Yates loved street racing so much he wrote about it again, 9 years later. "Return to the Streets Mother."

Now writing about our Thursday night High End Club running on I-696.

For those of you who have heard of Sonic Motors and its owner Barry Martin. You can see him in the group shot as every one looks at the tunnel ram engine in the MOPAR. Barry is the shortest guy on the far left with his hair parted in the middle.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

The last two pages from the October 1976 Car and Driver article by Brock Yates.
This always makes for good reading and day dreaming about the way it once was....Enjoy

[goatman65]

Geez,im pumped now. My heart rate is up and i want to go jump in my car and bang some gears. I love reading these stories.

[SuddenDeath]

Eric, thanks so much for posting these articles! Great reading.

The Ruggirello car is still coming along. I've had issues with getting the paint finished (long story), but we're now back on track. In fact, this past weekend we finished the fenders, hood, hatch, and header panel for final blocking/paint.

The engine machine work is almost done (yet another story).

This year we'll finish the car

Hope everyone on here had a great holiday season!

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by SuddenDeath

Eric, thanks so much for posting these articles! Great reading.

The Ruggirello car is still coming along. I've had issues with getting the paint finished (long story), but we're now back on track. In fact, this past weekend we finished the fenders, hood, hatch, and header panel for final blocking/paint.

The engine machine work is almost done (yet another story).

This year we'll finish the car

Hope everyone on here had a great holiday season!

That is great. You should post the pictures of what Joe Ruggirello's old Mustang looked like from the time you got it, right up to current condition. After all Joe and this car are a great part of Detroit's street racing history. Not just a flash in the pan.

If you look back through this post I have some pictures of the thursday night High End gathering almost a year ago to honor Joe's 80th birthday. Joe has a CTSV prepared by Lingenfelter. But his daily driver is a MKS.

If you have some of the old magazine articles of the car that would be great too. It would help people understand the types of cars that raced the streets of Detroit and as part of the Thursday night High End Club.

I hope we can see the car at this years Dream Cruise too.

I can't wait to see it. By the way has Joe ever returned your calls?

[Wareagle]

Eric you should get some good HD Video for the Blackbird for Nostalgia - Of the line etc. get a lot of hits on youtube etc . .

[rad400]

Wow I wish I could go back in time and be a part of it all. Thanks Eric.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by rad400

Wow I wish I could go back in time and be a part of it all. Thanks Eric.

Boy, I'd like to re live it too! LOL

As the saying goes: "If I only only knew then what I know now!" LOL

Say, wasn't some one looking into a DMC Delorean?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

Boy, I'd like to re live it too! LOL

As the saying goes: "If I only only knew then what I know now!" LOL

Say, wasn't some one looking into a DMC Delorean?

I would do it pretty much the same way, if I could do it over again.

...

...except I'd take more pictures....



K

[rad400]

That was me on the Delorean.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

I would do it pretty much the same way, if I could do it over again.

...

...except I'd take more pictures....



K

Keith,
I used to think it wasn't "cool" to take pictures of the enigine compartment or have evidence of me street racing or at the track.

I use hood locks instead of hood pins so no one would know what I had under the hood. It also helped deture theft.

Now as I looked back I did some neat stuff under the hood and shouls have had pictures...

Now where is that Delorean parked? LOL

[goatman65]

I know street racing was and is dangerous and not as 'accepted?' today as it was back then but, if it were still going on somewhere around here i would be there.

[Wareagle]

Eric did you miss my post - its hard being a Pontiac Fan sometimes - you still have the most bad ass car to Terrorize Woodward Ave . .

[muscle_collector]

now that is a cool picture

[Wareagle]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

now that is a cool picture

Yes - probably the best Action pic ever for this car .

[brut4s]

X 3 Awesome!

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by Wareagle

Eric did you miss my post - its hard being a Pontiac Fan sometimes - you still have the most bad ass car to Terrorize Woodward Ave . .

Gee, where are you finding these photos?

This old war horse/museum piece is too old to terrorize any of those 1,000 HP Mustangs or Hennessey Vipers. But it can put on a good show don't you think?

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by goatman65

I know street racing was and is dangerous and not as 'accepted?' today as it was back then but, if it were still going on somewhere around here i would be there.

Most people back in the day that cruised along Woodward, Telegragh etc knew the etiquette of the road before pulling out into traffic or trying to get in front of few cars that where gearing (slowing) down to street race. We also tried to build up traffic behind us so the police could not see who was racing or get through to us.

Besides most racing on the busier part of Woodward, 9 or 10 Mile Rd to Maple RD (15 Mile), was over by the time you hit the 50 MPH speed limit. A great section was on the south bound side between 12 Mille and 13 Mile. There was cemetry along the west side for about a 1/2 mile. No access for cars to come out or the Royal Oak police to hide. So we could get a good run off along here with two closely matched cars.

Past Maple Rd/15 Mile Rd there were no driveways and very few streets so you went a little faster all the way to Teds Drive In at Square Lake. If you wanted more you took Square Lake Rd over to I-75 and went all out.

Today there is still street racing going on around Detroit. A few places are; north of Square lake Rd. in Pontiac, on South Blvd near the old GM Truck Plant/ Center Point. In Detroit near Detroit City Airport on French Rd and on Van Dyke near the Chrysler Plant.

You can go to Youtube and pull up part of a video I was part of with my 1968 GTO convertible in the 1990's for the BBC. Jeremy Clarkston's Motorworld, the Detroit Auto Industry. He videoed some burn out on Plymouth Rd. While it was an hour program this is only a couple minute Youtube segment.

Another youtube video is a tribute to an old time street racer Norm Ruby. He is racing his late model Mustang Fox body. Norm had some strong running Fords. There is a Detroit Dragway in 1962 lined up with Norn in his '61 Ford along side Jim Wangers '62 Royal Race car, Bill Sidwell's '61 Pontiac Cat and a '62 Chevy 409.

[brut4s]

Any Links to those videos?

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by brut4s

Any Links to those videos?

Here is Jeremy's MotorWorld. You'll have to watch a few minute into the segment to see some of the stuff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjzpx_jUUA0

The late Norm Ruby video in his fox body:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcZxBDfMGk8

Go to about 6 Minutes on this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOFQ8-iYjlk

French Rd;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBpmxUYv_V4

Enjoy there are many Detroit Street racing videos