[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

As an aside, the engine that is currently in my GTO has also been on the Pontiac Engineering dyno. Engineering was so pleased with the dyno results that they determined they were going to keep it. As you might guess, Dad was not in agreement. They almost came to blows (he picked up a nearby hammer to emphasize his point) before Dad could get the engine back - and - as a result he was almost late for work that day.

Originally Posted by Tenney

Also, Jim Wangers told me that the red car was built for - and participated in - only the Car and Driver test. It would become his company car thereafter.

There was - and still is - quite a blending of what constitutes "GM property" and what constitutes "personal property".

On one occasion at the track Jim broke two or three of the factory race cars. After expending all of them he said "...that's ok. I'll drive Van's car."

Dad said no uh uh.

It would be like if I tore up two or three company cars and then said "it's ok, Eric. I'm going to drive your wife's car for a few days".

I'm sure you would have a similar response.

K

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

There was - and still is - quite a blending of what constitutes "GM property" and what constitutes "personal property".

On one occasion at the track Jim broke two or three of the factory race cars. After expending all of them he said "...that's ok. I'll drive Van's car."

Dad said no uh uh.

It would be like if I tore up two or three company cars and then said "it's ok, Eric. I'm going to drive your wife's car for a few days".

I'm sure you would have a similar response.

K

Keith,
That almost happened at Norwalk in 1997. We brought down Jim Wanger's '74 Red T/A with Ed Durene driving it. Jim's Pontee with Robert Johnson driving that car and me with a new 1997 Firehawk LT-4 6 speed on loan to Jim from SLP for me to drive.

Ed Dufrene did an exhibition run against the Bag Boy's '63 Tempest "Ms B's" Wagon and left the drive shaft near the end of the track as he ran a 9 second quarter. (I'll post those picture when I get home)

Well, I had just put the drag radials on the Firehawk and was read for my time trials when Ed came storming over and said he was driving. Robert stepped in and said we will have a run off in the Firehawk to see who runs it. I took it first run. Without letting air out of the rear tires I ran a spinning 14.50. I dropped the tire pressure and as I was getting read for another run when Ed jumped into the car and drove to the line. He sat there with smoke pouring from under the car from the clutch. Ed got traction and ran a clutch ridding 14.40. Then Robert jumped in and ran a 14.30. Robert said since he was drivng the Pontee he appointed me to run the Firehawk. Ed then acted like a child and said to me you can't run the car because the clutch was not bad and took the keys.

Jim Wangers asked me why I was not on the track with the car. Told him why. He got the keys from Ed. Then the Firehawk group wouldn't let me run with them. Reason...I was a professional driver for Wangers. Are you kidding me? They finally agreed. I ran time trials with them. Except now I was running a consistant 13.90. When the Firehawk eliminations came up they told the tower to mark my dial-in as 12.00. I had to argue with the starter that my time is clearly marked on my window as 13.99. They wouldn't change it. The guy I ended up running had a reaction time of over 1.3 while I cut a .550 light. I almost caught him at the traps. His dial in was around 14.70.

Needless to say I was a un-invited guest to the Firehawk group. I switched over to the DOT class and made it four rounds before getting the shifter stuck in third gear. The LT4 went home to SLP on a trailer. While Jim's '74 red T/A had to get a new drive shaft. Robert and the Pontee did fairly well making it into the quarter finals.

SLP supplied us with another Firehawk for the following weeks Dream Cruise. But it was a LT1 with an Automatic. With Jim in the car I raced a new '97 Formula WS6 with a 6 speed on Woodward. The WS6 pulled on us even though I got the jump. Jim and I were not impressed by the two Firehawk's performance.

[SD421]

Dr. Schiffer,
Do you have any info on exactly what size engines the 1966 GeeTeeOh race cars had??

389 or 421's??

Thanks,
Don

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by SD421

Dr. Schiffer,
Do you have any info on exactly what size engines the 1966 GeeTeeOh race cars had??

389 or 421's??

Thanks,
Don

Don,
The 1966 Royal Race car that Milt drove was a legal NHRA 389/ 360HP.

Officially the GeeTO Tigers and their tow cars were well prepaired 389/360HP 4 speeds.

Eric

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

Keith,
That almost happened at Norwalk in 1997. We brought down Jim Wanger's '74 Red T/A with Ed Durene driving it. Jim's Pontee with Robert Johnson driving that car and me with a new 1997 Firehawk LT-4 6 speed on loan to Jim from SLP for me to drive.

Ed Dufrene did an exhibition run against the Bag Boy's '63 Tempest "Ms B's" Wagon and left the drive shaft near the end of the track as he ran a 9 second quarter. (I'll post those picture when I get home)

Well, I had just put the drag radials on the Firehawk and was read for my time trials when Ed came storming over and said he was driving. Robert stepped in and said we will have a run off in the Firehawk to see who runs it. I took it first run. Without letting air out of the rear tires I ran a spinning 14.50. I dropped the tire pressure and as I was getting read for another run when Ed jumped into the car and drove to the line. He sat there with smoke pouring from under the car from the clutch. Ed got traction and ran a clutch ridding 14.40. Then Robert jumped in and ran a 14.30. Robert said since he was drivng the Pontee he appointed me to run the Firehawk. Ed then acted like a child and said to me you can't run the car because the clutch was not bad and took the keys.

Jim Wangers asked me why I was not on the track with the car. Told him why. He got the keys from Ed. Then the Firehawk group wouldn't let me run with them. Reason...I was a professional driver for Wangers. Are you kidding me? They finally agreed. I ran time trials with them. Except now I was running a consistant 13.90. When the Firehawk eliminations came up they told the tower to mark my dial-in as 12.00. I had to argue with the starter that my time is clearly marked on my window as 13.99. They wouldn't change it. The guy I ended up running had a reaction time of over 1.3 while I cut a .550 light. I almost caught him at the traps. His dial in was around 14.70.

Needless to say I was a un-invited guest to the Firehawk group. I switched over to the DOT class and made it four rounds before getting the shifter stuck in third gear. The LT4 went home to SLP on a trailer. While Jim's '74 red T/A had to get a new drive shaft. Robert and the Pontee did fairly well making it into the quarter finals.

SLP supplied us with another Firehawk for the following weeks Dream Cruise. But it was a LT1 with an Automatic. With Jim in the car I raced a new '97 Formula WS6 with a 6 speed on Woodward. The WS6 pulled on us even though I got the jump. Jim and I were not impressed by the two Firehawk's performance.

Here are some of the pictures from the 1997 Norwalk Tri-power assult.

Pictured on the trailer at Norwalk, left to right, Jeff Reimus, Ed Dufrene, Eddy Dufrene and Robert Johnson. Jeff is on the Performance years Forum as CammerJeff. You can see in the back ground, Jim Wangers' '74 red T/A, '87 white Pontee, and the hood of the '97 black Firehawk.

Look closely at the picture of Ed loosing his drive shaft and you'll see part of the yoke and u-joint in the smoke that he left behind him. It look like a black dot in his lane.

In case you can't read the Pontee's license plate frame and the side rail of it's black trailer it says: "DON'T WORRY ITS ONLY A PONTIAC"