[sdbob]

Thanks for the info on street racing and PMD guys. WOW. Its been great to relive those days even here in western PA. I have most of the Pontiac articles.I will go back and pull them out to 'see' the differences. I still have my 'Philo' decal.I remmeber reading about the 66 GTO and the Royal Bobcat version and how reasonable the cost was-we were poor soooo. I've talked to Ed Dufrene at Norwalk a few times. After the one talk I guy I can't remmeber said 'they will show you only so much at the race track to draw you in-then on the street the car 'will' be faster'. I heard rumors that the street racing can be 'anywhere' for the right amount of money and very few spectators. Dr. why did they call Ed-'Dirty Ed' I never asked him personally?

[Old Man Taylor]

Originally Posted by sdbob

- - - - Dr. why did they call Ed-'Dirty Ed' I never asked him personally?

As I understand it the reason is that he always wears sandals, and therefore has/shows dirty feet.

[sdbob]

Thanks OMT ,shoot I just remembered nice to have met you at Norwalk when I was with Jerry Brock.

[Old Man Taylor]

Originally Posted by sdbob

Thanks OMT ,shoot I just remembered nice to have met you at Norwalk when I was with Jerry Brock.

Likewise Bob. I didn't have much time of my own as I was there to help Jim Wangers. I still had a good time.

[Wareagle]

Originally Posted by Old Man Taylor

As I understand it the reason is that he always wears sandals, and therefore has/shows dirty feet.

Cool - met Ed at Bremerton when he was driving Jim Wangers 9 sec. 74 T/A .

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by sdbob

Thanks for the info on street racing and PMD guys. WOW. Its been great to relive those days even here in western PA. I have most of the Pontiac articles.I will go back and pull them out to 'see' the differences. I still have my 'Philo' decal.I remmeber reading about the 66 GTO and the Royal Bobcat version and how reasonable the cost was-we were poor soooo. I've talked to Ed Dufrene at Norwalk a few times. After the one talk I guy I can't remmeber said 'they will show you only so much at the race track to draw you in-then on the street the car 'will' be faster'. I heard rumors that the street racing can be 'anywhere' for the right amount of money and very few spectators. Dr. why did they call Ed-'Dirty Ed' I never asked him personally?

Wow. I have to say I only check the forum every few weeks... An original "Philo" Decal is great. There have been poor quality bogus ones out there for years. Even stuff that never existed. Like valve cover decals, Royal key fobs and magnetic Royal Bobcat emblems. Don't get me started...LOL

Bobcat kits at $55.00 were a great deal back then for a half day bolt on. In 1977 Jim Wangers tried to duplicate that idea with an article on his 1977 Trans Am. I can't seem to transfer that article. The article shows Jim's T/A at the Big Boy on Woodward at Normandy (13 1/2 Mile Road). I think the article was in the first issue of a Trans Am magazine. (?) I can't remember the mag's name right now.

As for the cars running at the track back in the day the orders from Jim Wangers was "DO NOT" run the cars all out. On the street Jim Wangers would call off a street race if too many people showed up to watch. (not that John Politzer and Brain Balish always follow orders. They took a class win with the car at the track. Slicks in the back seat and tools in the trunk). There was many a night this happened. Jim called off what was to have been the best race for the Blackbird against Steve Mair in a 1970 Chevelle with an all aluminum Can Am engineering motor and light weight body. Steve was GM VP's son of the late Alex Mair who passed away this May, 2012 . Good Auto week article on Alex. http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...news/120529790

The two cars lined up on the freeway and the race was interupted three times. The Blackbird needed to heat the tires at least three times with a special compound in order to get traction on the street. The crowds began to build and Jim Wangers called the race off. Jim never wanted to see the Birds full potential. He played down any rumored wins by the Blackbird. On the other hand any time the Black Bird lost he was very upset....Jim felt this would have been the best race for the Black Bird.

Steve had beaten Jimmy Addison in the '67 GTX (Silver Bullet) with this Chevelle by several car lengths.

As for Dirty Ed...Look at him! Seriously, I have no idea why. I never asked! Jim Taylor is probably right. Robert Johnson would always draw attention to Ed wearing his flip flops and the fungus on his toes. Ed was Jim Wangers West Coast racer. He did not spend much time here in Detroit.

Duncan Michael would build the race engines here in Detroit. Some times the engines where shipped west. Other times the engines got changed here in Detroit when the cars were runing in the midwest. Duncan would go to Norwalk to help tune the cars.

The Geeto Tiger engines are Butler motors and Duncan and the late Bob Schaefer would avoid touching that engine.

[sdbob]

Thanks for the info Dr. I read many years ago that one of those CanAM engines by accident made its way into a production Impala! Could that be true?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

As for the cars running at the track back in the day the orders from Jim Wangers was "DO NOT" run the cars all out.

Not sure if it was the "Jim Wangers" influence but dad would never run his cars all out - until it was absolutely necessary.

He'd make one test pass launching hard and coasting through the lights, and one test pass launching easy and running hard through the lights.

Once you have both ends covered.....yer ready!

K

[Silver Judge]

I've been to a super secret street location with Jim Wangers and Robert Johnson present, along with the Ponte Carlo, ready to take on any and all comers. Somehow word got out and next thing you know LEOs are everywhere and it's game over. Bummer!

We have heard about the exploits of Dirty Ed also. Ha Ha !~
We even know a fella whose nickname is Dirty Ed's Favorite Flagger

[Wareagle]

Silver Judge - must @#$#% off the Chevys when they get beat by A Monte Carlo with a Pontiac engine under the hood .

[ANDYA]

OK guys, here's a video my friend made of my 428 running on a test stand he built. There is also some nice video of my car. If the car would have been ready I would have been hanging out with you guys on Woodward this past summer. Hopefully next year.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=rDgAaBu91tw

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Great video. The car and engine look perfect for Woodward!!!!!!!!! Are you going to put frame connectors on?
If you are making plans to be there, it is not just a one day event. Even though Woodward is busy with cruising all summer long you need to be there for the week leading up to the Saturday cruise. This is the best time to get the real feel and taste of the Detroit car scene.
Hopefully, the magazines will do the WOW cruise to the GM Milford Proving grounds, Ken Lignefelter's car collection, Jack Rousch's collection and Henry Ford Museum again.
The real flavor is being out on Woodward starting the weekend before and watching as the traffic gets heavier each night until Satuday.
If you cruise Woodward on Saturday do it early from Ferndale to Pontiac and back. Then park the car and walk. You'll see a lot of cars in parked in lots along the sides of Woodward. Best from 13 Mile Rd to Maple Rd (15 Mile Rd) and through Downtown Birmingham. It becomes a great spectator sport. Magazines do not do the cruise justice. You will see things during the week you will never beable to discribe to any one. No matter how hard you try.
Good luck with the Firebird it looks great!