[Brian Baker]

You need to check out the 70's funny car website then, Paul (see my link above). Plenty of cool cars in there, even a few Pontiacs. Then there's the 60's funny car site:

http://www.60sfunnycars.com/

Even more Pontiacs in there.

By the way, I know it's not a Pontiac, but the Kelly Chadwick Camaro has recently been found and is in surprisingly good shape, still having much of its original equipment (engine/tranny gone though). The new owner plans on restoring it back to the color scheme of when Kelly raced it, but which scheme he will go with is unknown. The car can be seen in both cariations on the 60's site.

And get a load of that Eldorado in round #6 !!!

[gtofreek]

It should be called Helldorado!

[Brian Baker]

More info...I just learned that the Challenger pictured was wrecked and burned to the ground, with Arnie driving. Apparently Arnie got his hands burned up pretty bad in that one too (a little deja vu from his fire in the Tameless Tiger a few years ago...he obviously survived both, but man, those are some creepy odds).

[gtofreek]

Originally Posted by Brian Baker

More info...I just learned that the Challenger pictured was wrecked and burned to the ground, with Arnie driving. Apparently Arnie got his hands burned up pretty bad in that one too (a little deja vu from his fire in the Tameless Tiger a few years ago...he obviously survived both, but man, those are some creepy odds).

I ran into Arnie at the PRI show and I must say, he's healing up pretty good. Looks a lot better than when I saw him a couple years ago. He's getting some more movement out of his hands now. He's such a nice guy and will go out of his way to talk to a fan.

Does anyone have any Stories about any personnal experiences with Arnie they would like to share? I have a few I will share if you like.

I first met Arnie in the late 90's when he was out here in Tucson making some exhibition runs at our local track. My wife and I stopped by the outskirts of his pit and watched him working underneath his car[the Tameless Tiger] on the tranny. The rest of his crew were just standing around. When Arnie got out from under the car he glanced over at my wife and I and proceeded to walk over, wiping off his hands, and introduce himself to us. I told him I was the President of the local GTO club here and had a 64 GTO myself. He talked to us for about a 1/2 hour and then proceeded to give us lots of Arnie stuff like a 64 GTO Tameless Tiger 'fridge magnet, some T-shirts, a video, and an autographed copy of a Tameless Tiger booklet. It was the coolest thing. He asked what I do for a living and I told him I was a machinist. It would have been an honor to do some machine work for him. He called me one night at home a couple years later and said he was looking for someone else to do his heads. He interveiwed me, so to speak, but I think he was a bit put off by the shop I worked at[it wasn't the cleanest shop around, matter of fact, it was about the dirtiest shop around since the boss hated a clean shop, but that is another story]. Well, about 2 1/2 years ago, now that I work at a real shop, I finally got the opertunity to fix the E-heads on his 8 second 63 Tempest that Jeff Samms drove for him. I had to install some seats and cut all the seats to the same depth as well as make all the valves the same legnth from tip to face as well as overall. This got all the stem heights the same for his shaft mount rockers to work right. It was a thrill for me to do those heads and since I have talked to Arnie on a few occasions at the PRI shows. He's a great man and never seemed to let his fame go to his head.

I suggest that if anyone ever see's Arnie, don't be afraid to go up and start talking to him. You won't be disappointed.

Anyone else?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by gtofreek

Does anyone have any Stories about any personnal experiences with Arnie they would like to share? Anyone else?

I've got one I can share real quick:

It was the last day of work before Christmas, probably 7 or 8 years ago. I left work early to run up to the Case/IH dealer to get some parts for my Farmall. I was northbound on I-75, about to make the transition onto westbound I-69 (in Flint, Michigan) when this blue Chevy crew cab dually kind of eases past me on the right. I noticed it had Illinois plates, and I also noticed it said "Leased to Simpson Motorsports" on the side. That seemed kind of familiar, and as it went by I thought to myself "gee, the guy driving that looks like Arnie Beswick"...

Just about the time he gets straightened out in front of me, this huge tarp/blanket blows off the back of the truck (...scares the daylights outta' me!) and off into the median, revealing this HUGE pro mod type motor with tiger stripes on the valvecovers!

We both roll down the road a little ways when the pickup pulls off to the right, and I follow. The driver hops out of his truck and we meet there on the shoulder, I stick my hand out and say "You lost your tarp, Arnie".. He gets this look on his face, that he always gets when he sees me or my dad, like "...I know you from somewhere..". So we exchanged our usual introductions and then start deciding what to do about the tarp, which is far enough back down the roadway that we can't see it. I suggest that I am going to a tractor store, and he could follow me there and buy another, but he decides since the weather looks good he'll just make a run for it. We say our good bye's and off we go, each in our separate directions.

Well....after I bought my tractor parts I headed back home and....guess what...the tarp is still laying in the median. I stopped and grabbed it, threw it in the back of my truck. Then, when I went to Norwalk that next August, I brought it with me and gave it back to him. We had a good laugh about that, and I suppose if you asked him about it he would still remember...



For those who don't know, Arnie used to have a lot of work done at Diamond Collision, in Flint. He had retrieved the motor from the car to have it freshened up and left the car there for some additional work.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Ok - one more:

I'll probably mess this up but here's how I remember it:

My dad was telling me about this one time back in the late 60's he was coming home from work on I-69 in Flint, and there is this car hauler broken down off to the right side. Dad worked second shift, so it's early EARLY in the morning, so he stopped to help. Turns out it is Arnie coming back from somewhere, and he has diagnosed that he has broken a piston in the truck motor. It's a big 292 cu in straight six Chevy and so Dad says "... hey, I've got 292 cu in Chevy pistons back at the house". They load up, head to the house and sure enough he's got a whole set. After a snack and some coffee, they head back to the truck and Arnie proceeds to strip the motor down, put that piston in, and get the truck running again RIGHT THERE ON THE SIDE OF THE EXPRESSWAY....

Well, we were telling this story to Howard Maseles one time (Howard used to drive for Arnie) and HE starts telling stories about this same truck! He said one time they were on a tour out west and the brakes went out. Arnie said "aww, that's ok, Howard....just downshift early and you'll be fine". Howard said they drove all the way out and back and never did fix the brakes on the truck!

K

[gtofreek]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Ok - one more:

I'll probably mess this up but here's how I remember it:

My dad was telling me about this one time back in the late 60's he was coming home from work on I-69 in Flint, and there is this car hauler broken down off to the right side. Dad worked second shift, so it's early EARLY in the morning, so he stopped to help. Turns out it is Arnie coming back from somewhere, and he has diagnosed that he has broken a piston in the truck motor. It's a big 292 cu in straight six Chevy and so Dad says "... hey, I've got 292 cu in Chevy pistons back at the house". They load up, head to the house and sure enough he's got a whole set. After a snack and some coffee, they head back to the truck and Arnie proceeds to strip the motor down, put that piston in, and get the truck running again RIGHT THERE ON THE SIDE OF THE EXPRESSWAY....

Well, we were telling this story to Howard Maseles one time (Howard used to drive for Arnie) and HE starts telling stories about this same truck! He said one time they were on a tour out west and the brakes went out. Arnie said "aww, that's ok, Howard....just downshift early and you'll be fine". Howard said they drove all the way out and back and never did fix the brakes on the truck!

K

That's a good one! Arnies the MAN!

[gtofreek]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

He gets this look on his face, that he always gets when he sees me or my dad, like "...I know you from somewhere..".

So, where did he know you and your dad from?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by gtofreek

So, where did he know you and your dad from?

I'm not sure there was a "defined" meeting; I think all those "old school" Pontiac racers just automatically "knew" each other....



We have a regular routine whenever we meet:

Either Dad or I would say "hey Arnie..."

Arnie will acknowledge us, with that "I know I know you from somewhere" look, and stick out his hand...

Dad would say "I'm the guy that had that Nocturne blue '63 Catalina HO car, with the aluminum front end and the wide whitewalls, and blah blah..."

And then, now, I say "...and I'm the guy that brought your tarp back".

And Arnie, with a gleam of recognition in his eye, will say "oh, yeah! Yeah!" and then off we go to whatever we were going to visit about....

[Brian Baker]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

For those who don't know, Arnie used to have a lot of work done at Diamond Collision, in Flint. He had retrieved the motor from the car to have it freshened up and left the car there for some additional work.

K

Diamond Collision = Rob Bruce...who accepted as payment, Arnie's original Boss Bird body which he then used on his Zombie AA/FC...which was burned up at FCR several years ago and ironically was repaired recently to use as a plug for molding a new body to go on the Boss Bird recreation.

http://www.draglist.com/photoimages/...e-Firebird.jpg

[Elarson]

Originally Posted by Brian Baker

More info...I just learned that the Challenger pictured was wrecked and burned to the ground, with Arnie driving. Apparently Arnie got his hands burned up pretty bad in that one too (a little deja vu from his fire in the Tameless Tiger a few years ago...he obviously survived both, but man, those are some creepy odds).

A bit more history...in chronological order:

1) Arnie builds 1st Boss Bird with ram Air V and Turbo 400

2) Arnie gets the Challenger loaned to him. He has Ed Pink build a new hemi....goes match racing with 2-speed Lenco.

3) wrecks Challenger

4) swaps Challenger hemi and trans into Boss Bird to try it.....races a few events this way.

5) A guy that Arnie knows buys the Phil Bonner Torino and convices Arnie to help him convert it into a second Boss Bird. Arnie supplies a body and the Challenger hemi engine. Arnie's own Boss Bird gets converted back to Ram Air V power.

6) Arnie has the Challenger fixed and returns it to it's owner.

7) Other guy sells the second Boss Bird w/o telling Arnie.

8) Arnie's barn burns to the ground with the Ram Air V Boss Bird in it.


Eric

[Steve Barcak]

B Baker states- "Diamond Collision = Rob Bruce...who accepted as payment, Arnie's original Boss Bird body which he then used on his Zombie AA/FC...which was burned up at FCR several years ago and ironically was repaired recently to use as a plug for molding a new body to go on the Boss Bird recreation"

Hmmmm. so the 'original' Boss bird body was used to make a copy? How can that be if the 'original body' was burned to the ground?
Eric has made references too about this 'allegedly original' body......yet, it is stated over and over the the 'original' Boss Bird body was burned to the ground in the fire of 4-72. How can this be so Eric? What are , indeed the facts here?

There seems to be more claims of more than one 'original' body. There can only be one that is , in fact , original, correct? AND, the facts show it burned to the ground. In other words- it is gone.
Perhaps there were more than one made from the mold, I am sure there was. Still, there can only be one original body used on the a Beswick car and it is gone forever, burned to the ground. Arnie told me this himself- "Steve, both the Boss Bird and Super Judge burned to the ground".

I read in a super stock magazine that a new firebird body was donated to Arnie Beswick in '73 or '74. Maybe that is what is being called the 'original' body?
The use of the word original is almost as useless and uncredible as the collector set uses the word 'rare'.

Just want the facts straight here.


Steve Barcak www.pontiacheaven.org

"Real Pontiacs only....no corporate nonsense!"

[Wareagle]

Originally Posted by Elarson

A bit more history...in chronological order:

1) Arnie builds 1st Boss Bird with ram Air V and Turbo 400

2) Arnie gets the Challenger loaned to him. He has Ed Pink build a new hemi....goes match racing with 2-speed Lenco.

3) wrecks Challenger

4) swaps Challenger hemi and trans into Boss Bird to try it.....races a few events this way.

5) A guy that Arnie knows buys the Phil Bonner Torino and convices Arnie to help him convert it into a second Boss Bird. Arnie supplies a body and the Challenger hemi engine. Arnie's own Boss Bird gets converted back to Ram Air V power.

6) Arnie has the Challenger fixed and returns it to it's owner.

7) Other guy sells the second Boss Bird w/o telling Arnie.

8) Arnie's barn burns to the ground with the Ram Air V Boss Bird in it.


Eric

Arnie did'nt have very good luck in the early 70's--Damn that fire.

[Elarson]

OK, Steve....I, too believe in the accurate facts.

Arnie owned (3) '71 Trans Am funny car bodies. The first one was on the RA-V car and burned in the fire. The second one was on the hemi car that got sold w/o Arnie's permission. This body still exists. The third body was donated to Arnie after the fire and Arnie never drove it down a track. This third body is the one that we are using to make a mold.

This third body was owned by Arnie until the late 90's.
Arnie wanted this body to be used to re-create the Boss Bird.
Arnie endorses, approves and is excited by our efforts.
We came up with some alternatives to make a new body that had zero connection to Arnie, but chose to go to the extra expense to use this one.

There's the straight facts. Now, it's up to everyone out there to decide which way the hair should be split; as to originality.

Eric

[Brian Baker]

Originally Posted by Elarson

A bit more history...in chronological order:

1) Arnie builds 1st Boss Bird with ram Air V and Turbo 400

2) Arnie gets the Challenger loaned to him. He has Ed Pink build a new hemi....goes match racing with 2-speed Lenco.

3) wrecks Challenger

4) swaps Challenger hemi and trans into Boss Bird to try it.....races a few events this way.

5) A guy that Arnie knows buys the Phil Bonner Torino and convices Arnie to help him convert it into a second Boss Bird. Arnie supplies a body and the Challenger hemi engine. Arnie's own Boss Bird gets converted back to Ram Air V power.

6) Arnie has the Challenger fixed and returns it to it's owner.

7) Other guy sells the second Boss Bird w/o telling Arnie.

8) Arnie's barn burns to the ground with the Ram Air V Boss Bird in it.


Eric

I have it from more than one source that was frequenting the racing scene in that era, one that witnessed the remains of the car after the wreck, and another familiar with Vic Ferris, that state the car was destroyed, and was never fixed and returned. Vic Ferris owned the car and was purportedly a well known "wise guy" from Westchester county NY at that time.

[Brian Baker]

No personal stories, but my favorite "experience" was at Norwalk several years ago, when after one of his long burnouts, he backed up over the 330' cone and started to back up over the 60' cone before a crewmember stopped him. So much smoke left in the car, he coudln't see to back up. Bill Bader Jr. was laughing and yelling over the P.A. "Oh, Arnie...you're killing me!" Got it on videotape somewhere.

[Elarson]

We are supposed to get our new Boss Bird body in 3 weeks or so.

Eric

[Old Blue 66]

I suggest that if anyone ever see's Arnie, don't be afraid to go up and start talking to him. You won't be disappointed.

Cant agree with this more. Arnie is a hell of a guy. A reall class act. I dont think Ive ever met anyone who appreciates his fans more than he does. First time I met him, I felt like I could have known him forever.

[Elarson]

When our funny car is finished, we will never use the word "original" to refer to it....just as we have never tried to fool anybody that our "Grocery Getter" re-creation is "original".

Eric

[Brian Baker]

Rob took receipt from Arnie, and owns said body I was discussing...it's the one Rob burned up that is being repaired to serve as a plug for Eric's new body.