[Elarson]

Originally Posted by 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.

True....and when VFN is done making the mold, that body (the "third, former Arnie Beswick" body) will be returned to Rob.

Eric

[Elarson]

Steve:

Is that a satisfactory disclosure? Or do you still have questions that you think need to be cleared up? I don't want to leave the impression that we're trying to deceive anybody.

Eric

[Steve Barcak]

Hey Eric,

I consider you my friend and am not say you are deceiving. I have the highest regard of both you and Mike and I think you know that.
It is just these facts should be known as there are so much crud out there that is so wrong.

Several months ago I got bashed here, Jim Zeek even called me a name ( he got hot faced because he did not know his facts in this issue), for just trying to show facts about Mr Beswick. People get misled and think I hate him. Wrong, in fact, very wrong. That thread was thought to have a V in it and Beswick driving. I added I thought it was a Chrysler and , perhaps, not Beswick driving. People didn't like that but, it turned out to be true. some people here apparantely have an issue with the truth. Showing the true is NOT bashing, is it?
Back the the body issue-
So, you state that Arnie had 3 bodies but, that is 3 bodies over time, not at he same time. The 'third body' was donated to A Beswick well after the fire and was never used on the Boss Bird or even built by him, just donated.
This isn't really splitting hairs because of each different bodies use.

Using the word "Original Boss Bird" in reference to any Boss bird body alive today is, infact, not true. The original is long gone and can never return.



You know I support, encourage and look forward to seeing the new Boss Bird go together and always have.

Keep us posted on progress.

Steve Barcak www.pontiacheaven.org

[Steve Barcak]

All this brings up another very related question-

What about the '70 Tyree body? There were a few others used too. Were they all from the same company or did 2 companies make a 70 Firebird Funny car body.

I will have the '68 Tyree Firebrid funny car body on display at Pontiac Heaven X for the first time in April here in Phoenix.

Steve Barcak www.pontiacheaven.org

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

[Brian Baker]

Steve, I don't think Eric was misleading, not even unintentionally. If anything, the information I posted could have been. I merely posted what was directly told to me by Rob Bruce himself, that the body he has he got directly from Arnie in exchange for some work he did for Arnie, and that it was the old "Boss Bird" body. As to how or why Rob believed it was the original body, I can't say...I don't know...it certainly wouldn't be the first time anyone was misled as to the originality of a Pontiac body however.

Rob was instrumental in my finding out the history of my funny car as well. pointing me to the path of the original owner, Dick Rosberg.

[pont406]

Eric,were you stating the Hemi Boss Bird is still exsiting? or is it M.I.A ? I would imagine alot of the "flip top" funny car teams, back then, had at least one spare body stashed away "just in case". if the Hemi Boss Bird surfaced, it could still be considered a "Boss Bird" F/C, as people like "Jungle Jim" and others had more than one car, (east coast/west coast) at the same time.

[Brian Baker]

Steve...speaking of fires, it was also relayed to me that Arnie was wearing golf gloves when his hands were burned in that Challenger fire, which prompted him to wear fire gloves from then on.

Paul Spotts, if you're reading any of this, and haven't done so already, please get your fire suit recertified and up to date, along with boots, gloves, and headsock. Your friends would like to keep you around for awhile should something unfortunate happen with your FED.

[Elarson]

Lots of conversation....that's good.

No offense taken on my part. I agree that we all need to be as accurate as possible.

Concerning the hemi Boss Bird....I know that the body still exists. It was only a body....I have no knowledge what happened to the rest of the car.

Steve...I genuinely appreciate your compliments about our work. Having Arnie's name and history attached to the car opened a lot of doors and captured the interest of the Pontiac crowd. Over the years, we have also run this car at events that were not Pontiac-specific. Casual fans in that environment do not necessarily know Arnie. So the popularity of our Grocery Getter is a combination of Arnie's history and our current efforts. BTW: many of the behind-the-scenes movers & shakers in the industry are more receptive to helping us on our projects when they know we're building/campaigning Beswick car(s).

Concerning the corporate nonsense engine....Arnie has one of these drivetrains and it is in the '64. It was removed from the '63....so I only counted it once. Then Arnie loaned the '63 to Rick Thomas and provided components to refit it with traditional power.

Steve.....I enjoyed your visit here this summer. The garage is pretty much finished and everything is in out of the weather.

I just took delivery of my new SFI-20 suit for the funny car. Already had the -20 gloves and boots. Going to use all of them in the GG. Paul is an important friend...I hope he is properly protected.

Eric

[Brian Baker]

Are we going to bring up Rick Thomas again? It's my understanding that car was bartered to Rick to pay for work Arnie recieved from Rick (much in the same way Arnie bartered the body to Rob Bruce that you guys are using for a plug). The boards got quiet after that information was revealed, and Rick's post in the lobby about it mysteriously disappeared.

Paul missed out on what could have been some interesting race coverage when the POCI convention was held in California a little over a year ago. After having his dragster trailered 3000 miles, he wasn't allowed to race, since his firesuit was out of cert' and I think not the correct type (-15 instead of a -20). The car also had an out of cert' blower restraint. Paul had been allowed to run the car like this at Maple Grove and other local tracks whenever a "nostalgia" meet was being run, and no doubt at Norwalk too, so I guess he figured them California boys would be no different. Hard lesson.

[Steve Barcak]

Eric- I think we understand each other and that is good. I understand your comments. I have never had any of those benefits of knowing the movers and shakers as you say. I did and do most everything myself and on my dime. Of course, I have had a of of help from dedicated friends who believe in me too.
I was going to ask about the shop. That is some shop! I will have something on that caliber after I sell one of my properties and can afford it. I can only imagine what I could do with that much inside space. do you have a current pic? or would you allow me to post the ones I took? pretty cool shop indeed.
I still do most of my work for now in the dirt and outside in the open except for a small machine shop/ shed for my mills, tig machine, etc.

Steve Barcak www.pontiacheaven.org

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

[Elarson]

Steve - I attached a couple of pictures of the new garage. The semi isn't our's...we backed it in there for the photos. I like to go out there when it's dark and stormy.....all of our stuff is clean, dry and well-lit.

Brian - Sorry, but your understanding about bartering with RT is not accurate. I won't share everything that I know or half-know about the RT affair, but I will offer these 2 items (only).

1) The legal system agreed that Arnie still owns the car.

2) Bartering ownership of a complete, famous rolling chassis for some body work on a Chevy truck? Does this pass the filter of common sense?

Eric

[Brian Baker]

No, it wouldn't pass the common sense filter, but it's my understanding that there was more work involved than just some repair to a damaged tow vehicle. Hard for the public to know, however, since the lobby thread where Rick posted this information has disappeared. Ricks posts he made in the race section that aren't as descript about that deal are still in the archives. Go figure. As to the chassis being famous, without Arnie's name on the 1/4 panel, it's just another advanced ET car built and match raced in the 90's...kind of like that one that just sold at the Mecum auction.

[Elarson]

Agreed....it is hard for the public to know all the facts.

We've raced the Grocery Getter against a jet car (Bret Kepner called it the "weirdest thing he's seen at the World Series"). When we get our Boss Bird finished, maybe we should try to re-create the BB vs. jet dragster race?

Eric

[Wareagle]

Originally Posted by Elarson

Agreed....it is hard for the public to know all the facts.

We've raced the Grocery Getter against a jet car (Bret Kepner called it the "weirdest thing he's seen at the World Series"). When we get our Boss Bird finished, maybe we should try to re-create the BB vs. jet dragster race?

Eric

That would be cool--also nice garage.

[Steve Barcak]

Shop looks good Eric! Gosh I admire you having something like that.
Putting together a match race with a jet is not difficult. There are plenty of them out there. I have even had them out a few times at my events here in Phoenix.
All it takes is a promoter who would want to do it.

Steve Barcak www.pontiacheaven.org

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

[Elarson]

I have it from Arnie, himself.

Eric