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Old 12-19-2010, 10:30 PM
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Andya,
That was 2007 when you saw the BlackBird. That is when we parked in Downtown Birmingham on Old Woodward Ave just south of the Chevy display. Yes, Jim Wangers was in the tent on the grassy median near the cars. The Geeto Tiger broke a caliper on the way down and wasn't there. But the "Wangers" Judge was.
2008 - 2010 we have been parked on the East side of "new' Woodward Ave just south of Lavery Land Rover in the side lot and in front of Baker Furniture. The part of Woodward that everyone cruises on.
Eric

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Last edited by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer; 12-19-2010 at 10:37 PM.
  #22  
Old 12-19-2010, 10:31 PM
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Keith,
You are welcome. I got an e-mail from both you and Tenney. You know how I hate these things....
Eric

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Old 12-19-2010, 11:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer View Post
Ok...So you want to know all about Jim Wangers' 1968 Firebird Ram Air I AKA the Blackbird which I own. First let me state that in Detroit during the height of the street racing there where many very fast cars. Some got press others did not. Most these guys had direct factory connections to engineering parts.

The difference of Addison's GTX and every one else is that every one else kept their mouth shut. If Ford, GM, Chrysler, AMC top brass or even the news papers got wind of this things would hit the fan. In fact it did hit the Detroit papers when some reporter came around the Howard Johnson's on Northwestern Hwy for our "High End" gatherings one Thursday night in 1968. The head lines talked about the Illegal Street Racing being supported by the factories.

On any given night there was a new "FASTEST" car. Everyone was always improved the cars. The "big races" were never on Woodward. They could be on I-96, I-75, M-59 or some industral park off Telegraph Rd and Plymouth Rds.

The late Jimmy Addson's car, '67 GTX AKA the Silver Bullet, is getting alot of press now a days because his current owner Harold Sullivan is very influential in the Mopar world with his nice Mopar collection. It has been Harold who has been pumping this "King Of Woodward" and never been beat story. This was such puffery! Prompted by Harold Sullivan. Harold even commission a poster called "Woodward Kights" under the title in small print it says, "The Silver Bullet "King of Woodward" Leads the Charge. It is a very nice poster that shows Woodward ave north bound in front of the Sunoco station that Addison worked out of with Addison's silver GTX, Jim Wangers' Black Bird, Speadhar's 440 6- pack Super Bee and a '67 BB Vette. Great print.

As the saying goes " A LIE WILL MAKE IT AROUND THE WORLD BEFORE THE TRUTH CAN GET IT'S BOOTS ON".

Jimmy Addison did an interview in the May 1989 "High Performance MOPAR" magazine, article titled "The Legend of the Silver Bullet" page 26 and 27. On page 27 Addison admits lossing to Mike McGauri on different occasions. "Perhaps Addison's stiffest compettion came from the Chevy racing group headed by Wally Booth abd Dick Arons'. A guy by the name of Mike McGauri ran a Camaro with a 460-inch big block Chevy. He beat me, and I beat him," recalls Addison. That was the only car to ever beat the Bullet."

Mike McGauri's '69 Camaro was featured in a short in November 1971 "Popular Hot Rodding" page 50. You'll note the L88 style hood with a Grumpy Jenkin's style pro-stock hood scoop to accomadate the Tunnel Ram. You will also note the front tow hooks that most of the guys had to flat tow to the race. The car was an original white COPO car with Rally Sport head lights that Steve Mair eventually bought from Mike and restored it to original and sold it. (possibly to Reggie Jackson)

Racing out of Booth and Arons' was their top engine builder Dwayne Head. Dwayne's Chevelle was just as fast as Mike's '69 Camaro. Dwayne was known as the "Hill Billy". The Chevelle fell to the Blackbird in those early years.
You had Andy Manerino and his "Wap's Rat" Camaro. Andy beat the Black bird than Fankie beat him on a later date with the Blackbird.

There where some Ford Engineers that beat Addison with a well prepaired Mustang.
A straight axle 'Vette with an Ohio plate lined up as a blocker next to Keith Wilson, who Detroit Area Pontiac guy's know, behind Addison as he was going to run another car. When Addison and the other guy took off there was enough of a hole for the Vette to fit through. The Vette drove on by Addison. After the race Addison said I wasn't racing the Vette, he never beat me. This was typical Addison. He would race anything he thought may be faster....or he'd hit the brakes if the other car began reelling him in and was going to pass him. On the other hand it was no unusual for Addison to keep on cranking after the finish line as the other guy coasted after winning. Basiclly, Addison extended the finish line, or shortened it to fit his needs.

Addison wouldn't race very fast '56 and '57 Corvettes coming out of Midwest Auto Supply owner Ron Reader had a George Delorean built Pontiac under the hood. Later a Big block Chevy built by his neighbor Booth and Arons. Than you had the Mike Fons plum '57 Corvette later bought by Steve Maynard with a 440 CID Big Block Chevy. This Vette was featured in the September 1971 "Car Craft" magizine page 39. The same issue that featured Addison's car on page 40. The magazine even mentioned that this Vette could eat up Addison's GTX.

Addison's "Bullet was beaten twice on Woodward just North of 9 Mile Rd by the Ben Harrison Jr, son of Ben Harrison, Pontiac Motor's cost manager. Ben Sr. is responsible for bringing you the '69 Grand Prix and for getting the '77 Can Am through GM management

Another car that beat the "Bullett" was a 1970 Chevelle big block owned by Steve Mair who's dad was General Motors VP Alex Mair. Steve's Chevelle was prepared by Chevrolet engineering. Very light weight car. Like most Detroit cars they had been acid dipped, no inner wheel wells etc. It beat the Addison's Bullet by train lengths.

Steve's Chevelle and the Blackbird did line up one night on M-59. The cars would do several burn outs to heat the tires. The race drew too big a crowd that Jim Wangers called it off before the police showed up. Jim felt that would have been the best race of the Black bird if it had taken place.

Rick McKinney who's dad was a tire one supplier to the industry race with the big boys in his gold 1973 LS7 Camaro. Rick ran Mike McGauri in his '69 Tunnel Ram Camaro and stayed neck and neck until over 120 MPH when the Tunnel Ram took over.

Now to Jim Wangers 1968 Firebird RA I column shift automatic was originally ordered by Tony Knieper, the parts Mgr for Stan Long Pontiac as a race car. Tony was a Pontiac racing with factory connections to engineering. Toney was great with suspension set ups. (side note K&L on the sale panel of the original '63 421 SD Stan Antlocher/ Stan Long Tempest stands for Kneiper and Long)The car had RA II heads later. When Tony and his brother Mike got killed while trailing their '67 Firebird from one track to another late one night. The family wanted out of racing.

Jim Wangers' driver, John Ploitzer aka "The Cheater" and the '66 Geeto Mystery Tiger, was good freind with the Knieper family. John made the deal the have Jim Wangers buy the '68 black Firebird. Politzer was the subjacet of Brock Yates Car and Driver article in fall of 1967 "Street Racing".

Once Jim Wangers had the car it sat for a while. When PMD cancelled there 1970 455 high compression Ram Air IV engine program Jim talked to Russ Gee about doing a what if that motor was put into the '68 Firebird and lets see what would happen on the Street. Tom Nell designed the cam shaft and went to General Kenetics and ahd it ground. The Heads went to Diamond Elkins along with the Trans Am program heads, Herb Adams, Tom Goad and Nell were doing. Then Carter throw in a Thermo Quad and Edelbrock a PB4 maniford and Doug some headers. An artcle was done on the car in the March 1971 issue of "Popular Hot Rodding" sating on page 30. It shows all the work done by Brain Ballish at Royal Automotive. John Politzer did the driving. By the Time this article hit the stands the car was already running a half second or n more faster. Jim Would not let Et's be published before the cars where at least a half to a full second faster. A second article was written about the car in January 1972 in "Super Stock and Drag Ill". Jim Would only admit to 11 flat at 127 mph. The car was a very low 10 second car by then.
Jim Wangers sold the car to his second driver, of this car, Frankie Ulbrick. It was actullay under Frankie's ownership that the now very tired BlackBird did battle with the "Silver Bullet". Jim Wangers had told Frankie on many occations that the engine need freshing up. However, Frankie leaped out on the Bullet, Frankie hit second and leaped out even further. As they hit highend Frankie saw Addison coming on but hit the finish line first. But in Addison fashion he just kept on cranking and extended the finish line. Rick Dyer, owner of C.A.R.S. inc., the Chevrolet reproduction company, was there and swears Frankie beat Addison. Soon after Frankie did braek the block. Frankie also used N.O.S. later.
The Black bird remained in the hands of a few racers and continued to win alot of races. The car eventually made it back to Frankie Ulbrick's cousin and was freshend up by George DeLorean. The cousin was going through a divorce so they called JIm Wangers. Jim bought the car and it sat for a few years as Jim had other interests and musch faster cars. A Monza low 9's, the '74 Red T/A a '77 Silver T/A a couple of Monte Carlo's and a couple of Grand Nationals.
Jim offered the '68 Bird to me about 15 or more years ago and have freshend it up again. It is more like it was for the first article. A streetable "Legal" car. However not leagal for the Strip....
The Bird is mentioned in: "Milt Schornak and the Royal Bobcat GTOS", "Factory Lightweights" by Charles R. Morris, cover of "Pontiac Enthusiast" ad artilce page 24 Sept/Oct 2006, "Pontiac Enthusiast" May/June 2009 page 72 and in "American Muscle Supercar" by David Newhart.
I hope this is enough info.....
Have a nice Holiday and New Years..
Eric
Count me among the customers for your book, Eric!

  #24  
Old 12-20-2010, 10:56 AM
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Thank you Tenney. But I don't know as much as you think I know. Or maybe I'm in complete denial of how much I really know.. and who I know.
Have a nice Holiday
Eric

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Old 12-20-2010, 07:01 PM
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That was a great read Eric.

I have a question that I hope you don't mind me asking. In the PE article it mentions that Jim gave you the car... is that gave you the car to keep or gave you the car to freshen up and display etc?

Either way, a great story about the car and thanks for taking the time to share it here.

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Old 12-21-2010, 10:34 AM
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Steve,
Here is how the story goes...I've been friends with Jim Wangers for years. I have done little things for him now and than as a favor through the years. One night when Jim was at the house for dinner he asked me if I knew anyone who wanted to buy the Black Bird. I said no because I had my own projects, '66 Geeto Tiger clone, and I just wasn't interested in the car.
A year later Jim brought up the subject of the Blackbird again at Milan Dragway. I had now sold the '66 GTO project to Jack "Doc" Watson's barber and said I was now interested.
Another few months went by and Jim called me from California and said he was giving me the Blackbird. I responsed, Ok how much? Jim repeated, I'm giving you the car. I repeated, OK, how much? Jim now stated....Listen to me closely...I'm giving you the car for all the things you have done for me through the years. I told him I can not except it for free. Jim than said in a stern voice, fine give me a buck. I thought about it for a milli second and said, fine tell them I'm running over to the office and getting the car. Before I woke up from this dream I ran over and had Jim's Detroit office secretary call Jim in California. She did. Jim told her to pull the title for the car and I give to Eric. Than take the dollar he gave you and keep it for the paper work she had just done. It was now a legal trans action.
Jim was nice enough to let me keep the Blackbird at his shop behind the office while we rebuilt the car.
Wow, as I look back that was almost 17 years ago..... Time really does fly.

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Last edited by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer; 12-21-2010 at 10:42 AM.
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Old 12-21-2010, 01:55 PM
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Was it originally built as a RA I car? It's my understanding that the cars Pete McCarthy & Truman Fields got were also RA I cars and the RA II heads met up with them later.

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  #28  
Old 12-21-2010, 03:38 PM
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The Blackbird was built December, 1967 as a Ram Air I, Turbo Hydramatic (column shift no console), Radio Push Button, Cluster-Rally Guages (No Tac), Glass Soft Ray - All Windows, Floor Mats front and back, F70X14 Nylon Red Line Tires (Steel Wheels Dog Dish Hub Caps).
The Ram Air I came with the hood and carb pans, chrome valve covers, flex fan, 3.90 posi rear end....
It was delieved to Stan Long Pontiac for Tony Kneiper, Parts Mgr. Tony got the Ram Air II heads as soon as PMD engineering released them to him. The Detroit Ponitac Racing Dealerships, ie, Royal, Packard and Stan Long always had the inside track on everyone else around the country. They could drive over to PMD engineering and get just about anything they wanted. These dealerships had friends on the inside that would just about do anything for them.This was real back door racing.......
If you look at some old pictures of Dick Jesse's (Ace Wilson's Performance Salesman)'65 and '66 GTO's you'll see it was sponsored by Stan Long and not Ace Wilson's Royal Pontiac who employed him.
This is stuff you will not get from reading Pete's books or magazines, or even get from Jim Mattison's Pontiac Historic Services... On the other hand Jim Mattison told me that according to his build sheets nO Ram Air II cars where delivered to Royal Pontiac.
I did have a friend, Les Goodman, who's dad told Ace Wilson's Royal Pontiac to build any engine his son wanted. This was after someone poured sugar in his tank and moth balls in his radiator that distroyed the original 400. Les went for a 428 Ram Air II for his '68 GTO.
I can't speak for Pete and Truman about their cars.

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Last edited by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer; 12-21-2010 at 03:48 PM.
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Old 12-21-2010, 10:59 PM
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Dr Schiffer thanks for the history of the Firebird and the GTX etc...You mention in your earlier post that Wangers used a 1970 455 in the Firebird with the RAIV heads and a what if scenario.

In Schornack's book(page 169), he mentions building a 440 motor with a Brian Ballish for Wangers 1968 Firebird. HE also mentions a ThermoQuad carb and engine work by Diamond Engine Services and a General Kinetics cam.

Is this the correct displacement or just a bad memory on Milts part?
I know Wanger's likes to run 440 combos.



Thanks for the very interesting history of this car,
Don

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1966 421-9.3-1 comp-Race Tec 23cc Pistons
1966 Tri-Power
1967 670 Heads
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DUR 214 Int 224 Exh @.050 - 107 ICL
LIFT .445" Int .465" Exh
Tri-Y-Headers by Tribal Tubes w/ Goerlich Mufflers
1966 Muncie Wide Ratio 4-Speed
1968-72 Chevy 12 Bolt Rear End w/ 3.73 rear gears
  #30  
Old 12-22-2010, 10:03 AM
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No Milt was not wrong....They used an Engineering 455 Block that had more internal webbing. Simular to the later SD 455 block. The Crank Shaft was a well prepared 428 by Jim Cornell. The 455 Bore and the 428 crank shaft stroke made for a 440. Higher reving than a 455 and moved torque up. This was a very light weight car and didn't need low end but need to rev. The suspension couldn't handle it. You'll notice that Milt mentioned the people bet it was a Chevy. That is because they had never seen a Pontiac shift at 6,500-7,000 RPMs before. It almost sounded like a Chevy too. The heads where ported by Butch Elkin at Diamond Elkin. Brian Ballish is to get credit for these engine combinations and assemblies.

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Old 12-22-2010, 01:52 PM
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Do you happen to have any back in the day stories of Roger Lee?

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Old 12-22-2010, 02:55 PM
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The Late "Ram Air" Roger Lee. Unfortunately, I never know Roger. I'd see him at swap meets. Roger did house Jim Wangers street racing team for a while. Duncan and Gordie Michael would work on Jim's '74 Red T/A, '77 Silver T/A and Monza there. I beleive Nick Cordova, (?) and Freddie Foreman did some of the driving along with Duncan back than.

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Old 12-22-2010, 03:09 PM
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Oh, I forgot...as I said earlier Brian Ballish had and John Politzer tried several Carbs including the Holley three barrel on the Blackbird. The car really liked the Thermo Quad 1000 cfm.

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Old 12-22-2010, 04:16 PM
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Great stuff!
Any stories about RAV's?
Just a kid back then, but have many memories helping my father and older brother.
They couldnt get a set from any Pontiac dealers for brother's 67 FB(428/RAIV's/SFT cam/4 spd/4.33's).
While picking up fresh ported hds at machine shop(Nichols Engineering) for his 57 Super Chief(370ci/th400/4.10's), they asked dad "guess what we got?"
Also had special grind Isky fs cams, push rods, rkr arms, etc.
Needless to say, got a complete set up.
Another thing they got from there was a holley with gears in place of linkage.
Front and rear throttle shafts opened simultaneously.
Spent alot of time tuning the "t b c"(that basterd carb) as they called it.
Problem was eating clutches, 4 spds, u joints, axles, pinion grs, radius rod floor board mntg, etc, etc.

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Old 12-22-2010, 04:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer View Post
No Milt was not wrong....They used an Engineering 455 Block that had more internal webbing. Simular to the later SD 455 block. The Crank Shaft was a well prepared 428 by Jim Cornell. The 455 Bore and the 428 crank shaft stroke made for a 440. Higher reving than a 455 and moved torque up. This was a very light weight car and didn't need low end but need to rev. The suspension couldn't handle it. You'll notice that Milt mentioned the people bet it was a Chevy. That is because they had never seen a Pontiac shift at 6,500-7,000 RPMs before. It almost sounded like a Chevy too. The heads where ported by Butch Elkin at Diamond Elkin. Brian Ballish is to get credit for these engine combinations and assemblies.
Thank you for the clarification. That does make sense with what Milt said and what you have said. So Frankie blew up the 440 engine combo & did he go out and build another 440 for the car and is that what you have in it now?

Sorry for the questions Dr Schiffer, It's just very interesting to me,

Don

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1966 421-9.3-1 comp-Race Tec 23cc Pistons
1966 Tri-Power
1967 670 Heads
Pontiac "Highlift" TriPower Cam by SpeedPro
DUR 214 Int 224 Exh @.050 - 107 ICL
LIFT .445" Int .465" Exh
Tri-Y-Headers by Tribal Tubes w/ Goerlich Mufflers
1966 Muncie Wide Ratio 4-Speed
1968-72 Chevy 12 Bolt Rear End w/ 3.73 rear gears
  #36  
Old 12-22-2010, 05:08 PM
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I really don't know what Frankie did. I only spoke to Frankie a few times after I bought the car from Jim Wangers. I wanted some old pictures of the car. Frankie had kept all of the old engine parts, Ram Air IV heads, Valley pan, intake and carb. When Jim Got the car from Frankie's cousin. It came with an other 455 in the car with D-ports heads, the PB4 Edelbrock intake and the 1000 CFM Thermo Quad. George Delorean built this engine with NOX. Along with all of the original engine parts. Minus the engineering 455 block. The old General Kinetic cam shaft was wiped out on a few lobes. Two sets of headers, D-port and round port over the frame.

Frankie told me he had sold the car to some brothers they built an engine and won their High School nationals with the car. Frankie wanted to get involved with any showing of the car.

Frankie and a few others told me the kids sold the car, to another guy called the "Cook" who raced it and did well with the car at Detroit Dragway and on the street. I met the "cook" a couple of years ago at a car show when I was with John Politzer, Jim Wangers' ex-driver and Harvey Disner, ex Royal Pontiac Salesman under Dick Jesse. I had Jim Wangers Judge with me with the personal plate "WANGERS". He told us he had owned Jim Wangers Firebird the three of us looked at him and asked which one?
He said the '68 Black one. Talk to him for a while then lost track of him. I had invited to see the "bird" on display at a few events. But I never saw him again or got more pictures of the car that he said he had.

Jim Wangers and I heard some where along the line some one along the line had put a four speed and a big block Chevy. We have never been able to confirm this. But there was a big hole in the trans tunnel that some one could have had a four speed in the car at some point.

As for Frankie...I haven't been able to find him after he lost his two son's while they a couple of years ago. They were testing their Mustang one slippery night on Metro Parkway (16 Mile Rd). It had to be horrifing. Frankie was following them when his son lost control of the car. Killing both of his son's.

I bought everything that was original to the old motor and had Jim Wangers' engine builder Duncan Michael build two engines for the car using the old heads. We up graded the intake twice. Holley Street Dominator with alot of work on it and (I don't know what's on the car now..LOL) Dunan built the first motor simular to the '74 Red T/A, low compression with NOX. I didn't like the possiblity of detenation and distruction. I never hit the button. Although with hind site the car should have been blasingly fast since the T/A was running in the high 9's with 6X heads....

The motor in it know is simlar to the original 440 high compression, no NOX and old technology. The way I like things simple.....

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  #37  
Old 12-22-2010, 05:23 PM
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Ram Air V stuff...Sorry. The PMD engineering had a brown '70 GTO with a Ram Air V they used as a parts chaser. From Pontiac to the GM Tech center. But engineering never got a good running Ram Air V. onto the street.The ports where just too big for the cubic inch engines of the time.

Herb Adams, Tom Nell and Tom Goad tried to use them for Trans Am racing. on the 303 No success. That is why they sent Ram Air IV heads to several porters around the country to get the best number. Air Research in California came up with the best head work. But they took too long to do them. Permission was aksed if they could copy his port work and use some one else. They agreed. Butch Elkin at Diamond Elkin here in Detroit got the nod and did all of the Pontiac Engineering work. Including the Ram Air IV heads on Wangers '68 Firebird. The ram air IV's just worked better.

There were no good running Ram Air V heads on the street.....The only exception is that Bill Foder said he made them run. Bill used Batten Performance for much of his machine work and Bob Lemon for his Carb work.

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Old 12-22-2010, 06:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer View Post
I really don't know what Frankie did. I only spoke to Frankie a few times after I bought the car from Jim Wangers. I wanted some old pictures of the car. Frankie had kept all of the old engine parts, Ram Air IV heads, Valley pan, intake and carb. When Jim Got the car from Frankie's cousin. It came with an other 455 in the car with D-ports heads, the PB4 Edelbrock intake and the 1000 CFM Thermo Quad. George Delorean built this engine with NOX. Along with all of the original engine parts. Minus the engineering 455 block. The old General Kinetic cam shaft was wiped out on a few lobes. Two sets of headers, D-port and round port over the frame.

Frankie told me he had sold the car to some brothers they built an engine and won their High School nationals with the car. Frankie wanted to get involved with any showing of the car.

Frankie and a few others told me the kids sold the car, to another guy called the "Cook" who raced it and did well with the car at Detroit Dragway and on the street. I met the "cook" a couple of years ago at a car show when I was with John Politzer, Jim Wangers' ex-driver and Harvey Disner, ex Royal Pontiac Salesman under Dick Jesse. I had Jim Wangers Judge with me with the personal plate "WANGERS". He told us he had owned Jim Wangers Firebird the three of us looked at him and asked which one?
He said the '68 Black one. Talk to him for a while then lost track of him. I had invited to see the "bird" on display at a few events. But I never saw him again or got more pictures of the car that he said he had.

Jim Wangers and I heard some where along the line some one along the line had put a four speed and a big block Chevy. We have never been able to confirm this. But there was a big hole in the trans tunnel that some one could have had a four speed in the car at some point.

As for Frankie...I haven't been able to find him after he lost his two son's while they a couple of years ago. They were testing their Mustang one slippery night on Metro Parkway (16 Mile Rd). It had to be horrifing. Frankie was following them when his son lost control of the car. Killing both of his son's.

I bought everything that was original to the old motor and had Jim Wangers' engine builder Duncan Michael build two engines for the car using the old heads. We up graded the intake twice. Holley Street Dominator with alot of work on it and (I don't know what's on the car now..LOL) Dunan built the first motor simular to the '74 Red T/A, low compression with NOX. I didn't like the possiblity of detenation and distruction. I never hit the button. Although with hind site the car should have been blasingly fast since the T/A was running in the high 9's with 6X heads....

The motor in it know is simlar to the original 440 high compression, no NOX and old technology. The way I like things simple.....
WOW, thanks for all the insight.
Does the Blackbird run faster now than in those days? Im sure it does.
It has the RAIV heads on it too??
I always love it when I hear one of Wangers friends or associates that are in the know say, "I cant remember what's on it now". LOL

Thanks again for the insight,
Don

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1966 GTO

1966 421-9.3-1 comp-Race Tec 23cc Pistons
1966 Tri-Power
1967 670 Heads
Pontiac "Highlift" TriPower Cam by SpeedPro
DUR 214 Int 224 Exh @.050 - 107 ICL
LIFT .445" Int .465" Exh
Tri-Y-Headers by Tribal Tubes w/ Goerlich Mufflers
1966 Muncie Wide Ratio 4-Speed
1968-72 Chevy 12 Bolt Rear End w/ 3.73 rear gears
  #39  
Old 12-22-2010, 06:45 PM
Dr. Eric M. Schiffer's Avatar
Dr. Eric M. Schiffer Dr. Eric M. Schiffer is offline
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It is that thing about short term memory loss...LOL I actually slowed the car down from its peck....
I made it more the way it was for 1971 Popular Hot Rodding article it the claim was 11.68. I put all the striped out interior back in the car, including the back seat, heater, radio and wiper system. I made it legal for the street. I took the NOX out of the car too. There is no roll cage, external on/off switch, an few other item they now want for safety....
I took it Milan Drag for the Pontiac Enthusiast article in 2006 and backed off several feet from the finish line, the car felt very strong. I coasted to 11.51 at 119 MPH. How luckly was I with a 11.49 break point...
The potential for 10's is there....
John Politzer, the original driver of the Blackbird in the old days, was following me as I drove the Blackbird to the Woodward Dream Cruise and to our paking area at 6:45 AM on Woodward. I did our Michigan left turn, you loop around a center island, as I got staightend out I nailed it. The car leaped and I hit second at 6,500 and the car leaped harder. Than I backed down to park at the display. John pulled in with his car came over and was smiling ear to ear. Now that brings back memories.

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1968 Firebird Ram Air, "Jim Wangers' Black Bird"
1968 GTO Convertible
2002 Corvette Z06

Last edited by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer; 12-22-2010 at 07:23 PM.
  #40  
Old 12-22-2010, 07:16 PM
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Region Warrior Region Warrior is offline
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Sounds dumb, but did the FB have frame connectors back then.
Every 1st gen that hooked i've seen would crack the windshield and usually the left upper a pillar.
My old 68 did with just a 455 w/RAIII top end. My brother said it would...
Even my massaged 67 400 4spd did once i made better then factory traction. My brother said it would...
My current 68 street/strip with 8 pt and connectors did. Suspect the damage started before the up grades.

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