[Tinindianworkshop]

ANYONE KNOW WHERE THIS CAR IS?? NOT THE CLONE CAR MIGHT STILL BE IN PA???THANKS GEOFF

[65gto69]

Hey Geoff,

Don't know if you saw this but there is a short video on youtube. Says it is for sale in the posts. Maybe you can get some info on it and pass it along to the PY forum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHGdwGb6G_I

Mark

[Tinindianworkshop]

THANKS I DID SEE THAT BEFORE. IWAS WAS TOLD THAT IS THE CLONE AND IS IN OHIO THANKS GEOFF

[65gto69]

OK, good to know for future.

Thanks,
Mark

[Ccass]

The owner of the clone Boppin Bear made heroic efforts to find the original car. He was unsuccessful so he built the car that you see in that video. We sponsored him throughout the 90's during both the restoration and his Nostalgia racing. That car was done with absolutely no expense spared. The owner's name was Bill Banks. He was one of the few guys that raced a 4 speed and he ran his numbers almost everytime he raced. He was from Warminster PA. He died of cancer back in the early 2000's. That car was a real crowd pleaser. I believe the guy from Ohio put it in his collection. I didn't realize it was for sale again.

[tininjun68]

Sometime in the mid to late 1990's, going to guess 1996, looking at a vendor's used Pontiac parts at Fall or Spring Englishtown Swap Meet, I got to talking to a fellow Pontiac guy who was going to do his GTO that he was basing on an old GTO racecar that was the Boppin Bear. (This was the first time I had spoke to someone who knew of the car) I thought I remembered this guy had a '65 Goat but that he either knew of the Boppin Bear's history because he was friendly with the original owner or he liked it so he was going to pattern his car after it or similar to it, like today's Nostalgia Drag Classes. Of course i can't remember this fella's name but thought he was from upstate NY and the only detail about his car was that he believed he could trace original paperwork to show it had a dealer installed 421 or 428.

It's a longshot but was this the same guy, Bill Banks, possibly before he built the Boppin Bear Clone? Again, thought he was from upstate NY, could be wrong on that. Does someone know of a '65 Goat Nostalgia Racecar that takes its cues from The Boppin Bear??

[ANDYA]

Originally Posted by tininjun68

Sometime in the mid to late 1990's, going to guess 1996, looking at a vendor's used Pontiac parts at Fall or Spring Englishtown Swap Meet, I got to talking to a fellow Pontiac guy who was going to do his GTO that he was basing on an old GTO racecar that was the Boppin Bear. (This was the first time I had spoke to someone who knew of the car) I thought I remembered this guy had a '65 Goat but that he either knew of the Boppin Bear's history because he was friendly with the original owner or he liked it so he was going to pattern his car after it or similar to it, like today's Nostalgia Drag Classes. Of course i can't remember this fella's name but thought he was from upstate NY and the only detail about his car was that he believed he could trace original paperwork to show it had a dealer installed 421 or 428.

It's a longshot but was this the same guy, Bill Banks, possibly before he built the Boppin Bear Clone? Again, thought he was from upstate NY, could be wrong on that. Does someone know of a '65 Goat Nostalgia Racecar that takes its cues from The Boppin Bear??

The guy you are referring to is a friend of mine. His first name is Jimmy and he was also a friend of Bill Banks. On occasion he would go to the track with Bill and be his "pit crew" when he ran the Boppin Bear. You are partially correct about the 65 GTO with the 421. The original owner purchased the GTO as a street racer for money. He soon realized that he needed an edge so he drained out the oil and drove the car around the block until he blew up the 389. The car was still under warrenty so he took the car back to the dealership for a replacement engine. He asked the dealer if he paid the difference if he could install a 421 instead of a 389 and the dealer agreed. You are correct about him being from upstate NY.

[BillK]

That is a really interesting story.

[tininjun68]

I remember that detail now about running the motor without oil!! Tell Jimmy that the 18 year old kid that he gave a vintage race car history lesson to at E-town swap meet says hello.
Does he still have that '65? Is it an original car or has it been modified?

[ANDYA]

Originally Posted by tininjun68

I remember that detail now about running the motor without oil!! Tell Jimmy that the 18 year old kid that he gave a vintage race car history lesson to at E-town swap meet says hello.
Does he still have that '65? Is it an original car or has it been modified?

I will be seeing him in a few weeks, I'll tell him hello. Yes, he still has the car and it's all original in as street raced condition. I don't think he would ever sell that 65.

[tininjun68]

Thanks man, that's awesome about him still having the car. It would be cool to see the car in as raced condition from the '60's. Maybe see it at a car show some day.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Ccass

The owner of the clone Boppin Bear made heroic efforts to find the original car. He was unsuccessful so he built the car that you see in that video. We sponsored him throughout the 90's during both the restoration and his Nostalgia racing. That car was done with absolutely no expense spared. The owner's name was Bill Banks. He was one of the few guys that raced a 4 speed and he ran his numbers almost everytime he raced. He was from Warminster PA. He died of cancer back in the early 2000's. That car was a real crowd pleaser. I believe the guy from Ohio put it in his collection. I didn't realize it was for sale again.

After reading these posts I am unclear about "Boppin Bear".

Is the car that Bill Banks ran a "clone" of an original car or is that Bill Banks car the original "Boppin Bear" car? Has the Bill Banks car "disappeared" and the car shown in the video a "clone" of the Bill Banks car?

In any case, one of the most fantastic displays of driving I ever saw was Bill Banks in his car at a "Musclecar Showdown" race at Quaker City Race Track sometime in the early 90's-late 80's.

As I recall he had to make 4 runs in elimination rounds, up against Thunderbolts, etc. After each round he reduced his dial in (starting somewhere around 10.80) until on his last round he dialed in a 10.72 up against a Thunderbolt which got to leave first with his dial in. Banks had to make up a ton of distance but he beat the Thunderbolt at the line by running his exact dial in. An awesome display of driving a stick shift car!

I have some video of that racing somewhere in my stuff. My buddy has a screen saver on his computer that is a picture of a healthy Boppin Bear launch.

[ANDYA]

Originally Posted by ANDYA

I will be seeing him in a few weeks, I'll tell him hello. Yes, he still has the car and it's all original in as street raced condition. I don't think he would ever sell that 65.

I saw Jimmy today over at a track rental at ATCO. He does not frequent the Pontiac forums but I told him about this thread and that the Boppin Bear may be for sale. He is interested in purchasing the car. If anyone has the contact information for the current owner and could pass it on to me that would be great.