[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Most of you do not know that it Jim Wangers who put this Royal Racing Team togther with the support of the factory.

Jim was and still is a man that needs to keep busy 24-7. The following tests will give you some insight as to why Jim Wangers built my Black Bird and continues to enjoy owning fast Pontiacs.

Jim was once written about in 1970-71 article as "The Man Who Invented The Muscle Car Era".

Back in the early days of the Royal Racing Team and PMD Marketing. It was Jim Wangers that did virtually everything. Wrote advertizing copy, went to PMD Adhoc meeting, proposed car models, orginized PMD marketing, street raced, raced on the drag strip, help get Detroit Dragway founded and developed. Get Detroit Dragway it's NHRA major event. Orginized automotive magazine tests and drove in them.

Jim drove all of the early Royal Bobcat test cars. That is until a very jealious Ohio Pontiac dealer complained very loudly about: Jim Wangers. Why is Jim Wangers' in all of these magazines driving those Ace Wilson Royal Pontiac cars when he is the Pontiac ad agency representive? Isn't he supposed to be representing ALL Pontiac dealerships?

That is when Jim had to step behid the camera lens. But Jim was at most of the tests and handled the technical information. But Jim's name was never used as the authority. Jim had to give some one a title and look like the "new" face of Pontiac's test cars and Royal Pontiac Bobcat's.

Here are some early tests. It will take several posts.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Continuation of the "Speed and Custom" August 1963 article with Jim Wangers and his '62 Royal Bobcat.

I've included an article of were it all began in an article from "Drag Racing".

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

A 1963 article by Roger Huntington about Royal Pontiac.

In the article it mention the 1959 Royal car was not ready. The fact was the '59 Royal car was at the track and was to be driven by Bill Sidwell. Bill asked Jim Wangers if it was alright to take the car out side the fence and show his friends how the car ran. Jim said "NO".

Jim Wangers was up in the tower when some one cameto get him and said the Royal car had been involved in an accident. Jim looke down into the pits and sure enough the Royal car was not there. Bill had gotten into an accident and damaged the Royal car.

Jim wanted have Royal win the very first National to be held at the new Detroit Dragway that he was so instumental in puting together. He helped the Kohn family build the track, then got the NHRA to have the 1959 Nationals to Detroit.

Sidwell was fired and Jim put an even better team together for the 1960 Nationals at Detroit Dragway. Coming with four Royal sponsored cars. Frank Redicker driving the 1959, Jim Wangers driving the winning red 3 speed 1960, Win Brown the white automatic 1960 and Pete Seaton's sceond place blue 3 speed 1960.

There is a picture on the internet that shows four cars across at Detroit Dragway. Tower line a '61 Pontiac with shoe polish on the front fender BILL SIDWELL, next lane Jim Wanger sin the '62 Royal Race car, third lane 61 Ford driven by Norm Ruby and close lane a '62 409 Chevy, I keep forgetting the guys name. Bill Sidwell took the win.

There is another picture of Sidwell '61 with from the drivers side taking on and beating a '62 Chevy 409 driven by Dave Strickler. On the rear quarter panel of Bill's '61 written in shoe polish it say's "LEGAL STOCKER". Keith Wilson a local Detorit Pontiac guy put the shoe polish on Bill's cars. Bill had been torn down and they found nothing wrong.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

A more recent look back at the Royal Pontiac Story.

Several good pictures

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Last page of the Royal Pontiac Story

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

How Jim Wangers showing us how a 1964 GTO Bobcat performs?

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Now lets look at who developed the Royal Bobcat package. Frank Redicker developed the package. Chuck Broomfield installed all of the packages while Jim Wangers street tested and marketed them.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Last page of the 1964, How to build a Bobcat

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Bill Sidwell's "Legal Stocker". Art work shoe polish by Keith Wilson.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Let out Jim Wangers and Roger Huntington testing the '62 Royal Bobcat

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Last page and some pictures of the '62 Royal Race car at different events and mild changes to the car.

[MH 1964]

Eric,

THANKS! for the info and the good stories! OH by the way love your car!

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Mark,
Did you ever finish your '64 GTO salmon colored one?

[facn8me]

It is sooooo cool you take the time to post this stuff up Eric. Thanks!!!

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Here is the Black Bird at the 2002 Dream Cruise. Also a few pictures at Milan Dragway in 2002 with my son Sam bringing our '97 T/A convertible and Robert Johnson brought Jim Wangers Pontee Carlo when it had a formal roof cap.

On my way to the staging lanes I heated the tires up and throw a ring gear bolt throw the chrome rear end cover. Fortunately while I was walking around the car I noticed oil leaking out of the cover. I crawled under the car to inspect the damage and just drove the Bird back onto the trailer.

Well at least Sam and Robert got to run and both did well with the cool clean air.

At home I jacked up the car. Pulled the rear end cover and found the bolt had backed it's why out of the ring gear. No other damage done to the rear. I changed all of the ring gear bolts to new ARP's and the cover to a Moroso aluminum cover with pressure caps for the raer end caps.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by facn8me

It is sooooo cool you take the time to post this stuff up Eric. Thanks!!!

You are welcome. But kind of sad I'm so bored that I been taking so much time doing this...LOL

I really got to find a hobby! LOL

[SD421]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

Last page of the 1964, How to build a Bobcat

Is this the Blue 1964 Car & Driver GTO in the two GTO articles??
Same license plate # for both cars, & you can kinda make out the pyramid on the rear of the block which would make this a 421?


Don

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by SD421

Is this the Red 1964 Car & Driver GTO in the two GTO articles??
Same license plate # for both cars, although the firewall has a "W" on it which the Red car has.


Don

Honestly, I'm not sure but I beleive it is. I know Jim had been able to get a Chevy 4 speed close ratio for the red GTO which was only avalible on the Corvette. The GTO's only had wide ratios at first.

This car also has a console that I never saw in the Red GTO through the years. Maybe Tenney can answer that question. Don't go by the plates. Those would make there way onto many cars.

Sorry.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

How about some pictures of people you read about but rarely have seen. These are picture from the 1991 Domino's Farms GTO Northern Nationals and the 1996, second, Woodward Dream Cruise.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Would you buy a used Super Car (Muscle Car) from one these men!

This is from the Dream Cruise on the street in Downtown Birmingham 1996.