Automatter

Truck and tractor auction proves lucky for bidders

 

    Auctioneer Jeff Stokes works on selling a 1978 Seagrave hook-and-ladder truck; it sold for a bid of $3,100. Final sales price was $3,410, with buyer's fee. (Photo above (c) by Terry Parkhurst)     

  One of the most interesting auctions of the past summer took place on the first Sunday of June. About 300 registered bidders and spectators jammed inside a building at the Marymount Event Center in south Tacoma, Washington to bid on a collection of over 100 vintage tractors, trucks and a few classic automobiles.

The location was especially fitting, considering that the Marymount holds the LeMay Family Collection. The LeMay family’s pater familias, Harold LeMay, assembled an eclectic collection of automobiles, trucks and even tractors, before he passed away in November of 2000, at age 81. Now, Doug LeMay, Harold’s son, heads up the family’s collection. There is also a museum in Tacoma, called the LeMay Museum, also known as America’s Car Museum ® and it is a separate entity; although the family has donated vehicles to the museum and loans out others.

Harold LeMay made his money in garbage collection. He began collecting scrap, while still in high school, and then selling it. It was the Great Depression and a person had to be resourceful. After high school, he bought his first garbage route, fixing up beater trucks to make his business go. It grew into LeMay Enterprises and became one of the top five hauling, disposal and recycling companies in the United States.

The Marymount Event Center reportedly holds 500 vintage vehicles, consisting mostly of automobiles, but also trucks, buses and motorcycles. Some of them of those being auctioned were left over from the family’s collection. It was felt that rather than restore them, it was time to let them go to someone else.

The auction was staged by Lucky Collector Car Auctions, a company formed last year by Doug LeMay and Evan McMullen, owner of Cosmopolitan Motors in Seattle, Washington. Three auctioneers worked the crowd, trading off during the three-and-half hours it took to conduct the auction: Jeff Stokes, Dan Schorno and Ryan Massey. Not all bidders were in the audience. A table, off to the side of the docket, had people handling phone bids (through Proxy-bid).

The first 9 lots were small collections of model fire engines, tractors and miscellaneous trucks, most of which sold for a hundred or two hundred dollars. It was the auctioneers’ way of getting the crowd wound up; but the crowd was ready to go when tractors started being offered.

It started slow as a 1946 Case VAC tractor sold for a bid of $100; the final sales price was $110, as all sales were subject to a 10 percent buyer’s fee. Shortly thereafter, a 1945 John Deere sold for a bid of $5,500 (final sale price: $6,050).

This 1950 Mineapolis Moline RTS tractor sold for $1,485.00; including 10 percent buyer's fee.  (Photo (c) by Terry Parkhust)

  But it was the trucks that the crowd really wanted to see. When a 1917 White flatbed rolled it, it ended up with a final bid of $8,000 (final sale price: $8,800).

A 1956 Willys JEEP station wagon was in very good shape and brought a lot of attention when it was driven to the docket; selling for a bid of $5,800 (final sale price: $6,380). Since some of the trucks weren’t running, or were so big they couldn’t negotiate the limited space inside the building (which held collector vehicles, stacked three high), they were sold in place, with only a photo for bidders to go by.

That’s how a 1940 Dodge VF20 four-by-four, military truck sold; although it was reported as being somewhere, lined up outside, if anyone wanted to see it in person. The photo was enough for bidders to jump in and one got it for a bid of just $3,750 (with a final sales price of $4,225.00).

This 1941 Ford fire truck, fully operational and in good running condition, sold for a bid of just $6,200. (Photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

A very clean and running 1941 Ford fire truck was driven inside and stopped short of the auctioneer’s podium. It ended up selling to Mitch Silver, who heads up Silver Auctions in Spokane, Washington, for a bid of just $6,200 (sales price, $6,820 with buyer’s fee).

The story behind a 1955 Bristol double-decker bus was especially interesting. It had gone from the family collection to the LeMay museum; however, a double-decker bus is hard to store in a museum and so the management of the museum decided to sell it at this auction. That led it to be bought back by Doug LeMay for a bid of $17,000 and a final sales price of $18,700 (with buyer’s fee).

Auctioneer Jeff Stokes does ringman duty, working the crowd for bids on a 1955 Bristol double-decker bus.(photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

  A 1914 American LaFrance fire truck that had been assigned the name “Apparatus #1,” when it served as the first fire engine for Seattle, was driven out by Doug LeMay. It had been capable of projecting 800 gallons of water per minute – better than a fire boat the City of Seattle also had at the time. In the many years before it was finally decommissioned in 1955, and sold to a private individual in 1955, it spent some years in service as needed; while other years, it was “held in reserve.” That was probably because of its ability to pump so much water.

Doug LeMay, son of the late, noted vehicle collector Harold LeMay, positions a 1914 American LaFrance fire truck onto the docket. (Photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

  After several minutes of spirited bidding, it was bought by a member of the Last Resort Fire Department museum in Seattle, for a bid of $12,000 ($13,200, final price with buyer’s fee). As an anonymous former firefighter, when offered a microphone, said, “It’s going where it belongs, so we can remember fellow firefighters. It seems like a lot of money, but the price is subjective.”

The truck that surprised even the auctioneers was a 1932 Kenworth that wasn’t running. Evan McMullen said that “PACCAR contacted us about this truck.” There appeared to be about four bidders in the crowd and one on the phone. It ended up selling for a bid of $17,000, with a final sales price of $18,700 (when the 10 percent buyer's fee was added to the final, winning bid).

Bidding slowed down after that, and most sales were less below a thousand dollars, such as a 1952 Ford Big Job fire truck, in seemingly good condition, that sold for just $550 (final sales price with fee included). Notable exceptions were the 1988 Kenworth T800 tow truck that sold for $58,300 (including fee); a 1929 Ford AA tow truck that sold for $4,950 (including fee); and a 1926 Ford TT flatbed  truck, sold for $3,300.

Most of the trucks were sold at no reserve, but a few remained unsold, at the auction’s end; but overall, this was a successful auction for both buyers and sellers, with an opportunity to see and buy some interesting examples of trucking and farm history. -- Terry Parkhurst

Porsche Club of America, northwest region, meets at historic drive-in

 

(Photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

The northwest regional chapter of the Porsche Club of America staged a show at the XXX Root-Beer drive-in, in Issaquah, Washington, Sunday, April 28th. About 100 cars showed up, despite the fact that during the three hours for this event, sometimes the rain was heavy. That led for more time, inside the restaurant; talking cars. The drive-in was built in 1968 and is one of just two XXX Root-Beer drive-in restaurants left in America.

A line-up of Porsche 914s, which was available from 1970 through '76 model years. Not all of these were stock; one included a 1974 model retrofitted with a 2002 Subaru engine. (Photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

That didn't seem to dampen anyone's spirits or enthusiasm as enthusiasts gathered around cars and exchanged the history of how they restored their cars,in some cases; or modified them, in others.

One of the most interesting cars there was a 1967 Porsche 912. It had a sign on the windshield that said, in large letters: "Barn Find".  Underneath, the anonymous owner had explained that, it had been picked up, just two weeks ago, and hadn't been moved until that point in 17 years. The engine reportedly hadn't been turned over, in that entire time. Somehow, the owner got the engine running. He (or she) ended the tale by writing, "Now the project begins."

This recently reconditioned 1967 Porsche 912 was brought out of long-term storage, after 17 years, by an owner who posted a sign on the windshield which stated, "Now the project begins." (Photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

So it just goes to prove that you don't necessarily need a lot of money to drive a Porsche, even a vintage one, just determination and an ability to bust your knuckles. -- Terry Parkhurst

Aficionados of Volvo, SAAB, ensure vintage Swedes stay on the road

The black 1964 Volvo PV544 (left) of Dick Libby sets next to a mid-Sixties Volvo 122S Amazon station wagon in front of the XXX drive-in, in Issaquah, Washington. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

The seventh annual Swedish Car Cruise-in took place at the XXX Root Beer drive-in, in Issaquah, Washington, on Sunday, February seventeenth, with a rolling back-drop of rain and sun. The sun would come out for about an hour, and then the rain would start up, and then the sun would return in another hour. But it did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of a crowd of that included seemingly as many in their twenties, as well as more seasoned Swedish auto enthusiasts.

You’d never have known that SAAB no longer existed as an automobile manufacturer. Hunter Ross, a sales consultant, brought a like-new 2011 SAAB 9-3 sedan from his employer Park Place Ltd. It was
surrounded by a collection of SAABs that ranged from early series 96 models through some eye-catching Sonett sports cars and various models from the 1980s.

An estimated 100 autos and one Volvo military vehicle showed up during the day, with a 50-50 split between Volvo and SAAB. In years past, Volvo has been the dominant marque, but with the SAAB factory having closed in 2011, it seems to have just created more SAAB aficionados; those who were fans, are even more committed to the marque.

Michael Mihalik, of Woodinville, Washington, brought one of two, rare SAAB Sonett sports cars. His was a 1974 series III, painted black and featuring carbon fiber wrap-work on the body and interior. Its 1.7 liter V4 engine, backed up by a four-speed manual transmission, was bored out (exact displacement unknown by Mihalik) and fitted with a high-lift camshaft. 

The 1974 SAAB Sonett series III of Michael Mihalik, from Woodinville, Washington. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

Michael Mihalik's Sonett's V4 engine featured modifications such as a high-lift camshaft. The displacement was originally 1.7 liters but he'd had the cylinders bored out to increase displacement to a size he couldn't recall. By the way, that's just rain on the bodywork. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

The Sonett name first appeared on a fiberglass-bodied, open sports car in 1955-’57. Only six were made and they used a three-cylinder, two-stroke engine of 748 cc that produced 57.5 horsepower.

The Sonett II started out using a two-stroke engine in the 1967 model year; but a V4 was installed for 1968, due to more stringent, proposed emissions standards in America (the Sonett’s primary market); that engine was sourced from Ford’s Taunus and featured overhead valves. Originally sized at 1.5 liters, by 1973, it was increased to 1.7 liters.

There were 8,368 examples of the Sonett III, made from 1970 through late ’74. Interest is being shown for them, at auctions. Most examples trade hands privately or through collector car dealers, with an average asking price of $4,210 (according to Collector Car Market Review). When they appear at auctions, their rarity and mechanical attributes garner attention – and bids.

For example, at an auction held by Classic Motorcar Auctions in Canton, Ohio last September, a 1971 SAAB Sonett III coupe, with 92,168 miles on its odometer and in good, original condition, sold for $9,288.00. Collector Car Market Review magazine has projected that the Sonett III will appreciate five percent overall; and could increase 20 percent in value, over the next five years.

But the most unusual Swedish vehicle on display was a Volvo Laplander C304 military personnel carrier; about 8,000 were made from 1974 through 1984. Of those, 75 percent were made for military use and the rest for civilian use. Propulsion came via a B30, three-liter, overhead-valve, in line 6-cylinder engine.

This Volvo Laplander series C304 garnered a lot of interest at the Swedish Cruise-in. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

The gamut of Volvos ran from a 1953 Volvo 444 sedan, through a fine selection of 544 sedans, 122 Amazons, some 140 series cars up from Oregon, and several 240 coupes and sedans; some modified, but most restored to original specifications.

It was perhaps fitting that the C304 (whose owner we never did get to meet) drew more attention than most any other car there; since as many enthusiasts will attest, vintage Volvos were built like tanks. But then, that’s one reason they’re still on the road. -- Terry Parkhurst

 

LeMay Open House celebrates 35 years of auto enthusiasm on display

 

A 1971 Dodge Challenger IPC convertible (Indy Pace Car edition, one of several made that year), on display of the grounds of the Marymount Event Center, on the day of the Open House for the facility and the LeMay family's collection. (Photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

   This was the 35^th year that the family of the late car collector Harold LeMay allowed a variety of car clubs to participate in the open house at the Marymount Event Center in Spanaway, Washington, held on the last Saturday in August. The Car Club Corral Car was on the west lawn at Marymount and hosted about 250 cars, and some trucks, on its 50,000 square feet. Those included some private individuals; however, about 150 spaces were allocated for car clubs, this year.

While this display of automotive history was held in close proximity to an auction, the various enthusiasts on hand were less focused on what someone might consider their cars worth in any financial sense, and more involved with the value that comes from making an emotional connection.

Jack Geiger with his 1970 Plymouth ‘cuda hardtop coupe was a prime example. He’d driven it down from Port Orchard, Washington. He recalled installing a Shafer street-worthy clutch and seen the roller coaster market for cars such as his; but rather than sell, he’s kept the car and figures on passing it along to his son, Jacob, who he referred to as the “head mechanic.”

Jack Geiger and his son, Jacob, with the family's 1970 Plymouth 'cuda. Powered by a 340 cubic-inch V8, equipped with a four-barrel carburetor and backed up by a four-speed manual transmission, its Shafer street clutch is still good, after having been installed in 1984 and "been through countless burn-outs," according to Jack. (photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

Andy Anderson of Eatonville, Washington and his pal, John McGinnis of Puyallup, Washington sat, under shade trees, by their cars: a 1957 Pontiac Chiefton and a 1957 Pontiac Laurentian, espectively. Anderson and his wife, Sandy, had owned their car for 12 years, he said. The Laurentian of McGinnis was a special breed of Pontiac: made in Canada.

The 1957 Pontiac Chiefton of the Andersons (foreground) shows the similarity and differences between the Canadian-built 1957 Pontiac Laurentian of John McGinnis. (photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

“It was originally a six-cylinder car,” he explained. “Pontiacs made in Canada were based on a Chevrolet frame; so the front fenders were shorter than the Chiefton. They were also about 30 percent cheaper (less expensive).”

While you wouldn’t know it to look at it, McGinnis had modified his Pontiac with a more modern 350 cubic-inch V8, a four-speed manual transmission and a Chevrolet rear-end with higher gearing for better freeway driving.

Not far away was the 1960 Nash Metropolitan of Mike and Bobbi Jerrigan. They’d travelled in the American Motors micro-car, pulling a neat-looking, aluminum bodied, custom trailer.

Measuring out to about the same length as the Nash Metro which brought it to the open house at the Marymount Event Center, is a trailer that was believed to be custom-built. (photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

In the middle of the lawn, Cascade Kombis had some wild-looking customs setting on air-cooled Volkswagen platforms. The car that perhaps Volkswagen might have made, a Beetle made into a woody wagon, was setting right next to a rat-rod; both were owned by Tom Duttney, who while not a member of the Kombis (whose focus is Volkswagen microbuses and transporter buses), found common ground.

Here's a Beetle that Volkswagen never made, but perhaps should have, on the lawn of the Marymount Event Center, as part of a display of Volkswagens by Cascade Kombis. (photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

The rat rod looked like a chopped top Model “A” Ford, but was setting on a Volkswagen platform that would’ve looked at home, underneath a dune buggy:

They were the type of oddball machines, that would’ve made Harold LeMay, a man known for his egalitarian and eclectic taste in vehicles, smile. – story and photos © Terry Parkhurst    -- to learn more about the Marymount Event Center and the vehicle collection there, look at: www.lemaymarymount.org

Greenwood hits 20: what a regular guy car show can teach a concours.

 

 Children and adults were both pleased to look over Gary Tischer's 1964 Pontiac GTO, complete with tri-power carburetion and a 389 cubic-inch V8, backed up by a four-speed manual transmission. Tischer brought it up from Renton, Washington for the Greenwood Car Show in Seattle. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst, subject to copyright)

  This year saw the 10th staging of the Kirkland Concours d’Elegance. It was held down in Tacoma, Washington, about 40 miles south of Kirkland, on September ninth. If you don’t understand how that works I can’t tell you, but having grown up in Tacoma, I know one thing: Tacoma is very different from Kirkland. Tacoma used to be primarily known for a smelter plant whose smell permeated the city all the way to the freeway. Kirkland, on the other hand, has been called the “Rodeo Drive of the North.”

The LeMay auto museum, which bills itself as “America’s Car Museum,” has been a sponsor from the get-go of the Kirkland concours; so this year the people who run the museum, decided it wouldn’t matter if the concours wasn’t staged in the city of Kirkland. They felt they owned the concept. Nonetheless, the location name of the concours remains the same.

Compare that to the Greenwood district in Seattle, which held its 20^th anniversary show this past June, right where it started – in Greenwood – on the same day: last Saturday of the month. Consistency has value, even with car shows. Call that lesson number one.

It’s a low key affair. You wouldn’t see anyone cleaning their exhaust pipes with a toothbrush at Greenwood. The show is staged along Greenwood Avenue North, for a distance of mile-and-a-half. This year, the owners of about 650 cars and trucks participated and an estimated 50,000 spectators ambled through. Looking was free, but entering a vehicle was not. People drive their cars there, even when that car is a 1913 Cadillac.

Harold Musolf, standing with his 1913 Cadillac, listens to questions from interested spectators. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst, subject to copyright)

Harold Musolf, a machinist who makes restoration parts for REO autos – what Ransom Eli Olds started his legacy with in the auto business –  drove one of two 1913 Cadillacs he owns, to Greenwood from the nearby Ballard neighborhood.

Musolf also has a 1906 Losier, an auto of which he said, “You have to make everything for that.” The Cadillac, on the other hand, “is what I’d call a popular car; we put 1,000 miles a year on it.”

Part of those miles is due from trips to downtown Seattle, to pick up his wife, Gayle; after she gets off work.  Musolf’s grandfather bought the Cadillac on display from a wrecking yard, up in Bellingham, Washington, back in 1957; then, in 1997, Musolf obtained it from his granddad, which had never restored it. The engine still has its original Babbitt bearings, he said. He changed the pistons out from 8 pound aluminum to 31 pound steel molybdenum; made the pistons from those in a Ford 460 cubic-inch engine. The Caddy’s engine measures 367.7 cubic inches and produces 48.8 horsepower.

The engine in Harold Musolf's 1913 Cadillac produces 48.8 horsepower with 365.7 cubic inches. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst, subject to copyright)

Not far from the antique Cadillac, was a car that might not make it into a concours, but brought back a lot of memories for those who remember the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) sport sedan and coupe wars of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s: a 1968 Opel Cadet Rallye (sic) coupe. Troy Moore had brought it down by Lynnwood, Washington. He said, “I’ve owned it two-and-a-half years. It sold (to me) in Wenatchee, and I bought it off of Craig’s List.  The only rust left is on the bottom of the left side’s rocker panel and inside the right wheel-well.”

Resplendent in orange with black accents, and shod with aftermarket chrome wheels, you’d be hard-pressed to notice anything out of whack, if it hadn’t been pointed out to you. Recarro seats and a four-speed manual transmission added to its allure.

Troy Moore's 1968 Opel Kadett Rallye, model 92, showed its heritage via license plate. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst, subject to copyright)

What’s really been the drawing card for the Greenwood show, the past few years is the diversity of vehicles. Last year’s show held some vintage Datsun trucks and this year’s show held those and one more, a bright green 1964 Datsun L320; powered with a 1200 cubic-centimeter in-line four cylinder engine, putting out 60 horsepower. Something it shared with antique cars: it could be started by hand cranking, if need be.

Battery power low? No worries with this 1964 Datsun pickup. It has the capability to be hand-cranked. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst, subject to copyright)

Jerry Barkley, owner of Crown Hill Automotive, showed his own car, a well-restored 1937 Ford. Barkley became active in the show, in 2009, after two successive years that had different public relations professionals running the show.

The pristine 1937 Ford model 78 Deluxe two-door sedan of Greenwood Show director Jerry Barkley. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst, subject to copyright)

After 2008, the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce bailed out, when monies disappeared to places no one knew. That led to the formation of the Greenwood Knights Car Club, of which Barkley became a member. The show became a fund-raiser for local charities; and last year, the show raised $13,000 for the local food bank and others. While spectators can roam the show for free, there's a fee to enter a vehicle and business sponsorship.

The concours in Tacoma is also a fund raiser, mainly for Children’s Hospital in Seattle. It’s raised about $1.5 million dollars since its inception in Kirkland, back in 2003. While the concours has business sponsors - a bank was the main sponsor this year - adult spectators had to pay $25 to view the vehicles up close; that fee included admission to the LeMay - ACM this year. (Teenagers paid less and children under seven could see it all for free.)

Unfortunately, an invitation to attend the concours came my way, too late. So I can’t say with any authority how well things went, with the change in venue. It should help the concours, to be on the grounds next to one of the world’s largest auto museums. But it still seems that a name change would be a good idea, to indicate a new location. After all, if the Greenwood Car Show moved out of Seattle, would they still call it the Greenwood Car Show? -- Terry Parkhurst

It's about more than speculation at auctions - especially regional ones

Rose Backs acts as a spotter for her husband, Matt, as he works to sell a 1922 Hudson limousine in Portland, Oregon for Silver Collector Car Auctions. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

 

If you're the type of automobile enthusiast who wants to simply buy a collectible automobile to drive, rather than attend an "automotive event" or flip a car in six months to make a grand or so, the market for affordable collectors cars has returned; or so it seems. There are more auctions with cars below the $35,000 thresh-hold, such as a recent auction conducted by Silver Auctions at the Portland Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon.

Of the 190 vehicles, that included several motorcycles, 123 sold. If you wanted to buy a 1920s limousine, or any of several General Motors mid-size muscle cars or even a 1950s British sedan with an updated Nissan drivetrain, you could do so for well under $25,000, in most cases. Call it an auction of irregular autos for regular guys.

Consider the 1941 Chevrolet Special Deluxe four door sedan that sold for a bid of $12,250.

This Chevrolet was one of a million sold in the model year, 1941. In fact, the 1941 model year is sometimes referred to as the "year Chevrolet got everything right." Powered by a smooth-running, overhead valve six cylinder engine displacing 216.5 cubic inches that produced 90 horsepower, it rivaled the Fords of its time. The exterior design was pleasing to the eye and is likely another reason that the Special Deluxe, introduced half-way through the model year, sold 84,000 units; despite the abbreviated production run due to the start of the Second World War.

If someone wanted an interesting vintage British automobile, albeit with some modifications to make it easier to use as a daily driver, there was a 1950 Hillman Minx sedan retrofitted with an engine and transmission from a Datsun series 1600 convertible sports car.

Hillman automobiles don't show up at auctions in the United States very often; so a lot of people in the audience weren't quite certain what it was. Nonetheless, they came up and looked at it. The purists seemed a bit put off by the drivetrain, which wasn't original. Bidding stopped at $4,900 on the docket; however, a short time later, a winning offer of $5,100 was tendered and the deal was done.

Towards the end of the second day's auction activity, a turquoise 1969 Dodge Polara 500 two-door convertible came onto the docket. Completely original and unrestored, it had been parked in the garage of the original owner from sometime in 1979 until 2009. A flyer showed the original owner, Arch McKeever and his wife, June, with the car, earlier this year. (Mr. McKeever is 94.)

The Polara was equipped with a 330 horsepower, 383 cubic-inch V8 engine, a posi-traction rear end with gearing that had a 3:23 final ratio and a heavy-duty suspension package. It also was one of just 573 Polara 500 convertibles reportedly ever built. That all helped it to garner a best bid of $13,500; however, the current owner, who'd driven it down from Seattle - a journey of about 165 miles - refused to drop the $18,500 reserve. -- Terry Parkhurst

Recommended website: to see an in-depth auction report on this particular auction, consider Collector Car Market Review magazine, available in print or in digital format at http://www.collectorcarmarket.com/

 

 

 

Legendary straight-line performance in a Corvette called "Cheaterville"

The 1957 Chevrolet Corvette that rewrote the record books of drag strips, around the country, during the 1970s. It became known as "Cheaterville" because those it raced against couldn't accept its winning ways. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

  In November of last year, the venerable Chevrolet small block V8 celebrated six decades of being inserted into 100 million cars and trucks. One of the best examples of what it was capable of doing is inserted in the engine bay of a 1957 Chevrolet Corvette; nicknamed "Cheaterville" by its second owner.

This Corvette came from the factory with a 283 cubic-inch V8, topped by a Rochester fuel injection unit. It was good for 283 horsepower. Backing up the engine was a four-speed manual transmission.

Jack Murray, an Oregon state resident is believed to be the first person to have owned it. He took it out on a variety of road courses in Oregon and did reasonably well. Exact details of that stage of its existence are sketchy and the only documentation is a photo of the car, racing on a road course, with a hole in the front where something was hit.

But it was with its second owner, Mike Malick of Kent, Washington, that it became best known. He bought it from Murray, sometime in 1965. Malick didn't have much interest in road-racing, but instead took the Corvette out to what was then known as Seattle International Raceway, just outside of Kent. He modified the fuel injection unit's interior plenum for better fuel delivery. The outside of the fuel injection unit was modified to make it look stock, according to current owner, Bill Cotter of Seattle.

Additionally, a switch was installed to lock the brakes, for a better launch in the quarter-mile. The results were more than even Malick might have expected. The Corvette ended up at the 1972 NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Winternationals in February of 1972; and on the sixth of February, it became the first Corvette in its class -- Super Stock -- run the quarter mile in just 11 seconds. As a result, it also won its class, at that same race.

Malick's Corvette acquired a reputation for winning, so much so that his competitors refused to accept that a 283 cubic-inch V8 could do what it did. Indeed, he was challenged so many times for breaking the rules, that he showed his sense of humor by painting the name of "Cheaterville" on the sides of the car; along with having someone put flames on the sides and nose. In its "Cheaterville" make-up, it was the centerfold of Chevy Power magazine in 1974.

Malick ceased to campaign the "Cheaterville" in the 1980s, but held onto it. He'd bring it out for Chevrolet shows, to bring back memories. Finally, around the turn of the century, he retired and took to driving a RV to Arizona in the winter, and sold the Corvette to Bill Cotter of Seattle.

"I'm a road racer myself; but I prepared it for vintage drag racing," said Cotter. "I liked all the room inside of the car. It had a removable hard-top; with a hard top, you don't need a roll-bar."

The interior of the "Cheaterville" Corvette is really spacious, due to the fact that, when raced with its removable hard top, no roll bar needed to be installed. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

A cosmetic restoration was done by Byers Custom Restoration of Kent. Cotter had the fuel injection unit on the engine carefully removed. He then installed a four-barrel carburetor and had a special air cleaner made.

The 283 cubic-inch V8 in the "Cheaterville" Corvette is now fitted with a four-barrel carburetor and a custom fabricated air cleaner; however, Bill Cotter the current owner has saved the fuel injection unit that was original equipment. Moreover, the engine block and transmission are "matching numbers" -- original to the car. (Photos by Terry Parkhurst)

Repeated attempts to contact Mike Malick,via two telephone numbers on an old business card, one for the RV's winter home in Arizona, were unsuccessful. But the car he named "Cheaterville" goes on, showing future generations what could be achieved with a small block V8 in a lightweight Corvette. -- Terry Parkhurst

Note: the "Cheaterville" is for sale and those interested can learn more by contacting Jeri Drager, at Drager's Classics in Shoreline, Washington by telephone at (206) 533-9600 or by e-mail: [email protected]

The VIN tag, inside a door jam on the "Cheaterville," matches the numbers on the side of the 283 cubic-inch V8's block. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

 

 

 

 

The Importance of Being Swedish

The 1966 SAAB 96 Monte Carlo 850 of Phil Lacefield from North Bend, Washington in front of the XXX Root-Beer drive-in, Issaquah, Washington. Out of 30,000 SAAB 96 series automobiles built in 1966, reportedly only 1,362 were to Monte Carlo specifications. That included larger carburetors and different porting on the engine. That engine was a two-stroke, three cylinder engine of 844 cubic-centimeters; producing 55 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 68 lbs./feet or torque at 3,800 rpm. This example is one of only four, in running condition, in North America. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

Those who revere Swedish automobiles have had a bit of a tough go, the past year. SAAB, whose name is an acronynm that originally meant Svenska Aero Aktiebolaget when it began life as an aircraft manufacturer in 1921, had to suspend automobile production in the Spring. Victor Muller, the company's CEO and chairman worked dilgently to find investors to bring the company back; however on December 19, 2011, after General Motors, which had owned SAAB and remained a principal, blocked Chinese company Zhejiang Youngman Lotus from acquiring SAAB, Mr. Muller was forced to file for bankruptcy. Since then, while some other companies have tried to acquire SAAB, the General has blocked any purchase, for reasons of its own.

What that has done has ensured that those who cherish SAABs have become even more dedicated to preserving the breed. So it was that the Northwest SAAB Owners Club joined the Puget Sound chapter of Volvo Sports America for the 6th Annual Swedish Car Cruise-in at the XXX (Root Beer) drive-in restaurant in Issaquah, Washington on Sunday, February 19.

Two Swedish sports cars together: the blue 1973 SAAB Sonnett III of Jon Birdwell from Redmond, Washington (foreground) next to the metallic brown 1969 Volvo P1800 of Gail Ritchie, a member of the Puget Sound chapter, Volvo Sports America. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

Dennis Wright, who has owned 9 Volvos, brought a modified 1967 Volvo 122S over from Port Orchard, Washington, on the other side of the Puget Sound inlet. It sported a tuned exhaust and Weber downdraft carburetors. He'd also rewired the entire car, before taking it out on the road; along with fitting the engine with high-temperature valves, due to what he called "a horrible experience using regular gas" with regular valves.

Wright said that while he'd started out with a 1955 Chevrolet, and "a few cars in between," he eventually gravitated towards Volvos.

"Back when I was in college, they were cheap and reliable," he recalled, adding, "A lot more reliable than a Volkswagen."

Dennis Wright's 1967 Volvo 122S leads a line of vintage Volvos on display in Issaquah, Washington at the XXX Root-Beer drive-in. The black Volvo next to it is a 1953 444 sedan belonging to Walt Tartar; who purchased it from the noted glass artist, Dale Chihully. It received an award for the oldest car on display. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

While Swedish cars are noted for safety, they have also done well in rally racing and on the track. Riley Shirey brought a red 1967 Volvo 1800S, that he'd acquired from his nephew, David Winter, who'd campaigned it in SOVREN (Society of Vintage Racing Enthusiasts) at tracks in the Northwest.

Those aren't Volvo wheels on this Volvo 1800S racecar; instead, they're from a 1985 Lincoln, according to its owner, Riley Shirey. But "they don't weigh a thing," he said and coupled with things such as plexiglass windows and doors sans lifting mechanisms and inside panels, contribute to a curb weight of just 2,000 pounds. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

The engine in Shirey's Volvo is a B18 in-line four cylinder unit of 2,000 cubic-centimeters; fitted with dual SU carburetors, shaved cylinder heads, a high-performance camshaft and backed by a lightened flywheel. It'll spin to 7,000 rpm, he added. With a four-speed manual transmission and a Posi-traction rear-end, Shirey said, "David got to be a better driver with it and got it breathing better," to ensure it would get right into a pack of MGs and do the job.

The B18 Volvo four cylinder engine in Riley Shirey's P1800 will spin to 7,000 rpm, readily, thanks to engine modifications that include a high-performance camshaft and shaved cylinder heads. Fuel delivery comes via dual SU carburetors. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

Last year, according to Gary Ramstead, PSVSA Chapter Coordinator and a Volvo Sports America (VSA) vice-president, there were about 100 Volvos and 40 SAABs; however, no one did an exact count this year. So while there still appeared to be more Volvos than SAABs, the SAAB turn-out appeared to at least match last year's count, as the photo below would indicate.

A view of the SAAB automobiles that came to visit at the XXX Root-Beer drive-in at Issaquah, Washington, along with Volvo owners of various vintages, on February 19, from the southeast corner of the parking lot. It was an eclectic mixture - of people and automobiles. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

 SAAB automobiles gained international prominence early on, due to success in rally racing. Indeed it even led to a model called the Monte Carlo 850 (an example of which is seen in the photo that leads this feature) after Erik Carlsson won the Monte Carlo rally in both 1962 and '63. Front-wheel drive, an engineering feature of the marque from its inception, helped.

This bright red 1960 SAAB 93F, on display in what amounted to SAAB row at the 6th Annual Swedish Car Cruise-in at the XXX Root-Beer drive-in restaurant, in Issaquah, Washington, was the sort of automobile that helped SAAB acquire a reputation. This particular car was equipped with a 38 horsepower,three-cylinder, two-stroke engine; however, a variant was made for rally racing that carried a 850 cubic-centimeter engine with triple carburetors. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst) The engine in this 93F is shown just below. This engine was the only engine in SAAB autos, until 1967; when, a four-cylinder engine became available, along with the three cylinder. The SAAB 96, which could be had with either engine, was produced in Finland, until the end of 1970.

This sturdy three cylinder, two-stroke engine, served SAAB well in rally racing. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

The SAAB 99, which was the first to have the ignition key between the front seats - so as not to injure the driver's knee in a crash - appeared in dealerships in 1969. It was well represented at the Swedish Cruise-In by Dan Morley's turquoise 1975 SAAB 99; shown just below.

This is a SAAB aficionado's version of an auto that's driven daily. (This photo and below both copyright, Terry Parkhurst)

The original engine in the SAAB 99 was a Triumph-designed 1.7 litre four-cylinder that grew to 2 litres in 1972. That engine achieved 110 horsepower with the fuel-injected 99 series EMS and hit 140 horsepower with turbocharger assist, starting in 1978. However, the engine in this 1975 SAAB 99 is retrofitted from a 1985 SAAB 99 and fitted with two Weber 40 DCOE carburetors, ensuring good freeway performance. (Photo copyright by Terry Parkhurst)

In addition to being the president of the Northwest SAAB Owners Club, Morley also is involved with vintage trucks; and has a 1958 Mack Class 8 tractor that he likes to display with other members of the American Truck Historical Society. He works as an engineer at Boeing and calls his '75 modified SAAB 99 "my daily driver."

So while SAAB becomes part of automotive history, and Volvo is now owned by a Chinese company (Zhejiang Geely Holdings), for dedicated enthusiasts such as Dan Morley or Gary Ramstead, home will be where the heart is; and their hearts will remain in Trollhattan or Gothenburg, both in Sweden. -- Terry Parkhurst

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The smell of nitro is sweet to those who pioneered "Fuel" dragsters

Herman Petersen's Top Fuel dragster, powered by a supercharged Chrysler hemi-head V8 (left), sets next to Jerry King's Jr. Fuel dragster (right), powered by a fuel-injected Chevrolet V8 at the Edmonds (WA) Car Show. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

Herman Petersen started drag racing at the age of 16, going to a quarter-mile long racetrack in Bremerton, Washington, back in 1958. About 10 years later, he was driving a dragster purpose-built to go as fast as possible down a quarter-mile track. It was a race car with minimum bodywork, exposed frame rails, small wheels up front and huge racing tires called “slicks,” due to lack of tread, on the rear.

The template was tagged “a rail job,” by racers inspired to prove their mettle on quarter-mile long tracks. It first debuted in the 1950s, at tracks around the country called “drag strips.” That led racers to call them “dragsters.” Drivers who became well known in this emerging form of motorsports, included Don Garlits in Florida and Tommy Ivo in California. Like them, drag-racing became Mr. Petersen’s passion; but he made it work for him, too.

“My theory was, if the car was sitting in Poulsbo, it wasn’t making money. Wherever there was a national event, I went to it,” he said, recalling racing events he went to, up and down the West Coast of America and up into Canada.

“The first car I raced, was a used chassis; put my own engine in it. I raced it for one year, got my feet wet. Then in 1969, I ordered a brand-new chassis from Woody Gilmore Racing, down in Downey, California,” he said. Like most ultimate dragsters of that era, his car was powered by a Chrysler hemispherical (cylinder) head V8, specifically one from a 1958 Chrysler. When topped with a 6:71 supercharger, it produced 3,000 horsepower, by running a fuel mixture that was usually about 86 to 88 percent nitro methane; the rest of the fuel mixture is methanol. The fuel mix earned such racecars the name of “Top Fuel” dragsters.

That racecar tied the national record of 6.54 seconds elapsed time for a quarter mile, at Bremerton Raceway in 1971.

“It was still affordable (to race) when I started out, Mr. Petersen said. “Everything originated in Detroit, when I first ran, even the supercharger - although we reworked it. My race car ran with a 392 cubic-inch block, from a Chrysler Imperial that I was given $100 for, after pulling the engine and giving the rest to a salvage yard.”

He sold that front-engine dragster, later in 1971, and then went on to build and drive the first rear-engine Top Fuel dragster in the Pacific Northwest. It had a custom built engine.

“I ran with the second Donavan-built 417 cubic-inch V8 - a replica of the 1957 Chrysler “hemi,” but with an aluminum block, equipped with steel sleeves,” he recalled. “It was stronger than a cast-iron engine block; that meant more (supercharger) boost and nitro.”

He took that car down to Lion’s Drag Strip in California and tied the national record of running a quarter mile in 6:14 seconds.

In 1973, while driving his rear engine Top Fuel dragster, wiht a chassis built by Woody Gilmore, Heidelberg Beer became his sponsor. It was an indicator of his professionalism. That car, named the “Heidelberg Hauler,” won the 1973 Gatornationals in Florida, tying a national record for the quarter-mile of 6.08 seconds. In that car, he also had a fiery crash, in July of 1973, that sidelined him. He spent three-and-half months in the Orange County Hospital burn center.

While he was in the hospital, his partner Sam Fitz, had another rear-engine dragster built, with a streamlined body. Olympia Beer became his sponsor, along with the Justice Brothers. Woody Gilmore built the car. It was constructed entirely out of aluminum, with a monocoque front end. However, its weight -- about 200 pounds more than his previous racecar -- made it less competitive; after 19 runs down various quarter-mile racetracks, he retired it.

He then went back to driving a conventional front-engine/rear drive dragster. That car, with sponsorship again from Olympia Beer and the Justice Brothers, was successful, winning the 1974 pision Six Championship and the IHRA (International Hot Rod Association) Gateway Nationals, in St. Louis, Missouri.

In 1975, Mr. Petersen went on to run the quarter mile in just 5.87 seconds in that car, while achieving a speed of 241.96 mph, at the end of a quarter-mile.

In June of 1976, he quit driving dragsters: but continued his involvement with racing a car, for another year, with his friend, Rob Bruins, doing the driving. “He was a natural,” Mr. Petersen enthused. “It cost $3,500 for the (engine) block in my last racecar - $2,000 for a billet (all solid steel) crankshaft. It was $15,000 for each engine, by that time,” he recalled.

Mr. Petersen then ran an auto glass business through 1988. He went on to operate Bar B-Q Charters, a sport fishing business in southeast Alaska, about four months of the year; while living in Belfair, Washington with his wife of 49 years, Sandy. He quit doing that, about two years ago and now runs Cackle Thunder Performance, which builds Chrysler "hemi" V8 engines, to run on gasoline or alcohol, for use in street rods or custom cars.

His first car went through seven different owners. Then in December of 2004, Mr. Petersen found it and bought it back. Now, he’s demonstrating its capabilities, by exhibiting it and, on occasion, running the car in place, with the engine at full throttle.

He’s part of a unique band of brothers who take their “fuel” dragsters, to what Mr. Petersen calls “cackle-fests,” adding that the cars are run only to give those who’ve never heard a supercharged nitro-fueled engine, wide open, a chance to hear one.

“We can’t race them; there's no driveshaft hooked up to the rear-ends. We just whack the throttle and take the engine to about a third of the way (to full power), to about 4,000 rpm, for an instant," he explained, and proudly adds, “My car is the loudest on the West Coast. I’ve measured it: 125.8 decibels."

Two Top Fuel dragsters owned by "Bucky"Austin of Bucky Austin Racing, run in place (no power to rear wheels) at full throttle, in a demonstration of what drag racing was like, when Top Fuel racecars were coming into their own. It's loud. Notice the people plugging their ears at this showing, at the Edmonds Car Show. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

“We let all the promoters know we’re available and do about 8 to 10 bookings a year,” Mr. Petersen explained. “We’ve done shows at car dealerships - a Dodge dealership in Lynnwood, Washington -- and other events. We’ve got a car show up in Abottsford, British Columbia we did in April and we’ll be doing that again in the coming year.”

Jerry King is another such former racer. He restored a car he drove, as part of a team that included his partners, the late Jack Cross and Jerry Mann, from 1966 to 1970. However, the Cross-Mann-King dragster is what was known as a “Junior Fuel” car; one with an engine that was not supercharged and was limited to 310 cubic-inches displacement (or 3 pounds of total weight, per cubic inch).

It set the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) national record for C/fuel dragsters at 178.39 mph, using just a 265 cubic-inch Chevrolet V8 engine. When NHRA discontinued the class at the end of 1966, the car was lengthened and a 309 cubic-inch engine, of Chevrolet origin, was installed. It then ran the quarter-mile in just 7.42 seconds and hit 199.86 mph at the end of that distance.

Bucky Austin, owner of Bucky Austin Racing in Puyallup, Washington, owns two other dragsters that are part of the group. Both of those use Chrysler hemi-head V8s and were driven competitively, from 1969-’71. One, equipped with a full body over its frame rails, was owned and driven in its prime, by Hank Johnson of Marysville, Washington. The other, with mostly exposed frame rails and a short body, was driven by Jerry Ruth of Burien, Washington.

Both these Top Fuel dragsters, shown at the Edmonds (Washington) Car Show, are owned by Bucky Austin. The full-bodied one (on the left) was originally owned and driven by Hank Johnson from Marysville, Washington; the short-bodied one (on the right) was originally owned and driven by Jerry Ruth from Burien, Washington. Both dragsters were raced circa 1969-'71. Both also sport the engine most often found in Top Fuel dragsters of that era: the Chrysler hemi-head V8, equipped with a 6:71 supercharger. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

Running nitro-methane in an internal combustion engine could be disastrous; but it was done without computer analysis, in the 1960s and ‘70s, by studying the engine, after a run.

“With each engine, we’d look at the compression ratio, the timing setting and the pressure the blower (supercharger) produced,” explained Herman Petersen. “You’d read the spark plugs. If they were getting excessive heat, you’d take some nitro out of the fuel mix; or you’d reduce the boost or retard the timing. We usually ran 86 to 88 percent nitro. But if the plugs weren’t burnt, we’d run 88 to 89 percent nitro. Straight nitro would detonate too easily.”

Asked what he thinks of the current Top Fuel dragsters, which can achieve 300 mph by the end of a quarter mile run, Mr. Peterson admits that, “It’s hard to watch races, these days. About 50 percent of the time, one of them will blow an engine, before the finish line; or hurt the engine. The NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) allows two magnetos that are like welding machines, and then, those fuel pumps. You have a 900-foot fuse on a 1,000-foot bomb.”

He added, “That’s not racing; it’s not a realistic way to race. Engines now can cost $50,000. It costs so much more money, without sponsors, you can’t do it.”

But one thing, he’ll admit, hasn’t changed from the time he and his fellow competitors checked the plugs; then the key to knowing whether to dial up the boost, change the timing or carefully add more nitro.

“Records are only set to be broken,” Mr. Petersen asserted, “just like any other form of racing.” -- Terry Parkhurst

If you have interest in having an engine built, or have other questions, related to this topic, Herman Petersen, Cackle-Thunder Performance, can be reached via telephone at: 360.710.9245

 

Big Bore is no snore

The American Motors AMX was one of many "muscle cars," built in the late 1960s and early '70s, to satisfy a market niche that has waxed and waned, ever since. This bright yellow example is a 1968 edition - first year - owned by Willy and Mary Jo Lowe; displayed at a muscle car meet in Issaquah, Washington. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

  The “muscle car,” as it’s known, is uniquely American in a way that both jazz and blues music are. Exactly which car was the first muscle car is still debated.

A good case could be made for the 1957 Rambler Rebel, equipped with a 327 cubic-inch V8, topped by a Carter four-barrel carburetor and producing 255 horsepower for establishing the basic template. The Rebel included both four-door hardtop and station wagon body styles. (That V8 was an enlarged version of a 250 cubic-inch engine that American Motors, the parent company, had been building; not the 327 cid engine that GM put into its Corvette and other Chevrolets, a short time later.)

The Rebel’s standard transmission was a three-speed overdrive unit with a Borg-Warner 10-inch clutch. The optional four-speed Hydra-Matic was essentially the same as used by Pontiac and Oldsmobile. A 3.15:1 rear axle was supplied with the Hydra-Matic. A 4.10:1 rear axle was specified for Rebels with the manual transmission.

Motor Trend magazine reported that the only American car capable of out-accelerating the Rebel, from 0-to-60, was the fuel-injected Chevrolet Corvette sports car.

But most automotive enthusiasts give credit for the muscle car’s development to the late John Z. DeLorean, who as head of the Pontiac division of General Motors, gave the green light in 1964 to putting a 389 cubic-inch V8 into the Tempest. That model was called the GTO - an acronym borrowed from Ferrari. GTO stood for “Gran Turismo Omologato” which is Italian for “Grand Touring Homologated” the last word meaning “approved for racing.”

The muscle car movement grew out of the hot rod and custom car movements of the 1950s and ‘60s. The V8 engines that were stuffed into the engine bays of mid-size bodies grew larger. What was then called the “Big Three” in Michigan all sold muscle cars. Even American Motors in Kenosha, Wisconsin got involved with its AMX and Javelin models.

All manufacturers felt compelled to have engines around 400 cubic-inches, as their top options. The phenomenon got so big, The Beach Boys, who’d started their rise to fame singing songs about surfing, did a song about the engine in one Chevrolet and entitled the song simply, “409.”

But the manufacturers sometimes fibbed about horsepower in the specs. The horsepower ratings given out were oftentimes not accurate, as a way of placating insurance companies; who would eventually be part of the reason muscle cars took a hiatus in the mid-1970s.

From the dark depths of a late fall day, a gathering of muscle cars, looking like a collection of oversized Hot Wheels toys, is as vivid in the memory of the human mind as the day they were seen. The first Sunday of August featured about 50 muscle cars, from clubs devoted to specific manufacturers and various models, arranged in the parking lot of the XXX (root beer) Drive-In located in Issaquah, Washington. It was the 25^th Northwest Muscle Car Meet.

Amidst the Chrysler E-body cars (early ‘70s Dodge Challengers and Plymouth Barracudas), Pontiac GTO and Firebirds, a multitude of Chevrolet Camaros and even a bright red 1972 Ford Pantera (Ghia body and Ford 351 cubic-inch high output V8) were two examples of the American Motors AMX. As muscle cars from a manufacturer now gone, many people didn’t know what they were.

The bright yellow 1968 American Motors AMX of Willy and Mary Jo Lowe, sets next to a grouping of General Motors muscle cars. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

Willy and Mary Jo Lowe’s yellow 1968 American Motors AMX had some slight modifications that were period correct: Cragar SS magnesium wheels on BF Goodrich T/A tires and exhaust pipes, fitted just below the rocker panels. But the engine was as it came from the factory, “numbers matching” as it’s called, indicating a drive train that came with the car: a 390 cubic-inch V8 backed by a Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual transmission and a 3.55 gear ratio, inside the rear differential.

The other AMX, a red 1969 edition owned by Dan Phillips, showed how appearances can be deceiving. While the body and interior looked as AMC shipped it, the engine bay had performance and appearance modifications that Phillips was proud enough of having done, he had the hood open.

The red 1969 American Motors AMX, with engine modifications, of Dan Phillips. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

Phillips said that his car could produce 394.56 horsepower at 5,300 rpm, at the engine’s flywheel, along with 480 pounds of torque at 4,300 rpm.

Modifications, seen and unseen, under the hood of Dan Phillips' AMX bolstered horsepower and torque making it his own version of the American Motors muscle machine. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

Some of the reason why could be seen, such as the Edelbrock high-rise R46 large-passage intake manifold and the Bellanger Super Competition headers (with 50 percent better exhaust air-flow than standard exhaust pipes). Others were hidden inside the engine: Crane competition camshaft, forged steel crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons.

The Smith's 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle: 1,040 horsepower guaranteed to take the driver from a standing start to 60 mph in a tick more than two seconds. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

An ultimate example of a personal vision of what a muscle car could be was Jay and Evy Smith’s black 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS two door hardtop; brought over from Sagle, Idaho. It was a Pro-Street racer, equipped with a 6:71 supercharger, topped by two four barrel carburetors, setting on the intake manifold of a small block Chevrolet V8 (displacement not disclosed), it reportedly produced 1,040 horsepower - enough to take the Chevelle from zero to 60 miles-per-hour in just 2.2 seconds. Jay Smith said that he proved that at a track up in Langley, Canada during a 1,000 feet dash. Moreover, he added the car can run a quarter mile in just 9.80 seconds and achieve a speed (in that length) of 146 miles-per-hour.

The supercharger atop the engine in the Smith's Chevelle gives 17 pounds of boost. Jay Smith said, "It's basically a drag racer for the street." But after 20 years of ownership, he added, "There's no more racing. It stays nicer if I don't." (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

As much as Jay Smith might have liked to drive it from Idaho, he allowed that, “At six-miles-to-the-gallon, there’s not enough gas stations (between Idaho and Issaquah, Washington) to get us here.”

Like the “race to the moon,” which the United States won in the summer of 1969, muscle cars came to be testimony to something the poet Robert Browning once said, that being, “A man’s reach must exceed his grasp, or what’s a Heaven for?” - Terry Parkhurst