Digital Newsletter Summer 2013 - Royal Pontiac Club of America

Royal Pontiac Club
Volume 20 Issue 4
Summer 2013
Romping on Woodward
Inside this issue:
Romping on Woodward
1– 3
Gear head Destination:
GM Heritage Collection
4-5
Vintage Article “Farmer’s
Track-ter” Arnie Beswick
(and other pics)
6-10
Royal Pontiac Event: Detroit Dragway Reunion
11
By Eric Schiffer
This has already become a very busy Spring in spite of the turbulent weather patterns. As I’m writing
this Romping, The Detroit Grand Prix on Belle Isle is taking place this weekend with on and off downpours of rain and hot steamy 80 plus degree weather.
But let’s step back to reflect on other events that already took place earlier this season. There was the
Detroit Dragway Reunion at Milan Dragway where Mike Kidd and other Royal members attended this Meet the Member: Dan- 12-13
one day event. Member, Skip Powelson broke into the 9’s with his ’66 Lemans. Article and link to
ny Kansy
Skip’s video are on page 11.
Royal Pontiac Event Win- 14-15
ter Gathering Mar 2013
On the same day as the Detroit Dragway reunion, I attended the Points and Condenser Preservation
Society’s 102 mile spring dust off-road rally from Ann Arbor to the Gilmore Museum in Hickory Corners, outside Kalamazoo. This was a fantastic rally with 100 cars and 200 people of all ages. I happened
to be part of one of the lead groups where I drove my Z06 Corvette along with others that included a
Porsche GT3, turbo charged Viper, Lotus and a Mercedes SL 550. It was a very scenic drive through
some of Michigan’s countryside. Needless to say, our group took full advantage of the farm countries
straight aways and twisting roads. I had no idea how large The Gilmore was. The Gilmore is on 90
acres of farmland with several barns, including one from the 1800’s that had been transported 45 miles
to the Gilmore. They are trying to build a village and have replicated a 1930’s Shell Oil Service station
and have a real 1947 working diner. There are barns and buildings housing this massive collection. One
new building is Ford Model A Museum. It was officially open the week after we saw it. Outside of the
Ford building was a replica of a California dealership. All of the displays were of the highest quality,
including the cars. Pictures of the Spring Dust Off can be seen on page 16-17.
Great events are happening on Father’s day Weekend. June 15 Eyes On Design at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford estate. The other is the Motor Muster at Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village that runs from June
15 – 16th.
Reminders:
1) Club BBQ at Bill Klausing ranch near General Motors Milford Proving Grounds on July 21. Please
call either Todd Ansbacher, (734) 454-4644, or Bill Klausing, (810) 225-2912 to RSVP for a head count.
2) Dream Cruise Parking in downtown Birmingham on Old Woodward. We still have a few open
spots left for members at $25.00 per car with a 2 car maximum. Remember any spot left will become
available to non-members after August 1 for $35.00.
Loss of a street racing legend. Someone who has been a part of the original Thursday night “High End
Club” since the 1950’s passed away. Joseph “Joe” Ruggirello, age 81 passed away on May 17, 2013. Joe
had been featured in several magazines with his silver 1975 Mustang II that had been built by Wayne
Gapp and Jack Roush. One such article was by Brook Yates for the October 1976 issue of “Car and
Driver.” Unfortunately, the weekly Thursday night “High End Club” gatherings at the Rams Horn on
Orchard Lake Rd and 13 ½ mile Rd. are getting smaller and smaller. (cont’d next page)
Royal Event: Points and
Condensor Gilmore Tour
16-17
Random Pontiac Pics
18-19
Upcoming Events
20
Woodward
Dream Cruise
Club Parking
Aug 17th 2013
Club Parking in
Birmingham $25 per pass.
Limit 2 per member until
Aug 1st. Birmingham has
a lottery system, if we are
not accepted your payment will be refunded.
1978 and Prior vehicles only
MEMBERS ONLY
Send Checks to:
Royal Pontiac Club
P.O. Box 252402
West Bloomfield, MI
48322
Page 2
Royal Pontiac Club of America
Romping on Woodward (cont’d)
By Eric Schiffer
Magazine articles; Hemmings “Muscle Machines” July 2013 issue has a nice article on the 8 convertible 1969 Trans Ams. The featured car was one that had been ordered by Jim Wangers for his boss Chuck Adams who was president of MacManus, John and
Adams. Chuck’s son Randy and his good friend Gary Cochran would take the 4 speed Trans Am street racing while they were in
high school. Gary, who I know, tells a story about the night he was driving the T/A in a street race and the clutch decided it was
time to let go. Gary’s family owned several restaurants, including Marverick’s the once famous drive-in on Woodward. Gary currently owns Beau Jacks on Maple Rd near Telegraph in Bloomfield Township. Gary hung a picture of the Jim Wangers “Famous
Black Bird” in his establishment as a reminder of the “good old days.”
Enthusiast Magazines are just not that accurate. They tend to assume too much. Lets take a recent article in the June 2013 “Muscle
Car Review” (MCR) in a section called MUSCLE CAR REWIND that titled “BABY BOBCAT AND THE BOSS.” The MCR article
was about two tests of the GTO Judge by two different tests in November 1968 of the soon to be released GTO Judge. One test
was by “Hot Rod” magazine at Ubly Dragway in early November. The other test quoted was by “Car Craft” later in November at
Lapeer Dragway. There was no name of the MCR article’s author. But it seemed that it was another “rush” job. With all of the
information that has been floating around for years. This author came to mixed conclusions on there being two different Judges.
The “Car Craft” Judge had a “Baby Bobcat kit” (what ever that is) with a 4 speed capable of 12 second quarter miles and the “Hot
Rod” Judge was a preproduction bone stock car with an automatic running 14.41 in “Hot Rod” magazine. In short the “Hot Rod”
magazine test car was a Tempest post coupe 350 HO automatic with a bench seat to be a Road Runner beater called ET but
changed to The Judge. Another change that occurred just before release of the car but not before the “Hot Rod” magazine test
was that all Judges would not have anything less that a 400 HO. Even though “Hot Rod” tested was the 350 HO which they printed a side bar of a 400 cid. The later “Car Craft” testing at Lapeer was actually one of many future articles that would appear in
several magazines.
If you go by MCR they believe there were just two Judges; one auto, one 4-speed. Well, no. Even if you count their automatic
Tempest coupe (ET), there were actually three. Yes, Three. Two stick shift GTO’s. One was the West Coast Riverside “Real”
Judge. It had fixed head lights, a 3 speed manual trans. 3.55 posi rear, 400 HO Ram Air with a black interior. This was the press
announcement car. This Judge became “Popular Hot Rodding” magazines “Four Phase” project car with many mechanical changes
along the way. Jim Wangers realized they needed a second “real” Judge, so they took his Lime Light Green Ram Air IV, 4 speed,
hide a way head light, white interior, power rear antenna GTO press car and converted it to a Judge with a tall rear spoiler, white
side front fender to door stripes with a Royal Bobcat emblem within the door end section of the stripe. The stripe was later
changed to the production style. This hide away head light Judge appeared in several comparison tests. It was to be the Ram Air V
Florida test car, too. Well, it did appear in an article by Ro McGonegal in“Super Stock” magazine test with a Ram Air V decal on
the front fender. Just look for the white interior, hide a way head lights and rear mounted antenna. Links to the articles are posted
on the next page for your review.
Well time to burn rubber,
Eric
Page 3
Romping on Woodward (cont’d)
By Eric Schiffer
Musclecar Review Article June 2013 (Click link below)
http://www.royalpontiac.org/images/newsletter/MCRarticle.pdf
Hot Rod Magazine Article Dec 1968 (Click link below)
http://www.royalpontiac.org/images/newsletter/hotroddec68.pdf
Superstock Article April 1969 (Click link below)
http://www.royalpontiac.org/images/newsletter/superstockapr69.pdf
Popular Hot Rodiing June 1969 (Click link below)
http://www.royalpontiac.org/images/newsletter/popularhotroddingjune69.pdf
Page 4
Royal Pontiac Club of America
Gear Head Destination: GM Heritage Collection Tour
Society of Automotive Engineers Detroit Chapter
Text Mike Kidd
Photos Aleta Kidd
http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-vehicle-collection/index.html
We recently attended the GM collection tour with the Society of Automotive Engineers. The collection
comprises approximately 600 cars, that are rotated through the display area. The cars range from concept
and show cars to historically significant vehicles. It’s located off Mound road between 15 & 16 mile. Click
on the hyperlink above for more info.
The Firebird concept cars, some great convertibles and many muscle cars were on display when we went. In
addition there were lots of great Pontiac’s as well as the mako shark and manta ray concepts. A Cadillac that
raced at Le Mans was also displayed along with an electric corvair car and the “electrovan” from the mid 60’s
that were fascinating from an engineering standpoint (the van has a hydrogen fuel cell!). There were also
many engines on display, which are always interesting to look at (see the history of internal combustion). If
you have a chance to tour this incredible collection, it’s definitely worth the trip!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Firebird
http://www.hydrogencarsnow.com/gm-electrovan.htm
http://www.briggscunningham.com/home/le-mansera/lemans50-html/
Page 5
Gear Head Destination: GM Heritage Collection Tour
(cont’d)
http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-vehicle-collection/index.html
http://www.supercars.net/cars/5533.html
http://www.corvettes.nl/gm_prototypes/xp755/index.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXxgatAznHU
http://www.corvaircorsa.com/monzapr7.html
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Royal Pontiac Club of America
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Royal Pontiac Club of America
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Page 10
Royal Pontiac Club of America
Page 11
Royal Pontiac Event: Detroit Dragway Reunion & Billetproof
Car Show @ Milan Dragway May 11th By Mike Kidd
http://www.royalpontiac.org/images/dragseries/13/detroitdragway2013.html
Attending the Detroit dragway reunion at Milan was
a lot of fun. The event was absolutely packed, in fact
they had to delay starting time trials 2X to allow the
racers to get in the gate and teched. The Billetproof
carshow across the track was also well attended. I
got in line at 8:50am (gates opened at 9am), and it
took me almost an hour to get into the track! Cars
and trailers were lined up to plank road in two rows.
At 10:30 Cars were still lined up out the gates to get
in.
While the weather looked threatening early on, it
improved as the day went on. I did get the 1st
pass down the track, racing against a nice looking
orange 70 AMX. A soft 60’ time and an early 2-3
shift held me to an 11.6 @ 121, to the AMX’s
11.48 @ 118. I saw former club members Ted
and Christie Hanson’s car, but didn’t get a chance
to talk to them.
I also saw member Skip Powelson and even got a
video of him breaking into the nines! Click link
below to see the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=gXJTdLrf4Uw
Unforunately, I could only stay until lunchtime, as I
was flying to Germany the next day, and we were
having our Mother day activities on Saturday evening.
While I got to see some cool vintage funny cars, I did
not get a chance to see Arnie Beswick run. I did get
some pics of his previous cars.
Fortunately there are a couple articles and sets of pictures of the event that have some more detail. Click
on the links below:
Drag way reunion, scroll down for pics http://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/2013/05/12/2013-detroit-dragway-reunion/
http://turbofoto.smugmug.com/Cars/Detroit-Dragway-Reunion-5-11/29412069_5tGM8H#!i=2510932632&k=bdtPJP9&lb=1&s=XL
Billetproof car show, scroll down for pics http://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/2013/05/12/billetproof-michigan-2013/
Page 12
Royal Pontiac Club of America
Meet the Member: Danny Kansy
By Danny Kansy
Click on http://www.royalpontiac.org/images/MEMBERS/DanK/dannykbio.pdf for more and larger pics
MY NAME IS DANNY KANSY, I'M 67 YEARS IN AGE. I HAVE BEEN INTO PONTIACS SINCE THE
EARLY 60S. THE FIRST NEW CAR I PURCHASED WAS A SPECIAL ORDERED 64 GTO, WISH I
HAD KEPT THAT ONE. IN 1965 I WAS A MEMBER OF ROYAL PONTIACS BOB CAT CLUB UNTIL I
WAS DRAFTED TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY. I HAVE OWNED MANY PONTIACS OVER THE YEARS, BUT
HAVE ALWAYS WANTED ANOTHER 64 GTO. HOWEVER, IT SEEMED EVERY TIME I CALLED ON
ONE IT WAS ALLREADY SOLD. IN 2002 I FOUND ONE THAT WAS STILL AVAILABLE. ONCE I
SAW IT I KNEW WHY, IT WAS IN REALY BAD SHAPE, LOTS OF RUST, NO ENGINE OR TRANS.
BEING A MECHANIC ALL MY LIFE I THOUGHT NO PROBLEM I CAN DO IT. IT SAT IN MY GARAGE FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS, I WOULD LOOK AT IT AND SAY TO MYSELF WHAT HAVE I GOT MYSELF INTO. I'M A MECHANIC BUT HAD NO EXPERIANCE IN BODY REPAIR. I HAD TO LEARN
TIN SMITHING, WELDING, BODY FILLING, YOU NAME IT. WELL BY 2011, THE CAR HAD AN
ENGINE (GMPP CRATE ENGINE LS3 480 HORSE), A TH400 WITH TRANSBRAKE, A MOSER 12
BOLT WITH A 4.33 GEAR, AND MT ET DRAG RADIALS. I GOT IT TO MILAN DRAGWAY IN LATE
2011. ON THE UNTREATED COLD TRACK, THE CAR WOULD NOT HOOK. I GOT ONE PASS OFF
IDLE LAUNCH, RAN AN 11.30. GOOD ENOUGH, I WENT HOME KNOWING NEXT YEAR I HAD A
BRACKET CAR THAT COULD RUN IN THE 10’S. I COULDN’T WAIT FOR SPRING. A CAR OF
THIS NATURE IS NEVER, EVER DONE. I HAD NO BUDGET FOR PAINT, AS THE BUILD ATE UP
WAY MORE THAN I EXPECTED, SO IT WILL BE RACED IN PRIMER.
UPDATE WINTER 2012 - WASTED A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY TRYING TO TEST AT MILAN.
HALF MY PROBLEMS WERE NOT MY SET UP IT WAS THE TRACK . BESIDES TRYING TO MAKE
CONSISTANT PASSES ON A POORLY PREPPED TRACK, HALF THE TIME I FOUND MYSELF DODGING CRAP THAT FELL OF PREVIOUS CAR. AT THE NOSTALGA DRAG WEEKEND I FINALY GOT MY
10.97 ET SLIP. I HAD CHANGED TO 10.5 x 28 MT SLICKS, AND ADDED A REAR ANTI ROLL
BAR FROM COMPETITION ENGINEERING, IT GOES STRAIGHT NOW. PLAN ON GOING TO NORWALK
FOR MOST OF 2013. ALSO GOING TO LIGHTEN IT UP SOME MORE, REMOVING REAR DECK LID
AND REPLACING IT WITH FIBERGLASS PIN ON TYPE, WHICH IS ABOUT 7 POUNDS. NO LONGER IN PRIMER, I HAD IT PAINTED WHITE. I WOULD HAVE PREFERED RED, BUT WHITE IS
ALOT COOLER UNDER THE SUMMER SUN.
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO SEE A PASS.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=mrmPizNIRPY
Page 13
Meet the Member: Danny Kansy
1964 GTO Build Pics
Click on http://www.royalpontiac.org/images/MEMBERS/DanK/dannykbio.pdf for more and larger pics
Page 14
Royal Pontiac Club of America
Royal Pontiac Club Winter Gathering Mar 23rd 2013
Text Mike Kidd
Photos Eric Schiffer
We had a great turnout for the clubs “winter gathering” at the Rusty bucket in Bloomfield Hills. The restaurant was absolutely packed, fortunately we had a private room reserved which helped dampen the noise.
The food was great and they also had a large selection of beers on tap (which made me happy). It made for a
fun night of bench racing and catching up with old friends.
I received an email from “Doc” Watson the day of the event, saying he hoped to attend as he was flying into
town for business (he was then flying to California for the Nascar race the next day). Unfortunately his tight
schedule didn’t allow him to join us. Todd Ansbacher and his wife, as well as Bill Klausing joined us later in
the evening and unfortunately did not get into the photos.
Photos:
Page 1:
Lorin Budzinski, Ron Meyers
Mrs Lorin Budzinski and Mrs Ron Meyers
Page 2:
Dave Harmon and his wife
Debby and Jimmy Gannes
Eric and Janis Schiffer, Aleta Kidd
Frank and Betty Ellias
Janis Schiffer, Aleta and Mike Kidd
Jim and Shelly Boschan
Page 15
Royal Pontiac Club Winter Gathering Mar 23rd 2013 (cont’d)
Larger PIcs at: http://www.royalpontiac.org/images/wintergathering2013/wintergathering13.html
Page 16
Royal Pontiac Club of America
Points and Condenser Preservation Society Dust-off
Tour to Gilmore Car Museum May 11th
Click the link below to see all the pics
Photos Eric Schiffer
http://www.royalpontiac.org/images/pointsandcondenser/pointsandcondensormay13.html
Page 17
Points and Condenser Preservation Society Dust-off
Tour to Gilmore Car Museum May 11th (cont’d)
Click the link below to see all the pics
http://www.royalpontiac.org/images/pointsandcondenser/pointsandcondensormay13.html
Page 18
Royal Pontiac Club of America
Random Pontiac Pics
Top: 2008 Drag Series at Milan—looks like those redlines can hook!
Bottom: Herb Adams 73 Grand Am Nascar http://www.tachrev.com/GrandAm1973Nascar.htm
Page 19
Royal Pontiac Club
P.O. Box 252402
West Bloomfield, MI 48322
www.royalpontiac.org
June 2013
1 MI F-Body Spring Meet and Greet at Bakers in Milford
http://www.mifbody.com/MeetGreet/spring/eventinfo.html
1 MI Antique Festival & Auto Swap Meet Midland
3 SAAC-MCR GO 38 Open Track Event & Drivers School Waterford Hills Road Racing
Course http://www.saac-mcr.com/te
8 Widetrackers Spring Dustoff car
show http://widetrackers.com/2013%20WT%20Dustoff.pdf
8 24th Annual Charity Muscle Cars Past and Present Show, Walter P.Chrysler Museum,
Auburn Hills, 9-4 Museum open to public one day only. This may be your last chance to
see the Chrysler Museum which closed its doors in 2012. http://www.cemaclub.org/
http://www.freep.com/article/20130418/BUSINESS0103/304180029/chrysler-auburn
9 Cars 'R' Stars Packard Proving Grounds, Van Dyke south 23 Mile Rd 83 http://www.carsrstars.com/
13 ROYAL PONTIAC MEETING Denny’s in Novi 7pm
15 Cruisin’ Gratiot http://www.cruisin-gratiot.com/
22 41 st Annual Sloan Museum Auto Fair Flint, MI http://www.sloanautofair.com/
22 17th Annual Antiques On The Bay, St. Ignace, MI
22 Classics for the Cure Car Show Baker's of Milford. 2025 South Milford Rd, Milford.
27 38th Annual St Ignace Car Show and Swap St Ignace, MI
28-29 Blue Water Cruise, Fort Gratiot Port Huron,MI
http://www.bluewaterchamber.com/cwt/external/wcpages/wcevents/eventdetail.aspx?ev
entid=2082
29 14th Annual Downriver Cruise
30 ϲϬƚŚŽƌǀ ĞƩ ĞŝƌƚŚĚĂLJĂƐŚϭϬ-4 GM Worlds Head Quarters Ren Cen
http://www.60thcorvettebirthdaybashdetroit.com/
July 2013
11 ROYAL PONTIAC MEETING Denny’s in Novi 7pm
13 Jackson Road Cruise Jackson Rd in Ann Arbor http://jrcruise.org/
20 D /ŶƟƋƵĞͬ ŽůůĞĐƟďůĞ&ĞƐƟǀ Ăů& Auto Swap Meet
21 Royal Pontiac Club BBQ Bill Klausing's house
21 Motor City Fest Car Show Swap Meet, Canterbury Village 2369 Joslyn Ct, Lake Orion
27 R.E. Olds Museum Car Capital Auto Show Downtown Lansing27 Bader and Son Antique
Tractor and Classic Car Show, 28342 Pontiac Trail, South Lyon
27-28 Dearborn 44th Annual FMRCOA Car Show and Swap meet, all makes and models, Chelsea Community Fairgrounds. 20501 Old US-12 (I-94, exit 159)
28 ZŽƐĞǀ ŝůůĞ' ƌĂƟŽƚƌƵŝƐĞŶŽŽŶ- 6pm 10 Mile - 14 Mile.
28 35th Annual Concourse d'Elegance at The Inn at St. John's http://concoursusa.org/
29 Cruisin' St Ignace www.nostalgia-prod.com
August 2013
2-4 Tri-WŽǁ ĞƌE ĂƟŽŶĂůƐ;^ƵŵŵŝƚƌĂĐĞǁ ĂLJƉĂƌŬ͖ E Žƌǁ ĂůŬK , Ϳwww.pontiacnationals.com
4 ' ƌĂƟŽƚǀ ĞŶƵĞƌƵŝƐĞ
10-11 Thunder over Michigan airshow, Yspilanti MI
http://www.yankeeairmuseum.org/airshow/
13-17 Back to the Brocks Flint MI http://backtothebricks.org/schedule/
15 Royal Pontiac Meeting Little Daddy’s Long Lake and Woodward 7pm
17 Woodward Dream Cruise Club Parking (Birmingham, MI) See above for details
club parking ŚƩ Ɖ͗ ͬ ͬ ǁ ǁ ǁ ͘ ǁ ŽŽĚǁ ĂƌĚĚƌĞĂŵĐƌƵŝƐĞ͘ ĐŽŵ
21-24 Detroit International Classic Car show, AM Auto Parts show, Specialty Equipt
ment Show COBO Center, Detroit, ŚƩ Ɖ͗ ͬ ͬ ǁ ǁ ǁ ͘ ĚŝĂŵƚƐ͘ ĐŽŵͬ
Looking for Articles!!!
Auto Zone Book store, Woodward Ave north of 14 Mile Rd
Every Saturday morning from 8AM – 10AM Happening year round
Have you done any cool car events lately? Maybe a great tech tip? Why not share them with other club members?
Would you like to share your pride and joy with other club members? Write a short “meet the member” article introducing you and your car. Be sure to include some pictures. We can also add pics of your ride to our “members”
tab on the website.
Please email Mike Kidd with ideas or anything you’d like to share in the newsletter. [email protected]
on