"Silver Dollar" A/GS Willys pickup

[26Tudor]

Don't know if any of you remember it, it belonged to a guy named Mike Bamber. Well, I found Mike and the truck last night. Truck is sitting in a barn, just as he retired it in the early '70's, and the 6-71 blown Olds in sitting on a stand next to it. Hoping to meet him again in the next few weeks, and get some photos of the car. When I get them, if anyone is interested, I'll post them. Truck looks to be in good shape still, it's here in SoCal and has been in a barn all this time.

[slammed]

Yes indeed! Photo it Dust and all! Motor, spare part's, old photo's the owner may have as well. Anyone who has some vintage pic's of said car, and what magazine's it may have appeared in out there? Great find, and two thumb's up for a positive thread!

[CENTURION]

The subject Willys PU prior to being Silver in body color and when running 340 inches of SBC.

POPULAR HOT RODDING
OCT 1962

[M.Edell]

I believe it was at the Hot Rod Reunion In Bakersfield last year, For Sale...

[Solospeedshop]

Barn? Truck has been all over @ car Shows & yes For Sale for at least a year or so?

[Hitchhiker]

HOLY OLD THREAD!:eek:

[M.Edell]

whoa..yeah it is...

[biscaynes]

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo33/69belair/willys%20henry%20j/Mike20Bamber20Silver20Dollar.jpg

[chopsaw209]

Yep,

Chris Unger has it in his shop in Orange now. Saw it there last week.

[bubba67]

How much is it for sale for ?

[fab32]

How much is it for sale for ?

X2

Frank

[blacufo]

Looks like hes got it going to Barrett Jackson next Saturday.Be interesting to see what it sells for.
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=1260.4&aid=403&pop=1

[hotroddon]

The following is from the Barrett listing. I just love the BS. "Last Chevy powered a/gas supercharged" ? In 65? Really, I can think of quite a few into the 70's.

" responsible for the NHRA rules limiting the height of gassers" Hmmm, never have been able to find that rule

"The car was recently honored at NHRA 50th Anniversary Event at Pomona, California." Or displayed with other old race cars - honored?

Oh well, it will be interesting to see what it brings ~ might make me want to sell the Blair's Anglia if it brings stupid money ....... Nah.

One of the last Chevrolet powered A/Gas Supercharged drag cars, the "Silver Dollar" was owned, built and driven by Mike Bamber of Escondido, California. The Silver Dollar raced all of the early 60's west coast events. The 340cid engine was built from a Chevrolet 283cid block. The car was equipped with a B&M Hydromatic transmission and a GM posi-traction rear. The car is virtually as-raced and is fully operational today. The Silver Dollar was known for it's unusally high stance and was responsible for the NHRA rules limiting the height of gassers. The car was recently honored at NHRA 50th Anniversary Event at Pomona, California.

[Dean Lowe]

Gotta' love those PR guys Don! :rolleyes:

[CR1193]

HAHAHA, Dont ya just love the Barret-Jackson spin machine......

It's almost as bad (or good) as TMZ!!!!!!!!!!

[Algon]

" responsible for the NHRA rules limiting the height of gassers" Hmmm, never have been able to find that rule


There is/was the crankshaft centerline rule of 24" from the ground that was supposed to limit the height but I beleive that it predates the build of this car any way being in place in 60-61? . I'm also not aware of a "Silver Dollar rule" in my 64 book either...:D

[Dean Lowe]

The 24" crank centerline rule was in effect when we built my RPU in '60, so the Silver Dollar had nothing to do with it. The big claim to fame that car has is it was once beaten by Doug Cook, and it's still around just as it was when built.

[Tman]

The 24" crank centerline rule was in effect when we built my RPU in '60, so the Silver Dollar had nothing to do with it. The big claim to fame that car has is it was once beaten by Doug Cook, and it's still around just as it was when built.

Yeah but that does not sound as cool as the BJ spin!:rolleyes:

[olddrags]

Looks like it'll go across the block shortly! The commentary should be interesting!!

[Falcon Gasser]

Just sold for $42000

[derpr]

sold 42,000

[coololdcars]

Best buy of the sale by far!!!!!!

[choprodz]

I guessed $40 but being a owner of some real vintage drag cars, I was hoping for much more.......

[coololdcars]

What a steal!!!!

[choprodz]

I wounder what it sold for last time???? 42 sounds like a good buy with all the cool history.

[HotRod28AR]

That should have sold for more than that, I would have thought in the $60K range?? And what's with those pics on BJ's page? Did it actually race against Mazmanian and SWC? Something about those pics looks a little fishy to me... Very cool if they are legit though.
-Dean

[Mac_55]

42???? some body got a deal

[RoadFarmer]

smokin' deal...hard to find an unmolsted 60's drag car like that!

[Jack Thomas]

"Well bought."

[Falcon Gasser]

One of few under bid items at the auction.

Jon

[dirty4]

It appearded to they just rushed it through...some of the other car they would stop and jaw-jack about and drum up more money...sold way too cheap I think!

[1929CDAN]

I think he screwed up! 42thousand isnt anything now days. He will never come across anything like that again. I got to feel sorry for him, He has got to feel bad today!

[SuddenDeath]

Sure seemed like it didn't spend much time on the stage. Next thing you know, they were pushing it off. Thought for sure it would go higher than that....

[sololobo]

Thanx for this great history lesson on this great gasser. I have seen pix of it over the years and was certainly the nose bleed king, so nice to hear the rest of the story. ~sololobo~

[ftroop]

We go through this every year. "They moved it through the auction to fast". These days BJ is nothing but a circus. As we have seen in the past years, this is no place for a quality vintage race car!! However, I'm not sure in today's economy it would have brought a whole more in the open market. All the seller had to do to get more money there, would be too install some "22's" and stick the blower 4' out of the hood...... $100,000+

[AxleArmada66]

did the auction include the official model kit?

[spoons]

Seemed a little too cheap...A car with history should go for more than 42k

[hotroddon]

I think he screwed up! 42thousand isnt anything now days. He will never come across anything like that again. I got to feel sorry for him, He has got to feel bad today!
Nah, Chris, the guy who owned it is a wheeler dealer, just buys and sells, it's just a business, so I doubt he lost money and don't think he really cares about the car one way or another.

[Hot Rod Ron]

Talked to the new owner at Barret on Saturday night its Anthony from HiSpeed in Tucson AZ and will be on display at his shop.

[Dave McCauley]

Anybody have a video of the BJ auction sale, as myself and alot of others missed it. Would be nice if it could be posted on u-tube for all of us to see how they rushed it thru.

[stewartwhite]

Here is the Silver Dollar being towed into the tent for auction. A gasser with such a legacy belonged over at the Russo-Steele auction. Thought I throw in a picture of three Veyrons $1.5M a peice!

[Muttley]

Talked to the new owner at Barret on Saturday night its Anthony from HiSpeed in Tucson AZ and will be on display at his shop.

Thankfully it wasnt bought by some idiot that would "restore" it or turn it into some billet infested circus wagon.

[GEEZZER]

sold 42,000
Gee, another 80 grand he could have had the phony JFK ambulance or the giant motorcycle:rolleyes:

[porknbeaner]

The subject Willys PU prior to being Silver in body color and when running 340 inches of SBC.

POPULAR HOT RODDING
OCT 1962

Oh my goodness, it was running one of those non trad belly button motors. Oh the humanity. :rolleyes:

Centurion do you know did it always run blown gas or was it run on the cheap in the beginning. I love a story about a gas class car that started out being a weekend warrior then worked its way up through the ranks.

[40 & 61 Fords]

How badly damaged is the right side of the truck?
The article in HRD referenced the fact that the right side was damaged by a car crashing through the garage when a HEMI was being built for the truck. The original(60's) owner was so PO'd that he just parked it until the guy who took it to BJ bought it.
If it's bad, maybe that effected the price?! I have NEVER seen a pic of the damage in any of the current features/shot of it. One interior shot of it made it look like the right door is pushed in pretty good.

[bobwop]

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=558867

[AxleArmada66]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F_MwyEri-o My new scale buildup of it.