Register now to get rid of these ads!

History "66 Chevelle "Goldfinger" Fayetteville NC dragstrip

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by super-six, Mar 3, 2009.

  1. super-six
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 191

    super-six
    Member

    Anyone remember this A/S Chevelle 396/375 that ran at the Fayetteville, NC dragstrip in the late 60's? It was owned by Bobby Brown and J.W. Taylor of Fayetteville and sponsored by Powers & Swain Chevrolet in Spring Lake. It would match up against a white Dodge hemi from Royal Dodge in Fayetteville and win about 50% of the time. I was stationed at Ft. Bragg and ran my '65 Comet at this strip on occasion. Fun times.

    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  2. dudley32
    Joined: Jan 2, 2008
    Posts: 2,160

    dudley32
    Member

    wanted to let you know...j.w. died today..I think he was 76..I was working on his house by way of his son Steve...I was talking to his son today about the H.A.M.B. and how I'd seen some pictures of Goldfinger...sure would like to see some more for Steve...thanks...
     
  3. dudley32
    Joined: Jan 2, 2008
    Posts: 2,160

    dudley32
    Member

    hey guys..believe this was a National Champ..
     
  4. biscaynes
    Joined: Mar 16, 2008
    Posts: 1,647

    biscaynes
    Member


  5. 426-WO23
    Joined: Jul 21, 2010
    Posts: 7

    426-WO23
    Member

    Hi,
    I was hoping to find any info or pictures of "The Royal Dodge" as the white Dodge Hemi was known, my father used to own Royal Dodge in the 60's - if anybody knew him or has any pictures or film or magazine articles I would be happy to pay for your time or troubles, dad and his partner were into racing in a big way back in the day, growing up in the car business was a blast, I just wish he took more pictures.. Heck they even had Royal Dodge on the side of Buddy Bakers #3 Charger that set all the records in 69, any info or stories would be super, Thanks Much!
     
    Last edited: Jul 23, 2010
  6. super-six
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 191

    super-six
    Member

    Not very good but here is one with a partial of the Royal Dodge in the background.

    [​IMG]
     
  7. 426-WO23
    Joined: Jul 21, 2010
    Posts: 7

    426-WO23
    Member

    Thanks, that is it for sure, I wonder what was the name of the Drag Strip in Fayetteville or the area around there back then.
     
  8. 426-WO23
    Joined: Jul 21, 2010
    Posts: 7

    426-WO23
    Member

    Found a few more pictures of Royal Dodge's Racing day's, hope they bring back some memories.
     

    Attached Files:

  9. vettsplit63
    Joined: Feb 8, 2011
    Posts: 21

    vettsplit63
    Member
    from Texas

    Man is this your lucky day, or what? I remember the "Goldfinger" car quite well. I have a picture of it when the top of the hood, trunk, and top were painted gold. I also have pix of the Hemi Dodge that you speak of. I'll have to look, but I think it said Trojan on the side. Most of the time these two cars fought it out for Top Stock Eliminator. PS- The picture where the two guys are under it working on the car is not at Fayetteville. The pits had lots of pine trees that cars had to park around, sand too. The strip ran roughly Northwest as I remember, and had pine trees lining it. I have a bunch of pictures that I'll search thru. I was at Ft. Bragg in early to mid 1967, then again during 68.
     
  10. vettsplit63
    Joined: Feb 8, 2011
    Posts: 21

    vettsplit63
    Member
    from Texas

    [​IMG] This is the way the car appeared in late 67 and summer of 68. The car appears as a 67 then. I ordered a new 68 396-375 hp Chevelle just because of the way this car ran. Ordered it from M & O Chevy in Fayetteville.

    [​IMG]
     
  11. vettsplit63
    Joined: Feb 8, 2011
    Posts: 21

    vettsplit63
    Member
    from Texas

    [​IMG]Here is the picture of the Royal Dodge at fayetteville. You can see how narrow the strip is. Pine cones right up to the edge of the racing surface. I went to a performance night at Royal Dodge- they had dick landy there, and i won a valvoline jacket during the drawing. I was busy looking under landy's car when they called my name. I wanted to buy a Hemi charger, but about that time the insurance companies HATED chargers. They wanted a premium that was going to be higher than the monthly payment just to insure it, so i bought a 396-375 Chevelle instead. Wish i knew how to make the pix bigger..
     
  12. 35touring
    Joined: Dec 4, 2009
    Posts: 462

    35touring
    Member
    from Kentucky

    I was going to post my photo of Goldfinger but I see some one else already has, the one with Royal Dodge in back ground. That was taken at Bluegrass Dragway in Lexington, KY. NHRA Divison 3 meet in 69/69.
     
  13. super-six
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 191

    super-six
    Member

    I don't recall "Goldfinger" in this configuration. Must have been after I left the area. I attached a couple of pictures I had of the strip from '67, pinecones-and-all.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  14. vettsplit63
    Joined: Feb 8, 2011
    Posts: 21

    vettsplit63
    Member
    from Texas

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Maybe some of these will look familiar- The blue 55 was out of Spring Lake, ran K/S.
    the guy who had the 442 was really a super guy. He helped us a bunch even though we ran in stock eliminator against him with a 410 horse 427 63 ragtop Ford. (When my buddy got orders for RVN, drove the Ford with open manifolds from Ft. Bragg to Nebraska- I mean, what could they do to him, send him to Viet Nam?

    Oh yeah- Do you remember that the guy running the "tree" flipped the switches for the lights, and he decided whether or not you red lit.
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2011
  15. vettsplit63
    Joined: Feb 8, 2011
    Posts: 21

    vettsplit63
    Member
    from Texas

    Here is a better shot- will post the Royal Dodge in a bigger format too.[​IMG]
     
  16. vettsplit63
    Joined: Feb 8, 2011
    Posts: 21

    vettsplit63
    Member
    from Texas

    Here is a little better photo of the Royal Dodge Trojan. Hope this helps
    [​IMG]
     
  17. jimmitchell70
    Joined: Aug 6, 2009
    Posts: 230

    jimmitchell70
    Member
    from CT

    Those pine trees lining the strip are insane! Maybe some safety measures are ok?
     
  18. 270283
    Joined: Jun 11, 2006
    Posts: 423

    270283

    Maybe a little off-topic, but any of you vets remember "Combat Alley" in Fayetteville?
     
  19. vettsplit63
    Joined: Feb 8, 2011
    Posts: 21

    vettsplit63
    Member
    from Texas

    Man does that bring back memories...... I used to do CP (courtesy patrol) there on Friday and Saturday nights, we would take the drunks home before the MP's (503rd?) got em. It was pretty wild..
     
  20. 426-WO23
    Joined: Jul 21, 2010
    Posts: 7

    426-WO23
    Member

    Thanks Much Vettsplit63 - here is a picture of what it looks like today,
    it's much like a time machine - it sounds like a Symphony and there is nothing better that the smell of purple race fuel in the morning...
     

    Attached Files:

    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  21. super-six
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 191

    super-six
    Member

    I wasn't aware that it still existed (or kept track of). Did the original engine survive? Now I'm wondering if the '66 Chevelle "Goldfinger" survived.
     
  22. 426-WO23
    Joined: Jul 21, 2010
    Posts: 7

    426-WO23
    Member

    Yes it is still around, we found it in the late 80's in Red Springs NC, paid thru the nose to get the car - then again to get the original motor, you could still see the faded Crown Royal on the doors and Royal Dodge on the quarters, it was totally restored back to "as new" condition and has been in the family ever since. I will post some more pictures soon.
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  23. vettsplit63
    Joined: Feb 8, 2011
    Posts: 21

    vettsplit63
    Member
    from Texas


    I'm from the flatlands, so we don't have the valleys like you do there.... I can still hear the echoes of that Bad assed Hemi comin' from the far side of the valley back to ya.The time I spent at Ft. Bragg are special to me.. it was the best of times and the worst of times.. I'm really glad you were able to save the big Dodge. That car is an icon. Lots of people either rooted for or against it when it would come to the final round and it would more times than not be the "Goldfinger" and the Royal Dodge for all the money. Thanks for the memories.
     
  24. mik454
    Joined: May 25, 2010
    Posts: 2

    mik454
    Member

    I bought the Bogeyman 1962 409 from Power swain in 1968 for $895.00 This was the car previous to Goldfinger.Does anyone have pictures of The Bogeyman?
     
  25. mik454
    Joined: May 25, 2010
    Posts: 2

    mik454
    Member

    I remember Goldfinger.Does anyone have pics of the Bogeyman 1962 409 ran by the same team as Goldfinger?I bought the car from Power Swain in Springlake nc in 1968.[email protected]
     
  26. Shovel83
    Joined: Nov 27, 2012
    Posts: 2

    Shovel83
    Member
    from FL.

    I bought the dodge when I lived in Red Springs n.c. back in 1975 for 900.00 rebuilt motor & transmission and ran it at 710 drag strip in Pembroke. [email protected]
     
  27. Rick Powers
    Joined: Jun 23, 2014
    Posts: 1

    Rick Powers

    My Father supplied the 396/375 powerplant for this car, ( Freddy Powers ) . Dad and Bobby were good friends,we all lived around the Spring Lake area.
     
  28. 1moreround
    Joined: Oct 31, 2012
    Posts: 2

    1moreround
    Member

    Hi Rick
    My name is Clay Jones. Born/raised in Burlington, live in Winston Salem now. I bought that very car brand new from Alamance Motors in Burlington in March 1966. Salesman was Jack Smith who was a friend of mine. I kept the car for about a year intending to set it up for drag racing but just never got to it, mainly for lack of funds. I was just a poor guy working as a mechanic in my Dad's garage. I can't remember which one, but either Bobby Brown or Mr Powers or Swain called me and asked if I wanted to sell it. I said no, but when he offered me $50 more than I paid for it, I thought I was gonna be rich and said ok. Bobby and either Mr Powers or Swain (can't recall) came to the garage there in Burlington, laid the cash on my workbench, I gave them the title and they drove it away. (I know, I know now: huge mistake, huh?) Anyway, I followed the history of the car while it was been campaigned, but lost track in later years. It's great to hear and see the pics of it. Any idea what finally became of it? I think I still have one of the original keys in a drawer here.
    Later
    Clay Jones
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  29. super-six
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 191

    super-six
    Member

    Information that I had was that it was owned by Bobby Brown and J.W. Taylor of Fayetteville and sponsored by Powers & Swain Chevrolet in Spring Lake. It's interesting to hear the full story. I know it was a runnin' son-of-a-gun. Thanks for your reply!
     
  30. 1moreround
    Joined: Oct 31, 2012
    Posts: 2

    1moreround
    Member

    Yes, Bobby and Taylor did own the car, but they bought it from me either late 1966 or very early 1967 because they wanted the L78 375hp/396inch engine that was no longer available in 1967 in the Chevelle. Somehow, I guess thru the dealer network, they found out that I had a virtually new 1966 with the 375/396 L78. I had hardly driven it at all as I wanted to race it, probably didn't have 2k miles at the time. It also had bench seat seats (not buckets), no console, a close-ratio 4-spd, posi-traction, etc. So they bought the car from me and that's how it all came to be. Sure wish I still had it!
    PS And I think it was either Powers or Swain who came with Bobby to get the car (at least that's what I seem to recall), I don't believe it was Taylor. Could have been, though.
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.