NHRA Junior Stock

[Jim Pizzi]

Hi Guys,
Here are some pics of my brother Tony Pizzi in the early years.
The Stude was his first Jr Stocker. The car was named The Time Machine and he ran it in K/S.

The next pics are of his 62 Chevy 409 that he named The Time Machine II. Soon after he began his involvment with Bill Jenkins and
repainted the car white and renamed it The Fugitive. I will post a few more pics later with a pic of the 09 in white with the Jenkins sticker on it. Tony is the guy without a shirt.

Jim Pizzi

[TMcCrea]

Jim,

During one of my conversations with Tony we talked about Jenkins being called Grumpy. Tony said that Jenkins was constantly bothered by people wanting him to work on all kinds of things. Then he said "some asshole even brought in a Studebaker and asked him to work on it."

Was he telling a story on himself?

[Jim Pizzi]

I did read something somewhere where a guy said all that was missing from a stude was a jenkins sticker. Tony met jenkins when he was running his 09.

[Jim Pizzi]

Here are a few more pics of Tonys cars. The last pic is of the last thing that Tony built before his passing. He did up a race motor for my pick-up. He was working on a motor for a Buick Grand National look alike for his son but when he passed all that was done was the short block. I was the lucky one to have the last thing that he built!
If I find anymore pics I will post them.
Jim Pizzi

[Bob Rice]

Jim,
Thanks for the great pictures. I became a Tony Pizzi fan when his '68 Z/28 was featured in SS&DI magazine. I never got to see him race but I loved that Z. By the way, George Cureton took some pretty good video of Tony's '62 at Cecil County that Jim Amos (Bee on Video) has put on VHS and DVD.
Bob Rice

[Jim Pizzi]

Hi Bob,
I have that SS/DI mag. I would love to have a copy of that DVD.

[56 Pontiac I/SA]

Thanks for the great stories (and the images) Jim ... Tony would really be pleased! You know, he personified just what NHRA 'Jr. Stock' racing was all about!

Guess no one will mind if I post this *image again (*FYI its my 'higher' resolution version).

It was a picture-perfect day at Englishtown's 1971 Spring NHRA World Championship Series opener. I had just sold my Pontiac and was 'rideless' so I was hanging out with nice-guy ('Doc') Jack Robinson. His (350 cu in) 'bullet proof' Olds wagon only needed fresh plugs and Jack 'hisself' did that, so there was some time for me to grab a few pictures.

I had just taken a shot of 'Lil' George's new (former Bobby Warren) Nova, when I heard this huge 'ruckus' like someone was doing burnouts in the pits! Turned out it was Tony, a few 'spaces' away. He had realized that his seven inch slicks had 'grown' an 1/8" or so during time runs and this was a definite 'deal breaker' for at least one (Greg X?) of the NHRA tech guys.

Sooo, in the picture, the (unknown) fellow in the blue jacket was 'trimming' the outer edge of the M&H's with a (bodyman's) 'Vixen' file as Tony spun the tires. What a sight it was, what a sound ... and Watta Guy!


PS: Just 'in case' you didn't know ... 'double click' the image AFTER you 'open' it for an even larger view!

[Jim Pizzi]

One night after working for about 20 hours stright Tonys coffee got cold. He turned on his welder and touched the rod to his metal table till it was cherry red, the broke it away from the table and stuck it in his coffee to heat it up!!!!
Thats HARD CORE!!!!!!!

[56 Pontiac I/SA]

Its hard to believe ...

Its got a great rating, but (see "Rate This Thread" at the top of every page) only 42 votes have been cast as of this date!

[markyac]

Thanks for the Tony Pizzi stuff. We went to him a few times in about '71, for some head work. My friend ,Joe DeLorenzo recommended him.
Loved the Philly accent and gung- ho attitude . Great guy ,,A true legend..
..... but Studes? Who knew?

[TMcCrea]

Here is an ad for a former Jr driver and car. The car was Brad Waktins '69 Z-28 Pizzi prepped G/S that was sold to the Wheatley's. They ran it with a 396 in IHRA and AHRA trim. They bought a new 1970 Camaro 307/3 spd car and built it for Pro Stock. They never finished the car and sold both.

[56 Pontiac I/SA]

Originally Posted by markyac

"..... but Studes? Who knew?"

You know how it was Mark, it wasn't a matter of if you liked the car/brand or not, it was all about the 'factor' ... how the car 'fit' in the class.

By the way ... how did your event go?

[markyac]

Originally Posted by 56 Pontiac I/SA

You know how it was Mark, it wasn't a matter of if you liked the car/brand or not, it was all about the 'factor' ... how the car 'fit' in the class.

By the way ... how did your event go?

It went great, Steve.
Here's a thread that picks up after the fact:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...a+drags&page=4


The Stock / Super Stock car count was down quite a bit after 9 races in a row out here.
"Some guy " with a turbo 2300 Mustang qualified No. 1 @ 1.39 under the index.
Must be a good factor, huh?

[Jim Pizzi]

Hi All,
I forgot to post this pic yesterday!

[56 Pontiac I/SA]

Originally Posted by markyac

It went great, Steve.
Here's a thread that picks up after the fact:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...a+drags&page=4

Looks like it was a success ... Congratulations!

... by the way, great T-Shirt design! -->
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3691205&postcount=52

[sneakyPete]

Thanks for all the great pics, Jim!
Do you have any other pics of the Schmidt's cars? My Boss drove one of them at one point, but no longer has any photos. I can find out which car and when.
thanks
Pete

[Jim Pizzi]

Hi Pete,
I think one was a stocker and the pic is a modified. I don't have any other pics.
I will be 62 in May and I am getting a case of CRS (can't remember shit) myself. Wasn't the stocker the one with the red paint with the Schmits logo in turned gold leaf? I think he drove that one in Vets statium at the games. Like is said I have CRS. Where are you in Pa.

Jim

[sneakyPete]

check your PM Jim
Pete

[Bob W]

Originally Posted by HotRod28AR

13 time National record holder??? Anyone know this car? ...A REALLY good buy on ebay right now is the "blast off" '57 210 sport coupe from Canada. Looks like a solid nice car for the money, and someone wrote in saying supposedly the car was a 2x4 283 record holding jr. stocker from California before it's present (70's) condition. Looks like the old "Top Cat" '57 kinda... If only we had more room
-Dean

It's a Canadian Chevy, not from California. They are a little different.

Bob

[Bob W]

US cars had the serial plate (VIN) on the drivers "A" pillar while Canadian cars had the serial plate on the firewall. A Canadian car serial number will tell you if the car was a standard or auto trans, US cars don't tell you. US cars have the floors painted red oxide primer on the under side while cars from the land of ice and snow have them painted body colour.

Blast Off came from off the Canadian assembly line as a 6 cyl, 3 speed standard trans, 210 HT, and the colour was Highland Green Metallic. No two-tone on this car.

Besides the above info if you look at the ebay pics you can read the serial number on the firewall, the top of the serial tag says "General Motors of Canada Limited"



Bob