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60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by john56h, Apr 11, 2007.

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  1. New Britain
    Joined: May 29, 2010
    Posts: 88

    New Britain
    Member
    from England

    Thanks for sharing all the 21s.

    These babies weren't too shabby-looking, either:
    [​IMG]
    (Images I believe originated from Howie and Mary Hodge)

    Funny how some of the loveliest, and most successful, coupes retained a sizable portion of the front fenders. We don't want to think about how much that would have increased both drag and lift!
     
  2. #1 Lenny Pond and #41 the 'Bone Crusher' driven by Leo Cleary. Awesome photo! Beautiful cars! NASCAR and primarily Martinsville made the cars that came there retain the front fenders.
     
  3. JBull
    Joined: Nov 19, 2008
    Posts: 366

    JBull
    Member
    from NY

    Correct. I actually have an old publication from 1973 called Speedway Stars that showcased Bodine. One of the few I did not cut up Emil! lol It says the car was a Gerhart Chassis car that Jerry Karl tried to qualify at Indy. Bodine bought it and thought he would use it to race at Oswego to try and get noticed for an Indy ride. Maybe he was hoping to follow in the footsteps of the Eastern Bandit, Denny Zimmerman, that we are honored to have joined our thread. The article said Bodine was competitive right out of the box in the few races he ran, leading one race before engine problems set in and finishing fourth in another. The article said he parked the ride to focus his funds on his modified.
     
  4. Denny Zimmerman
    Joined: Jan 8, 2010
    Posts: 504

    Denny Zimmerman
    Member

    New Britain, It sounds like you think I went straight from modified sportsman to Indy, that could not happen. I spent several years racing sprint cars and midgets before I was able to go to Indy. Thank You for your kind words. Denny Zimmerman
     
  5. JBull
    Joined: Nov 19, 2008
    Posts: 366

    JBull
    Member
    from NY

    Speaking of Eastern Bandits: here's a few shots--some from the charismatic and somewhat unpredictable bandit...

    Rene Charland in victory lane at Fonda

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    With his trademark cigar

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    At speed in the 3 with Jerry Cook #38 and Jan Opperman in the winged 11 (Trenton maybe?)

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    At speed with Andy Romano at Stafford. Romano in what I believe is the valiant that he purchased from Dutch Hoag that was just recently discussed by several members on the thread.

    [​IMG]

    And in victory lane again

    [​IMG]
     
  6. JBull
    Joined: Nov 19, 2008
    Posts: 366

    JBull
    Member
    from NY

    And some from the more subtle and steadier bandit....

    Ed Flemke in the 79

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    In the Judkins 2X

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    The 2X

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    At speed with Phil Spiak in the #34. Seems like a few people drove that #34 including Gene Bergin...

    [​IMG]

    At speed at Oswego with Ernie Gahan #52 and the 8 ball Jim Shampine

    [​IMG]
     
  7. Denny Zimmerman
    Joined: Jan 8, 2010
    Posts: 504

    Denny Zimmerman
    Member

    Here's a story you might like about Rene,I forget the year but it was during my bandit years. NASCAR came up with a contest that whoever signed up the most new NASCAR members during the next full year would win the Daytona 500 Pace Car. Rene won the Pace Car. Remember we were racing just about 5 nights a week the whole season. Rene would show up at the track with a whole stack of blank subscriptions with his name and autograph at the bottom. He would hand them out before and after the race, during intermission he would go up in the grandstands and persuade the fans to become NASCAR members when he wasn't driving he was selling memberships and he sold a ton more than anyone else and therefore won the Pace Car.

    Now......the rest of the story.....this is true Rene...Having won the Pace Car in February now we begin a new racing season in the spring. Rene has the "Daytona 500 Pace Car", He would bring the Pace Car to the track and for a price the promoter could have the Pace Car pace the main event that night. We as bandits were getting show money as it was but Rene made a ton more with that car.

    This is a Rene quote......"I never spun anyone out but people keep backing into me".

    I have to put my 2 cents in here....The French Barbecue.....I wasn't there by then I was in sprint cars...after Eddie pulled Rene out of the fire someone interviewed Eddie and Eddie said Rene would have done it for me, someone said "don't count on it". I beg to differ on that, I believe Rene would have done that for any of us.

    Rene was a clown and a prankster but mostly he was a showman. He was a good race driver. I have a lot of best friends and Rene is surly in that group.

    Denny Z
     
  8. shamrock 3x
    Joined: Jan 7, 2009
    Posts: 126

    shamrock 3x
    Member

    Is this the best board ever or what!!?? Welcome New Brittain & Denny Zimmerman! This place just gets better every day. If I had a clue as to how to post photos, I'd post some of a Vintage Modified I'm building from scratch. 36 Chevy coupe with modern suspension, but the "look" those great late 60s - early 70's cars. I was (still am) a huge Dutch Hoag fan, and while I liked how his cars looked, I LOVED the looks of some of those great looking New England (15 Woodchopper, Boehler 3), Long Island (Baldwin yellow coupe, Charlie J's offset coupe), and Southern Mods. (Tant-Mitchell 11, all those Hubert Hensley coupes, sedans like the Radford 46, Clarence Steakhouse 26). In NY (my home) I really loved how Sonney Seamon & Richie Evans coupes looked too. Loved the partial rear fenders (planning on having them on mine) & the cut down front fenders (still undecided on that). Keep the pics & stories coming!
    Bil FitzSimmons
     
  9. Slippery
    Joined: Nov 7, 2006
    Posts: 28

    Slippery
    Member

    You mean like the one I'm building?
     

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  10. snidely whiplash
    Joined: Apr 11, 2010
    Posts: 21

    snidely whiplash
    Member
    from inamess,fl

    slippery, looks good,but that ain't no 36 chevy!!
    more like 37-38
     
  11. retroridesbyrich
    Joined: Dec 2, 2004
    Posts: 1,872

    retroridesbyrich
    Member
    from Central NC

    Mr. Zimmerman, that was a great story about Rene and the pace car!

    I remember my mom introducing me to Rene sometime after the BBQ one night at Islip, he still had bandages on and it was quite a thrill to see the man. Much later, as an adult, I had the pleasure of meeting him again, this time at Syracuse during Super DIRT week in the mid 1980's.

    I'm sure I speak for most here; please keep the stories coming. Thanks again!
     
  12. Slippery
    Joined: Nov 7, 2006
    Posts: 28

    Slippery
    Member

    I knew that. I was just agreeing with the concept. It's a '37.
     
  13. retroridesbyrich
    Joined: Dec 2, 2004
    Posts: 1,872

    retroridesbyrich
    Member
    from Central NC

    Bitchin!
     
  14. glad we got the thread pumping blood again, even stronger than before!

    [​IMG]
    never saw this, check out fronts noses and rear too!
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  15. noitall
    Joined: Mar 24, 2010
    Posts: 6

    noitall
    Member

    i check in every night to see how many of my pictures show up on here. where did u get them? wall board?
     
  16. Rentawrench
    Joined: Jan 16, 2010
    Posts: 46

    Rentawrench
    Member

    Rich the stories of Rene are Long. Shorter one was at NYS Fairgrounds, Large crowd in pits ,Rene asks "can I borrow a Buck for a soda". How can you say No , well on the other side after8 hrs there Rene ask a guy an he said I gave you one hours ago. Yep Rene had about $300.00 on him .


    I grew up with my Dad racing with Rene in the 50's ,then hung around with his son's while they raced at the "Park" till they died.

    Last I heard Rene is in a "Home" in NYstate an Not doing well, sometimes he remembers ,most time he doesnot.

    Lets say a prayer for All the "OldTimers" that brought Joy to us as kids.
     
  17. Flan69
    Joined: Apr 12, 2010
    Posts: 6

    Flan69
    Member

    Been lurking here for the last couple of months. Took a while to go through the 200+ pages. I've got to say this is just amazing stuff. Brings me back to the old days of Stafford, Riverside, etc.

    My uncle is Red O'Keefe. Some of you old timers may remember him from West Haven and later Stafford. He was track champ at West Haven in 1965. I did get to go to one race at West Haven in '67 before they closed the joint (I was just 5). Spent the better part of the early to mid '70's at Stafford. Man, those were the days. A little history...

    Red at the "Rock"

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    The Falcon

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    Stafford. Spring Sizzler '72 or '73

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    Stafford with Lou Austin at the wheel

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    Red's final ride..the pinto at Stafford

    [​IMG]

    If anyone has any pix of any of Red's rides please post. Some of these pictures are from this board or other sites. Sorry, I didn't take the time to give proper photographer credits (Speedway Line, etc.). The blue coupe shot is my own (go ahead and use it for your own financial gain).

    Again, this board is a great find. It's fantastic to keep the memories of the golden age of modified racing alive.
     
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2010
  18. JBull
    Joined: Nov 19, 2008
    Posts: 366

    JBull
    Member
    from NY

     
  19. Flyin'Brian12
    Joined: Mar 15, 2009
    Posts: 109

    Flyin'Brian12
    Member

    Confusing to me.I don't recognize the 31, but the 54 is Lancaster regular Roy Smith.Had to be around 1979.
     
  20. JBull
    Joined: Nov 19, 2008
    Posts: 366

    JBull
    Member
    from NY

    some more of the Eastern Bandits

    Rene Charland #99 goes around Lou Lazzaro in the Jerry Rose #93 witn Sonny Seamon in tow in the #50

    [​IMG]

    Rene battling Jim Winks in the #221 and Lou Lazzaro in tow in his own #4

    [​IMG]

    Candid shot of Rene
    [​IMG]

    Ed Flemke at speed at Stafford

    [​IMG]

    Flemke in the 2X battling Gene Bergin in the #34 (who drove the 2X pinto before Flemke) at Star?


    [​IMG]

    Flemke battling Richie Evans at Trenton
    [​IMG]

    not one of the better nights!
    [​IMG]
     
  21. Welcome Mr Zimmerman. I must say, we have taken another turn for the better again. This thread just keeps improving with time as word gets out. Let's hear more of the history from the Shoes. I know I'm enjoying it.
     
  22. JBull
    Joined: Nov 19, 2008
    Posts: 366

    JBull
    Member
    from NY

    Some Early Fred Harbach photos

    Fred in his own X89

    [​IMG]

    Fred in his own Chevy II (John Barrick photo)
    [​IMG]

    At speed in the X89 with some tough company: Ernie Gahan #50, Lee Osbourne #81 & Bill Wimble #33 at Malta

    [​IMG]

    In the Butch Mecieka #18 coupe (John Barrick photo)

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    Taking the checkered in the Mecieka 18

    [​IMG]
     
  23. JBull
    Joined: Nov 19, 2008
    Posts: 366

    JBull
    Member
    from NY

    Some more Fred Harbach

    Battling Jim Hendrickson in the X3

    [​IMG]

    Stuffing the wall with the Mecieka camaro. In the first frame Al Hansen in the #86, Mousey Kempster in the #3K and Al Dengelo in the 7$ battle it out

    [​IMG]

    Freddy getting crossed up in his own X89 Camaro. This camaro (a '67?) seemed narrower than some of the other camaro mods (like the Mecieka #18 and Cliff Tyler's #21) Dutch Hoag and Bryan Osgood seemed to have similar looking camaros to Harbach's X89. More narrower. I wonder if that was just the year of the car or if they narrowed the bodies?

    [​IMG]

    And in the camaro after it was renumbered X90 (Len Calinoff photo?) The raven pinto #16 of Billy Auer driven by Ted Wenofske is along side of Fred and the #82 of Mike Tully is to the rear. I believe this yellow coupe was a former Billy Park coupe

    [​IMG]


    And Fred in the X90 pinto battling Wayne Anderson #15 in the former Billy Auer Raven pinto. ( A Brian Cholerton photo)

    [​IMG]
     
  24. retroridesbyrich
    Joined: Dec 2, 2004
    Posts: 1,872

    retroridesbyrich
    Member
    from Central NC

    [​IMG]
    never saw this, check out fronts noses and rear too!

    I would of guessed this was a modified madness event at Stafford where you could do what you wanted to the car (no rules for one night, usually a Tuesday night) or possibly a Thompson event when they mixed the mods and supermods, but it doesn't look like either track. Holland possibly?[/QUOTE]

    #31 looks like the Billy Harvey car, not sure who would be driving...Not Stafford
     
  25. Luke S.
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 198

    Luke S.
    Member
    from Ocala, Fl.

    I would say this is New Smyrna Speedway. Most likely a Speedweek event.
     
  26. retroridesbyrich
    Joined: Dec 2, 2004
    Posts: 1,872

    retroridesbyrich
    Member
    from Central NC

    I was thinking that too..
     
  27. shamrock 3x
    Joined: Jan 7, 2009
    Posts: 126

    shamrock 3x
    Member

    Slippery,
    Your car looks GREAT. I'd love to see more pics. Send me an email ([email protected]) with some more pics, and I'll reply with some of mine. Comparing notes can't hurt!
     
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