Jimmy Addison and The Silver Bullet

I was thinking of offing my 65 Coronet but now............inspiration!

 

Man! this is the kind of stuff that has me here every day. Thanks for reviving this thread.

 

Here's one of the "Missiles"

 

I remember the Car Craft story and the car very well. I also had a '67 Belvedere, but with a 440 wedge motor good for 11.80s. I was inspired by the CC story to get mine on the road/strip.
RIP Jimmy

 

In 99, I was at the Frankenmuth Auto-Fest. The wife and I were walking down Main Street when I caught a glimpse of the front fender of the Bullet. I made my way over to the car that I had heard about since I was a kid. Jimmy was sitting there in a chair. I started a conversation with him about all the stories I had heard about his car. The guys at the local Sunoco station would all meet there on Sunday mornings, with their race cars, and there was always a story about going down to Detroit for the street races. They talked about the Bullet more than any other car. I sent the wife to get a 6 pack. Jimmy and I shared the beers. The next day, he came to the show-car field with a t-shirt and a poster that he wrote a message to me on. I think that was a special thing he did. I have the poster hanging on the wall here in my shop. It's one of my most cherished things.

 

The Bullet's lair at Taunton and Woodward (now I believe, a Valvoline quick lube).





Here it is today:

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?f...ed=0CA8Q-gswAA&sa=X&ei=z-ltT5DcHuqbwQH14NS-CA

 

Dr Hemi..

I remember the "Missile" that I posted was based in Ohio at the time and running a Jenkins engine. Do you know what happened to the car??

Bill

 

I had the slicks off the bullet on my T Bucket back in '72. A friend of mine had purchased them from Jimmy and I got them from him. Here's a pic with them on my T bucket

 

It appears that the "Jenkins engine" was a "Tom Jenkins engine".

I don't remember that car but I'll ask Stewart (Pomeroy).

 

Things were different then. No roll bar and the unit body wasn't even tied
together. With all of the lightening that Jimmy did it's a wonder the car never
tore itself in half!

Back in the day Addison never used a seat belt - the car didn't have any (then).

This car got 4500 Dominator carbs on an I.R. (individual runner) manifold, a John
Bauman boundary layer bleed-off hood scoop and front Cragar Super-Trick
wheels the same week that Sox & Martin got them.

It also had and a role in developing the "J" torque converter used by drag racers
to this day.

Here are some links to Silver Bullet info:


http://www.greenval.info/#!silver-bullet/cqsc

http://www.carcraft.com/featuredvehicles/906_1967_plymouth_belvedere_gtx/index.html

http://www.myrideisme.com/Blog/woodward-aves-silver-bullet-last-words/

http://www.silverbulletgtx.com/index.html

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=237077

http://www.boulier.com/billy/story_of_the_silver_bullet.htm

http://www.hotrod.com/thehistoryof/113_0304_chrysler_hemi_engine_history/photo_08.html

http://www.dragzine.com/features/car-features/muscle-cars-you-should-know-67-hemi-plymouth-gtx-silver-bullet/

http://www.moparmagazine.com/2009/july_august/opening_the_vault_doors.html

 

I remember the "Missile" that I posted was based in Ohio at the time and running a
Jenkins engine. Do you know what happened to the car??

Bill

Answer from Stewart:

"Definitely not "THE MISSILE" --- I have seen pictures and heard of that car before, but
do not remember what I heard. You might try Reed Koeppe" [email protected]

 

Doc..

I can remember standing beside Bob Stape, Carl Shoddy and another guy and they were talking about the car. I remember the comments about the car running a chevy engine and that Carlton had built it.. Too many years and beers have passed to be 100% sure of the conversation.
I will drop Reed a line.. thanks much!

Bill

 

Doc..

Here's the answer from Reed!

"That is an Arlen Vanke-built Duster for a customer (Metz?) - a "twin" to Arlen's Pro Stock Duster - went thru a few hands and is still brkt-raced. Never a "Missile car."
Hope that helps,

Reed

 

I knew that if Stewart didn't know.....He would know who to ask.

 

Another Silver Bullet article:

http://www.automobilemag.com/featur...ilan_dragway/1967_plymouth_belvedere_gtx.html

 

Years ago,I used to have a cool poster of "The Silver Bullet" damn I wish I had it today.

 

There were some available on Harold Sullivan's site; I've got one
and spent $100.00 having it professionally matted and framed.

I don't see them listed there now.

You could contact Sharlene Sullivan and see if they are going
to be available again later. [email protected]

http://www.silverbulletgtx.com/index.html

 

Thanks for the info man!

 

They make small ones too

 

There's an interesting thread over on the Performance Years Pontiac board about the Blackbird, a '68 Firebird that was racing on the streets at the same time at the Silver Bullet. The thread covers much of the racing that went on in those days: http://forums.performanceyears.com/forums/showthread.php?t=652803 (there are 29 pages, so it will take a while to read.)

 

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I no UR supposed to READ THE "FINE PRINT".........Butt, thar ain't no Way !

Street Racin' In Mich-a-gun Was Famous !
My X Wife's Cousin (in Lansing ) showed ME "How To" pull a 442 Olds engine/ Tran in 20 min.
Never tried It !

Thanks fer tha' POST
Smokey II

 

X2.........I love this stuff!

 

Mister Bill Stinson,
Well Written, and I sure was Easy for YOU, THANKS

Smoke' in Tenn.

 

Thanks Bill and other contributers.Enjoyed that and your cruis'news work.
Myron_

 

Thanks for the link!

 

Awesome read thanks for sharing...