Great Oregon Racers

At the wheel of the Tiki Warrior is Ron Huegli. Funseeker. Great Oregon Racers will certainly be featured at his new motorsport museum, World of Speed, in Wilsonville. Wanna help? - Ron@worldof speed.org
Another great Oregon racer in that same pic, under the X, is Kim Parker. You might see her in the other lane, because she will/and can drive anything, including a school bus during the day. After winning BB/FC at one event, she was being interviewed along side Twig Ziegler (below) and Mr. Explosive Mark Sanders.

 

Well, I'm unemployed and live a thousand miles away...how about the rest of you?

 

Incredible history here. Thank you to all who are contributing to this thread.

 

Well I had two visitors today, a couple of friends of mine from Newberg, Larry Hill and Roy White. Larry brought pics and and the history of an A/G '40 Chevy Coupe that was often on display in front of the Newberg Dairy Queen. Larry's notes compiled, along with the history, straight from the owner Al Blodgett, are as follows.

In about 1960, Bob Gibson, a Newberg area Hot Rodder put a '40 Chev Coupe together, with a "built" small block chevy engine, early Chev 3 speed trans, and an Olds-Pontiac rearend. In '61 0r '62 the owner of Newberg Dairy Queen , Al Blodgett, got a taste of "Drag Racing" when he sponsored a '55 Chev Bel Air "California Built Car" owned by Newberg Hot Rodder Tom Young. It was painted a beautiful Naples Orange, had a 348 and a B&M Hydro, it was a hot street Gasser. Al acquired Gibson's '40 Coupe sans motor and transmission for ($125.00 we think). Al then ordered a brand new 409 High Pro motor in a crate from Butler Chevrolet in town, he also bought a new B&M Hydro. He turned the engine over to Portland engine guru, Danny Kilcup for a complete "Balance and Blueprint". About this time Al rented a small shop space on the west end of Newberg, and brought a bunch of young "Newberg Gear Heads", including Tom and Joe Young, Dennis Rustin, Jerry and Larry Hill and others into the project. These guys brought a bunch of tools and equipment from their home shops, because Al basically had nothing to work with.
The car made it to the strip, mostly McMinnville, a few times in late '62, with it's original look, rough original black paint. In the winter of '62-'63 the car got it's blue paint (Dodge Royal Lancer blue?). Al thinks the painter was Lowell Newby or Elmer Richards, both local body and paint guys.
The car got back on the strip in '63, and Al and the car stepped it up a notch or two. About this time, a shop near Woodburn (Case and Lauby) performed some "Dyno Magic" on the combination, an the result was lower ETs and a few wins. In the '63-'65 era, this car was credited for knocking the Infamous Von Homier Bros off of the weekly strangle hold on A/G Coupe/Sedan. Although Al has no time slips, we seem to recall the car getting in the low 12's (12.05 at 105-108 mph).
Al thinks he parked the car after 1966, to concentrate on his new business. He thinks he sold the car in '67 and it might have gone to the Morton Washington area. He thinks the guy's name was something like Raher, Rader, Rahier, or something like that. Just think------- an old blue 40 Chev coupe with a true 409 and B&M Hydro in the back corner of some old garage, somewhere in Northern Oregon, or Southern Washington !!! Go Find.

 

Great history lesson Marty. Does the Gibson part of the lesson then connect to Mel Bryson? I thought I had seen a Chev. coupe with these same names on it, prior to the Willys, but do not find a pic.

 

Rob,
I am sure that is the same Bob Gibson, it's funny that two of the names mentioned in the story, Bob Gibson and Jerry Hill would become two of the best builders of Drag Cars in Oregon, and they both did race as well!

 

WOW! How cool to see this shot! This is the burnout in the final round against Kims husband Randy. I won the race and my first "WALLY"! 7-24-11 I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT RUN! Was lucky enough to get another WALLY this year!

Thanks Gary for the kind words. I know the TIKI may not be HAMB friendly but we sure have a ball with it! In case some may not have noticed I have no respect for Good Years

 

As for the museum yes I am the curator at the World of Speed. We are a motorsports museum 15 minutes south of PDX right on I-5. We are working on the website worldofspeed.org Go and check it out out. It will feature some of the cars in the collection.

 

Marty,
Sent you an email concerning Al's '40 coupe maybe.

 

Roy White gave me some pictures to scan, among them were these handbills. #1 Roy attended the race movies in the early 60's. #2 Is advertising a race at Woodburn in '64, a race that ended up with rain, and a lot of track drying ( cars driving up and down the track). Roy was able to get a ride down a slick racetrack, with none other than Bill Ireland, in the Cobra! I was at that race as well, and remember Tommy Ivo's 4 Engined car in a trailer, with the rear lid raised up, for the public to view the car. The 4 Engined car was not on the card, as Ron Pellegrini (who was running it at the time), was only meeting up with Tommy, while on tour.

 

Here are a couple of Roy White's shots taken at McMinnville, note the 1st name on the cowl, Sanders Bros. They were, and are still from the Albany area, and currently campaign a Nostalgia Dragster, highly competitive, and are great guys!

 

More of Roy's from McMinnville, this is Bob Tindle's "Lurch", a factory lightweight Plymouth, brand new at the time.

 

Here is a shot of Vic McCrosky (sp) getting suited up for a run, this could be the day they held a celebration in front of the timing tower, for his 68th Birthday. and a couple of random pics.

 

Thanks Marty, I've got a few more Ireland/ Tindle stories we'll share. Dad even dabbled with the Mopars with Tindle after getting pissed at Ford

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Marty: Are there any more pictures of Lurch floating around? My brother has owned the car since 1966, purchased it from Bob before heading to Viet Nam.

- EM

 

Marty, read your article in Hot Rod Deluxe! Good story and good writing, congratulations! Keep our Oregon history alive.

 

Thanks Gary,
It's funny how I came to write that story about my old friend Jack Gillis. About 7 years ago, I was paid a visit by fellow Oregonian, Scotty Gosson (Jangleguy on here), he and some associates were making plans to launch a Northwest magazine featuring Hotrods and race cars. They asked if I would write some articles about Northwest history for their new publication. I have always had great interest about the people involved, and past events in our Northwest region, and have met and raced with a few of the greats along the way. I, along with some help, sat down and wrote a story about Jack Gillis, and collected pictures to go with it. The magazine never made it to print, and my hopes were dashed. I felt it was an important part of hotrod and racing history, and needed to be told. My thanks to the good folks at Hot Rod Deluxe, and their new Editor, Drew Hardin, for the generous magazine space, and finally getting it to print. I would also like to thank Scotty Gosson, for the inspiration to write it.

 

EM, Those are the only ones I have, does your brother race or display the car ? It would be good to see it again!

 

What happened to Albert Drake? He posted for a while.
If I had the bucks, I'd do an Oregon racing history book.
Marv Buchanan told me he and Drake were doing a film of 70's racing, I don't know what became of that. Anybody know?

 

I see Al a few times a year, he is still doing columns for the Goodguys Gazette, and he kicks out a book every now and then. I suggested he do a story on Jack's Blown Flathead years ago, his reply was, "Why don't you write one".

 

You done did good my hero, great story on the spirit of post war innovation.

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Maybe you should! Easy to say I know, but your article was very well written, and priceless history. I just hate to see this vanish forever!

 

Marty, if time and money prevent you from writing a book on NW racing history how about doing something just on this web sight? Most of the guys at the Friday morning breakfast at Bill's Steak House on Sandy can provide a wealth of stories and each one deserves recognition. Gentleman like Norm Zaayer, Bob Coutts, Jack Corley, Gordon Rivenburg, Del McClure, Sharon Osborn, and recently Diane (Sherman) Hubbard continuesly fill our Friday mornings with one story after another. I am sure I could provide photos for anyone of the above you would care to profile. We need you Marty to continue to perserve their/our history. Thanks.

 

Al did a great coffie table book on oregon dragstrips in the Portland area and the great drivers back then. lots of pics and great read.

 

My pal Larry Anderson, sent me this video link, it is Madras 1963. A lot of a 63 Dodge S/S, and I think I recognize Jim Kane out of Eugene near the front.

http://youtu.be/0UKPz-Fa-XQ

 

Ralph, I think a book is a hard sell these days, and you are correct about all of our friends that meet at Bills on Fridays. I would like to get out there more often, but right now I am busy building a Bonneville car for a friend, and fellow "Great Oregon Racer" Jim Lindsay. We are going to get it done in time for Speedweek 2014 !

 

Marty, is that chassis going too have adjustable wheelbase? Looks like the rear frame slides inside the front tubes?

 

Vall, The wheelbase will be fixed at 170", the SCTA is a stickler about the size of the tubing surrounding the driver, and I went oversize for more protection. It made it simple to telescope the tubing to the front and rear sections of the car.

 

Marty: Are there any more pictures of Lurch floating around? My brother has owned the car since 1966, purchased it from Bob before heading to Viet Nam.

- EM


EM, Those are the only ones I have, does your brother race or display the car ? It would be good to see it again!

Marty: It's a long story but the short answers are "no" and "no". The car has always been inside but when it was purchased, the complete original engine had already been sold to a drag boat racer in California. The transmission went elsewhere. So, it has been a lifetime of searching down original, correct (and extremely rare) parts. He just acquired an original set of Ramchargers A990 heads. This is surely the lowest mileage, untouched A990 on the planet (not tubbed, etc. to run larger tires or more current classes and rules).

Ironically, the car is stored next to another storage bay that houses Terry Tindle's cars (of course, Bob's brother). Funny thing is, Terry does not remember the 65' car, only the 63 or 64' before it.

- EM