Pete Van Iderstine ran a Fed fuel car out or New Jersey in the 60's. Does anybody know any history on him or his car?
he had a great speed shop on rt 22 in union back in the day,,,i believe he now owns a wheel company and lives in california..,
That is what I was going to say. I worked for a Speed Equip Warehouse back then . Delivered to his shop. Got into the wheel business.
It was originally built by Dauernheim,s Speed Shop in New Jersey and was raced in Top Fuel in the early seventies. Sponsored by Van Iderstine Speed Centers. The driver was Fred Ahrberg and it was known as the "black car"
He used to own a really nice black highboy Deuce.Remember seeing it around New England in the early 70's.Got a pic around somewhere.
Pete is awesome.. He has lots of stories. I have found lots of pics and info on him just searching around. He doesn't have the wheel company anymore.. I have Early Wheel Company now. Pete can tell you stories about racing for hours. He still is involved in racing. He makes it to Bonneville every year and cruises a pretty cool jalopy around.. He has friends everywhere. I get calls all the time asking about him and people trying to get in touch with him. Jason.
Pete & Leslie are neat people, I first met Pete at the NATS in Detroit 1972, again in 1973 NSRA NATS in Tulsa, I think it was then that Pete became an Associate Member of LAR club, I was Secretary during that time. Later Pete & Leslie moved to SO. CAL., where he became an Active member of LAR club, after selling his 32 roadster, he built a beautiful 32 tub Bright ORANGE, ran that for a while into the 80's, I don't know about him from that point,----Neat guy tho'-------------Don
About Pete-------He also has a 32 5WD coupe in NHRA museum in Pomona, its cloned out to remember the "Jalopy Races" known across the USA-----Don
Greetings from Long Branch,NJ,Americas first seashore resort and 7 time US summer capital...Glad to hear that Pete is still active out on the West Coast...used to frequent the Van Iderstine speed shop on route 35 in Wall Township back in the 70's....always very helpfull and when the Haulin' Gents car club founded in 1957 regrouped and needed a new place to meet we met once a month at where else...Van Iderstines after the shop had closed for the night....also made me feel good to know that Pete spent some time at Monmouth College(now University)because I went there too....in closing, that was an awesome 32 roadster! Lee WRAT-FM at the Jersey Shore
Great to see a thread on Pete. I've known him since the late 50's when he was in the Squires CC in North Jersey. Pete built his Speed Shop business from one to a whole chain of stores, and by the late 70's had retired to California. Pete's one of those guys who I seem to bump into where ever I go. First Hot Rod Reunion, Pete's there selling wheels. Bonneville in the 80's, Pete's there with the Daurenheim-Bigalow Lakester, and last month at the GNRS, there's Pete checking out my buddy's Super Bell Coupe in the NHRA Museum. I took the photo of his Hemi '32 at Island Dragway in '61.
have been fortunate to be a friend of Pete's for years, through Don Biglow and Bob Dauernheim, have been with these guys to B'ville, and had a great time - Pete is the former proprietor of Van Iderstines Speed Centers here in NJ - sold them 20+ years ago, moved to Cali to open the early wheel company, which he recently sold - Pete continues to be very active owning 3-4 32's currently, also very active with dirt track racing in both late models, and sprints (with his son in law?) - his later sponsered TF car here was driven by Artie Marshall and campaigned out of the Springfield store by Artie and Al Dauernheim - Pete was also a tour guide for us a few years ago at the LA roadster show for 3 days - a nicer guy and a truer gentleman you'll never meet - unfortunately lost his wife Leslie last year - in addition to his beautiful black highboy when he was here he had a well known 32 two door sedan, and a 37 sedan - also responsible for getting Brett Hearn his start in dirt modified racing here in the mid 70's - i could tell more good Pete stories most of the day -
Great guy. I got to know Pete through his Champ Racing Wheels company. He helped me with a story on aluminum racing wheels, and I ran his stuff on my late model. He's a pretty decent dirt Modified driver, too.
My dad was in the North Jersey Street Rod associaton, which was formed when Pete approached a bunch of rodders in the area in the mid 1960's. They met after hours at one of his stores until the club grew to find bigger digs. My dad has many fond memories of those days and the great guys that were in the club. My dad was running a yellow model A coupe he still ownes. Was anyone else a member of the club?
Loved the 32 Tub he had with the very cool Halibrands. What were they from a Bonneville car? Thats what I seem to remember.
Pete's first speed shop, in my fading memory, was on rte 10 in Hanover NJ. Tony Fiel's shop was under it. Moved to a bigger place, also rte 10 in Hanover, on the East bound side. I am remembering Kent, as his number 1. Bob and Al Daurenhiem (sp) ran a AA/FD with Pete's sponsorship. Good friend, Bill Nancen(sp,again), got killed at Island, testing for the Daurenhiem,s. I got away from the whole scene after crashing in '67, Billy drove for Lack Burrough's and Bob Keller, Backyard Guys, as a regular ride. Art
Nothing wrong with your memory tad626. Pete's store on Rt 10 was a pretty small place & Tony's in the basement was even smaller.
the wheels on pete's 32 tub that was on the cover of street rodder were off one of his east coast style dirt modifieds, run at orange county fairgrounds speedway, driven by brett hearn - wide 5 aluminum, finned -
Magnesium,safety racing wheels, I have an old honest charlie catalog that shows both Halibrand & safety racing ones for sale.
Don Ewald confirmed it as a SPE chassis Hanna body and Nancy interior. Car has traces of red and green paint and Jack had a shop near Langhorn Pa. It has been hanging around for over 30 years.
My name is Bill Chamberlain. I used to work for Pete way back in 1969-70 at his store on Route 10 in Whippany, NJ. My career has taken me in a variety of directions, and all that time Pete has remained an inspiration for me. I'd really like to contact him again. Does anyone know his address or phone number?
Any updates on this rail? Can someone post a photo of Pete's '32 Roadster? I remember seeing it in the New York City Coloseaum Show years ago.
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