Does anyone have any old pics of a Orange and possibly cream 57 Chevy that was a regular racer at Martin Dragway back in the 60's and 70's? The car had a bear painted on the side, and was called something like "running bear", or maybe "Jack the Bear"? The reason for two different names, is I think the car changed ownership, and got named something different. I remember seeing the car run at Martin, and somebody drove it on the street in my hometown of Three Rivers at one time. I'm 42, and my Dad is 68. The other day we were sitting out in the garage talking about all the old cars that used to be around town, and we were wondering how many are actually still around, just tucked into the back corner of a garage or barn. When you think(or see pictures) of all the old drag cars that used to be at the dragstrip, it makes you wonder what happened to all of them?? I'm sure some got modified/upgraded/tubbed into a 70's-80's era drag car, and some may have found their way back to the street, but there HAS to be a ton of them sitting and laying dormant.....just waiting to be found.
20 years ago I would agree with you that there might be a bunch of them sitting dormant in barns and storage sheds but I think they are very few of them now because of the last 10 years everyone is searching high and low for them. Lots of stones being turned over in hopes of finding something like this now. Good luck. Jay
I couldn't tell you for certain, as I would have been probably 12 years old last time I saw it, and that would have been 1982. I used to see it race at the Popular Hot Rodding Nationals at Martin. I'm thinking it was a 150 sedan, maaybeee a 210?? I really don't think it was a bel air or hardtop. Car was really nice,as far as drag cars go, had Cragar SS's on all 4 corners.
Freakin' Cool!!! Thats her. Wierd when you see something that left an imprint in your childhood brain. Haven't seen that car in 30 years, but I could still somewhat picture it in my head. Had some kind of spray-on vinyl top, I thought I remembered Orange and cream, but I thought I remembered a cream decklid/upper quarters, not cream scallops. Thanks,That is cool. That car used to run around town, and sounded HEALTHY!
No kidding, I just kind of threw this post out there, not really expecting anything to materialize. I had another H.A.M.B. member is sending me an email with another very high resolution picture of this car. So actually, 2 pics of a car a barely remembered. The last owner of the car(that I knew of) died in a boating/fishing accident with his best friend. Pretty sad, both were really nice guys. The owner that died went by the last name of Strucka(sp?) Can't remember his first name. His widow sold it, and I have no idea what happened to it?
thats what i was going to suggest, if you call and ask for george lane, if hes not there, leave a voice mail, you may get a answer from him. he is into the early drag racing.
Actually, I googled Hettinga & Stewart "Jack The Bear" 57 chevy, and found a link to Lane Automotives website giving an update on the car. It's in Kalamazoo Michigan in the hands of a Body Shop owner, who also built a clone of "Jack The Bear II", a 68 Camaro. The 57 ran in B/MP and is fairly well known in Michigan. I think the car may have been featured in the Jan 1970 Popular Hot Rodding magazine.
Ha! What a cool thread. I'm beginning to think the Hamb is a supercomputer that knows what we want before we do...
I have another pic my friend John emailed to me last night that I'm trying to figure out how to resize and post here.
some of the guys back then would spray the roofs with a black zolatone to give the roof a texture, its an old aerodynamic trick to break up the boundry layer going over the roof of the car and reduce drag. Some actually ran vinyl roofs for the same reason, but the painted version was lighter.
This place never ceases to amaze. Someone comes up with an obscure piece of trivia and seemingly out of the woodwork pictures and information flows like someone turning on a faucet. thank you Ryan!!! Frank
The Jalopy Journal
