SAAC Forum

You are correct as to the top speed of that car Bondo had.  My pix is at 120 and a few, with the tach at or very close to redline. I'll see if I can dig it up and post.

That track (IIRC) was concrete and very bumpy too.

Your last paragraph made me laugh. $10 helmet. Dodging flying parts.   Yup, those were the days.
Good times!

I have respect for Panteras. One you work the overheating bugs out of them, and add some more power, they are fun.  I don't remember ever seeing Lynn's brother's car. If that was Eddie, I knew him a little bit, but must have missed that one.

Quote from: shelbydoug on September 25, 2019, 02:54:26 PM
Charlize Theron. Mark Wahlberg. Candice Bergen. The list of Bob's students goes on and on. Virtually anyone who did their own driving in a film went through his school. Don't know about "Kowolski" in the Dodge though? (Barry Newman). He wanted to know what the XXX867 meant on my license plate. Told him my dog used to be a porno star. He made a face and said "sure pal".

Back in '82, he had Collen Kopec up on the guardrail flat out in one of those Cobra AC continuations at the Ford track at Utica. Gave my stomach serious butterflies. I was on that track too and wouldn't go anywhere near the top of the banking.

Reminded me of those water park tube rides where the tube is hanging over the top and no one cares how loud you scream?

Ooo. Just got the butterflies again on that.

"Back in '82, he had Collen Kopec up on the guardrail flat out in one of those Cobra AC continuations at the Ford track at Utica. Gave my stomach serious butterflies. I was on that track too and wouldn't go anywhere near the top of the banking."

I was there too, and Bob let me drive it (right place, right time, I guess.)  Still have the photo of the speedometer at 120+ mph on that track.

Later in my career, I drove on banked tracks many times, at top speed. A fun Motor Trend TV segment I did was giving commentary with the in-car camera and taking my hands off the wheel of a Ferrari at top speed on the banking at Ford's Desert Proving Grounds in Kingman AZ, to prove that it would track around by itself.  Fortunately for all involved, it did. 

Quote from: 6R07mi on September 25, 2019, 01:01:09 PM

Quote from: shelbydoug on September 23, 2019, 09:06:53 AM

Back then, Freddie Decordova. the shows producer, didn''t save all tapes. He regularly taped over them to save money. That happened to the Garner tape according to him. Too bad. It was a gem.

I had a similar experience, a number of years ago on our local Detroit talk radio JWR AM760, the morning host (who's a car guy) was at SEMA and interviewed Bob Bondurant. Bob talked about how the school got started following his serious accident and retirement from racing, selling the Cobra coupe for start-up $'s.
He mentioned in the 1st couple of classes was Jim Garner and Paul Newman, who he judged as the 2 most gifted drivers in Hollywood. He told how Paul didn't want to be known as "the movie actor" at the track so he went by the moniker "Mr Leonard" ( his middle name). He liked to just hang around the track in jeans & tee shirt, drinking Bud from a can and talking "cars" with the guys. He also said Jim Garner could have perused professional driving had he wanted to.
anyway later I called the station to see if they had tape of the broadcast and would they sell/share it, the reply was they only save the tape for a few weeks !
I think that recording would get a ton of hits on social media today !

best regards,
jim p

Cool story, thanks for sharing!

Quote from: 2112 on September 24, 2019, 11:33:01 AM
If the engine builder is reputable, I would ship the engine back complete to have them resolve it.

I think if you start tearing it down, you own it.

I know of several shops where the warranty ends at the shop door on a high performance engine.

^^^True all.^^^

Congrats!  Enjoy your free time and fun drives with your cars on weekdays when the roads are clear and everyone else is slaving away at the office.   

Be sure to send the guys at the office a text and a car photo every once in a while to let them know you're doing OK. 

Garner had Dick Guldstrand build and prep the Corvettes.  Guldstrand's shop was next door to Traco in Culver City (where I grew up.)

There's a photo of Garner standing by the '68 427 Corvette he was driving on the street and, with it, one of the race cars and team members---if I'm remembering correctly.   

Everytime I've seen that pix, I wondered how 6'3" Garner squeezed his approx 225-pounds into that small interior.  I have a '70 Corvette and barely (at 6'1" and 180 pounds) can sit upright to drive it.

Many Most of CS's more colorful sayings can't be repeated on this forum.

Quote from: shelbydoug on September 23, 2019, 09:06:53 AM
She didn't last for long on the Tonight Show. During the Carson era, there were lots of strange and obscure guests.

It's often difficult to determine cause and effect. She was fired from the Tonight Show according to one bio because NBC Exec's didn't care for her or her decisions.

One of the best Tonight Shows I thought was one with James Garner talking about his introduction to the car culture for the filming of Grand Prix. It was probably in '67. They were still in NYC. He remarked about being taken around the track as a passenger in a Cobra following a GT40. Mentioning Ken Miles.

That was before her time.

He talked about being in a Cobra with a "Comp windscreen" and being hit with the little pebbles that the the 40s tires threw and how they hurt.

Back then, Freddie Decordova. the shows producer, didn''t save all tapes. He regularly taped over them to save money. That happened to the Garner tape according to him. Too bad. It was a gem.

The '60s were certainly a social revolution. Everyone was affected in one way or another. More so if you lived through it but it certainly has lingering effects still.

If Garner's performance in that show was any indication, Shelby would have been fine as well. He certainly had a talent when in the limelight and would be a natural match up with Leno.

Doug, too bad that show's tape doesn't exist. Garner was the everyman's hero in almost every roll he played.

He and CS on the show together would've been impossible to beat.

Thanks for the head's up, Pete. Always interesting to see what you've posted.

Glad you powered your time machine back a week and showed us the preview of what will be posted on your listed date of Oct 1.

Quote from: 1967 eight barrel on September 23, 2019, 02:47:55 PM
He was 6'1". I used to sit around in the Gardena, Ca tire Goodyear tire warehouse and talk with him and Lil' Joe.  I am 6'0" and he was slightly taller than I was.
Probably one of the most direct and opinionated individuals I've ever met.  You never had to second guess what he was thinking.

                                                                                           -Keith

That's for sure on direct and opinionated. A conversation with him was never boring.

I'm 6'1, and he always seemed close to my height in the '80s. A bit shorter later on, but most everyone loses height as they age.

I hate that parking close to me sh*t too. Happens almost every time I take my Kirkham out.

As for goats, a buddy of mine told me that once on the farm where he grew up, his mom came out and saw a pair of goats eating the plastic bumper parts  on her car.  She went inside, got the shotgun and there were two less goats on the ol' farm. 

Nice!

You're the cool dad of the neighborhood, for sure.

We were there too, just got home.  Great movie.  Garner is excellent. And the always lovely Jessica Walter is very young and beauteous. 

Yep, saw all those drivers you mentioned, plus what looked like Milt Minter. 

Did you also notice the guy in the background of one scene wearing a CS logo t-shirt? 

The Deora looks a lot smaller/lower in this pix with the guy beside it, than in the alone color pix.

I never saw it in person., but I still have my Hot Wheels Deora, circa 1968, with the surfboards.