.......................awesome to find this historic video in 2024,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I grew up with all that happened in the mid sixties onward.................
Hi Thomas; So glad you like my show and that you can relate to it. Looking back on these shows I now realize I have quite a bit of history. Many of the guys have passed on and I've had the last interviews with them. I do have for sale 3 other DVD's..all old school...one is entirely 30 minutes of CT Dragway. If you're interested you can always call me at 914-403-3518 and I can sell you all 3 others.
This is one of the best videos I have ever seen.You have to love racing and everyone who helped make racing what it is today.These guys and gals are not only honest but humble too.I guess that comes from doing things yourself.THey all admit to teamwork and that sticks out to me as I know in my line of work that teamwork makes everything happen.WHile you may be the so called leader...you are one of the boys and THAT is what makes all the difference for the team members...strength thru unity. Thanks so much Dennis for bringing this video to the public.I hope to see you are York this year... Jim in ohio. Oh yeah Anrie Beswick for President!
Thank you mothertree. I enjoyed producing all the 20+ yrs of cars and us. I like to think I've preserved some history, but capturing the big names as well as the enthusiasts. This was not a business for me, but a hobby and one that brought me great satisfaction, since many of those are the final interviews they gave.
I listening to this guy try to turn a simple question into a documentary with the Grump sitting right there and a world of Great story's he could tell about how he was able to race the Small block in Pro Stock competitively
Just so know, he was a difficult interview and wanted to talk about only what he wanted. He also wouldn't spend much time conversing.!! Don't talk about me ..you should have tried it yourself!!!
Saturday night before Sunday's 1963 Daytona 500 went to the Daytona Winternationals with friend Leroy Olphin from Winterstown, Pa for something to do. Pulled the wheel covers off and entered the drags with my 221 cu in '62 Ford Fairlane 500 coupe, eliminated on my first run. The event was winding down so back to the motel for tomorrow's big race. Leaving the pit parking by the return road a racer was walking along the edge, stopping us he asked if Leroy would watch his car while I took him to his hauler, the transmission had issues. Sure, unknowingly I drove him back to his 421 Pontiac station wagon side lined off the end of the dragstrip. He put Leroy in the driver's seat while we went back into the pits for the hauler. I had Arnie Beswick in my little Ford! Arnie wanted to give us something, we were just glad to help shining our headlights to help him load the Grocery Getter. Ford developed that engine into the 260 cu in then 289 cu in. At York US 30 and Hallam I raced Falcons and Corvairs. During grudge matches that evening I selected the Michigan tagged Corvair Spyder of Dick Griffin, I had not noticed the plexiglass trunk insert exposing the turbocharged engine , lost that one too.
People who decades later are obsessed with the "rules" and "facts" that nobody knows the REAL answers to or at least nobody who still CARES or WANTS to "divulge" them or could PROVE the "experts" wrong REGARDLESS. Some people just don't get that to MANUFACTURERS those cars were COMMODITIES and there wasn't ANY ONE PERSON who KNEW EVERYTHING that was going on or had CONTROL over everything who wasn't a CROOK or INCOMPETENT if they didn't make sure the "rules" were being followed. And this guy being a former "GM employee" means about ZERO as far as what he or anyone he knows actually KNEW or claims to KNOW about the "big picture" of the whole history of GM/Chevrolet "factory race cars" or "factory race programs", etc. Probably MILLIONS of people by NOW have worked for GM/Chevrolet and there isn't a single one of them who knows the "story" of even their "department" for any WEEK that they were at GM/Chevrolet much less years of "corporate culture". Grumpy mentions different factories for a reason and probably in part to "remind" people that NONE of the cars he ever raced were "factory-specific" cars as far as ALL of them coming out of ONE factory. You don't build even TENS of thousands of any model per year in ONE FACTORY let alone HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS and all those factories now and the factories especially back then were cranking out cars that ALREADY HAVE "HOMES" whether they're headed to dealer stock or customer special orders or "inventory". And being all worked up over and obsessed with what GM and CHEVY did or didn't do is really ridiculous given how LITTLE and EVER-DIMINISHING involvement GM and Chevrolet had to do with racing "corporately". GM and Chevrolet were too busy building every car they could sell and selling every car they built as fast as possible and were too concerned about their PAYING CUSTOMERS for their CARS and PARTS to be really interested in, involved in or worried about sending free/cheap cars and parts to "race teams" that were more worried about "making money" than EARNING IT. Honestly, hearing some "expert" interview a legendary CAR BUILDER AND "CREW CHIEF" AND DRIVER like Grumpy Jenkins and talk about nothing but Z-11 delivery dates and production numbers and argue about them with a guy who could cite engine specs and modification details and what it take to make a STOCK car into a COMPETITIVE AND WINNING SUPER STOCK car which is WHAT HE DID BETTER THAN ANYONE is just SAD. You get the opportunity to interview Grumpy Jenkins and you decide to quiz him on and argue about the kind of b.s. "car collectors" are obsessed with because of how it affects the "value" of their cars or their "investments" but DRAG RACING FANS AND HOT RODDERS MAY FIND INTERESTING SUPERFICIALLY BUT OTHERWISE DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT and in the process demonstrate just what "car guys" can't stand about "car enthusiasts" and "car guys". Which is how they'd rather "talk cars" than learn about them or work on them or build them or drive them.
You have no idea of the reason I discussed the Z-11 with Jenkins, if you did you'd appreciate why I tried bringing out some facts for those interested in the Z-11 and it's production. It's important for you to understand that Chevrolet Division didn't maintain any records of this car and it's production. Furthermore, when you talk about working at the factory you don't have any idea of what you're talking about. I DID work at GM on the production assembly line as well as being a UAW Representative. What you wrote was your own opinion and not in the least factual. You're definitely NOT one of the guys I directed and produced my show for.
Just got a glass front end two doors two quarters from ...Pappas grumpy old car.. Camaro 67 ,,,aj recovery Jonesboro. ga got it for the man got the fastest time on ,,,Atlanta dragway commerce, ga going to put it back on the track bill just for u
.......................awesome to find this historic video in 2024,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I grew up with all that happened in the mid sixties onward.................
Hi Thomas; So glad you like my show and that you can relate to it. Looking back on these shows I now realize I have quite a bit of history. Many of the guys have passed on and I've had the last interviews with them. I do have for sale 3 other DVD's..all old school...one is entirely 30 minutes of CT Dragway. If you're interested you can always call me at 914-403-3518 and I can sell you all 3 others.
A true racing legend...no more words...
Thanks for the positive feedback, Phil
This is one of the best videos I have ever seen.You have to love racing and everyone who helped make racing what it is today.These guys and gals are not only honest but humble too.I guess that comes from doing things yourself.THey all admit to teamwork and that sticks out to me as I know in my line of work that teamwork makes everything happen.WHile you may be the so called leader...you are one of the boys and THAT is what makes all the difference for the team members...strength thru unity. Thanks so much Dennis for bringing this video to the public.I hope to see you are York this year... Jim in ohio. Oh yeah Anrie Beswick for President!
Thank you mothertree. I enjoyed producing all the 20+ yrs of cars and us. I like to think I've preserved some history, but capturing the big names as well as the enthusiasts. This was not a business for me, but a hobby and one that brought me great satisfaction, since many of those are the final interviews they gave.
I listening to this guy try to turn a simple question into a documentary with the Grump sitting right there and a world of Great story's he could tell about how he was able to race the Small block in Pro Stock competitively
Why didn't you interview him?
Just so know, he was a difficult interview and wanted to talk about only what he wanted. He also wouldn't spend much time conversing.!! Don't talk about me ..you should have tried it yourself!!!
Saturday night before Sunday's 1963 Daytona 500 went to the Daytona Winternationals with friend Leroy Olphin from Winterstown, Pa for something to do. Pulled the wheel covers off and entered the drags with my 221 cu in '62 Ford Fairlane 500 coupe, eliminated on my first run. The event was winding down so back to the motel for tomorrow's big race.
Leaving the pit parking by the return road a racer was walking along the edge, stopping us he asked if Leroy would watch his car while I took him to his hauler, the transmission had issues. Sure, unknowingly I drove him back to his 421 Pontiac station wagon side lined off the end of the dragstrip. He put Leroy in the driver's seat while we went back into the pits for the hauler. I had Arnie Beswick in my little Ford! Arnie wanted to give us something, we were just glad to help shining our headlights to help him load the Grocery Getter.
Ford developed that engine into the 260 cu in then 289 cu in. At York US 30 and Hallam I raced Falcons and Corvairs. During grudge matches that evening I selected the Michigan tagged Corvair Spyder of Dick Griffin, I had not noticed the plexiglass trunk insert exposing the turbocharged engine , lost that one too.
People who decades later are obsessed with the "rules" and "facts" that nobody knows the REAL answers to or at least nobody who still CARES or WANTS to "divulge" them or could PROVE the "experts" wrong REGARDLESS. Some people just don't get that to MANUFACTURERS those cars were COMMODITIES and there wasn't ANY ONE PERSON who KNEW EVERYTHING that was going on or had CONTROL over everything who wasn't a CROOK or INCOMPETENT if they didn't make sure the "rules" were being followed.
And this guy being a former "GM employee" means about ZERO as far as what he or anyone he knows actually KNEW or claims to KNOW about the "big picture" of the whole history of GM/Chevrolet "factory race cars" or "factory race programs", etc. Probably MILLIONS of people by NOW have worked for GM/Chevrolet and there isn't a single one of them who knows the "story" of even their "department" for any WEEK that they were at GM/Chevrolet much less years of "corporate culture".
Grumpy mentions different factories for a reason and probably in part to "remind" people that NONE of the cars he ever raced were "factory-specific" cars as far as ALL of them coming out of ONE factory. You don't build even TENS of thousands of any model per year in ONE FACTORY let alone HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS and all those factories now and the factories especially back then were cranking out cars that ALREADY HAVE "HOMES" whether they're headed to dealer stock or customer special orders or "inventory".
And being all worked up over and obsessed with what GM and CHEVY did or didn't do is really ridiculous given how LITTLE and EVER-DIMINISHING involvement GM and Chevrolet had to do with racing "corporately". GM and Chevrolet were too busy building every car they could sell and selling every car they built as fast as possible and were too concerned about their PAYING CUSTOMERS for their CARS and PARTS to be really interested in, involved in or worried about sending free/cheap cars and parts to "race teams" that were more worried about "making money" than EARNING IT.
Honestly, hearing some "expert" interview a legendary CAR BUILDER AND "CREW CHIEF" AND DRIVER like Grumpy Jenkins and talk about nothing but Z-11 delivery dates and production numbers and argue about them with a guy who could cite engine specs and modification details and what it take to make a STOCK car into a COMPETITIVE AND WINNING SUPER STOCK car which is WHAT HE DID BETTER THAN ANYONE is just SAD.
You get the opportunity to interview Grumpy Jenkins and you decide to quiz him on and argue about the kind of b.s. "car collectors" are obsessed with because of how it affects the "value" of their cars or their "investments" but DRAG RACING FANS AND HOT RODDERS MAY FIND INTERESTING SUPERFICIALLY BUT OTHERWISE DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT and in the process demonstrate just what "car guys" can't stand about "car enthusiasts" and "car guys". Which is how they'd rather "talk cars" than learn about them or work on them or build them or drive them.
You have no idea of the reason I discussed the Z-11 with Jenkins, if you did you'd appreciate why I tried bringing out some facts for those interested in the Z-11 and it's production. It's important for you to understand that Chevrolet Division didn't maintain any records of this car and it's production. Furthermore, when you talk about working at the factory you don't have any idea of what you're talking about. I DID work at GM on the production assembly line as well as being a UAW Representative. What you wrote was your own opinion and not in the least factual. You're definitely NOT one of the guys I directed and produced my show for.
Just got a glass front end two doors two quarters from ...Pappas grumpy old car.. Camaro 67 ,,,aj recovery Jonesboro. ga got it for the man got the fastest time on ,,,Atlanta dragway commerce, ga going to put it back on the track bill just for u