[Wichita-SCCA] Phrog sponsorship!

[Lonnie Heston]

I remember the 67 Chevy 2s built like that, a pastor in Huntsville had one
for sale in '70 - 3 grand.  I checked into it a little, no one had ever seen
him get on it, rev it, or anything.  Light metallic blue, 2 years old and
just over 11k miles.  Couldn't figure out why he bought it.  I was still
flipping hamburgers, didn't have that kinda bread yet.   Right on about
retiring, but it would be more fun to sell the vette and scam a few guys
with that square, old Chevy II.

Where did Hank work, Boeing??  That was a few bucks, even in those days.
The minimum wage was 1.30, wasn't it?

On 10/14/06, James Harrison <jimh_mic at msn.com> wrote:
>
> In the sixties, High School, I worked at a Vickers Gas Station at the
> corner
> of Edgemore and Harry. At that time there was a gas station on every
> corner
> of the intersection. That was the days when we ran out checked the oil,
> tires, washed the windows etc. Lots of interesting things happened those
> two
> years. That is where I learned to work on cars and clean up oil spills
> :>).
> The story that stands out today is about a guy named Hank Greenleaf, (I
> think that is correct). One day in 67 he showed up in a brand new 67 Chevy
> 2. The one with the 327/375 hp engine, the car the term Factory Hot Rod
> came
> from. About a month latter he shows up in a new 67 427/435 hp Vette. Very
> cool. It isn't much longer, he pulls in in the Chevy 2 and asks us to
> check
> the oil. He has swapped engines, the Chevy 2 is now a big block car. He
> drag
> raced that car for a lot of years with the 4 speed. If you showed up at
> the
> Barrett-Jackson auction with those two cars you could retire.
>
>
> >From: "Lonnie Heston" <lhheston at gmail.com>
> >Reply-To: "Wichita Region SCCA." <wichita-scca at wichitascca.org>
> >To: "Wichita Region SCCA." <wichita-scca at wichitascca.org>
> >Subject: Re: [Wichita-SCCA] Phrog sponsorship!
> >Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 23:00:39 -0500
> >
> >Larry, Yeah, the wail editor is welcome to cut-n-paste, I didn't include
> >any
> >last names...  He can start an old-folks column...
> >
> >Greg, we had a '52 chevy my Dad bought new, and a '53 wagon he bought
> used
> >in the early '60s.  Both were straight six, 3-on-the-tree.  In the late
> >'60s
> >Dad bought a '63 olds 394 4bbl 3-speed auto wagon (Now that I think about
> >it, probably the same engine Uncle Gordon had) - first air conditioned
> car
> >in our family .  The previous owner claimed he was being passed over for
> >raises at Chrysler Aerospace (We lived in Rocket City - Huntsville, Al)
> >because he owned the Olds.  The Olds was the first car I ever drag raced
> >(naughty me) and, one rainy Sunday, it became the first car I ever spun
> >out.  Everything I did to correct the spin was too late - and that was a
> >loooong wheel base too!
> >
> >Dad taught me how to do a lot of the work on cars, but he didn't hot rod
> >any, he was so conservative that when he replaced his '52's clutch, the
> >guys
> >at the parts place refused to believe he had 77k miles on it, no one ever
> >got more than 40k out of a chevy clutch. Ever.  I was only 8 or so but I
> >still remember them looking it over and one guy said something about the
> >metal not even being blue a little bit.  Dad said something like, "you
> >don't
> >have to believe me, I know, and it just depends on how you drive it"
> >
> >About the wildest thing Dad ever told me about was when he owned an
> Indian
> >motorcycle for a few days.  The farm had a 1/4 mile gravel driveway.  He
> >made it to the end of the driveway when the thing totally surprised him
> and
> >went out from under him.  He got rid of it quick.
> >
> >Well, enough reminiscing, time to get some stuff done.  Hope to see you
> >soon!
> >
> >Lonnie
> >
> >
> >On 10/13/06, lduty at cox.net <lduty at cox.net> wrote:
> >>
> >>The kind that should be in the Wail!
> >>
> >>LD
> >>
> >>---- James Harrison <jimh_mic at msn.com> wrote:
> >> > Great stories..both of you!
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > >From: "Greg Laws" <GLaws at cox.net>
> >> > >Reply-To: "Wichita Region SCCA." <wichita-scca at wichitascca.org>
> >> > >To: "Wichita Region SCCA." <Wichita-SCCA at wichitascca.org>
> >> > >Subject: Re: [Wichita-SCCA] Phrog sponsorship!
> >> > >Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 06:19:56 -0500
> >> > >
> >> > >Hi Lonnie,
> >> > >
> >> > >What wonderful stories and memories!  Your Uncle Gordon sounds like
> >>just
> >> > >the sort of Uncle that I should have had but didn't.  Instead my
> >>immediate
> >> > >family was of the conservative, pillar-of-the-community type and the
> >> > >extended families on both sides lived far away in either
> >>Minnesota/Michigan
> >> > >or Oregon.  The closest that I came to being related to anyone
> >>interesting
> >> > >was my cousin Terry Pease in Minnesota.  He was (and is) a year
> older
> >>than
> >> > >I.  In his mid-teen years he built a chopped & channeled early Ford
> >>with a
> >> > >flat head mill.  He actually took me (the geeky, immature younger
> >>cousin
> >> > >from far away) for a ride in it once.  I remember sitting flat on a
> >>bare
> >> > >plywood floor with no head room, no seats or seat belts, and a very
> >>stiff
> >> > >ride as the rear suspension consisted of a single coil spring cut in
> >>half
> >> > >with each half welded onto either end of the Chevy rear axle
> >>housing.  No
> >> > >shock absorbers as I remember, but total suspension travel was only
> >>about
> >> > >1/4" anyway so it didn't matter.  The flathead V8 had a sound very
> >> > >different than anything that I had ever heard before and it pulled
> >>HARD
> >>in
> >> > >this crackerbox car that couldn't have weighed more than 1400
> lbs.  I
> >>was
> >> > >awed!  Terry had left the useless 3-speed column shifter lever on
> the
> >> > >steering column while he actually shifted the 4-speed transmission
> >>with
> >>a
> >> > >floor shifter.  The reason was that he had fun passing people at
> high
> >> > >speeds or engaging in top-end street races with the "shift lever" on
> >>the
> >> > >column pulled up into the 2nd gear position where his victim could
> >>easily
> >> > >see it.   This gave the impression that he was still in 2nd and
> hadn't
> >> > >shifted to 3rd yet!  Later on I heard that he wrecked the car while
> >>turning
> >> > >at an ordinary street corner when a single small bolt that
> apparently
> >>was
> >> > >securing the entire front split-wishbone suspension snapped
> off.  His
> >>dad,
> >> > >a mechanical engineer and father of nine kids, just shrugged and
> said
> >>that
> >> > >it was a good learning experience for the boy.  In spite of it all
> >>Terry
> >> > >went on to be a union pipe fitter and with an income considerably
> >>higher
> >> > >than I ever achieved he continued to pursue his love of drag racing
> >>with a
> >> > >beautiful 1953 Thames Panel Truck with blown Chrysler hemi, possibly
> >>on
> >> > >nitro.  It runs in the low 7s I believe.  I heard that he retired
> >>recently
> >> > >but still drag races.  Haven't seen him in decades.
> >> > >
> >> > >The other end of the spectrum was my dad, a college teacher and
> pillar
> >>of
> >> > >the community.  He remains a warm, creative, interesting and
> >>supportive
> >> > >sort of fellow even at the age of 88 but he was never a car
> guy.  His
> >>only
> >> > >new car was a sandy-tan 1961 Chevrolet Biscayne station wagon (a
> full
> >>sized
> >> > >car) with 283 2-bbl, PowerGlide and only minimum options.  The
> >>highlight
> >> > >was air conditioning, considered to be a pricey option not purchased
> >>by
> >> > >most folks then.  I learned to drive with this car.  Later on it had
> >> > >several adventures in my hands that I have yet to tell my folks
> about,
> >>but
> >> > >I digress.  In early 1964 when I was a high school junior he took me
> >>out on
> >> > >the highway to practice passing other cars.  When I finally got
> enough
> >> > >nerve, and three miles clearance, to pass a lumbering truck I
> punched
> >>the
> >> > >throttle to the floor and it bogged its way out onto the highway in
> >>high
> >> > >gear (of two, low & high, in a PowerGlide).  I wasn't the a
> storehouse
> >>of
> >> > >automotive knowledge that I am now but even then I knew that it was
> >> > >supposed to kick down into passing gear.  I lifted and then kicked
> it
> >> > >again.  The transmission dropped to low and the engine screamed as
> it
> >> > >quickly pulled to 70 mph.  My dad freaked out!  His foot slammed to
> >>the
> >> > >passenger floor searching for that imaginary brake pedal and he
> >>clamped
> >>one
> >> > >hand to the dash with the other to the door's arm rest.  His body
> was
> >>stiff
> >> > >and braced.  We safely got around the truck and he slowly recovered
> >>himself
> >> > >while I quickly and with some alarm explained to him about the
> >>presence
> >>of
> >> > >passing gear in a PowerGlide.  He had owned the car for four years
> and
> >>had
> >> > >never known that it would do that!
> >> > >
> >> > >Enjoy,
> >> > >Greg
> >> > >   ----- Original Message -----
> >> > >   From: Lonnie Heston
> >> > >   To: Wichita Region SCCA.
> >> > >   Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 10:33 PM
> >> > >   Subject: Re: [Wichita-SCCA] Phrog sponsorship!
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >   Yeah, Greg, I remember you mentioned the Nashville event.  Pretty
> >>cool.
> >> > >I'm glad the Phrog is getting some help.
> >> > >
> >> > >   I was born in Memphis, and have (or had) a lot of relatives in
> the
> >> > >Nashville area.
> >> > >
> >> > >   My grandma made bathtub beer during prohibition, and still made
> >>some
> >>to
> >> > >sell afterward.  The town my mom was born in is under one of the TVA
> >>lakes.
> >> > >  They moved closer to Nashville about the time I was born, and when
> >>my
> >> > >uncles got back from serving in Korea, they got into various car
> >>business -
> >> > >junkyard and mechanic work - except one who became an FDA egg
> grader.
> >> > >Mostly they collected '50s Caddys.  (The big Caddy got some kind of
> >>Safest
> >> > >Car of the Year award).  I remember when my Uncle Jimmy got one in
> >>pretty
> >> > >good condition and asked me to find the gas filler.  I couldn't, but
> >>now I
> >> > >know it's behind a hinged taillight.  I also  remember one that
> >>arrived
> >>at
> >> > >his salvage yard, no questions asked, no papers, '36 Cadillac V8
> with
> >>large
> >> > >bullet holes. My uncle called it Capone, but wouldn't tell us any
> >>more.
> >> > >Last time I was there, it was still in his basement.
> >> > >
> >> > >   My Uncle Gordon once took me for a ride in his '60 Olds 88.  It
> had
> >>a
> >> > >390-something, and if you know what the Tennessee back hills country
> >>roads
> >> > >were like in the '60s - no shoulder, no side lines, and burma-shave
> >>signs
> >> > >for corner markers - an 80mph ride for several miles is quite a
> >>treat.  My
> >> > >mom didn't like the way I was smiling when we got back and figured
> out
> >> > >something was up, so I didn't get to ride with him much.  The ride
> did
> >>show
> >> > >me what big iron can do on a road course - for someone who grew up
> in
> >>'52
> >> > >Chevys with a conservative dad driving - the g-forces were a huge
> >>thrill.
> >> > >A few months later Uncle Gordon had a six-pack before breakfast and
> >> > >wrapped the Olds around a tree.  He wasn't hurt, and didn't care
> much
> >> > >because he won it playing cards.  He eventually died of liver
> >>sclerosis.
> >> > >
> >> > >   Those were the days...
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >   Lonnie
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >   On 10/10/06, Greg Laws < GLaws at cox.net> wrote:
> >> > >     I am pleased to announce that the Phrog has a sponsor.  "Sam
> the
> >> > >Mechanic" is Sam Stuckey from Halls Crossroads, TN.  He is a sweet
> >>little
> >> > >guy who runs a small salvage yard / repair shop that specializes in
> >>Renault
> >> > >R9 and R11 spare parts plus GTA, Medallion, etc.  I met him when my
> >> > >son-in-law and I made that wild trip to Nashville, TN in September,
> >>2004.
> >> > >We met up with the Renault Owner's club and went to the Lane Motor
> >>Museum
> >> > >where we saw Sam Posey and the Caldwell D7 Can-Am car.  Actually sat
> >>in
> >>it
> >> > >as a matter of fact.  The same weekend we also ran the Phrog in a
> >>local
> >> > >solo event at the Nashville speedway.
> >> > >
> >> > >     Anyway, I gave Sam a ride in the Phrog at the local solo event
> >>and
> >> > >also gave him a collector's item of a wooden-rim race car steering
> >>wheel
> >> > >with a Renault center emblem.  Ever since then Sam has been the
> >>Phrog's
> >> > >number one fan.  Tonight I called him to send me a GTA transaxle to
> >>replace
> >> > >the one that I blew up at Strother Field.  Sam offered to donate the
> >> > >transaxle free if I would pay the freight and put his name on the
> car
> >>as
> >> > >sponsor.  Wow.
> >> > >
> >> > >     Look for a large yellow decal somewhere on the car proudly
> >>displaying
> >> > >the fact that "Sam the Mechanic" is a sponsor of the Phrog.
> >> > >
> >> > >     I've had help from Jim Caywood (owner of the now-defunct
> Autobody
> >> > >Specialists body shop), Auto Techs Frame & Body, and now from Sam
> >>Stuckey
> >> > >in Tennessee.  Life is good when you own a Renault!
> >> > >
> >> > >     Enjoy,
> >> > >     Greg Laws
> >> > >
> >> > >     _______________________________________________
> >> > >     Wichita-SCCA mailing list
> >> > >     Wichita-SCCA at wichitascca.org
> >> > >
> >>http://wichitascca.org/mailman/listinfo/wichita-scca_wichitascca.org
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> >
> >>
> >------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >   _______________________________________________
> >> > >   Wichita-SCCA mailing list
> >> > >   Wichita-SCCA at wichitascca.org
> >> > >
> >>http://wichitascca.org/mailman/listinfo/wichita-scca_wichitascca.org
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > >_______________________________________________
> >> > >Wichita-SCCA mailing list
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> >> > >http://wichitascca.org/mailman/listinfo/wichita-scca_wichitascca.org
> >> >
> >> > _________________________________________________________________
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> >>best
> >> > route!  http://local.live.com
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
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> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >Wichita Region SCCA
> >wichitascca.org
> >There is nothing wrong with old age if your
> >family still lets you play with your toys.
>
>
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-- 
Wichita Region SCCA
wichitascca.org
There is nothing wrong with old age if your
family still lets you play with your toys.
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