Re: Bill "da Grump" Jenkins Passed away today
 

I saw the Vega's and Pinto's as the beginning of the end of what was Pro STOCK. The weight breaks were a terrible idea and got completely out of hand by the end of the 1970s. The tube chassis stuff allowed them to modify them to where now they don't look like anything stock. They should just call it PRO and leave the stock off and out of the rulebook. I think NHRA will follow NASCAR in a few years and allow EFI into PS. I think the first years were the best because at that time, you could buy a 427 Camaro, 429 Boss Mustang or 426 Hemi Cuda or Challenger. PS now is basically a funny car with carbs and gasoline.

Re: Bill "da Grump" Jenkins Passed away today
 

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/i...7/img216-1.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/i...N57/img184.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/i...N57/img214.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/i...7/img248-1.jpg

M68

Re: Bill "da Grump" Jenkins Passed away today
 

You make some good points there. My favorite era is from 1970-74. In spite of the all-tube frame construction of cars built in the latter half of 1972 thru 1974, for the most part, they still resembled production vehicles.

I agree 100% with your assessment of modern Pro 'Stock', especially the last two decades, and especially so, the past few years, with cars that look like something straight out of Bizarro World. There's nothing 'Stock' about these ultra-expensive and sophisticated de facto carbureted funnycars sans fliptop bodies, and everything $PRO.

The real Pro Stock class died a long time ago. Time way overdue for NHRA to rename the class like you say.

M68

Re: Bill "da Grump" Jenkins Passed away today
 

My pet peeve in ALL professional NHRA classes is that most of the drivers now are nothing more than hired guns. Gone are the days of the innovators such as da Grump, Dandy Dick, S&M, The Swamp Rat, The Snake ,,etc where the owners were the R&D department, fabrication department, engine shop, chassis shop etc. These guys did it all. Not so much today huh??
Anyway, I'm done with my B fest, let's try & keep this thread positive.
I have another idea in keeping this thread going & would like to make a suggestion of keeping it soley for our passed 1/4 mile heros from a era & time we will never see again . I quess you could say it's somewhere where we can pay homage to the guys & girls that were the innovators of the sport we all love.

liteweight

Re: Bill "da Grump" Jenkins Passed away today
 

Great suggestion liteweight but maybe in a new thread

Re: Bill "da Grump" Jenkins Passed away today
 

I know what you mean, but I'm thinking Stanfield and Edwards are still from the older mold, since Edwards was a former Modified world champion, and Stanfield was once a Superstock world champ. They can still thrash and get it done. Of course, theres still WJ, another former champ, even though hes not as competitive as he once was and Larry Morgan. My 2 cents.
Danny Durham

Re: Bill "da Grump" Jenkins Passed away today
 

Agreed Danny
but there are few of this calibur any more

liteweight

Re: Bill "da Grump" Jenkins Passed away today
 

New Topic Started.
Great Idea!!!

Re: Bill "da Grump" Jenkins Passed way today
 

Think the kind of racer you are describing still is alive and well in Comp; they rank right there with Stanfield and Morgan. Just watch those guys flog their stuff sometime, they are unbelievable, well; at least 50% of them that don't buy the latest Panetta bullet or gimmick but innovate and work hard. I have zip interest in most of today's PRO's, they don't have zip invested in terms of what Grumpy invested....

Re: Bill "da Grump" Jenkins Passed away today
 

Mr Carter is quite right, stock,s/s and comp are where the action is, anyways that's another story. I had a close encounter of the Grumpy type many years ago at the Keystone when he was helping Joe Lepone with his new Beretta, I was sitting by the fence near the old tower leaning on the fence when next to me Grump was standing, well knowing his fondness for conversation all I could manage to say was" hello Mr Grumpy oops I mean Mr Jenkins" well he laugh and started to talk about how hot it was and how much it was going to play havock with the cars. We ended talking about helicopters, since my brother and I were wearing Hughes Helicopters T shirts, he was asking all the right questions about the mechanical of keeping those birds flying, we never talked about cars once, best 30 minutes we both had talking with someone about flying. He loved the story I told him about an old mechanic told us "if you knew what was going on under there(the cowling) you wouldn't be getting in it. CR