Best Pontiac Powered Stockers

[oldskool]

Have posted about the Axemaker & Reuland '72 GTO.

Well, in doing some more research, I discovered that at one time there were actually 2 of these cars that looked similar. I'd noticed that in 1 of the pics I had, the paint job was slightly different, and one of the pics showed the car in a different class, as well as with a different perm number.

Here's the E/SA car @ Indy.

https://autoimagery.photoshelter.com...PLrJO8-&GI_ID=

Turns out that in 1998 & '99, both cars show up on the same Q-list. Harry Axemaker is listed as the driver of one & David Reuland for the other. One is called a Lemans. But, in '72, the GTO was just an option pkg on a Lemans. So, I'm assuming that the 2 cars in the pics below are the 2 cars shown on those Q-lists.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCStory.asp?ID=55825

Then, the 3rd pic was taken in 2015, at BIR. There are several on Auto Imagery.

https://autoimagery.photoshelter.com...PLrJO8-&GI_ID=

https://autoimagery.photoshelter.com...PLrJO8-&GI_ID=

The Q-list shows a '71 Bird, with Sam Reuland driving. But, the car is running H/SA, which is lower than the Axemaker & Reuland Bird ran.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2015#indextop

So, I have to assume that they took the GTO out for the big race at BIR, & the DRC info about the car being a Bird is wrong. Don't think they just took the GTO out to BIR for a photo shoot. But hey, I could be wrong. Anybody have any more info on this ?

[Alan Nyhus]

The Axemaker & Reuland car is a local car (an hour West of me). It has a ton of history and has been around forever.

In your post #521, one of the cars pictured has some serious history, beginning with it's factory incarnation.

Brad Koivisto's killer fast '74 is currently being run as a Ventura, not a GTO.

[oldskool]

Originally Posted by Alan Nyhus

The Axemaker & Reuland car is a local car (an hour West of me). It has a ton of history and has been around forever.

In your post #521, one of the cars pictured has some serious history, beginning with it's factory incarnation.

Brad Koivisto's killer fast '74 is currently being run as a Ventura, not a GTO.

Well, that's a very interesting post, which brings up more questions.

(1) So, what happened to the 2nd '72 Lemans or GTO, that is NOT the one you're talkin about. TWO cars & TWO drivers were mentioned on the same Q-list. Any info on the other car ? Did it also belong to either the Axemakers or the Reulands ? In fact, on that same Q-list, there was another '72 Lemans, driven by Jon Wacholtz. Anybody know anything about it ?

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCStory.asp?ID=55825

(2) I assume the car you're talkin about, in post 521, is the T-37. I've read that it was the car that Rock Running raced, named "Super Sleeper". Then Ken Shawver raced it for a while. Danny Ashley had it & made a few improvements. Don Turk sold the Grand Am he'd raced for years, & now has the T-37. At least that's the story I've read. Somebody even posted a radio interview on which Rock told the whole story of how he got the car. I'll post a link to that interview. It should be very interesting to most Pontiac guys, up to the part where Rock went with Olds, somewhere around '82.

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/c...13_28_01-08_00

(3) All the pics I have of Brad's '74 show it to be a GTO, complete with the shaker hood & grill lights. I don't see an advantage of running a regular Ventura, unless you just don't wanna run the shaker scoop ? But, I remember that Al Vanis won Indy, in '74, with a regular Vent. Jack Matyas also began with a reg Vent, then changed over to the GTO. So, why did Brad change from a GTO ? Anybody have pics of it in the new form ?

In looking thru the older race Q-lists, I've seen lots of '74 GTO's. But, after Bill Rink, as he has posted, caused such a big hp hit, the number of '74 GTO entrants has dropped, drastically. On my list of recently active '74 GTO Stockers, I only have 2 cars. Besides the Koivisto car, I have a pic of a red one, driven by Greg Krause. I've probably already posted it here. But this thread is now so long, I'm not gonna look it up. I'll just post another pic here. Some will remember it as the one with John Force riding shotgun. At the time, it didn't appear to be a serious competitive car, barely running under it's index. Bill Rink was running quicker, more than 20 years ago. At the current NHRA hp factor, a '74 GTO/Ventura is definitely NOT the most competitive Pontiac V8 powered Stocker combo. But, thru the years, until the big hits, there were quite a few '74 Pontiac X-body Stockers which did very well & held lots of class records. I suppose there are certan combos of most brands which have been factored completely out of competition.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCStory.asp?ID=328825

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r1998#indextop

Other than these 2, does anybody else know of another recently active '74 GTO or Ventura Stocker ?

http://www.classracerinfo.com/Engine...8&MAKE=Pontiac

https://autoimagery.photoshelter.com..._ACT=usrSearch

Edit: I now have a pic of Brad Koivisto's X-body, with a plain Ventura hood on it. Problem is, it still has the GTO grill lights & a GTO decal. I suppose that just points out how much less strict today's NHRA tech is. Wesley would not have let this go, back in the '70's.

[Greg Barsamian]

Have a friend looking for complete short block with rotating assembly for 68 GTO F/SA
call Scott @ 603-795-4342 or email: grace@verackas.com.

[oldskool]

Originally Posted by Greg Barsamian

Have a friend looking for complete short block with rotating assembly for 68 GTO F/SA
call Scott @ 603-795-4342 or email: grace@verackas.com.

Well, that's up in div 1 territory.

(1) Adam Strang lives in Vermont, & has been running '68 Pontiac Stockers for a long time. Has probably accumulated lots of spare parts. Might have something or know where you can find it.

https://www.facebook.com/adam.strang.3

(2) Todd Hoven ran a '68 Bird for several years, & a '72 GTO before that. I think his brother drives the Bird now. So, Todd may be able to help you.

https://www.facebook.com/todd.hoven.3

(3) Dave Ribeiro has been racing Pontiacs a long time. He may can help.

(4) Then there's Richie Hoffman on Long Island. Long time Pontiac bracket racer & engine builder, who knows lots of Pontiac racers.

https://www.facebook.com/richie.hoffman.581

(5) Then there are the Super Stock guys, like Vic Santos. Bill Kennedy has his old car now. Phil Monteith & 3 generations of the Biondo family have raced Pontiacs, Stock & SS. Most long time Pontiac racers have a large stash of Pontiac parts & know who can build the engines.

(6) Even Billy Nees has fooled around with a few Pontiacs. It's mostly been the 301's in recent years. But I think he helped Don Himes with his cars that ran 400's. If not, he knows just about everybody that has raced in div 1 in recent history. So, he may be able to put you in contact with just the right person.

So, if it was me, I'd begin by contacting some of these guys. Most are members here.

[oldskool]

After giving it some more thought, I realize that some guys are able to, and don't mind, traveling for the racing parts they want, or having them shipped.

So, if this is the case here, then I'd consider contacting Tim Gillespie. He has raced a '68 GTO & '68 Bird for many years. Probably has lots of parts & contacts.

Chris Stephenson has done a LOT of racing over the last few years, with his '68 Bird. Guessing he has made quite a few Pontiac contacts, especially in the div 3 area.

https://www.facebook.com/chris.stephenson.338

Then I suppose there are not many guys who have bought, sold, & raced more Pontiacs than Bob Michael. And he probably knows most all the other Pontiac racers. I think he is also a member here.

https://www.facebook.com/bob.michael.52

There are several Pontiac racers on Bob Michael's FB friends list. One is Don Turk. He is another long time Pontiac racer. So, he may can be of help.

https://www.facebook.com/don.turk.5?...on=friends_tab

Brent Flynn changed his '68 bracket Bird over to Stock, a few years back. He did a build thread on it here. Has probably made lots of good Pontiac contacts who may can help.

https://www.facebook.com/brent.flynn...on=friends_tab

Pontiac does not have a huge racing community. So, if you put out the word of a Pontiac racer in need of parts, it should produce some help.

But, most of these guys will probably not see this. So, there will have to be some personal contact, in order to communicate the need.

[oldskool]

I asked, but don't remember getting a response.

When I looked up pics of Larry Maxwell cars, on Auto Imagery, the 1st two are of a '74 GTO, which I didn't know he raced. He was R/U at the World Finals in '81 & '82, and the Golden Gate Nats in '83.

http://www.nhra.net/50th/results.asp?mYear=1981

http://www.nhra.net/50th/results.asp?mYear=1982

http://www.nhra.net/50th/results.asp?mYear=1983

Anybody have a good pic of this black '74 GTO I can download ?

https://autoimagery.photoshelter.com...L3_Jqc-&GI_ID=

Also, I assume Barbara is, or was, Larry's wife. She is listed as the driver of Larry's car, occasionally. On at least 1 Q-list I noticed that BOTH Larry & Barbara were listed as drivers of Firebird Stockers. Here's an example, where he's listed in a '72 Bird & she is listed in a '73 Bird.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCStory.asp?ID=41736

I've found pics of a Blue Bird, with his 7700 number on it. Anybody know anything about the 2nd Bird ?
Auto Imagery shows a blue Bird with her 7701 number on it. But it looks like the same car. At some point, were they running 2 cars which looked that much alike ?

https://autoimagery.photoshelter.com...AABlyc6&GI_ID=

I assume that car listed as a '72, with Larry driving, was a mistake. I figure he was actually driving his '72 455HO powered Lemans.

[oldskool]

May have already posted this.

But, it's just so cool, I've gotta post it now !

Its a '62 Cat vs a '69 GTO @ the '69 Indy Nats.

[oldskool]

Here's a Jack Cassidy '71 GTO.

Who has more info and/or pics about the car and/or driver.

[oldskool]

Today at Indy, the #2 & #4 Stockers were female driven 1st gen Firebirds, with old fashion Pontiac power !

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2020#indextop