Ray Allen versus Jack Werst '1970 SS/EA Showdown'

[SSDA Hemi]

Frank, I was down at westons dropping my new block off for his cnc about a month ago, and the pile of blocks there is like a who's who of NHRA. Didn't really look at all the names as we were searching for his aluminum Hemi caps and spacers. Also had to marvel at his aluminum mega inch billet block, before and after. A BIG chunk of aluminum to start.

I'm sure if he had any Nascar blocks there that they would be covered as Charlie is very secretive about customers combinations.

I know Larry Perkins told me that Warren Johnson calls him the "MichaelAngelo of cast Iron", LOL! If he does WJ's blocks, that is saying something right there!

And Rich, he had a very small shop in Edison before he moved to Piscataway. Wall to wall machines and no space to even walk, but neat and organized and not a chip on the floor!!, had to be 25 years ago. And the last time I was in Hoffmans shop, Terry who has been at Jesel's fab shop forever, was still working for him. Time Flies...

This thread brings back some good memories of people and class racing....

[Rich Biebel]

Mr....SS/DAHemi.....

Since there are really not many '70 Hemi Cudas out there racing and you are from NJ.......

Do you know Matt S. from Greenbrook......

He was telling me about someone who had a Hemi Cuda and I can't quite recall who it was..... a neigbor or a relative?

We both work for the same company....

[SSDA Hemi]

Yeah Rich, I went to school with Matts wife. My wife and Kim were like sisters in high school and we all hung out back then. Your ears must have been ringing as we talked at Atco divisional, and your name came up. I love your passion for class racing and your posts.

Would love to meet you if you're going to be at E'town divisional or Reading Natl. or the dutch. I love to look back at class racing as it was, but there's no going back, so I'm going to enjoy it while its still here, LOL!!

Just look for the red trailer with the Hemi Cuda and hood up. I enjoy working on the car and am constantly picking at it. I have no problem with shoe polish, but thats not why I'm here...

[Rich Biebel]

AHSO....Said... HopSing.....My hunch was correct.....

I do actually like Stock and Super Stock racing very much, always have and always will, and have done both but race what I can afford.....The old days were a heck of a lot different for sure. Of course I was also a lot younger and more driven to compete no matter what.....

Time and money were always hard to find to make the effort needed to do well....

I occasionally race S/C and did plan on doing the E-Town race this coming week but that looks pretty iffy now.....for a couple reasons....

I will very likely run the Dutch.....Love that race if the weather is good...

I am no Mpoar guy but I always liked the '70 Hemi Cudas body style.....Very rare to see one these days....street or track.

If I am at one of those two races I'll look for you.......I ride a bike and am all over the place at a race.....Keeps me from getting bored and I get some excercise....

[davidhuff]

Originally Posted by TOM KASCH

N.Y. Times story of T-K

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009...et/#more-28567

Went to Truppi in 76 and had him build us a 325-396, took it to the winternationals,
spun a cam bearing while testing at IRwindale, call with the cam #and found out Clauide put the wrong cam in.

Great story.

[Bob Pagano]

Here is a bit of T/K flap some mite not remember. When Tommy left and went to Garfield Bernie Agaman bought in and when that did not pan out Claude bought in. He rubbed a lot of folks the wrong way and T/K went into a slump. If it had not been for Jerry Stinner the place would have been in deep trouble. Ralph seemed to be on over load when ever we spoke. I think this is the time that his illness showed up also. Jerry took on a heavy work load working two jobs and he was the glue that held T/K together.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Tom,,,,,,
Was this photo at ATCO before Indy 1970......or at the
September 1970 ATCO NED1 Points meet.

[Paul Ceasrine]

1971 Photo (SS/EA Record 11.33)
The former Karl Gould/Tim Richards 1970 Hemi Superbird,,,,
Purchased by Al and Bobby Carpinet (out of Wyoming, Pennsylvania)

This car defeated Ray Allen's 1970 LS-6 Chevelle.

[BadBanana]

Originally Posted by Rich Biebel

Yes a CK-10 was state of the art back then but you forgot one very important part....

The man doing the honing......Honing is right up there with other very specialized skills......I honed many many sets of rods and worked my butt off to make them straight and round....

I worked in a shop that did a great deal of machine work for Ralph at T/K's

The owner was named Bill Crowley at Crows Head Shop here in northern NJ.....If he honed your block you could be assured it was right and Ralph often called up after an engine that had just been dyno'ed with a fresh hone made more power than ever before.....

By then the super smooth cylinder wall finishing idea was long gone.....

Bill was fanatical about blocks and had a little technique for the final finish that seemed to always work.....

He was also a super talented head machinist and long befoe there was a Serdi or similar type machine his VJ's were just about perfect....

He also was a very skilled head and manifold porter.....and did some intakes that were not topped for many years....
He went to Nascar country......along with many others in the engine business......

Rich: You said Bill went to NASCAR. Is he still there now? If so, where? I am now living in NC and if he is near Charlotte area, I would love to stoop and see him. Also, didn't Joe Tryson, out of Jenkins' shop end up there? Any info on his whereabouts?
I had one of Bill's tricked up intakes. He, or someone in his shop, even etched a diagram of a Crow on it. You guys did great work there.

[Paul Ceasrine]

pthomasely,
Tom,

Who built the engine for the Superbird,,,,was it Bash Engine or
Chrysler Skunkworks,,,,,,
When the Superbird was sold,,,,,,to Totten & Jennings,,,,,,the
'special engine' was not included,,,,,,,as stated by Jack........

pc