Ramon Lowe 58 Pontiac

[Hemi Moose]

Originally Posted by Brett Brown

The "Brown" of Lowe & Brown, is my dad Gene Brown. I knew Ramon ("Tex" to me & many others) my entire childhood until he moved from Huntington Beach. Haven't seen him in forever.

I was wondering about all of the name changes on the door as well, also notice that in the early pics the car has a white roof, then in later pics it's painted red...it would also be interesting to hear about some of the other peoples names lettered on the car.

[Hemi Moose]

Originally Posted by Rich Biebel

That body looks like a Star Chief sedan. Longer wheelbase than the cheaper base models. Similar to a top of the line Bonneville....

They made a bunch of different body styles. Hardtops, sedans, convertibles and wagons....

and with the over the counter stuff a lot of different engine combos..

338 hp would have been with an over the counter McKellar solid lifter cam.
Can't recall whether that was with a Tri-Power or a Rochester Fuel Injection unit.

Trans was a 4 speed hydro but they had a reputation for breaking and I broke mine....

I Loved those cars.
I had a 58 Chieftain.....was my first nice car and it had fresh laquer paint. White with a blue cove and roof......370 cubes 2 barrel hydramatic.

I did the heads...added a 4 barrel (AFB).....borrowed a 4.56 gear form Craig Muller and had a hokey exhaust with cutouts...Craig also did my trans and it shifted very hard....too hard.
Drove it to the track and ran high14's a few times around 1966.

I loved that car and unfortunately it ended up as scrap.....

Rich,
Would you happen to have any old pics of your Pontiac or perhaps a link that I could take a look at, maybe I could add some of them to this thread.

[Alex Denysenko]

Correct me if I am wrong and I very well may be , but I always thought that Jay Hamilton had the baddest 58 poncho stocker back in the day?

[Hemi Moose]

Here's another old shot of Ramon Lowe vs Jay Hamilton...

[Rich Biebel]

Jay Hamiltons car is a Bonneville.....and I think both cars were pretty well known and did well on the west coast.

I had a fondness for those old Poncho's and worked with Stu Rogers for a short time. He was partners with Bill Izykowki on the first Biscayne Bill raced and knew his Pontiacs very well. We worked on Pontiacs a lot. Street cars, race cars......Stu had a '62 Catalina convertible and then a '62 Grand Prix....We swapped the driveline from the convertible to the GP in one day....428 4 speed....Stu knew Jess Tyree a Pontiac powered funny car racer.....

No I have No pictures of my '58.....and I wish I did......

[Hemi Moose]

Here's one of the 'Tokyo Rose' Pontiac...

[Brett Brown]

Originally Posted by Hemi Moose

I was wondering about all of the name changes on the door as well, also notice that in the early pics the car has a white roof, then in later pics it's painted red...it would also be interesting to hear about some of the other peoples names lettered on the car.

"Easley" was Truman Easley, "Brown" was and is Gene Brown (mine & Tom Brown's dad). Car was sold to Leo Kannon who raced it for a few years after.
My Dad is still involved with racing. Builds my motors for my 64 Chevelle Super Stocker. Recently built a Pontiac LeMans to run in Stock, that Tom drives. We also raced for years in Competition Eliminator (F/ED Pontiac dragster & E/EA Jeep powered Bantam).

[treessavoy]

My 1958 Pontiac Chieftain looks just like the Mary Ann Foss car.

Black Chieftain with 370, auto, tri-power and posi. All stock and all original with less than 30,000 original miles.

JimR

[Rich Biebel]

Originally Posted by Hemi Moose

Does he still live in Huntington Beach...

After looking at this picture a little closer....

Looks like a shorter wheebase Chieftain and I see a Fuel Injection emblem on the front fender....

I had a pair of those emblems sticking in some pegboard in my basement for 30-35 years......I sold them on Ebay a few years ago.....That was the last item I had from those old Pontiac days.....

I took a fuel injection unit off a car that was laying in a farmers field....A '58 Super Chief.....4 door hdtp....Got most everything including the emblems for $75.00!!! That was probably 40 years ago.......

[Hemi Moose]

Originally Posted by treessavoy

My 1958 Pontiac Chieftain looks just like the Mary Ann Foss car.

Black Chieftain with 370, auto, tri-power and posi. All stock and all original with less than 30,000 original miles.

JimR

Jim,
Post some photos of your '58 Chieftain...or add them to a Class Racer photo album so that you can link off them to post in any new threads.