[Region Warrior]

Cast off...more like museum artifact.
Notice my brother's car back in 70-71 had alot similarities...minus the n2o.
He didnt get into that till "i started" drive'n in 75

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

The 1967 GTO on the left is the automatic Bobcat driven by Dick Jesse. The 1967 GTO on the right, with the engine hanging above it, is the 4 speed stick shift blue printed Bobcat driven by John "Cheater" Politzer, aka the 1966 GeeTo Mystery Tiger.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

This article is about Ace Wilson's Royal Pontiac's street racer, John "Cheater" Politzer. The other GTO owner is Peanut's. Peanut's is the late Terry Kosins who's brother Arthur "The Dart" financed Richard Maskin and his Dart Industies, Dart Heads, Dart engine blocks etc. John Potizer used to call Arthur "cashews".

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Frankie Ulbrick added the Nitrous to help keep the car in the 9's. The red Monza next to the Black bird, hidden in the corner was estimated by it's driver, Freddie Foreman, to be hitting the high 8's. It beat Joe Riggerillo's Mustang II that is in a magazine article earlier in this post. The article was posted by Tenney showing Joe's car and a few others in 1976 at the Nugget restaurant at the High End Club meeting on Thursday nights.

[SD421]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

The 1967 GTO on the left is the automatic Bobcat driven by Dick Jesse. The 1967 GTO on the right, with the engine hanging above it, is the 4 speed stick shift blue printed Bobcat driven by John "Cheater" Politzer, aka the 1966 GeeTo Mystery Tiger.

So these are the two infamous GTO's mentioned in Wangers book?? Where they switched from the automatic to the stick and the passenger in the beaten Corvette said they had been "Had"??

Don

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Yep, these are the two infamous 1967 GTO's. Enlarge the photos and you'll see the front license plate are only one number different. The GTO's plate on the left is CN 5555 while the GTO on the right is CN 5556. Both cars where white with black top and red interior. Now how many of that combination are around?

Dave Warren drove in the first race. Beat the ex-Royal customer's '67 Hemi then lost to the '65 Vette. Put out claim that rocker broke after the Vette owner bragged he beat Royal. It was then John Ploitzer who drove in the second race and did the switch to the 4 speed GTO after leaving the restaurant in the automatic GTO. Beat the Vette then switched back to the automatic GTO before returning to the restaurant.

The Automatic car went onto "CARS Magazine" and became the magazines lettered race car. Several articles on that car by Marty Shorr, including his resent book about "Motion Performance". Jim Wangers was not real happy with the car being returned with a blown engine and lettered up.

Great story of how the car was dropped off at the Red Ball Garage. Marty was told to meet some guy at the Red Ball garage at a set time in the evening. A GTO would be given to him. John Politzer arrived with the '67 GTO. Gets out of the car. Marty had never met John before. John, doesn't introduce himself. He just asks, are you Marty Shorr? Marty says, yes. John says nothing more. Hands Marty the keys and walks off into the dark. Marty didn't know what to do. This guy says nothing and hands over the keys and disappears into the darkness. Marty was a little unhinged. LOL This is typical Politzer. The mystery man. Very much like early "Fonzie" cool. Marty tells this story in his book.

[SD421]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

Yep, these are the two infamous 1967 GTO's. Enlarge the photos and you'll see the front license plate are only one number different. The GTO's plate on the left is CN 5555 while the GTO on the right is CN 5556. Both cars where white with black top and red interior. Now how many of that combination are around?

Dave Warren drove in the first race. Beat the ex-Royal customer's '67 Hemi then lost to the '65 Vette. Put out claim that rocker broke after the Vette owner bragged he beat Royal. It was then John Ploitzer who drove in the second race and did the switch to the 4 speed GTO after leaving the restaurant in the automatic GTO. Beat the Vette then switched back to the automatic GTO before returning to the restaurant.

The Automatic car went onto "CARS Magazine" and became the magazines lettered race car. Several articles on that car by Marty Shorr, including his resent book about "Motion Performance". Jim Wangers was not real happy with the car being returned with a blown engine and lettered up.

Great story of how the car was dropped off at the Red Ball Garage. Marty was told to meet some guy at the Red Ball garage at a set time in the evening. A GTO would be given to him. John Politzer arrived with the '67 GTO. Gets out of the car. Marty had never met John before. John, doesn't introduce himself. He just asks, are you Marty Shorr? Marty says, yes. John says nothing more. Hands Marty the keys and walks off into the dark. Marty didn't know what to do. This guy says nothing and hands over the keys and disappears into the darkness. Marty was a little unhinged. LOL This is typical Politzer. The mystery man. Very much like early "Fonzie" cool. Marty tells this story in his book.

Such a great story!! Just curious but I thought Wangers said in his book it was Dave Warren who raced the Hemi and then the Vette with the "stick" car. I would never have known it was Politzer except you telling the story.

Another thing I just noticed is that both Goats are running Hurst wheels. I thought they had realized by that point according to Schornack's book that they were too heavy for racing?

Don

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

The Hurst wheels could never be part of the options because they where too heavy. Pretty much comon knowlege. Jim Wangers worked very closely with George Hurst.

Jack "Doc" Watson, Hurst's Shifty Doctor, will be the first to tell you those wheels should never have been released. Not just due to weight, but because the different materials did not jell well. The outside rim being a different alloy material then the inner spokes and the bolts that held the rim to the spoke was a third metal. Eventually they would stress, fracture and come apart.

Jim helped where he could. Jim put Hurst wheels on as many of the press cars as he could when they where released in 1965 through 1966 The first set released to the public are still on the white 1965 GTO 4 speed convertible given away at Motor Trend 500. At the same time Jim had Pontiac supply George Hurst with Pontiacs. Many of the Hurst Corp. Pontiac's, full size wagon's, Bonnie's and GTO's all had gold Hurst wheels to compliment the Hurst/Tiger Gold paint.

Hurst show cased the wheels on their Hemi Underglass cars too.

Bottom line...Jim Wangers being the great promoter was helping everyone by show casing their products. Pontiac Motors, Ace Wilson's Royal Pontiac, Hurst, Cure Ride, Schiefer Clutch, Doug's Headers, Car's Magazine et.al.

It didn't matter about the weight to Royal. Jim had made sure that orders on the line were that all Royal press cars would be built minus dumb dumb and sound deading.This would otherwise be automaticlly added weight to every car that moved down the assembly line.

Ace Wilson's Royal Pontiac was PMD's off sight engineering test center. After 6PM that is when the PMD/Royal Racing Team would be put in gear. They changed their uniforms from Ace Wilson's Royal to Pontiac Engineering.

Trailers from PMD would bring cars for guys like Frank Redicker, Win Brown, Chuck Broomfield, Clarence Walters, Dick Jesse ,Joe Voytesh ,Sid and Dave Warren, Brian Ballish,John Politzer, Van Seymore, Meryl Wittkier, Bill Schmitz and many I forgot. They'd work the cars over and a few hours later or early the next day they went back into the trailers and off to PMD for evaluation.

The Royal cars, when driven correctly should have won every race in their class.

In 1969 Dave Warren, Brian Ballish and John Politzer took Royal's '69 Firebird 350HO car to the east cost. John laid down a blazingly fast 11.80's ET. during qualifing. It was well under the NHRA record. The NHRA track tech inspector came over to them and said I don't know what you have done to this car but I suggest you leave now before you are torn down and band. The car was perfectly legal but the way they were asked to leave was more of a threat.

To this day both Dave and Brian would love to duplicate that Firebird. Brian say's it was just a matter of everything coming together and working well. The combination had been suggested for the original 350 HO, 48 Heads and 744 cam shaft. According to Brain the problem was this combination actually produced more than hp then the 400 with the 068 cam shaft. This was the combination that would have been used in Jim Wangers Road Runner fighter the Tempest post coupe, ET. John Delorean didn't want a 350 to be faster than a 400 GTO or Firebird 400. He felt it would hurt sales. So when the 350 HO was realeasd it had the lesser 068 cam shaft.

[brut4s]

Love that artical on the cheater. I have the magazine and read it every now and then.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

That article is a great read. Brock Yates really captures the way John "Cheater" Politzer was, and can be at times. Confident and un ruffled.

You would have to have seen Terry Kosins and you'd know why he was called "Peanuts". He usually had some one else drive his cars. We don't beleive he could see over the steering wheel and reach the peddles at the same time.

Terry bought the black Ferrari Daytona convertible replica from the Miami Vice TV series. The series wanted to it used to refilm the car being blown up. Terry told them where to stick it. In approx. 1986 I passed him in my '84 Vette and I thought it was a kid driving it before I realized it was Terry. Boy he just never got any taller. LOL He evetually sold it for a Testarossa.

Unfortunately, Terry died a few years ago.

[SD421]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

That article is a great read. Brock Yates really captures the way John "Cheater" Politzer was, and can be at times. Confident and un ruffled.

Doctor,
Would you know or has Politzer ever discussed that night in the article and what he was running under the hood?
Sounds like Peanut had a stroked 421 to make it a 430 cu in.

Don

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Don,
You do realize that article was 1967? 44 years ago. Yes, Terry did have a 430 under the hood. I'm sure I'll be talking to John Politzer today. If not over the weekend.

I used to run into Terry's brother Art "the Dart" from time to time and I can ask him about Terry's '65. I even had a 421 in my '65. Many guys turned down the mains on the larger 421 and 428 cranks to fit them into a 389 or 400 block. Along with boring the block .030 - .060.

[SD421]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

Don,
You do realize that article was 1967? 44 years ago. I'm sure I'll be talking to John Politzer today. If not over the weekend.
I used to run into Terry's brother Art "the Dart" from time to time. I'll try to remember to ask him, if neither John or Jim Wangers remember. It is a given that Terry had a 421. I even had a 421 in my '65. Many guys turned down the mains on the larger 421 and 428 cranks to fit them into a 389 or 400 block.

lol Yes, I realize that. I just figured if I had been in a car magazine I would still remember the events and how I had my car set up that night etc..

Oh well, you seem to have a good memory for detail. : )

Don

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Don,
I can't even remember all the combinations I had in my cars over the last, OMG almost 50 years. Even when I was interviewed for the few magazines and books I've been in over the last 20 years. I can't remember most of the combinations. Heck I can't remember what I had for Dinner last night. LOL

The other problem is Terry "Peanuts" died a few years ago (8-10 yrs ago). Besides Terry and Arthur came from a wealthy family and had their cars built for them. They had them constantly worked on. Different combinations etc.

As for John "Cheater" Politzer remembering. John, was in many magazines back in the day and drove the GeeTo Tigers. When he wasn't doing that he would also wrench on the cars. At times he would just pick up one of the Royal cars and Jim Wangers for a night street racing. Most of the time they spent just sitting at the Big Town restaurant on Woodward Ave north of 13 Mile Rd (now it's the Avenue Dinner) and just bench race with others. John shifted more by sound then by the tach. John never new what the Warren Bro's or Brain had done to the cars. He just drove them the heck out of them.

John had many cars from 1959. Starting with a '57 Chevy and '60 Chevrolet that where very fast for the time. At the time John's hero was a guy by the name of Ron Ivy. Ron had and still owns a Chevy Del Ray Coupe with W-motor. Began as 348 then became a 409. John was good friends with Dick Aaron and would help wrench on Dicks early Chevy's and go to the Nationals with him. John went onto to partner with Bob Lemon on a 1963 Chevy with an Aluminum front end 409 car. In '64 John was sponsored by a Ford Dealer in a 390 car while one of his freinds drove a 427. The dealership also sponsored a Fairlane Thunderbolt. John would drive Wally Booth's Class winning Trumbell Chevrolet '66 Chevelle in match races on the street. John had '66 Nova 327/350 hp car that he and Dwayne Head, in one afternoon, changed and tested three different cam shafts in that Nova. John went on to having a '67 Catalina 2+2 that JIm Wangers was helpfull in getting it for John.

These are only a few of John's cars. I'm not going into my cars. Understanding my family owned several scrap yards and autoparts stores. I could have driven a different car every day of the week, and did. But end up walking the next week after breaking one. LOL

Back to Royal Pontiac set ups. They would set up two identical GTO's. Send John Politzer out in one to race Billy Schmitz in the other as a base line. Then they would make a change on only one of the cars and send the two of them back out onto the street and test to see the best combinations. They ran on Main St. just north of the dealership between two cemeteries toward 12 Mile Rd. This was Royal's test strip.

We ran my '68 GTO convertible against the Wangers '69 Judge on this strip for Jim's DVD on Cruis'n with Jim Wangers. We also had a film crew from HOT ROD TV and the History Chanel riding along in the cars too.

And you want us to remember some one else's engine....LOL

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Now after that long dissertation..LOL If you can make out the picture from the Brock Yates article. John is driving the white with black top, red interior '67 GTO 4 speed car with Jim Wangers gold '67 Firebird in the closer lane.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Don,
I just spoke to John Politzer about Terry's '65 GTO. First the engine was built by Dickie Aarons. You'd have to call Dickie for the spec's.

John said the reason Terry's car was so fast was due to all of the accidents he had. Things falling off the car. LOL Like the license plate, as discribed by Brock Yates.

John said when Terry raced the car he would disappear out of sight, under the steering wheel during the one two shift and three four shift. One night during one of Terry's one two shifts he ran into a fire hydrant in Huntington Woods. (A city that boaders Woodward on the west side between 10 Mile Rd and 11 Mile Rd). Royal Oak is just across Woodward from Huntington Woods.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

I just looked at the pictures of the Black Bird lined up against the wall at AMCI with the Wangers plated Judge, Vette and next to the Monza. That is me bent over the drivers side fender working in the Judge's engine compartment.

It was probably some late night with nothing to do but hang out at AMCI! LOL

[SD421]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

Don,
As for John "Cheater" Politzer remembering. John, was in many magazines back in the day and drove the GeeTo Tigers. When he wasn't doing that he would also wrench on the cars. At times he would just pick up one of the Royal cars and Jim Wangers for a night street racing.

Oh, I didnt realize Politzer was driving whatever GTO might be available to him on a given night. I thought it was his OWN GTO that was reported in the article.

Now that must have been something to be able to just grab the car that was running the fastest at that time and going out looking for a race. BTW I thought that was a funny word to be calling the guys that were "Wannabe" street racers, "Strokers"?

Don

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Nope. John was driving the white with black top blue printed with headers Royal '67 GTO 4 speed car from the GTO switch story.

In '67 Jim also had a couple of '67 Firebird press cars and other GTO's and a Catalina 2+2 428 4 speed. Some car were registered to Jim others to the factory and even to the Dealership. John drive most of the cars.

Jim had factory supplied press cars as well as, factory engineering cars and Ace Wilson Royal supplied cars. Most of the time Jim's cars were left at the Dealership to be kept in tune. But, the catch was his Royal cars were used as a "Demo"and could be sold at any time. Jim would arrive some days at the Dealership and his "Demo" had been sold. LOL

In 1967 there was to be a "Mystery Firebird" program like the "Geeto Tiger" program of the prior two years but with two Firebirds. John Politzer did drive the "Mystery Bird" during some trials. But the program was canceled before it got off the ground when the insurance company backed out and would not cover the program once they realised the kind of potential exposure and liability. The Firebirds were retuned to the factory.

Here is a picture of John testing the "Mystery Firebird" and changing the shifter. More of the car on the next page.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Here is the last page of the "Mystery Firebird"