[Wareagle]

Eric - anything on the White 74 SD455 T/A parked by your Blackbird .

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by Wareagle

Eric - anything on the White 74 SD455 T/A parked by your Blackbird .

That is John Nicholas' T/A. John had been featured in "Pontiac Enthusiast" magazine a few years ago. John had 3 or 4 T/A SD 455's at the same time. All of them are bone stock.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by Old Man Taylor

It was nice seeing you at Norwalk Eric - and thanks for dinner.

Jim,
It was nice meeting you at Norwalk. It was my pleasuer to treat you, Jim and Dave for dinner at Norwalk.

Talk to you soon.

Eric

[Wareagle]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

That is John Nicholas' T/A. John had been featured in "Pontiac Enthusiast" magazine a few years ago. John had 3 or 4 T/A SD 455's at the same time. All of them are bone stock.

Cool - Thanks - Have seen a few that were tricked to 1970 standards - higher compression etc. that would take no back seat to anyone - this is mine from the early 80's - setup to HO Racings specs - 450 HP - Wish I still had it - your thoughts .

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Ok, I think I finally got it. I hope my 2012 Norwalk pictures loaded.

We found a 1967 GTO in the same unusal color combination as the two 1967 GTO's used in the "switch". White coupe with black vinyl top and red interior.

You know the story when Dave Warren was sent out to race a past Royal customer who bought a new 1967 Hemi because he didn't think the new '67 GTO 400 Bobcat was as fast as a Hemi. Jim Wangers sent Dave out and raced and beat the ex- customer with the Royal automatic test car. The automatic car had the basic Bobcat kit on it. No head porting no cam etc.

Dave was told to only race the customer and bring the car back. Well, Dave felt pretty good about how the new '67 ran and a couple year old Vette with a big mouthguy driving egged Dave on. Dave took up the challenge and lost. The Vette owner told everyone how badly he beat Royal. This pissed off Jim.

Since they also had a blue printed 4 speed twin 1967 GTO taht no one had seen yet. It was thought they could pull a switch on this guy and on one would notice. The word was put out that after Dave race the Hemi a rocker fell off and he was only running on 7 cly and wanted a rematch. The two GTO's not only looked a like but their license plates where only one number apart. (look earlier in this thread and you will see the two cars. One picture has Dick Jesse in the automatic car on the left and John Politzer in the stick car on the right)

The Vette guy felling real good about his win excepted the challenge. The Royal car showed up at the restaurant with John "Cheater" Politzer at the wheel of the automatic car. Everyone wanted to see under the hood of the Vette but he said it would cost them $100 to see under the hood. No hoods where lifted. They agreed to meet on the freeway then after the race they would meet back at the restaurant.

On the way to the freeway John took a slight detour off the main road and jumped into the 4 speed blue printed Bobcat. John lined up against the Vette. They launched and John never looked back. The guy in the Vette was so stunned he never even realized that John had shifted three times.

On the way back to the restaurant John switched back to the automatic car. When they got back the guy in the Vette came over to pay the $100 and admit that the Royal Bobcat where fast. Jim Wangers told him to hold onto his money and lifted the hood of the GTO declaring they had nothing to hide.

A few months later several articles on the two GTO's appeared in several magazines. The guy in the Vette came yelling at Jim Wangers and the guys that he had been had! The Royal guys just laughted at him and told him he'll just ever know.

Here are a few pictures of the original Geeto Tiger "Mystery" driver, John "Cheater" Politzer, along side the new Geeto Tiger who took on and beat many of the professional racers of the time. John did not see very many red lights. He would stand near the starting line practicing his reaction against the lights until it was time for him to run. Practice makes perfect!

There is a photo of the original 1966 Geeto Tigers being towed. That is John "Cheater" Politzer in the driver's seat. Many times people think it is Milt Schorneck in the photos. John Politzer and Milt have almost identical profiles. But they look nothing a like straight on. John was the only 1966 Mystery Tiger until the very last race to reveal the "Tiger". Then John had to race, without the Tiger suit, against a poor driving George Hurst who now wore the Tiger Suit. John had to really sand bag to loose this one. Then George Hurst was unmasked as the "Mystery Tiger". Some guys get all the credit while others get none. lol

Another picture of John "Cheater" Politzer flanked by Dave Anderson, current Geeto Tiger driver and Jim Wangers at the 2012 Tri-Power Nationals at Norwalk.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by Wareagle

Cool - Thanks - Have seen a few that were tricked to 1970 standards - higher compression etc. that would take no back seat to anyone - this is mine from the early 80's - setup to HO Racings specs - 450 HP - Wish I still had it - your thoughts .

My thoughts...lol

There are many cars that I wish I still owned too. But then I think about all of the hours I put into them to keep improving them to just keep them running. I don't want to work on them that much any more. Just turn the key and go.

If you really want another you have to make a few choices to make. (1)You could relive the past and duplicate what you had. (2) Buy a non numbers matching '74 and use all of the modern engine parts that are out there. Make the car better then your old one used to be. (3) Get a totally original numbers matching car and keep it that way and watch it go up in value while maintaining its originality.

Look over e-bay. One of my freinds, John Kraft who lives in Milford across from the GM Proving Grounds has several T/A's on ebay right now. They are for the most part in need of work.

I was with Tom Goad (retired Chevrolet, PMD and GM, engineer special projects, program director wore many hats throughout his time at GM) in Birmingham most of Dream Cruise Saturday. Tom is to get the credit for the 1989 Turbo T/A going into production. He coordinated the effort with the plant in California and an outside vender to build them all at one time.

Tom still has the 1974 T/A 455SD that he had given to his son Doug when it was new. Tom had sent Doug's car to Royal Automotive where Brian Ballish modifed it first for street racing. Then as time went on the car was lowered for road racing. It too is white.

I ran against Doug in 1974 with my 1971 Nova in front of other hot cars parked the famous Woodward Ave Maverick's Drive In, above Normandy (13 1/2 Mile Rd). I had pulled away from Doug so quickly it caused a modified Road Runner 440 6 Pack and Chevelle SS 454 to come hunting for me. This is a story for another time...LOL

The choice is really up to you.

[Dr HEMI]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

Ok, I think I finally got it.

Dr. Eric - Somewhat but not quite. Those expandable thumbnails suck a lot
of bandwidth out of your forum. Better to load the photos onto a web
hosting site like Photobucket or Fotki and then copy their address links
into the field that opens up when you click the square yellow box (second
from the right above where you type your message). This way you can post
large pictures and there are no detrimental effects to this website. Here are
your pics after processing through my Photobucket account.

[Wareagle]

Eric - cool story about Tom Goads 74 SD - I was the 2nd owner of mine - the original owner bought it for Strip / Street - it was a bare bones option car no AC etc. would beat his friends modified 70 LS6 454 Chevelle by an average of 2 or 3 car lengths everytime - the closest races he had were against a 69 427 Camaro - it was usually about half a car length for either car- it was fun driving that SD when I had it - with its 3400 stall etc. it would pull hard like no other car I've been in - HO RACING sure knew their stuff .

[Wareagle]

A little more about the SD that I owned as much as I can remember - it had HO Racings hottest street cam - Rhoads lifters sounded more like solids - Torker intake - Race jetted Quadrajet - Big tube Headers - sub frame connectors - no traction bars - 12 Bolt 3.55 - reverse manual auto - had to start out in first but what a thing of beauty when you clicked 2nd you were gone - it was a Optimum street version of HO Racings SS 74 SD455 T/A Record Holder .

[Keith Seymore]

Got caught in the background of a Dream Cruise 2012 photo. In the Grand Prix; apparently from Wednesday evening:



I apologize for posting this link to a Camaro site but there are a ton of nice Pontiacs represented in here -

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244037

Thanks, Tenney for pointing this out to me (...all the way from Southern California).

K

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

I got caught by the Detroit News on Tuesday, Dream Cruise Week, at Duggan's. Duggan's is called the Center of the cruise where the local TV and radio stations broadcast from.

Duggan's has a picture of both the Black Bird and Silver Bullet up stairs.

I was on my way there when the alternator choose not to make the trip. I turned around and brought my '68 GTO instead. The Bird did make it to the Dream Cruise and was on display on Old Woodward in downtown Birmingham Saturday. With new alternator of course. LOL

http://multimedia.detroitnews.com/pi...910_504.JPGEpi

Hopefully, the Detroit News site is still up. Maybe some one else can post the picture. I did save it to my Facebook account maybe it can be pulled from there. I'm too much of a novice with this stuff...lol

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Got caught in the background of a Dream Cruise 2012 photo. In the Grand Prix; apparently from Wednesday evening:



I apologize for posting this link to a Camaro site but there are a ton of nice Pontiacs represented in here -

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244037

Thanks, Tenney for pointing this out to me (...all the way from Southern California).

K

Keith,
It looks like you are heading to the Original Pancake House on your right.

[Dr HEMI]

Anybody going to be at the Gratiot Cruise Sunday?

[Tenney]

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/24/g...-dream-cruise/

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Pictures of the Blackbird in storage and coming out of hibernation for the 2012 Dream Cruise.

I can't believe I clicked off over 750 shots from a week on Woodward and I did not take one picture of the Blackbird while there.

Fortunately...Sam, my son, while driving the GTO took a photo of me coming up on him in his side view mirror as we left Woodward. Nice creative shot!

I have to got to get the 'bird out a few more times and stretch its legs before I put it away for another year.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

I found the online Detroit News photo taken of me and the GTO on Tuesday Dream Cruise week at Diggan's Irish Pub.

Then with the GTO on Thursday at Little Daddy's in Bloomfield Hills on Woodward south of Long Lake Rd.

[jmt455]

Doctor Eric,
Here's a shot of the Blackbird...



We looked around for you, but didn't see you.
Joe

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Joe,
I'm sorry I missed you. Thank you posting a photo of the Blackbird for everyone to see. You must have come between 10AM and noon. I had taken a walk to Pasteiner's Auto Zone Book store at 14 Mile Rd.

I wanted to take picture of the three El Morroco's that where brought up from Ohio and on display at the Auto Zone. Two 1957's, one convertible and one hard top. along with a 1956 convertible. In 1964-65 we owned a dark blue El Morroco convertible. I swear it was a 1957 and my dad insists it was a 1956. Which ever year it was there were only a handful ever built in 1956 and 1957.

Funny story. While the ower of the three El Morroco's and I where talking a guy came up to me and said I beat you wish you could own one of these. The current owner and I replied together, " already owned one. Been there did that." What are the chances two people would come up with the exact same response? LOL. The guy who made the comment hunched his shoulders and slithered away.



Did you talk to the guy sitting in the chair behind the red 1947 Chevrolet convertible next to the Blackbird in your picture? That is John "Cheater" Politzer the original driver of the Blackbird as well as being Royal's street racer/ Mystery Tiger. The empty blue chair next to John is mine.

Another person that was sitting off to the left out of lens sight behind a 2006 GTO was retired PMD Special Projects director Tom Goad.

Once again thank you for posting.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Found a series of old articles on Pontiac's Exotic Engines. It is a nice grouping of articles on the development of the 389 and 421 Super Duty, Ram Air IV, Ram Air V and the backroom development of what could have been the Ram Air VI and Ram Air VII.

Pontiac may not have been officially in racing but PMD engineering tried to succeed in spite of resistance from Corp. At times even their own management.

The Blackbird was a result of alot of this backroom engineering. Remember Jim Wangers asked Russ Gee for some of the parts to build the Blackbird as a "what if".

First the 389 and 421 Super Duty

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

The 389 and 421 Super Duty race program was put a side to develop great Pontiac street engines.

This article helps you understand why the Blackbird with it's Ram Air IV heads can be run up to 6,500 RPM's with no problem.