L. A. Street Racing Archive late 70's to ?

Whittier blvd.... and long beach for me ..... what ,,, no one mentioned big willie ????? he was L.A. street racing ... you had to have some tall cash to play his game ...

 

For those who haven't seen it here is a 2 Part article about Big Willie in the MOPAR ENTHUSIAST MAGAZINE.

Part 1... July 2010.

http://editions.amospublishing.com/MPRE/default.aspx?d=20100701

Part 2... August 2010.

http://editions.amospublishing.com/MPRE/default.aspx?d=20100801

 

XLNT! I was so proud when he asked me to join. I'd like to have those 2 magazines for my collection. Me (on the right) and Super Jew (Harlan) on Van Nuys last Summer

 

Are you saying you read those two articles in 14 minutes?
You must read the same way you drive.

Cool jackets BTW.

 

Cool! Then I will say Hi
I thought that might be you
LOL...that was a great race!
Those were fun times for sure...
I got a new toy going to be out soon...not a gm this time...something different..its almost done
kinda took a break from the high dollar racing..the wallet needed a break..ha ha

 

here is a pic

 

early-mid 80's lacr street racer day

 

lacr 80's

 

That's COOL! Me in my 67 Camaro. Thanks, I just printed that. There just weren't many cameras back then as there is nowadays

 

That's Bottle Bob's 82 Camaro I used to work on. Looks like he's setting out Andy Spiegal's 69

 

2nd pic looks like your Nova, and the last pic looks like Lee in the far lane with one of his customer's cars (Dennis?). I remember Lee got that thing running pretty good, but Dennis would never race it for some reason. Near lane last pic looks like Bud and Andy's Vega

 

Groucho:

You mean "our" '67 Camaro.

It was a big hit in the Las Vegas street racing scene when I moved there. With the 13" slicks off the '82 Camaro and with the hidden unit plus a carb unit - it was in the mid 10's. Respectable in it's day for a relatively non-radical small block.

 

NOthing but respect for the Street racers! Had the honor of spending some timewith Willie in the late 70s early 80s,I woulda givin anything to earn that patch!

 

Groucho:

Ah yes, the Gray '82 Big Block Camaro, a fun car. When leaving hard with the 13" wide slicks it would twist the (non sub-frame connected) uni-body enough to lift the left front wheel 4-6" while leaving the right front wheel on the ground. I'm surprised it never cracked the windshield during all those gyrations.

Many iterations of Big Blocks in that car. 454's, 468's, even a 482. Iron heads, alum heads. Nitrous, then a 6-71 Blower, then the Blower AND two Nitrous carb plates. I think it was the 482 under the Blower that spit a piston right out the side of the block on the big end at LACR on one of those street race days. Oil all over the track, and I almost didn't make the turn at the end for sliding on all the oil. So much for block integrity after boring it .125 over. LOL

It was a street car and I got a couple of tickets for "obstructed view" because of the Blower sticking through the hood. Fun times indeed!

 

Haha. I remember when it blew a chunk of the front left corner of the engine block off. The huge piece was dangling from one or two oil pan bolts. You accused me of making the power steering pump bracket too tight, remember? LOL

 

Thanks!
Ive got more pics. I will post in the next few days. I used to take alot of pics back in the day. I worked in the photo industry, so always had a camera around to shoot pics.

Here are 2 more: top one is from orange county last super chevy '84
bottom one is our blown bbc camaro @ lacr for one of the early muscle car races circa early'90s

 

Cool! I'm dying to see what you have of my Anglia

 

I think thats Brad Lagman racing Lee in the Vega picture.

 

Still have my Street racer colors...The jacket is just a wee bit too tight for me now...LOL Like 3 sizes too small.....Willie IS still a great guy. Saw him at the last night at LACR.

 

groucho's cars mid 80's lacr "street race days"
cool track race, often cars were set out space, no times, etc

 

touch of class anglia/thames and more of the blue camaro

 

correct. lee said brad lagman was driving the black race car vega, he was in the street car vega.

 

Anglia was driven by Duke Gardella.

 

more pics of lee's street black vega
this car had quite a extensive street race history
i took this pic mid 80's a few years before lee and i became a item
i saw the car race quite a bit
i have video from fremont in the 80's of the car running 9.96 thru mufflers with slicks,sbc on juice, low 10's at lacr

 

more pics from lacr
street race day mid 80's

 

more pics

 

Yes, those shots were after I sold/traded the Anglia to Duke.

 

I dunno. It sure looks like the Vega that Bud Trembly and Andy Spiegal had

 

GREAT pictures! The white Vette looks like Bruce Hess, the 70 Chevelle John "Skippy" Menukian, and the red Camaro sure looks like that 4-speed bad ass car from Simi Valley (Gary?). Man that Camaro was fun to watch on the street

 

I never knew you had that car before Duke. Always liked that car. I had the wagon version in high school. Lost track of Duke and the car years ago. Fast Eddie gave me some info, but nothing really good. Duke loved to drive it wheels up.

All the pic sure bring back memories of my time at LACR workin for Bernie... Weekends at Bernie's..