Ingenue...World's only Buick-powered Buick Funny Car

Hey thanks,I'm in Marina but I currently have Ingenue stored in Salinas.
After the holidays,I'm going to start the process of selling all the strret cars I own and start the restoration on both drag cars,probably the dragster first.

Here's my Chevelle that was just featured in the Jan '11 issue of CHP.
I've been lucky to have them all featured in magazines with 2 covers to my credit so I feel like I've done with them what I can and it's time for some new blood to take over and drive these cars like they really should be driven.

 

Cool...PM sent.

Wicked50Coupe,
Yes,I spoke w/Steve,that was where I got the picture of Ingenue with the red headers...Steve has had that one for years and I sent him a packet of pics for him to drool on,lol.

 

I'm seeing red pants in your future.

 

LOL...don't think so...we still got a pair of the old flower power pants when they ran the gold dragster,problem is no one can fit in them now though...

PS: Just got off the phone with Steve Strope,he says his Buick is finally in the shop and the drivetrain is out.He still wants to fly up after the holidays,will take plenty of pics when that happens.

 

great story! great car!!!

 

man that is a beautiful car....congrats

 

Thanks guys...we're loving life over here!

Merry Christmas to all and keep searching for those barn finds...they're out there!

 

the car nearly got turned into a bbc powered bracket racer in the mid 90s by Pete (whom Guffey boutght it from). I was able to convince him not to go that root and start looking for the pieces to put a Buick back into it. As all too often, time and money ran short and Guffey made an offer that Pete took.
I really wanted the car but I knew there was no way I could have had it restored properly, and I can't afford a trophy like that in my garage. Still have a nice b/w 8 1/2 x14 pic in the shop though.

 

Thanks for that info DualQuad55,I appreciate you guys stepping forward.
Is the pic in your garage one you took or one from back when it was racing?

 

Are you NicktheBandits son by chance ?

 

Awesome car

 

I was enamored when I read about that car in the Hotrod mag, and to see it heresd,c (&%qre]ptij......sorry-just drooled all over the keyboard again. Kind of a big buick fan myself, so it's real cool to read about it here.
Got to be the coolest buick I've ever seen.

 

QUOTE=guffey;6002549]Are you NicktheBandits son by chance ?
Guffey-dont tell anyone.

John, The pic was an old promo type shot. A side view withthe body up. If I can get a computer running at my house I can try to load the pic for you.
Pete had about a half dozen pics taken back when the car was competing, most were sourced from vintage pic dealers etc...
I can try to get ahold of Pete and see if he still has any. Obviously most were taken locally like Etown and Maple Grove.

 

Wow!!!

 

truly a******in car

 

my first new car was a 66 grand sport so i have a soft spot for this car. a local fellow ted rose ran several factory sponsored gs i believe a 66-67 and 68 they were also red ran as tr/s trick toys reminded me a lot of your car. this is really great. merry christmas

 

Anything you can find Joe would be most appreciated...

Thanks guys for all the nice comments,I was 10 years old when this car was built,I remember seeing it on the table getting constructed and was at Englishtown the very first time it ran...so yeah,it gives me a chubby every time I see it.
Thanks again for the interest,here's somemore from what I have on file,if you guys don't mind viewing:

Chromed Wildcat rearend with M/T center section and 2.90 gears:
















From the Hot Rod shoot,Wes Allison was such a professional to work with:

 

Front wheel detail:


Original AR weights:


Directional tires in 1967...who woulda thunk it?


Underhood looking towards the grille:

 

My next project...










Original Tom Hanna body:






Back to the Buick:


Looks like these lenses were laid into the mold backwards and upside down:

 

Original pictures:


Front mag drive off the cam,dry-sump system driven off the crank,all one-off pieces:




Twin car,run by Ron Pelligrini:


Beware,'68 Skylark w/Romeo Palamedes "slipper" chassis that didn't work very well:


Coney Island Ralph Landolphi in Ingenue:


Thanks for looking guys...and Merry Christmas to all!

 

seriously bad****.....

 

Howdy John:
Say with regards to the FC. One pic shows the steering seemingly disappearing into the top rail as though its a Rack car . The other shot shows a Box halfway sticking out the floor with a steer rod off a Pittman arm going down the left side... obviously some changes to the car with time. Which way is it now/?

The car is great. I showed it to my Bro who is a Buick fan and had a pretty neat GS before he went off to Vietnam..

Anyway best to you and good luck with the FED.
Luke
.

 

Sharp eye Luke...

The promo pic w/Ralphie in the car shows the box 1/2 out,that was bone-stock original.
The later original pic of the motor does show the box has vanished under the tin...which is how it is now.

I had not noticed that,I'll have to ask dad if he knows why it was changed...

 

A northern CA racer,***** LaPlante, ran a couple Buick Funny cars in the sixties. There were a few Buick FCs back then, but not many.
I got the 401 nailhead out of his first alcohol Buick FC about '66 or '67 as he was building a new car with the 430 Buick motor. I converted the Hilborn injection to gas and ran the nailhead in an A/SR, but blew the motor before I got it all sorted out, just before heading to Nam. ...but the power produced by that Buick motor was enormous, and the acceleration was something I can never forget!

 

Very awesome, dig the use of the V-supercharger. Dont see that much.

 

This is AWESOME x 34567890876543578!

 

Thanks guys and thanks Chuckles...me and a buddy from work were viewing some of your video's the other day,he's a big Falcon guy,has a 2-dr wagon,early car,forget what year but wanted to say I dig your car too...big time,love gassers!

 

I'm not kidding....this thing is my 2nd favorite drag car only to be outdone by the showboat/wagon master. If it had a nailhead, it would be a tie.

Trade for the Strange Bird? hahahaha

 

LOL...thanks Chuckles for the kind words.

 

Very cool