Boston Ma area - Street Racing in 60's remember this car?

The last time we went there in October the infamous coffee rolls were over $5 and they put them in a cake box individually.I think it took us 3 days to eat it all.
I remember a time when if you didn't get there before 9am they were all sold out.All their donuts were great(especially the glazed ones)but the coffee rolls were legendary!
I'm not sure how long they've been in business but they were a thriving concern when I was in junior high school(56-57).
Kelly's Roast Beef was another great place.Actually ALL the roast beef shops had great sandwiches.Bill & Bob's;John's on Western Ave in Lynn.Another great place that I enjoyed was Murray & Eddie's Deli on Broadway in Chelsea.Best corned beef and pastrami sandwiches ever.Shit;my mouth is watering just thinking about them!
Sadly the Midwest does not have anything resembling a Kelly's or a Kane's.The only roast beef sandwiches you can get are at Arby's and I wouldn't feed my dog their roast beef.

 

I am starving now safari! I may have to go to Kelly's tonight!

 

RIGHT!!! Rub it in! If I want to go there it takes about 16 hours.Of course if I wanted to drive to Michigan International Speedway(but not this weekend)it is only about 25 minutes.

Seriously Massachusetts has got to have the best if not the most restaurants of all.I remember going to the Wharf in Revere for lobster and popovers and paying less than $15 for two lobsters.Out here lobster averages about $28 -$30 for ONE chicken lobster.And if you want popovers they look at you like you're from another planet.
Roast beef sandwich shops are non-existant;steak houses like the Hilltop likewise.The only thing good is we don't have the traffic congestion.Even on race weekend;the peak traffic doesn't even equal what Route 1 in Saugus looks like on an average night.

 

wharf just closed...Italian place going in...Henry family still has Mt Vernon in somerville and opened in the shop on route one.............i just took a walk down to Lynn beach and chowed a roast beef earlier

 

Delong, McGerigle and Barko bought an earlier version of the Powers & Riley car. The car was run as The Mad Russian AA/FD. Later Barko would drop out and the car was repainted Delong & McGerigle's Blue Blazer. The car was later sold to Bernie Regals.
The Strokers bought their car from P&R in 1970. They sold the car in1977 to someone in Canada. Someone in Connecticut ended up with the car about ten years ago, he updated it to run blown alky. I saw the car several times at NED, but has dropped out of sight again.

 

Church Key..I bet you can help me find an old coupe to build...

 

So...Jack?
Ray?
Why haven't you guys written books yet?!?!?

 

Can't speak for Jack but I wrote a book in 1991 that I decided not to publish for a variety of reasons;mostly because there was a lot of personal stuff in it.I was going through a divorce at the time.It was quite an experience just to put down on paper what you are feeling.Wrote 300 pages in longhand in 4 days and nights living on coffee and cigarettes and a little Wild Turkey thrown in for good measure.Took a year and a half to type it into something resembling coherence.By that time I felt it wasn't necessary to publish it although a friend who helped edit it worked for a publisher who was interested in it.

For the past several years on and off I've been working on two other books;one of which has to do with my striping career and the other stories of my collecting of pocket knives which has been going on since I was ten.Been too busy lately to work on either of them.

Still have a couple copies of the first book.My friend had ten printed that I could use to submit in case I changed my mind about publishing.I also have the original manuscript filed away somewhere.

 

I wrote a small story about the Malden scene, that was in the second version of Cool Cars Square Roll Bars. I am proud that the old neighborhood was included in the book. My story covered just Edmund St., Main St. and a few surrouding blocks. With this thread, we can expand on other areas.

 

Here is another racer from Malden, " The Real Bob Steele." His garage was on Bartlette St., but was a frequent visitor to Edmund St. The name Flintstone Charger was first used by Bob Ramstrom from Worcester,MA. He ran a Super Stock HEMI, with the orange and white paint scheme. Ranstrom bought a second car called the Vermonter that was an altered wheelbase 65 Coronet. A deal was struck with Bob Steele and he took the car painted it the orange and white and ran as the Flintstone Charger II. This undated photo is from the Boston Car show around 1968.

 

Here is the car again at New England Dragway. The picture is a bit fuzzy, but you can see how the overall car looked. Notice that they did not move the front wheels forward.

 

Here is an earlier version still running carburetors. This is probably 1967, he is running in D/XS class, by the later sixties these obsolete cars were lumped into the altered classes.

 

Bob Steele continued racing into the seventies with modern flip top funny cars. That is Bob Leaning over the motor as Jack Doyle stops by for a visit. Take note the chassis was built by Curley Custom Equiptment also from Malden. Bob ran A/FC and later would run BB/FC, before dropping out of the sport.

 

I'd still love to find pics of Adventure Car Hop.

 

Anyone remember George Smith from Melrose? Started out with a green 33/34 P/u The metal shop (pete jones) did a frame for it. Later he put a coupe body on it neat car. Frank Silva was another guy I remember had a pretty cool 60`s themed coupe back in the early to mid 80`s

 

Was this pickup maybe gold metalflake with green fading on it? I have a picture around somewhere that was taken at Sears in Saugus around 1970 or so.It had a straight axle in it and a small blockk Chevy.If that is the one you're referring to it was originally built by Paul Bourque from Saugus.The giveaway was that both front fenders had provisions for mounting spare tires.The original only had one side mount and Paul wanted to balance it so he made a well for the other side.It was originally metallic blue and channeled with full fenders but unchopped.He then chopped it and painted it a metallic bronze around 1959 or 60.It had a full house flathead and if I remember correctly a 40 Ford column and shifter.
I don't recall anyone named Frank Silva but there was(is)a guy named Richie Silva whose father owned Sullivan's Garage in Danvers on Route 1 right across from the Danvers State Hospital.His dad owned a 34 Ford coupe with a Y-block in it.Richie lives in Maine now but still owns the coupe and keeps threatening to get it running again.Last time I saw him he had a really nice 57 Nomad.
A really strange story about my knowing Richie: I was at a car show in Frankenmuth Michigan and a guy came up to me and wanted some striping on his Deuce 3 window.He also asked me if I knew Richie.When I replied I did and asked how he knew him he said that his daughter had married Richie's son!They were out in Massachusetts talking cars one time and Tom mentioned a guy(me)who was originally from Massachusetts and owned a Safari wagon.Richie said"You must be talking about Ray Smith" and Tom just about fell off his chair.
Just goes to show you NEVER know when you're going to run into someone who knows someone else.

 

Frank now has a glass 40 Willy's, small block powered...and actually built a second one that was more of an all out track car. I had westanded and polished the steering column shaft for his Willy's, I knew him through PV, he has bent some metal up for me and I was happy to return the favor, also kinda flattered he would put me on such a project.

 

Was Segal a local company?

 

They were a company similar to Mr. Gasket. Not sure when they started,but they lasted until the mid seventies, before they faded away.

 

Ray, Tell him to get the car back together ! The NHRA New England Hot Rod Reunion is fifteen months away. That car is part of New Englands history...

 

Here is Frankie Silva's 33 Willeys...It is a modern built safe race car, that looks like it popped out of sixties.

 

I am curious what was the local connection with PV speed shops in Amesbury ? I am assuming there was a shop in Amesbury. I live in Amesbury now since 1976 but from Maine originally. What was the location and names involved with it.

 

not sure, but do know they have a shop, outlet at one time...6 stores total at one point

 

It sounds like the same p/u safariknut,Had a 283 in it first time I saw it. George Smith had a frame built for it then later put a coupe body on it.Pretty sure he added a 350 with a blower ay the same time he did the body swap.

 

Yes that`s Frank . I do remember bumping into him (maybe at Amhurst swap meet) He was telling me he was doing a willy`s. Frank should have choked me one day. He had a old beater 69 gto with a b/b chevy.He asked me if I would move it from the back of the shop to out front.Did that pretty easy for a kid that had never really driven a car or a 4 speed.

later that day frank asked me to do something with his battery cables.
Next day at work found out my excitement over driving that beast caused me to loose focus. one of the pulleys ate the battery cable

 

Hi, I had a garage on Edmond street with a friend of mine. I can't remember if we worked on his 67 GTX or my Z28 or both.

 

Jack Colahan NED track photogapher-1960's


Saw an earlier post mentioning a deceased ( no name) NED track photographer. Was wondering if this was Jack Colahan, photog late 60's, early 70's? I thought i had heard maybe something happened. I got to know him back then. I called him one day and asked how he was. All he said was " not too good, and no more photos." That was it. Thanks for any info about him on when, where, etc.

 

Hot Chestnuts Willys-new England Dragway
Anyone remember the Willys at New England Dragway back in the 60's-70's named Hot Chestnuts? It had the name Headhunters on the hood. When I saw it up there, it was yellow. It was owned by some black guys from Boston.Someone said it was always on a trailer at a gas station on Tremont St. or Columbus Ave. I last heard aguy in Brockton bought it, but that was some time ago. Thanks for any info or pics.

 

Holy cow - my dad Art Nolan probably knows this car, since he was good friends with "Don from D&D" as we knew him and he was sponsored by them too. My dad drove a blue '36 Ford Pickup with a 427 up at NED and probably other places. Then he was on the pit crew for a 70 Nova funny car called the "Roman Rat" and they raced all over the country. Anyone remember those cars or have pics?