Just curious (Phx. hist.)

Not sure if this was posted yet but didn't see it with a quick scan. Some Beeline footage in this part 2 of "Big Numbers".

 

Some good related stuff in this thread on page 2. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=739319&page=2

 

Just realized this was a couple of weeks old, but no, 109 east Buchanan doesn't exist any more. I do love the shot of Albert being a bit "distracted" by the eye candy! Typical Albert! Albert gave Judy a hug at an event one time, and about a minute later she said to me - "You old man friends hug me too long..."

I would love to tell the story of some of the best advice ever given to me about women, as told by Albert Eschenbaugh one after noon about 25 years ago as we both drank heavily and built a VW transaxle for my street racer... I'd love to tell you, but this is a family show and it would get this closed down in one heart beat! Not gonna do it! But, if you see me in person, without Judy, ask.... It's worth it!

 

Looks like one of the Valley Bank buildings around town. Pretty sure Chauvin's car is in town.
It's been at Keith's reunion the last couple of years. Ronnie Olmstead painted it yellow that it wears now in '65 when he got back in from the service.

 

I believe that Ed Smith now owns Chauvin's roadster.

 

Yep, supposed to have everything for it too including the injected Olds.

 

Just got this off Ebay.

Bill Moxley racing slicks 1960.

 

Another Ebay find.

Manzy Mag, I believe from the early '60s.

 

And here's some drag racing from Hot Rod Magazine.

Chandler, Mar. '59.


Chandler, June '58

 

Here's another video of racers from Phoenix I could have sworn was already posted here but don't see it. Looks like Larry Steinegger here and there and what could be Arizona/Phoenix/Speedworld? in a few shots (with the little wall separating the drivers at the line).



Edit: After second though it's most likely not Speedworld (no concrete wall visible on right side). Does match up with the 1961 "Phoenix Drag Strip" shown in post #150 as far as the wood divider and power poles. Mel Larson from what I heard ran some races on an old airstrip previous to the Speedworld location being built.

 

Correct. Mel Larson did run races at a different facility than the Speedworld we all know. Not sure exactly there is was but, was on the west side of town. It appears that Speedworld opened in 1963 and not in 1961 as many of us thought.
Racer Al Eshenbaugh told me this last week and he was there.

 

I think I forget half the stuff posted on here. This is from post #478. Must be it, Grand and Litchfield.

 

More reading and pics:

Goosic, Howard Cams Shifter, etc.
http://www.dragracingonline.com/columns/baker/xv_10-1.html

 

thanks for posting, more interesting history comes out with each article.

 

Yes , Larson ran a strip just south of Grand ave on Litchfield Rd on the west side . It was the frist place I ever ran my 54 Chevy. In 64-65 we would run "Mid-night" drags there on occison, them days it was out in the sticks. Speedworld we thought was WAY out in the sticks. 66 or so there was another aux. air field close to Speedworld [aux. 5?] that we ran or Mid -nights on for a short time. Hell in 65-6 Bell road dead-ended at about 59th Ave nothing out there then. I broke a steering part one night on my 34 3 window running at the mid-nights there on Bell one night. Ended up on my side in the ditch ,not much damage to the car though. I still see Bill Goosic every so offen at the car show on Sat nights at 67th& Bell.

 

Good stories, guess that explains why in later aerial pictures of the Litchfield strip it appears to have been cut through on one leg a few times (north west) to make it unusable. The other one you mentioned may have been Aux. 1? Think it's still used today for approach practice by Luke pilots. http://www.airfields-freeman.com/AZ/Airfields_AZ_Phoenix_NW.htm#whitman

 

Another Beeline video, 1965, I think previously in post 341 that disappeared from You Tube but recently uploaded again.

 

That is such a great film! I've seen it hundreds of times and cannot wait to see it again. If you look closely in that film, at 1:07. They are showing the Top Fuel parade, they are not mentioned at that moment but, what you see is the Mesa, Az based red 392 powered AA/Fuel Dragster driven by Dean Turk. Pushing Dean in the Fueler with his '59 Pontiac is his partner and engine builder Bill Cox. On Monday, I had the pleasure to spend several hours with these 2 men!
Dean and Bill were very cordial and friendly with me discussing Phoenix drag racing history and how they were a part of it. Bill's story of how he found 10 392s in a salvage yard in Ohio and that one of them was sitting in the frame rails of their Fueler!
They ended up making it to the final at this race and runner upped to Tom Hoover. Some time later, a rematch was scheduled at Beeline and this time Turk and Cox won over Hoover.
Both Dean and Bill have been invited, and are expected, to attend the Phoenix Drag Reunion/Nostalgic Show & GO! 10 days from now at Wild Horse Pass, formerly Firebird. I look forward to having some dialog with these 2 men in the tower for all to hear ( and there is a lot to hear ). I plan to have much dialog with many that day in the tower and want you all to come out and join us!
more info at www.nostalgicshowandgo.org

 

Sounds like it will be a hoot. Too broke to make it to Mark and Spikes deal but aught to be caught up in time to make this one.

Anybody by chance have a subscription to Newspapers.com that could copy this and post it or any other cool racing stuff?http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/24732730/

 

Kind of torn as whether or not to post this since it might be a bit O.T., but it does have a lot of good shots of two celebrities tooling around 1962 down town Phoenix in a mildly customized Corvette.

Partial episode.

 

GREAT thread!

 

Some history and info about the restoration of the Arizona Hard Chrome 1/2 Chevy midget from post #38 found here: http://thecheckeredpast.blogspot.com/

 

In a post a few back concerning the '65 Beeline video-
I mentioned the Turk/Cox AA/Fueler that runner upped in the final.

Am happy to report I bought that car yesterday! It is verified the original car! It was built approx. Jan'63 and ran with a Pontiac- blown, injected on nitro. In late '64, they lengthened it and changed to a 392.

Here is a pic of the same car in late '63 or early '64 with its shorter wheelbase and Pontiac plant. My plans are to restore the car to the way it was in '63''64 time frame in running condition.
I am looking for any pictures and information on this car to help ID it for its restoration. Dean Turk ( driver/chassis builder ) was contacted today along with Bill Cox ( engine guy ). They will be assisting me with pics and info as well. Restoration is starting in a few weeks.

 

Cool! Seems like old AZ race cars tend to vanish at some point, glad another has resurfaced. Should be right at home in your stash o Ponchos.

 

These are old pics from the 2013 Steinegger and Eshenbaugh open house that had to be removed from post # 478 due to the new format. I may have even added a few.

 

Last ones.