NY Street Racing - Back in the Day

[Dog427435]

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[b]Reading all these posting about street racing back in the day, Brooklyn Heavy, Ron Lyles / Mutt Bros., etc. - brings back a lot of memories. We made the NY circuit - Connecting Highway, 150th St., Cross Bay Blvd., Clearview Expressway, Fountain Ave, the service road off the LIE and just about any stop light with a couple of blocks of clear road ahead.
It was a different world - the penalties weren't so severe - the consequences so life altering.
The Fire Dept. would come to Connecting Hwy. and spray down the roadway from above when the cops had enough. It went on every weekend and most weeknights, for the most part it was tolerated.
The Cops would sit in the Diner parking lot on Lefferts Blvd. and watch the cars go by with open exhaust and slicks making the 2 plus mile turn around after racing down South Conduit to 150th Street.
Race cars with a quick coat of paint disguising what they really were, were commonplace. I remember seeing an altered wheelbase Mustang with a fresh coat of orange paint, looking for takers in Brooklyn one night.
I could tell / listen to these stories all day - a quarter million dollar race in '68 - you decide - it sounds good either way!

[Dog427435]

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[Dog427435]

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[Dog427435]

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[cammer427]

Awesome scans! I love those kind of candid '60s-'70s action photos! Keep 'em coming man! The Connecting was definitely the greatest street racing in the world at the time! I've got a bunch of photos of Levi Holmes, Brooklyn Heavy, Big Willie, Tab Talmadge, Jimmy Addison, and other guys from NY, NJ, LA, and Detroit at the time that I'll post too! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/headbang.gif

[TMagda]

Does anyone remember any racing going on in Port Chester, NY in the parking lot of a department store named "Kings" around the same time frame as these stories. I was too young at the time (I used to get my Hot Wheels at Kings), but my neighbor who was 7-8 years older than me had a really fast '68 Camaro that he would street race there. We lived in Norwalk, CT, about 1/2 hour from the Van Wyck. He used to bring home trophys from Dover and Raceway Park all of the time.

[1969l78]

Cool stuff http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif

[Dog427435]

[b] One night I received a jay walking ticket for watching the races on Connecting Hwy. from the street above. The cop said "You can't walk all the way across - so your jay walking"
To further break balls it was an appearance ticket which you had to go to LeFrak City to pay in person. But all the racers got away!
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[cammer427]

Glenn, I wonder if that altered wheelbase Mustang was the ex-Dyno Don car he sold to Tab Talmadge... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hmmm.gif Awesome stories though! Keep 'em comin! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[cammer427]

Glenn, could you provide the dates of the issues these articles are in, if you don't mind?

[cammer427]

There's a book by ex-Cars editor Joe Oldham (who was also Editor in Chief of Popular Mechanics for many years) called "Muscle Car Confidential". The first chapter is all about his experience in the NY street racing scene, especially at the Connecting. It features some wicked photos as well! It's a thrilling read! The rest of the book is a giant review of some of the greatest in American muscle cars and tells it like it is: today they are million-dollar cars; back then, they were just hoping the Hemi 'Cuda they were drag testing for a review would live for another run without puking transmission fluid all over the track. Awesome book, and for the first street racing chapter, check this out: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=120680

[Motion Camaro]

<font color="blue">I used to street race in the late 70's - mid 80's. My main hangout was the "Wedge Inn" on the border of Mt. Vernon &amp; Da Bron X.

Here are some of the cars we used to drive down from Westchester every weekend.

Sorry for the quality. I couldn't get them out of the album.


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My 2nd V8 Vega - 331, tunnel ram, T10, 4:88 12 bolt / it was a lot of fun &amp; my daily driver.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h292/motioncamaro/Old%20NY%20Street%20Racers/StreetRacers3.jpg
My 67 Camaro, same motor, Super T10, 5:13 Olds rear.
Neighbors split bumper camaro, 355, T350, 4.11 10 bolt.
My 1st Pro-Street Vega, 331, Liberty/Hemi crashbox, 5.86 Dana / very fast but still my daily driver.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h292/motioncamaro/Old%20NY%20Street%20Racers/StreetRacers2.jpg
My 70 RoadRunner, 383, 4 speed, 3.90 8-3/4 / I traded my 67 GTO for it. (young &amp; dumb)
Blue Chevelle was my 'winter' car / took the motor out of the Vega, T350 4500stall, 4.10 GTO 10 bolt.
Jon's 70 Charger 440, 6pack, 4 speed, 4.10 Dana.
Another Mike - 69 Mustang Boss 351, FMX, 3.00 9" / a surprisingly fast car for what it was.
Vinny's 66 SS396 Chevelle, 427, 6.71, Nash 4+1, 3.23 12 bolt.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h292/motioncamaro/Old%20NY%20Street%20Racers/StreetRacers.jpg
Billy's 69 Camaro, 355, M21, 4.10 12bolt.
Walt's 27 Ford, built by Possies.
PeeWee's Nova, Blown 355, M22, 4.10 12 bolt.
Mike Ragano's 67 Nova, ???, It was a street racer before he went pro.
Dyno Dan's 67 Camaro, secret very Big Block Shafiroff motor, Street raced it &amp; drove it occasionally.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gifGreat memories. I didn't take a lot of pics back then(wish I had), more interesed in cruisin' &amp; racin'.


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[markjohnson]

WOW! Those are some great pictures! I love the brown vega up top. Sounds like you're a 4-speed guy, too. Thanks for taking the time to scan and post them. Mark

[1970Bluel78]

How about the NYS Thruway coming out of NJ in Rockland. Cars would meet at the " Shoppers Paridise " store in Spring Valley. Lots of cars all types. Great Drag Racing. Cars would line the Thruway and they would actually stop traffic to get the races in until the Troopers showed !!!

[CC Rider]

Cool post Dog!

[cammer427]

[ QUOTE ]
My 1st Pro-Street Vega... 5.86 Dana ... very fast but still my daily driver.

[/ QUOTE ]

5.86 in a daily driver? Hope you didn't have far to go to work http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[cammer427]

These photos are from RonaldLyles.com, and were originally published in an article on street racing in Super Street Cars Magazine in 1970. The article was written by Seymour Baiz (whom is in one of the photos - white with beard and black-rim glasses) and a "Mr. Engeldrum".

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The Mutt Bros bought a Sox &amp; Martin Hemi Barracuda! (That's Tab Talmadge with the glasses on the far left, Ronald Lyles to the right of him, and Eugene Coard leaning over the front of the car)

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Benny Dunham was the Mutt Bros' mechanic, Tab was a street racer, numbers runner and drug dealer from Brooklyn, Ronald Lyles was a street racer and successfull professional Pro Stock driver and Eugene Coard was the Mutt bros crew chief.

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Benny Dunham (3rd from left), Ronald Lyles (2nd from right, back row)

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Ronald Lyles (white helmet) and Eugene Coard of the Mutt Bros, setting up a race with Tab Talmadge (also with a helmet). Tab bought a 9.89-second 1965 A/FX 427-ci SOHC Cammer Mustang from "Dyno" Don Nicholson at Englishtown Raceway in New Jersey.

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Tab's '65 Mustang (I believe this is the ex-Dyno Don A/FX car) which was sponsored by the Mooney Tucker Ford dealership of Brooklyn, lining up against Mutt Bros (Ronald Lyles driving) '68 S&amp;M Hemi Super Stock Barracuda

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Tab's '65 Mustang (I believe this is the ex-Dyno Don A/FX car) which was sponsored by the Mooney Tucker Ford dealership of Brooklyn, lining up against Mutt Bros (Ronald Lyles driving) '68 S&amp;M Hemi Super Stock Barracuda

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[Dog427435]

[ QUOTE ]
<font color="blue">I used to street race in the late 70's - mid 80's. My main hangout was the "Wedge Inn" on the border of Mt. Vernon &amp; Da Bron X.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif </font>

[/ QUOTE ]


[b] Mike - Great shots of some wild cars!!
I spent a lot of time in the Mt. Vernon / Bronx area myself. Working on Tiffany St. in Hunts Point we would hit the Wedge for lunch from time to time. Friday nights we used to hang at Faiella's Pine Tree on the Post Rd. before the action started.
We may have run each other 20 or so years ago!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gifI remember that enflamed Chevelle, but never saw it race.
You must know John from Westchester Automotive on Fulton Ave or Charlie &amp; Freddie Bauer, their shop was on 3rd Ave right at the border. I used to run into Mike Ragusa there all the time. They did the cage &amp; tin work on my Camaro and a bunch on some other cars for me. They were the best!
As big as Ragusa was his Nova was one of the fastest cars around at the time!

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[Dog427435]

[ QUOTE ]
Glenn, could you provide the dates of the issues these articles are in, if you don't mind?

[/ QUOTE ]


[b] Shawn
The first article was from Cars Illustrated - sorry I'd don't know the issue, it was ripped out of the mag years ago.
The second was from Machine Racer winter of '81.
The third's from Street Freaks issue #1 from '82.
The last was Car Craft 9/72.

[markjohnson]

There was a great story about the "re-discovery" of Tab's ex-Dyno Don Nicholson A/FX Mustang in one of the Ford magazines about 10 years ago. That was a fantastic find! I tell 'ya, I've often wondered about how many rare musclecars and even lost race cars ended up in scary neighborhoods where people are afraid to search for them. Just a few years ago, I looked at a real Bill Thomas Chevy II Drag car that was in the scariest neighborhood that you could EVER imagine. I can't begin to tell you the relief I felt once I got back on the Interstate.

[Motion Camaro]

[ QUOTE ]
[b] Mike - Great shots of some wild cars!!

...You must know Charlie &amp; Freddie Bauer, their shop was on 3rd Ave right at the border. I used to run into Mike Ragusa there all the time. They did the cage &amp; tin work on my Camaro and a bunch on some other cars for me. They were the best!

[/ QUOTE ]

<font color="blue">Speaking of the Bauer Bros...

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... this was at Palm Beach International Raceway a couple of weeks ago.

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I am pretty sure C&amp;F did the back half on Vinny Collins "Enflamed" Chevelle.
He was the first one in Westchester to get the 'new' M/T Sportsman 21x33's.
That slowed down the http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif ... slightly.


BTW: I was on the phone with Vinny during the burnout picture.
He was pissed because it was snowing in NY &amp; I was at the track, but we had a few laughs.</font>

[cammer427]

Here's some photos from the street racing chapter in Joe Oldham's book "Muscle Car Confidential":

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/855/869155000.th.jpg (http://img16.imageshack.us/my.php?image=869155000.jpg)
"The big street meets actually used flyers to get the word out."

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8980/869105000.th.jpg (http://img7.imageshack.us/my.php?image=869105000.jpg)

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/7439/869145000.th.jpg (http://img16.imageshack.us/my.php?image=869145000.jpg)

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/3559/869075000.th.jpg (http://img16.imageshack.us/my.php?image=869075000.jpg)

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/1725/869115000.th.jpg (http://img15.imageshack.us/my.php?image=869115000.jpg)

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/5899/869125000.th.jpg (http://img23.imageshack.us/my.php?image=869125000.jpg)

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/2928/takenbyjoeoldham1.th.jpg (http://img18.imageshack.us/my.php?image=takenbyjoeoldham1.jpg)

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/7531/takenbyjoeoldham2.th.jpg (http://img16.imageshack.us/my.php?image=takenbyjoeoldham2.jpg)

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/4738/takenbyjoeoldham3.th.jpg (http://img7.imageshack.us/my.php?image=takenbyjoeoldham3.jpg)

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/7913/takenbyjoeoldham4.th.jpg (http://img15.imageshack.us/my.php?image=takenbyjoeoldham4.jpg)
"This is Union Turnpike, the 'pits' at Clearview Expressway. The races took place on the road above."

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/3383/takenbyjoeoldham5.th.jpg (http://img23.imageshack.us/my.php?image=takenbyjoeoldham5.jpg)

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/4157/25d500.th.jpg (http://img11.imageshack.us/my.php?image=25d500.jpg)
"Even though Cross Bay Blvd. had long ago been shut down by the cops, it was still interesting to park a test car in the 'pits' and gauge crowd reaction."

[cammer427]

Has no one any more photos, stories or comments on this fascinating topic?

[Dog427435]

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[Dog427435]

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[jannes_z-28]

When I saw the first post in this thread i remembered that I have some old magazines with NY street racing articles. Today I found one of them, but I know I have others.

This one is from the Feb 1974 issue of Chevy Power Magazine.

Enjoy

http://www.protouring.se/files/chevy_power_feb_74_1.jpg
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http://www.protouring.se/files/chevy_power_feb_74_4.jpg


Jan

[cammer427]

Awesome scans! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Motion Camaro]

<font color="blue"> http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif Very Cool http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif </font>

[cammer427]

How about some California street racing back in the day? This gallery has many photos of "Big Willie" Robinson and the Brotherhood of Street Racers: http://community.webshots.com/user/ethelkilledfred

[cammer427]

Article by Joe Oldham in the May, 2009 issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/8923/hemmingsmusclemachines2.jpg

[owners2]

Cool articles , thanks for sharing.