ArnieBeswick.com

[bowtie3168]

I can hear it already: "Andrew, this is Chevy site." Wait one second and check this out, there is a racer that I have become friends with over the years that was Pontiac Motor Division's unofficial official racer and that man is Arnold Beswick (aka:"Arnie The Flying Farmer Beswick"). Arnie has a new site that you might want to check out, here it is www.arniebeswick.com (http://www.arniebeswick.com)

Enjoy,
Andrew

P.S. Give me some feedback as to whether or not you like this post or the site.

[Belair62]

I'm surprised it's a free site....Arnie is a great guy.

[JoeC]

All of the factory drag cars are interesting to me. Arnie The Farmer Beswick is one of the true legends of drag racing.
This is from the grocery getter web site

http://www.grocerygetterwagon.com/histor1.jpg

The Grocery Getter was accompanied by the "Little B's Runabout", one of the Super Duty Lemans coupes. The original Grocery Getter was one of six Pontiac factory-built drag-race-only Tempest station wagons. Pontiac was serious about going after the other guys factory lightweights that had a weight advantage over the Super Duty Catalinas. The wagons (and their companion coupes) came equipped with 421 Super Duty engines, aluminum front sheetmetal, aluminum bumpers and a unique clutch-operated 4-speed transaxle.

[Belair62]

There were a total of 14 SD Tempests documented.2 were prototypes. First prototype was Yorktown Blue and went to Mickey Thompson and were .It was at the 63 Winternationals with KS Pittman at the wheel.Proto #2 was Silvermist Greyand was used by Ray Nichels for various racing.Then there were 6 Lemans coupes and 6 Tempest wagons.Mickey Thompson had 3 coupes delivered to him.#5 was driven by Jess Tyree and later sold to Arnie Beswick which he later turned into the famous funny car The Tameless Tiger.He crashed that and as the legend goes,buried it on his farm.Had enuff Pontiac stuff yet ??? http://www.yenko.net/ubb/smilies/burnout.gif

[68TopStock]

JoeC,

Arnie Beswick is well known by folks from LaHarpe, Herb mentioned to me Arnie was quite a helpful and friendly individual to them. Herb said Arnie lost a ride with Ford, just because he took a Pontiac he owned, down the track for just one run http://www.yenko.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/frown.gif. Arnie lives in northern Illinois, just a short distance NE of Moline, which is about an hour north of LaHarpe.

Dickie Harrell match raced Arnie on numerous occasions, and I'm sure Arnie helped Dickie's career in his first few years when starting to race funny cars. I have several articles that mention some of these races. I'll be sending some x-tra stuff for you with the recent pics going in the mail this weekend. I wonder if Arnie is going to be at Cordova next summer, for the World Series of Drag Racing?

Andrew,

I appeciate a post like this one, it helps bring out history regarding the guys who were into racing as a business. The car hobby is all about history, and I find myself buying and reading old issues of SS&DI, HotRod, etc., when I have time, to learn more about this period of automotive history. BTW here is the revised link as mentioned above=

www.arnie-beswick.com (http://www.arnie-beswick.com)

[sixtiesmuscle]

The legend of the buried "Tameless Tiger" didn't end there. A few years ago a guy from Georgia, I believe, bought what was left of the car from Arnie. According to Arnie there was nothing much left but the firewall after the crash, and, its use for "erosion control" on the farm. After an "extensive restoration" it showed up for sale with an asking price around $160,000. if memory serves me right. Not sure where it ended up.

[bowtie3168]

sixtiesmuscle,
That story is true! Arnie was very "p%#&*@ off" about that deal. A guy became very friendly with Arnie and begged the remains of the car off of him, saved only the firewall and built the car up as "The Tameless Tiger" car and sold it at an auction for big $s. Beswick is very hurt and aggrivated about the way that it turned out and that the car is counterfeit.

Andrew

[Wacky174]

Had the pleasure to meet the "Farmer" at Carlisle a few years ago, it was a step back into my youth.. Such great times !!

Wacky