[PhilS]

I bought my black convertible from Phoenix attorney Patrick McGroder about 15 years ago. I knew it had been a successful race car and had been a barn find in Taos NM where it sat unused from the mid '70s until '89. Since my purchase I've worked to reconstruct the car's history. I learned that the first owner damaged the engine at about 7 or 8 thousand miles. At that point he stopped making payments and the car was repossessed. Reportedly a warranty engine went in and the car was sold to Alex Bowers for $2,400. Alex briefly drove the car on the street until he, his brother Bob and friend Stewart Way had Barnett Automotive turn it into a race car. Barnett built the engine in the car and added '71 sheetmetal to create a contender. Bowers had success with Terry Earwood driving but the car went on to greatness after being purchased by Steve Bagwell which is well documented. By '76 the car was purchased by Taos drag racer Laurence Chase. Soon after the trans was seriously broken at Green Valley Raceway in the Dallas area. Then silence until '89 when Ernie Blumenthal discovered what was thought to be a coupe in hiding. Pat bought it and began the restoration.
Several years later I was still trying to fill in all the blanks and decided to look up Mr Chase. Surprisingly still in that same barn were several pieces left behind by the new owner. The '71 fenders, front valance still sporting the Bagwell paint job, the engine block from the glory days and the broken trans with a big story of its own. About three years ago I drove to Taos, purchased these historical pieces and brought them home.
Fast forward to December '16. I've consigned the car to Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale. As I've attempted to accurately answer questions I've had to go back to Galen's report concerning the engine dates. The report provided information I had never really noticed before. The block was restamped so I was never that curious. Now I was curious about the old race block. It didn't have a vin which would be consistent with a warranty block. I rolled it over to see the numbers on the flange under the starter. Finding a date 13 days before my car I decided to enlist an expert which led to the revelation that this block is a production unit and according to the order number most likely original to my car! I told Stewart Way who has helped me with the history of the car. Apparently the warranty replacement was an assumption after the car quit running. The missing vin was actually ground off like a lot more of the block material for weight saving.
I guess that makes two great finds from that barn but there's one more. The Torqueflite has been confirmed by Turbo Action as the experimental unit referred to on their website as the start of the Cheetah. They're still selling them today. Here are some barn find pics and the engine stamps.