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#1
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Tenney's 64 Wangers GTO...
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE...Tenney talked to Jim Wangers recently about this car and the story has some new facts.
I remember my dad speaking of his friend Jim Wangers' GTO. How he'd feel the blood rush to the back of his head when Jim would get on it. He'd quote the numbers it achieved in the controversial Car and Driver magazine test comparing it to the Ferrari GTO. He'd tell me it was the fastest car on Woodward Avenue. I remember Jim's GTO in the lot at dad's office, McManus, John and Adams, when I was four years old. The heat rising from the front fender wells (of which I paralleled in height at the time), along with the smell of fuel, oil and rubber. Oh, and it was the first car I'd heard make those noises. Feel pretty lucky to have it parked in our garage, today. Jim ordered it new for the infamous Car and Driver test comparing it to the Ferrari GTO (11/08/63 Production Manifest states “Delete all insulation” “Memo 199 Tag Wangers”, among other stuff.). Additionally, a 421 was installed. Per Jim Wangers, this was a factory effort. The motor was a stock, big car 421 HO. It was “Bobcatted” at Royal Pontiac and driven by Jim to Florida for the acceleration chapter of the C&D road test. A 389 equipped, nocturne blue pilot GTO was used for the "handling" portion of evaluation. The 421 in the red car met w/a bearing issue (#6, per Jim) during testing and was flat-towed back to Royal by the blue pilot car. A thankless task, it turns out, as the blue pilot car was crushed (also a factory effort) shortly upon return. The red car (er, this one), fresh “Bobcatted” 421 HO in place, was given to Wangers as his demo. It was never modified beyond this while with Jim. It was the car to beat on Woodward for a while, I'm told. And drew the attention of, among others, a Royal Oak Cop named Bill Sherman. Near the end of the year (08/21/04), Wangers took a new ’65 GTO demo, and the ‘64 was placed in the showroom at Royal and sold, w/warranty, to Bill Sherman. As noted, he knew what he was buying (Bill of Sale reads “Wangers Demo”). Bill also raced the GTO (at the track). The 421 eventually grenaded and Bill installed a 428 and ran it some more. Then he parked it for a while. At some point Bill and Milt Schornack (Royal's wrench) brought the car back out, this time with a period-correct 421, 12.5 to 1’s, Lunati solid roller, headers and cowl plenum - along w/a locked diff. and 4.33's in a 12 bolt - for further track duty. This is the way the car is currently configured - w/original paint, interior (except front carpet) and 44K on the clock. Bill kept every scrap of paper the car came with, along with subsequent service records, bound in a notebook, which is still with the car. Bill passed away, and his widow sold the car a decade, or so, ago to a fellow in New Jersey. It is he who I pestered into, thankfully, sending it along to me, recently. It's a bit of a chipped up relic, and has Day 10 (or so) written all over it. It'd likely be ripe for a resto for some. I sort of like it as it sits, though.
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<span style="font-weight: bold"> (__{B}_____]]]]~~~~</span> Don't mess with old farts - age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill! Bullshit and brilliance only come with age and experience. |
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#2
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Re: Tenney's 64 Wangers GTO...
Very cool GTO...I love the 64's. What a great story to go along with a very nice car! COngrats on getting it...by the way...leave it "Day 10"...
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Bruce Choose Life-Donate! |
#3
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Re: Tenney's 64 Wangers GTO...
I think I remember reading that "test" comparison. If I remember correctly, the guys at Car & Driver had virtually no drag race experience. Seems like they got the best time in the Pontiac by starting out in 2nd gear. Complained that there was simply too much "torque multiplication" to start out in first. Guess they never heard of feathering the throttle off the line!!! Yeah, that's how to ring out a muscle car and get the best time. This ring a bell for anyone? Anyone have a copy of the article? I am going completley on memory here, as I would have read this article while in college in the early 70's (had a bunch of car mags on microfiche in the library).
Someone help me out here. |
#4
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Re: Tenney's 64 Wangers GTO...
Was this car in Vineland, NJ?
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Marlin 70 Yenko Nova-350/360, 4speed M21, 4.10 Posi (Daddy's Ride) 69 SS Nova-396/375hp, 4speed M20, 3.55 Posi (Benjamin's Ride) 67 RS Camaro-327/250hp, 2speed Glide, & 3.08 Open (Danny's Ride) |
#5
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Re: Tenney's 64 Wangers GTO...
Very Nice! Congrats..!
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SamLBInj 69 Z/28 X33D80 72-B H-D 105 FLSTC |
#6
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Re: Tenney's 64 Wangers GTO...
Awesome car, great history very cool that you knew some of the people involved, looks great in pictures. IMHO you shouldn't restore it.
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Dave |
#7
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Re: Tenney's 64 Wangers GTO...
awesome GTO ,my old man always wanted a 64-67 GTO when i was a kid probably would have traded me in for 1 lol
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#8
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Re: Tenney's 64 Wangers GTO...
Marlin,I think its the car Conte's Corvettes had in the back of the shop. vineland nj.
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1970 GTO JUDGE RAM IV 23,000 miles 1969 GTO convert RAM AIR 4spd 1964 GTO convert survivor |
#9
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Re: Tenney's 64 Wangers GTO...
that is an awesome piece......I wonder if thats the GTO that Wangers used to sucker guys with...they would tool around to the cruise spots or hang outs and sucker guys into races...what they would do (Wangers) was get them to bet against a bone stock GTO and pull the "HOTTER" one out after they made their wagers...this story was told by Wangers himself....it thats the one....you have indeed a very special car....
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#10
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Re: Tenney's 64 Wangers GTO...
That's what I thought Don, found via a newspaper ad in Phila?
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Marlin 70 Yenko Nova-350/360, 4speed M21, 4.10 Posi (Daddy's Ride) 69 SS Nova-396/375hp, 4speed M20, 3.55 Posi (Benjamin's Ride) 67 RS Camaro-327/250hp, 2speed Glide, & 3.08 Open (Danny's Ride) |
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