Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

I think the number was 18 convertables both Stick and Automatic. Six was the number for automatic and 12 four speed cars. I remember this number when I did the research on an LS-6 I bought in 83.

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

I found some interesting information. But the numbers do not sound correct.
1970 Chevelle (production; 442,046)
1970 Chevelle (convertibles; 7511 or 1.7%)
1970 Chevelle SS396 (production; 49,826)
1970 Chevelle SS396 (convertibles; 847)
Now these numbers are way out-of-whack.
Chevelle SS454 (production; 3773)
Chevelle SS454 (convertibles; 64)
Can this be possible. No exact amounts of 4-speeds versus automatics.
But, if Ray Allen raced that Chevelle at NHRA-sanctioned points meets and championship events, GM would have to produce a number of 50
produced, or the Mopar guys would have protested him into oblivion.
They would have never gived him any slack, not back then.
More confusion. Don't know if you guys are old enough, but back in
mid-70 GM was advertising the hell out that SS454 car combination.
Paul C

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Someone at B-J (tech-advisor) just told me that they think only 17 convertibles were produced, with the LS-6 and automatic combination.
And that the Briggs Chevrolet car was either the #1 or #2 car, with that combo????
As for some correct drag racing info. That car competed regularly at
E-Town, New Jersey in the summer of 70, and won a bunch of S/S Eliminators. How many exactly,, (more than 6 and less than a dozen)
Some say 9...The SS/EA NHRA record at the time was held by
Don Cobb (11.56 @ 120.80) with a 69' GTX Hemi convertible.
The Chevelle ran in the 11.50 range. The Chevelle did win the
SS/EA class at the 70' Nationals, but did not win S/S Eliminator.
Ron Mancini won it with his SS/AA Hemi Dart over Lou Downing in
his SS/D AMX.

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

The first SummerNationals were held at York in 1970. There definately seemed like something was wrong at the tree during the first round of SuperStock eliminator. Every car in the right lane redlighted for a number of pairs. By the time Ray made it to the line in that right lane I think everyone was aware of the issue and I recall seeing racers being pretty late to insure a green light. Ray appeared to be one of those and lost when he clearly should have won with a faster car. It's a long time ago but thats how I remember it. Maybe something else happend but that car was capable of winning any race they ran that year. I was sitting in the stands watching unfortunately as we failed to make the Stock field during that event.......

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Paul, The Chevelle counts for nhra is total amt. of Chevelle's, not just converts. Total all with LS-6 makes any Chevelle legal

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Bob P.
Yes, I know that. I just didn't word it correctly. 50 total cars to be NHRA-legal, Automatic or 4-speed, Hardtop or Convertible.
Thank you for re-fining that thread. I guess I installed the top oil-ring in upside down, but still got the gap correct.:).
Rich B. Yes, that Chevelle was the right combination at the right time.
Could even run faster than the SS/DA Hemi cars, for awhile. Not aware of the Chrondek issue at the 70' SummerNationals.
Was busy watching Ron Mancini's "Gratiot Auto Supply" winning with the SS/AA Hemi Dart over Barrie Poole's Mustang
that Sunday, for the S/S crown
PC (Keep the thread going, good stuff!)

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

If anyone gets a chance, try to watch the repeat of the Barrett-Jackson
October 2006 Scottsdale show. The auction of the Briggs Chevrolet
"Killer Car".
Somewhat pathetic, the way Craig Jackson pulled up a reluctant Ray Allen to add the race history to the car, when the bidding stalled. Ray Allen stated that the car had won $40,000 over a 4-week period, back in
late 1970. True, the SS/EA car won the S/S Championship at the World Finals (October, Dallas) and the Supernationals (November, Ontario, California). Then Craig Jackson comes back on, and states that the car was undefeated. Right there, you can see Ray Allen cringe, when that statement was made.
PC
* Still a great car from the summer of 70' thru the summer of 71'.

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

I have a DVD that includes the Chevelle/B-J auction footage and then features some clips of the new owner racing it with the top down against his buddies. I watched itafter this thread got started and also wondered where the "undefeated" story came from. We went to Sanair that year and Ray was there with the Chevelle. It was the World Championship Series divisional race. I don't think they won that race either. During that race Tommy Callahan (Callahan &Sulc) crashed their Challenger convertible on sat. night and wound up winning Stock in their '62 Fury on Sunday if I remember right. One of a number of cars that crashed in that era and probably because of the 7" slick rule......way to small a tire for the power and speed we had back then....Cars routinely got squirrely at the top end on those tires with very low air pressure on narrow rims.......Frank Iaconio was driving that '62 Fury for a while....

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Rich
Didn't Frank buy the 62 then sell it to build his first pro stocker.

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Rich,

Here is a shot I took at the 71 Summernationals with Frank driving the aforementioned 62 383/343 Fury. 7" tires were the order of the day at that time, and before I started racing my Duster, my previous car (65 Valiant) used basically the same setup. You and many others certainly know what I am talking about, but for those who never raced on narrow slicks and 6" wide wheels at 7-8 lbs. of air, it was quite an experience, even at just over 100 mph.

P.S. Back to the core of this thread. Being in the musclecar restoration parts business, I am well aware of the auction house shenanigans. I could on on for hours about some of the behind-the-scenes issues that are controlled by few and affect the fortunes (positively and negatively) of many.

Bill Rolik

1514 SS

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Hello Bill and Dennis....

I don't think Frank ever owned the Plymouth. I think he just drove it for a while when Frank and Tommy got the Challenger deal. Frank even tried running it with a stick as I recall. It had to be a 3 speed....didn't work to good though.

Bill, we ran front rims on the rear of our Chevy II and they were maybe 4" or 5" wide. I can recall running as little as 5lbs in M&H's trying to get some bite.....Made for a very interesting feeling at about 110-112mph in the lights and at night was especially fun!

I have driven cars as quick as 7.70 at 170+ and nothing ever scared me as bad as that Chevy II did in 1970......Ball joint spacers and those 7" slicks and a 4 speed. Yes I did drive it a number of times.........

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Rich,

On top of the tire/wheel scenario, just add a late Saturday night at The Patch after the dew rolls in.

I am pretty sure I went center-line-to-outside-line more than a few times!

Bill Rolik

1514 SS

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Bill,
That post on #51 of the Fury.
I'm a Mopar guy, and I still think that the car is so ugly, it is actually nice looking. Goes completely around the UGLY-meter 360 degree's, and come back pretty. Reminds me of "Trick Tank", Joe Kenney's 62' Dodge Wagon from up our way, out of Hopwell Junction, NY.
A line you can use; "That car is so ugly, you have to tie a pork chop around the tire, just to get the dog to pee on it"
PC

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Both are lovably ugly. I prefer the Dodge myself.

If I were not a small block guy, I would love to build a 62 Dart or Dart 330 for SS with the 383/343 combo. With the INLINE 2-4 setup, you now have a TUNNEL RAM. Couple that with a fairly light car with good rear body overhang. The 383 is an RPM-engine, not a torque engine, so once you consider the previous factors, plus add a trans brake, along with the scenario that NHRA has reduced the horsepower factor significantly, in my opinion you have a real winner. Jerry Bennett has a fabulous 62 Fury in Stocker trim, and it runs very well with probably the lowest low-rise cast iron manifold on the planet. Just think how a 383 in SS trim from Wann or the Smith boys in CA would perform!

62 Dodge and Plymouth B-Body Cars:

After they ran through the UGLY forest and hit every tree, they are so UGLY they would make a freight train take a dirt road!

Bill Rolik

1514 SS

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

That's very funny;

Both the one about 360 degrees around the ugly meter to where it actually looks good.

And the one about tying a pork chop around the tire just to get a dog to pee on it.

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Talking about the right car at the right time, I remember, at the '71 or '72 Gator Nationals, during the SS/DA class eliminations Bernie Agaman's '71 Corvette taking on the fleet of Chrysler street hemi cars one at a time and walking away from them, like streching a rubber band, until he won class.

The Chrysler factory guys were there and were having a ***** fit about it. One of the things they were bitching about, he was running a L-88 hood on a LS6 car. That single carb Chevy was killing the 2 x 4 bbl. Hemi cars.

Next race that Corvette was bumped up to SS/CA and was running the standard big block hood. Once again the Hemis got to own SS/DA.

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

I think today, a '71 Corvette LS6 would be a killer combo in A/SA or AA/SA . Even better than a '69 L-88 car. However, I'm not willing to spend the $75,000 or so to find out.

Besides, that's too fast for me.

Sorry I got carried away with this thread.

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Bobby dont forget Bernie got the letter from chevy and the hood was back on !

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Bobby Z,
I thought you would like those ugly references.
Bill, yes another good combo 383/343 dual-quad. Yes, you are correct, the Dodges did have a better shade of Ugly to them:).
Back to Briggs Chevrolet. After S/S championship wins at the
70' Nationals and 70' Supernationals. It did compete at the 71' WinterNationals. Ran low 11.00's, but did not win. That was reserved for
Barrie Poole in a 69' Mustang. The SS454 Chevelle may have won the
SS/EA class, but was eliminated in S/S eliminator. May have been the time when the Chevelle switched from M & H's to GoodYears.
That's 10.5" wide, not the 7" with the (2) 1/16" outer grooves for Stock
:D:D.
Oh, Craig Jackson is still saying the car was undefeated.:eek:
Paul

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

I was at Barrett- Jackson in 2006 on the stage when Ray Allen actually told the audience the car was undefeated.

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Craig,

That is what the major auction game is: Hype! Hype! Hype!

There are all sorts of things that are orchestrated BEFORE the cars cross the stage (including "plants" on the bidding floor to drive the bidding), and often the level of funds actually exchanged are quite different than what you would see on stage (either lower or higher). Not to mention that many of the participants who crave face time love to be schmoozed and have their arm rubbed on national TV. Remember, this is now effectively "Hollywood". Things are often not as they appear.

The old saying goes something like this:

"A funny thing happens when you stop promoting.......NOTHING!"

Bill Rolik

1514 SS

P.S. I have some extra Snake Oil on hand, and a very nice bridge in Brooklyn for sale. What am I bid?

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Bill,
Right again, on the auction atmosphere.
If you read B-J's literature, they want to create a frenzy (their own wording).
Frenzy;,,, near madness, frantic condition, mental derangement...
If you watch some of the bidders, you have to shake your head, and ask, Just how did these morons make their money???
Proper wording on the Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet should have been;
1)..A Truppi/Kling built engine (454 LS-6). The car was designed for SS/EA, to invade the Hemi territory in S/S Eliminator, during 1970
2)..The first SS454 LS-6 convertible built specifically for drag racing.
3).. Won numerous S/S Eliminator events at Englishtown, New Jersey
4)..Won several NHRA points meets in Divison 1, as well as regional events.
5).. Won the SS/EA class at the 1970 Nationals at Indy, September 70'.
6).. Won the NHRA S/S World Finals at Dallas, over Hall of Famer, Dave Wren, October 70, by running an 11.55 ET in the championship final.
7).. Won the NHRA S/S SuperNationals at Ontario, California, in November 70'.
8).. Over a 4-week period at the end of 1970, the car was undefeated in all-NHRA sponsored events, and took in over $40,000.
9).. Set the NHRA SS/EA record with an 11.33 ET, in 1970.
10).. Car ran a best of 11.05 ET
Thats all that should have been said. All truths, no fabrication.
PC

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

It would have never sold if they would have been truthful....

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Is there any legal issues with knowingly misrepresenting an object at auction, esp when were are looking at over $1M? Or do bidders sign away any rights?

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Didn't the ex-wife come up with some pictures of the car totaled and sent it to the ahole that bought it at b-j? Does anyone know about this car crashing at a track?

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

blkjack,
As Johnny Carson would say to Ed McMahon.
"I did not know that".
The Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet was sold last month at RM Auctions for
$264,000, which I posted earlier.
Maybe the pictures from the ex-Mrs. got around to the interested parties.
I can't imagine a woman doing something like that:eek:.
PC

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

Yep !

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

an outstanding idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

im taking my 56 bel/air to barrett jackson scottsdale 2010 jan. 19-24 my lot # 1344 sat. evening between 8-10 o'clock i'll tell you how im treated.

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

You'll find some of the best bargains late Saturday night....:(

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

A GREAT picture from Ontario Motor Speedway......
http://www.quartermilestones.com/pho...2/RMA7001.html

AND BUSTER ON THE STARTING LINE !

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

John K,
Many nice photo's of that Chevelle. The Ontario one is nice. But there are a couple out there of the Chevelle SS454 at the 71 Super/Stock
Magazine Nationals (May 71') at York US30 that are spectacular.
PC

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

I have seen more and more lawsuits against the auction houses, but you never hear how they are settled. I am still pretty sure that it is "buyer beware".

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

"Caveat Emptor" Let the buyer beware!!!
Hard to keep focused when;
1) Plied with alcohol
2) Fake bidders show up
3) Mystery phone calls:rolleyes: from absentee bidders
4) The old Billy Baroo (Owners of the car having their friends over bid, with no intention of selling the car, only to inflate the price. Then put the car on the auction block at the next event, with an inflated estiamted price.
5) Having that hound Amy, putting her hands all over you.
Anti-Auction

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

"Caveat Emptor" ,,,,Let the Buyer Beware
Hard to stay focused at one of those carnivals;
1) Plied with alcohol
2) More alcohol
3) Induced frenzy
* Anti-Auction Goer.

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

What happened to#4 ? Did "Spanky" email you a threat?

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

this months hot rod has a story about the guys that bought it back in 06 and the guy that bought it now. says he's going to drive it on the street. god bless him!

Re: Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454
 

partsbob,
Thats where it should have been for all these years. Not being passed around on an auction block, like some kind of artifact. The car was worth nice bucks, but not 1.2 million in 2006. You pay that kind of the money, then you have to put it away, to protect your investment.
Ed Fernandez,
Yes I did get an e-mail. Something pertaining to "a leash law'. Thats a chain for holding a dog or animal in check:rolleyes:
Paul