Reunited
 

How many of you have kept your first race car and have it to this day, racing or not? How many of you beat yourself up over selling your first race car and wish you could have it back? Well, I fall into the second category and have been reunited with my first race car after selling it over 21 years ago.

Many of you may remember our 66 Chevy II we ran in IHRA Pure Stock and Stock from 1980 through the mid 1980's. We sold it in 1988 and it went to a good home in eastern KY. We asked that if they ever decided to sell to please give us first right of refusal. The gentleman passed away several years ago and it sat in their barn for the last 11 years. Over the course of the last several years, Dad and I have dreamed about buying the car back. The widow, true to her word, tracked Dad down and offered the car back to us. Needless to say we jumped at the offer. On Monday, we drove to Dad's, picked him up and headed for KY. After spending a few hours there, we loaded up 2 additional motors, powerglide and many other parts and were enroute back to Dad's. We unloaded all the parts and the car into Dad's garage and then headed back home in hopes of beating the storm (which we didn't).

It is an original Super Sport car, 283, 2barrel, powerglide, 10 bolt rear. The rearend is long gone but we received the original block, heads and I believe the intake when we bought the car back. I checked the date code on the block (Oct 1965) and the heads (Jan 1966). I would like any information on how to locate the date code for the intake. The 12 bolt is an original Chevy II rearend that we took out from under a donor car in 1979 when we built the Chevy II for racing.

The car is in dire need of a complete restoration for any future use. With that being said, do I set it up for;
1) stock eliminator (327 full out),
2) freshen it up (283) and teach the kids bracket racing, or
3) street it with an L-79 and enjoy (already have the intake and carb).

I am leaning towards streeting it and having the kids learn a little about building a car. While I make a decision, I will likely need parts to restore it either way. This is going to take a long time to do. I would like to be able to talk to several of you who are Chevy II owners so I may reacquaint myself to the body line. Don't hesitate to reply here or PM me.

I urge you to share your stories about your first race car. Please post!

Below are a couple of pics from the 80's and Monday. Picture on the left is circa 1982 at Rockingham and the picture on the right is loading it into Dad's garage on Monday. Enjoy.

Ronnie, Jr.

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Got back second race car a few years ago I sold it in 91was my first stocker 80 malibu ran V/S W/229 chevy V-6 ,3 speed stick hope maybe get back out this year,have my3rd car 79 malibu F/PS.My collection is missing only my first race car /street car first drove to high school ended up being race car later. Was going to make stocker then Billy Meyer did away with classes NHRA was'nt option back then cut it up set engine back 10'' alum. int. lexan narrowed rear wished I didn't after. So then decided make to G/A IHRA did away with Modified,so then lost interest and sold it couldn't put class letters on window I don't need it. My very first car is also missing I miss it the most when I was 16 had 66 chevy II post had 70 LT 1 350/360 wrecked it when I was 17 and half years old,in 1984 it wasn't worth fixing.I parted out then crushed rest (roof,firewall floor pan) now cars way worse get fixed.
Where in KY. and who had you alls chevyII,is your Dad the Ronnie Smith had SS/K 66chevyII post in about 89 was like a turquoise'ish baby blueish and white paint scheme had color split kinda 4 squares over the whole car had bench seat notched for seat?
Mike Taylor 3601

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Ronnie,

If I had a vote. I'd say restore it and enjoy the car. From the looks of it, your car appears as I wish mine had stayed before I decided to cut it. That was in 1979 and "hey", there were still quite a few 66-67 Chevy II's still around.


There's a place in Louisville, Kentucky, actually south of there, Chevy II's Only (502) 239-8487. they've got almost anything you need for these cars. They also get used oddball stuff from time to time.

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Ronnie how about a SS 327 stick car!!!! Way cool trust me. Ed

I know Bill Zaskowski sold his Chevy II a number of years ago and got it back. He runs it with a 283 in GT/J now.

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Hi Mike,

We picked up the car in Morehead, KY from the Martin family. We sold it to them in 1988. Cool story for you too. Yes that is my Dad and that was his Chevy II post car. Dad bought his Chevy II from Scott Wilcox. He sold it to Rick Young.

Ronnie, Jr.

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I still am running my Nova I bought in 1979 as a 6 cylinder powerglide car. Started out as a 350 bracket car. In 1985 turned it into a stocker after going to the 85 Worldfinals. I was hooked.

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Ronnie,
I met your Dad at Clay City about 88-89 when he had the blue and white chevy II looked at and talked a little while loved that car The Chevy II I wanted for a long time was the ex Joe Hoffer 66 red &white wagon Randy Centers had it for awhile.
My old 69 nova is for sale and 30 miles from my shop but even though my wife and cruised in it when we were dating we don't need it back.
Mike Taylor3601

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Sold my first race car in 1983 after racing it for 10 years. Don Keen and his Dad Al bought the 68 Fastback from me and a couple years later, won the NHRA World Championship in Stock with it. They still own it today, fond memories.

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I hope you and your dad and kids have as much fun now as you did back then. Enjoy and take a lot of pictures. Your dad talked about that car a many a day. Have Fun with it.

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Hi Ronnie,

I am still running my 68 camaro. Since 1976. I was 18 at the time. Now 51. I just ran 6.27 last weekend at immokalee.

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I still have my '71 Dodge Demon 340 that I ordered from the factory in June of '71 when I was 20 years old. It started out as a street car then an AHRA Stock Option racer then an IHRA Stocker then Super Stocker and finally an NHRA Super Stocker. I have had it in storage since 1987. I look at it almost every day.Oh yeah it has 15,003 original miles on it. Many many memories! Jim

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I bought my 71 pontiac ventura in 1984 it was sitting in a field with grass growing around it i paid 50$ for it.it had a 307 3speed.i towed it 10 miles to my shop,pulled the engine and trans and put my pontiac400/th400 in it and drove it my senior year of school.its been raced year round ever since...im leaving for bradenton with it in a few hours
scott fifield

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My dad had a 65 Chevy II he race for about 15 years. I bought and had it for about 8 years and I sold it. It is currently for sale but I just don't have the cash to get it back. I wish I did. When I sold it the car was a 283 stick car. It's now an automatic with a 406 in it. To bad. Ed

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Guys thanks for the replies and keep them coming. Those are good memories for sure. I enjoy reading the replies, it takes my mind off of the 40 inches of snow we have here.

The Chevy II will not be cut up for Super Stock - sorry Ed. I am sure it would be way cool with the 327 stick. With the new clutchless trans rule, it would make it easier for me. I admit to being one of those guys who "can't drive a nail with a hammer" but I would seriously consider that option if I was going back superstock racing.

Mike T - Joe always had nice looking Chevy IIs. I remember them well.

Mike P - Perseverence pays off. Looks like your getting the car dialed in. Good luck.

7423 - Sounds like the Keens have been very successful with the car.

Jim - Awesome info and low mileage to boot. Can it be returned to Stock or street or has it been backhalved for a true superstocker? Either way, good memories.

Danny - Smiles all around. Guaranteed to bring fun to the kids - and to Dad too.

Scott - What a great story. Don't hear of too many field finds anymore. Good luck in Bradenton.

Ed - Good luck with your 283 this year. If you sell the 327, you could have the funds to buy the 65, if that is what you want. Hope it all works out for you. Stay safe.

Love to see pictures. "Post em if you got em".



Ronnie, Jr.

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ronnie,my dad bought a 66 hardtop bench seat 350hp chevy2 in 66 (actually ordered it in 65) it only lasted 13 months before a pole jumped in front of it.but going to the division 3 points meet at edgewater and seeing your dads and noel davis and danny coffmans superstock chevy2's made me fall head over heels for superstock chevy2's,later it was scooter anderson,robin brown and the one that mike cates had and sold to brian self.i bought a 66 when i was in high shool in the mid 80's and have held onto it all this time and now its time for me to do something with it,i have a 13 yr old son that loves going to the race track and its time to do something for us as father,son plus drag racing is such a great family sport that my daughter 6 and other son 3 would also enjoy it very much.so thank your dad for giving alot of people a bug that wont go away.

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Ronnie -
I regret selling just about every car I ever had

1st car in HS - 69 SS 396 Nova w/ 4sp very clean (sold it) circa 1980
2nd car ...........70 Boss 302 (had it for over 20 years &....... sold it) 1980-2001
3rd car ............2 69 Z28's one silver & one red(didn't have em long sold em to make money) mid 80's
4th ..................70 SS 396 Chevelle Auto/w air - had this car from 85 through 92... reason I sold it?.............. to build an Super Stocker !

All of them were matching # cars at a time when that wasn't that much of a big deal.
The Nova was an animal ! Such a great car....... I was too young to really appreciate it. That was the first car i took to the track "to get a time slip". I street raced it mostly and I just loved working on it. I even let my mother drive it once ! I sold it to a guy in Brooklyn NY & the car was promptly stolen from him.
The Boss belonged to a distant relative who had bought it new. I bought it off him and had it and enjoyed it for a long time - Regretted selling it but that's how it goes.. I used the proceeds to buy real estate - which worked out pretty well.
The Chevelle was a Great car too - I used to use it daily - it had a ride like a Cadilac.
In the 80's people still used to drive these cars around and you'd see them on the street every now and then - Now you really only see them on cruise nights.
I loved em all & wish I could have them back now - I'm sure everyone has a similar story.
when I get my scanner hooked up I will put pics of them in my class racer photo gallery

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Ronnie build it back as a pure stock 283 4bbl. Have two gear set-ups for it. That way you can race it & drive it...Dad's Mustang GT runs a 3.73 on the street & brackets. He then sticks a 4.56 in it to run pure stock (it runs about a .10 under but hey he can race).

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Ronnie,
Great story and pictures. Since you asked for opinions, I'd make it a street car that you and the family can enjoy and have fun with for years to come.
I'd love to see more pictures of it from either back then or today. If you cannot post them up here, I would really appreciate if you could email them to me @ GlennHayesPerformance@gmail.com

I sold my dually truck and trailer and my Chevy II Wagon is licensed so I have been just driving it around town for a couple of years. It's hard on gas, so I'm compelled to pull the engine and 'glide out, as well as the 4.30 gear and spool, and turn it into a street car, keeping my Q-Jet... of course.

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Thanks Glenn for the info. The Chevy II is being completely restored at Steve McCreary's shop. The car took a beating while it sat in a barn for 11 years. Steve has replaced a majority of the panels to make it look right. The plan is for a light resto mod and street enjoyment.

I have a 327 that Bub Whitaker is going to make stronger with Heads Up! heads, factory L-79 intake and carb. Vintage Air Gen IV a/c and front runner system. Undecided about the trans, leaning towards the new RS Keisler 5 speed - definately a stick. Complete Church Boys Racing front suspension including coilover DA shocks with 2 inch drop spindles. Church Boys rear multi-leaf springs with 2 inch drop and DA rear shocks. New 4 wheel disc brakes with upgraded/drilled/slotted rotors. Coys C-5 17" wheels and BF Goodrich Gforce Sport radial tires. Interior will be factory "Fawn" color. Paint will be House of Kolors candy burgundy metallic over silver base.

There are many things for consideration and most of the "list" has not been accomplished yet because of funding. But we will get there maybe later than sooner.

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Although it wasn't my first , selling my Ventura was a huge mistake and I wish I had it back today ..............

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#2
Teach the kids how to Freshen - bracket race- and class race
Chip

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For all the Nova Lovers, Real Deal Steel will be bringing out a new steel body(2DR Hardtop)in the near future.. Check their web site,realdealsteel.com.

Hammer

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My 71 ventura is/was my first race car ive had it for 27 years and it was my daily driver for 4 years and i plan to race it til i cant anymore then my kids can and will fight over it
scott fifield

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Ronnie,

My first ride: A 55' chevy that Red Morris still runs at the valley. I have told him as well as every other member of his family that I want it if he ever decides to move it. We only bracket raced it, but Red runs it in IHRA crate motor stock some times, it's orange/white two tone. I was 16 and racing a stock stick shift Opel GT in gambler races, Dad had to come and get me with it broke down on the way to school one too many times, so he decided he would show me how to race the right way.....two weeks later his street ride (the 55') was my first racecar. I can remember winning the gambler race on the first wednesday night we ever tested the car, Mom still has pictures somewhere. It ran 6.80's or so on the 1/8th, and what I remember most about it was how easy it was to just go to the track and enjoy driving it. Makes me miss Pop just thinking about it, thanks for the post

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Bought a 64 Plymouth in 72. Been racing it since then. The old Max Wedge has been a lot of fun. It's broken about everything that can be broken but then that's what it's all about.

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Scotty D,,, One of the things I've regretted over the years was selling my '66 Nova SS. It was a 327, 4speed, 557 geared wheelstanding ball of fun back in the 70s and 80s. If you have one now and have an irreplaceable opportunity to do something with your kids involving the car, I'd say jump into Stock with it,(something else I never did) and enjoy the learning curve with your family. How can you go wrong? By the time your young man is ready to drive, think of the experiences you will have shared, and how big his "ball of knowledge' will be. My 2 cents,,,have fun with your Chevy II!
Danny Durham

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Thanks for sharing your stories, they are all great ones. Each of those brings back the "good ole days" for each of us as we were growing up or learning the ropes of this sport called drag racing - or street racing in the earlier days.

Keep the stories coming. I enjoy reading them.