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chooch 12-18-2015 06:42 PM
don grotheer max wedge
 
2 Attachment(s)
Does anybody have any info or pics on Don grotheer's 63 max wedge I know it was raced a lot at green valley for a few years then sold locally in Oklahoma as a daily driver with a 361 in it & ended up in ohio in the 70's. here's what it looked like shortly after he bought it new & as raced in ohio any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

georgep3689 12-19-2015 12:30 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
There is good coverage of Grotheer in National dragster and Drag news...
He raced at the 1964 NHRA winternationals... I will send you the list... pm me

Charlie A 12-19-2015 04:23 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by chooch (Post 490667)
Does anybody have any info or pics on Don grotheer's 63 max wedge I know it was raced a lot at green valley for a few years then sold locally in Oklahoma as a daily driver with a 361 in it & ended up in ohio in the 70's. here's what it looked like shortly after he bought it new & as raced in ohio any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks.
http://classracer.com/classforum/att...5&d=1450477957


http://classracer.com/classforum/att...6&d=1450478517

marfen 12-19-2015 06:22 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
I'm sure Don does, I'd check with him.

chooch 12-19-2015 09:59 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Did that already i'm just trying to fill in the blanks & find any more photos / info that might be out there. Thanks

marfen 12-20-2015 12:12 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Cool!

jimmyparker 12-21-2015 09:12 AM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
I remember seeing this car run at Okla City in early '63. Don had just installed a traction bar system that went to the back of the car, when he left the starting line these bars actually pulled down on the back of the car and raised the front. Ask Don about them, I'm sure he will remember because they didn't stay on the car long. If I remember correctly he stated that he had seen cars at the Winternationals with the same set up.

340Cuda 12-21-2015 10:28 AM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by georgep3689 (Post 490767)
There is good coverage of Grotheer in National dragster and Drag news...
He raced at the 1964 NHRA winternationals... I will send you the list... pm me
The red 64 that he raced at the Winternationals was on loan from Weldon Christian.

340Cuda 12-21-2015 10:30 AM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by marfen (Post 490814)
I'm sure Don does, I'd check with him.
How is Don doing?

DRAKE VISCOME 12-21-2015 01:56 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Hey...please see above post..."yikes" truly sorry-Drake

mopar68 12-21-2015 06:54 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DRAKE VISCOME (Post 490985)
Hey...ignored this post the other day...in "hope" that someone else would remind/let you know Don tragically lost his life some years ago...racing a Pro Stock Pinto...certainly a change from all those successful Chrysler years...real good guy...fine racer...Drake p.s...Don's "fleet" of Cable Cars slick...a quite successful as well!
Drake,

Don Grotheer is still alive and well (as far as I know). You have him confused with Irv Beringhaus who purchased Don's Pro Stock Pinto.

Pete

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Irv Beringhaus

Born: July 17, 1934
Died: January 26, 1974
Buried: Green Mountain Cemetery, Boulder, Colorado

Age: 39
Full Name: Irvin Herbert Beringhaus
Nickname:
Drag Strip: Beeline Dragway, Arizona
Event: AHRA Winternationals
Accident Date:
Car: Pro Stock 1973 Ford Pinto

Biographical: He was driving a Pro Stock Pinto that had been built by Don Hardy in Texas with an engine built by Gapp & Roush. It was his first year campaigning a Ford after running Mopar in all his previous racing. During qualifying his car flipped six times at 152 MPH. He was a Denver land developer and had been racing in pro stock for at least five years. He first began drag racing with an Olds 442, but progressively advanced until getting into the pro ranks. He was survived by his wife and three children.

Sources
"AHRA driver dies in crash during trials," Chicago Tribune, January 27, 1974
Pueblo Chieftain website (http://forums.pueblochieftain.com/sh...?t=2326&page=5)
Find a Grave website
Bob McClurg, "Pint-o'-Pinto," High Performance Cars, Mar. 1974
Nancy Beringhaus, e-mail communication to site administrator, Feb. 22 & 24, 2011
Debra Beringhaus, e-mail communication to site administrator, Mar. 7, 2011
Photos
Keystone Bison Dragways website (http://www.mts.net/~57ford/reunion11.html)
Nancy Beringhaus, e-mail communication to site administrator, Feb. 26, 2011
Pro Stock Hemi.com gallery (http://www.prostockhemi.com/gallery2...&g2_itemId=725)


chooch 12-21-2015 07:39 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmyparker (Post 490955)
I remember seeing this car run at Okla City in early '63. Don had just installed a traction bar system that went to the back of the car, when he left the starting line these bars actually pulled down on the back of the car and raised the front. Ask Don about them, I'm sure he will remember because they didn't stay on the car long. If I remember correctly he stated that he had seen cars at the Winternationals with the same set up.
I asked Don about them & said he never could figure out if they helped him or not & was hard to tell because of the mw torque plus a 3 speed then you throw in 7" tires that's why he ran shorter collectors on the headers

chooch 12-21-2015 07:51 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by 340Cuda (Post 490960)
The red 64 that he raced at the Winternationals was on loan from Weldon Christian.
Don is doing really well & probably is one of the most down to earth knowledgeable people to talk to & not to mention what a amazing memory. he's really surprised that is car is still around since it got sold as just a driver,but he's excited to see it again "road trip" :D considering this was his first mopar he ever owned or raced yes he was a ford / chevy man before!!
The red car at the 64 nats was a 64 ford fairlane 289 / 4sp since he sold the black car a few months before & didn't buy the white 63 car until 65

DRAKE VISCOME 12-21-2015 08:19 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Hey Chooch...indeed I am "confused"...old age "hoss"...Irv was fatally injured in the Pinto Pro Stock car...a long time Chrysler guy as well... my sincerest apology to Don...friends/family!...:) Drake

jimmyparker 12-21-2015 08:43 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
I memory serves me right Don had the first S/SS car I ever saw run the 12's and it was a 62 Ford, 12.97 at OKC.

chooch 12-21-2015 10:44 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
he did mention that he was a die hard ford guy & even raced some chevys & I read somewhere that he was racing a z-11pulling 12.88 et's before this car.

340Cuda 12-21-2015 11:27 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
1 Attachment(s)
Quote:
Originally Posted by chooch (Post 491017)
Don is doing really well & probably is one of the most down to earth knowledgeable people to talk to & not to mention what a amazing memory. he's really surprised that is car is still around since it got sold as just a driver,but he's excited to see it again "road trip" :D considering this was his first mopar he ever owned or raced yes he was a ford / chevy man before!!
The red car at the 64 nats was a 64 ford fairlane 289 / 4sp since he sold the black car a few months before & didn't buy the white 63 car until 65
My memory is not that good, but I do know that the car Don raced at the 64 WinterNationals was Weldon's 64 light weight max wedge. A photo is attached.

Actually the aluminum front end on Don's "second" 63 was off this car. Don was a sheet metal worker by trade and reworked everything to look like a 63. You could not tell the difference when he was done.

The red 64 Fairlane high performance 289 was acquired after the 64 WinterNationals. It was a really cool car as well.

Its great to hear Don is doing well. The only time I have talked to him since "back in the day" was after he had heart surgery, got an infection, but was on the road to recovery.

Bill Lamb

chooch 12-22-2015 10:16 AM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by 340Cuda (Post 491036)
My memory is not that good, but I do know that the car Don raced at the 64 WinterNationals was Weldon's 64 light weight max wedge. A photo is attached.

Actually the aluminum front end on Don's "second" 63 was off this car. Don was a sheet metal worker by trade and reworked everything to look like a 63. You could not tell the difference when he was done.

The red 64 Fairlane high performance 289 was acquired after the 64 WinterNationals. It was a really cool car as well.

Its great to hear Don is doing well. The only time I have talked to him since "back in the day" was after he had heart surgery, got an infection, but was on the road to recovery.

Bill Lamb

wow I didn't think anybody else knew that but your right unless you where told he made the 63 front end I really don't think you could possibly tell, he did mention that the 64 front end was lighter plus he got it cheap since it was the 65 season by the time he got the white car. the hood scoop on the car early on was made out of steel before he put the aluminum on.

georgep3689 12-22-2015 11:01 AM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
1 Attachment(s)
THe 1964 NHRA Winternationals entry list the #785 1964 plymouth car as a stick.
Most pictures of the Cox motors plymouth I found have SSA on the side.

georgep3689 12-22-2015 11:17 AM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
1 Attachment(s)
This picture is from the 1964 NHRA Winternationals... SSA on the side...
Did Don swap out the Auto and put a 4 speed for this event?

georgep3689 12-22-2015 11:21 AM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
1 Attachment(s)
cox motors

chooch 12-22-2015 06:21 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by georgep3689 (Post 491061)
This picture is from the 1964 NHRA Winternationals... SSA on the side...
Did Don swap out the Auto and put a 4 speed for this event?
I honestly don't know if he ran this car for the event he told me he ran the 64 fairlane for the winter nationals..
I wonder what the lettering on the door underneath tex Weldon says?

mopar68 12-22-2015 08:58 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by georgep3689 (Post 491061)
This picture is from the 1964 NHRA Winternationals... SSA on the side...
Did Don swap out the Auto and put a 4 speed for this event?
No trans swap, the automatic was still in there. Before the NHRA restructured the Super Stock Eliminator classifications in 1967, S/SA stood for Super Stock Automatic and S/S stood for Super Stock manual transmission race cars.

Pete

mopar68 12-22-2015 09:58 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Don Grotheer, his wife and Hemi Barracuda 2010.

http://114.imagebam.com/download/gNq...r_%26_wife.JPG

Charlie A 12-22-2015 11:16 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
http://classracer.com/classforum/att...8&d=1450797655

340Cuda 12-24-2015 12:00 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by chooch (Post 491110)
I honestly don't know if he ran this car for the event he told me he ran the 64 fairlane for the winter nationals..
I wonder what the lettering on the door underneath tex Weldon says?
It says "Don Grotheer".

I think Weldon was hoping he would get a blue printed engine out of the deal, but I think all Don did was a valve job and raised the front suspension stops. Just to be clear I don't think Don promised to do anything other than bring the car back!

Maybe Don ran the Fairlane at the 65 WinterNationals? I don't remember when he got his white 63.

Bill

340Cuda 12-24-2015 12:21 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mopar68 (Post 491122)
No trans swap, the automatic was still in there. Before the NHRA restructured the Super Stock Eliminator classifications in 1967, S/SA stood for Super Stock Automatic and S/S stood for Super Stock manual transmission race cars.

Pete
Yes no trans swap, the car was always an automatic.

The car has been fully restored. I think it lived in Lawton, OK for a while but I think it is in a private collection in Tennessee now.

Bill

chooch 12-24-2015 05:31 PM
Re: don grotheer max wedge
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by 340Cuda (Post 491311)
It says "Don Grotheer".

I think Weldon was hoping he would get a blue printed engine out of the deal, but I think all Don did was a valve job and raised the front suspension stops. Just to be clear I don't think Don promised to do anything other than bring the car back!

Maybe Don ran the Fairlane at the 65 WinterNationals? I don't remember when he got his white 63.

Bill
That would make more sense since Don mention that Chrysler used to give away 426mw engines as a top prize & said He ran a red car in the 64 nationals which I'm assuming now it might have been Tex's 64 plus he insists he sold the black 63 a few months before due to it not being competitive with the new hemi.
I've been told by a few people including him that he got the white car in 65 because they started a new class he wanted to race in & the aluminum front end is from a 64 that he made into a 63 I'm guessing from tex's car?
the ford might have been in 65 before the white 63 maybe he got the cars or years backwards which is understandable..
I guess I should give Joe smith a call..


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