Indy Highlights

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by John DiBartolomeo

What year was it that John Lingenfelter had a helicopter bring in an engine and what was the underlying story behind it all?

John kicked a rod out of the block of his 1973 Corvette (Now the Linkie SS/JA) SS/LA a few hours before 1st round at the Indy Nationals so he hired a guy who was giving helicopter rides to take him back to his shop to retrieve a block that was already prepped while his guys (and almost every other S/S racer in attendance) pulled and dissasembled the wounded bullet. They made the rebuild in time but was foiled by a piece of silicone that got stuck in the Q- Jet carb needle and seat in the water box during the first round. Im not 100% sure but I think is was 1975 or 1976 during the "Flat out " racing years. I will have to look up the exact year. Im having another CRS attack. They were not many who were a sharp as John or as good hearted. I used one of his carbs, oil pans and picked his brain on building my 350 for my SS/IA Camaro back in the day. I met him while working for IHRA during the heads up days of Super Modifed and I drove a matching Green 1973 Corvette on the street to the races and we struck up a friendship. Of course that Coan lock up converter helped him run fast before it was outlawed.