56 replies to this topic

[Rocketeater]

Now that I think about it. It did have a corvette body at one time. And yes it was very fast. I always thought it was an open late. Or super late(back in the day). Amazing how things have progressed.Also some great memories from long ago.
Thanks for the pic.

The car that Manifest owned was the Corvette bodied semi-late the Phillips raced in '80 - '81. Phillips race Supers briefly in his own Zervakis.

Edited by Rocketeater, 23 January 2013 - 03:34 PM.

[Rocketeater]

The Corvette was definitely in '81 but I'm not sure about '80 now that I think about it. We raced against him in '81 but I can't recall it in '80.....that was a long time ago.

[Rocketeater]

HMMMM? Not sure if that was the car. Do you know any of that cars history. I used to work for Auggie waaay back in 1979-80.

That body would have been '82 at the earliest.

[HARVESTER OF SORROW]

The Corvette was definitely in '81 but I'm not sure about '80 now that I think about it. We raced against him in '81 but I can't recall it in '80.....that was a long time ago.

I worked for Auggie in 78,79 and 80. I know they were racing in 79. 1 yr before I graduated. So the corvette body had to be in 79 when they got the car.
I also tried to find Auggie on the web, to no avail. Was hoping he would have some more pics.
What kind of motors were they/you running back then?

[Rocketeater]

I worked for Auggie in 78,79 and 80. I know they were racing in 79. 1 yr before I graduated. So the corvette body had to be in 79 when they got the car.
I also tried to find Auggie on the web, to no avail. Was hoping he would have some more pics.
What kind of motors were they/you running back then?

Definitely not '79. Maybe '80, for sure '81. I don't know what they had, but we ran a 355 Chevy with 202 heads and an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake with a Holley 4bbl that was built by Larry Gaiser at Larry's Engine Service. It was pretty stock. In '81 we raced a homebuilt chassis that was a Rayburn copy with a Camaro front clip. That car was fast. Built by Bob Wearing, Sr., driven by Bob Wearing, Jr.

[HARVESTER OF SORROW]

Definitely not '79. Maybe '80, for sure '81. I don't know what they had, but we ran a 355 Chevy with 202 heads and an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake with a Holley 4bbl that was built by Larry Gaiser at Larry's Engine Service. It was pretty stock. In '81 we raced a homebuilt chassis that was a Rayburn copy with a Camaro front clip. That car was fast. Built by Bob Wearing, Sr., driven by Bob Wearing, Jr.

Like you said. It was a long time ago. I'm probably wrong. Old age catching up LOL.
I thought those were chevy front clips. I also thought the engines were more like our street stocks of nowadays. Were they running big cubes back then? Or was that all still to be discovered?
Got any pics of your old car? Love those"old fashioned" cars.

[cats442]

Like you said. It was a long time ago. I'm probably wrong. Old age catching up LOL.
I thought those were chevy front clips. I also thought the engines were more like our street stocks of nowadays. Were they running big cubes back then? Or was that all still to be discovered?
Got any pics of your old car? Love those"old fashioned" cars.

If you have a facebook account join Western Pennsylvania Racing History. Thousands of old pics and stories from the last 60 years or so.

[HARVESTER OF SORROW]

If you have a facebook account join Western Pennsylvania Racing History. Thousands of old pics and stories from the last 60 years or so.

My wife made me delete my facebook account. I had a woman Stalking me. She wasnt going to tolerate that at all. Racing groupie. Trust me I would love to have a facbook account. It seems everything is linked to facebook.From NASA to shitpaper.

[Rocketeater]

Like you said. It was a long time ago. I'm probably wrong. Old age catching up LOL.
I thought those were chevy front clips. I also thought the engines were more like our street stocks of nowadays. Were they running big cubes back then? Or was that all still to be discovered?
Got any pics of your old car? Love those"old fashioned" cars.

Big cubic inches meant big block engine back then. 377 and 406 where the big small blocks. I gave all my pictures of the '81 #1Jr. away. I wish I had some back now.

[Rocketeater]

 _4594287717442212053.jpg   42.68KB   153 downloads This was the '80 version. It started life as a Gremlin bodied NASCAR modified. For '81, it was chopped at both ends of the roll cage. A Camaro front clip was added and the motor mounts were located like an '81 Rayburn. The rear clip was designed like an '81 Rayburn too. It had an Earl Teeters Camaro body on it and was painted like Wearing, Sr.'s car with 1Jr. on the side. Those were good times!

[HARVESTER OF SORROW]

 _4594287717442212053.jpg   42.68KB   153 downloads
This was the '80 version. It started life as a Gremlin bodied NASCAR modified. For '81, it was chopped at both ends of the roll cage. A Camaro front clip was added and the motor mounts were located like an '81 Rayburn. The rear clip was designed like an '81 Rayburn too. It had an Earl Teeters Camaro body on it and was painted like Wearing, Sr.'s car with 1Jr. on the side. Those were good times!

Thanks for the pics. Yes those were the good ol days. Cars now are so much better. More sophisticated. Back then, you didnt have to mess with too much. Gas er up and go!. I have to take a trip past the Bonfire Restaurant. I'm going to see if I can find any more pics.
I know if I find Auggie, I can weasel a few pics of the original car. Now it's a mission.

[Rocketeater]

Jerry Snyder used to have racing pictures hanging in the bar at the Bonfire. I don't know if he had any of that car though.

[Hotrod98]

My dad drove for Auggie a few times at Latrobe. Only then it was the red and white #53 with Foxes Pizza on it. Auggie is still around. He and his sons have a quad bussiness right outside Apollo. Plus are Into a lot of other things as well.

[HARVESTER OF SORROW]

My dad drove for Auggie a few times at Latrobe. Only then it was the red and white #53 with Foxes Pizza on it. Auggie is still around. He and his sons have a quad bussiness right outside Apollo. Plus are Into a lot of other things as well.

Very cool news. Do you have any idea as to his business name? Or where it is.
Who is your dad?
Also remember the #53 number. Just dont remember the car being red and white. Always thought it was orange.
Thanks for the info!

[manny]

Very cool news. Do you have any idea as to his business name? Or where it is.
Who is your dad?
Also remember the #53 number. Just dont remember the car being red and white. Always thought it was orange.
Thanks for the info!

four brothers is the name of the quad buisness outside apollo. all this brings back good memories for me to. i would also like to see pictures of the yellow 1jr. keep trying. didnt john brunner drive the pizza car before phillips ?

[HARVESTER OF SORROW]

four brothers is the name of the quad buisness outside apollo. all this brings back good memories for me to. i would also like to see pictures of the yellow 1jr. keep trying. didnt john brunner drive the pizza car before phillips ?

Not sure of #1jr car. Was it the same car?
I remember Johnny Bruner with his sprint car.I dont know if he ever drove for Augie. I do know he was one crazy SOB. I think he still has a sprint car. The other one was lost in a barn fire long ago.
Thanks for the info.

[HARVESTER OF SORROW]

Just got done talking with Augie. He is going to see if he can find his pics. It was an orange corvette at first. Augie said they were beating up on the claimer guys too much and decided to move up to limited lates. Johnny Bruner drove claimer for him until Bruner destroyed a brand new helmet. Augie also said a Chuck Cason drove for him. And most importantly , Augie didn't get caught cheating on his wife. He was paying for all of the expenses. When it was supossed t be a 50/50 deal with Philips. Sorry Augie. Stay tuned I should have pics soon.

[Hotrod98]

Very cool news. Do you have any idea as to his business name? Or where it is.
Who is your dad?
Also remember the #53 number. Just dont remember the car being red and white. Always thought it was orange.
Thanks for the info!

Chuck Kacin. Use to drive the 98 cars. Some were pink. First one was an old 55 ford. Was blue and people thought he was nuts for making a stock car out of that one. I probably have lots of pics. Will try to post them soon.

Edited by Hotrod98, 25 January 2013 - 01:54 PM.

[HARVESTER OF SORROW]

Chuck Kacin. Use to drive the 98 cars. Some were pink. First one was an old 55 ford. Was blue and people thought he was nuts for making a stock car out of that one. I probably have lots of pics. Will try to post them soon.

Yes! Yes! I remember the pink car! I'd love to see some more pics of that era.
Anybody else have pics? Please post them.
Anybody have pics of the sprints of those days? Love to see them too.
Sorry about the spelling on Kacin.

[Skull]

The fact that that car was ever permitted to run with the Semi-Lates is the single biggest reason that division was phased out in favor of the Limited or Sportsman Lates at Lernerville. It was so good and advanced compared to the Semi-Lates of the day that Bob Wearing,Sr. won a Late Model heat in it. I'm not getting into a pissing match or trying to anger anyone here, but Tom Phillips was a below average driver. He needed that kind of advantage to win in anything. The car was so superior that it was a wonder to me how he ever got beat if he didn't wreck or break. He ran Lernerville as if it was two connected drag strips. Scream down the straights, lock it down and coast around the bottom, repeat. Donnie Allison, Banker Beach, Kenny Schaltenbrand, Sr., Bud Kunkel, Don Gamble, Dave Pegher, Eddie Bashaar, Barry Peters and Mark Harvanek, to name a few, were all much better drivers that he ever was. That was all the while mostly driving worn out old Howe cars from the 70's or home made creations. Tommy liked to spend other people's cash to win. When he did go Late Model racing, he was not even remotely competitive and was out of racing altogether within a year.