Royal info wanted

[Belair62]

Very cool Rita...I like the shoe polish on the slick too !

[Steve_Hoog]

In this April 1969 issue of Super Stock there appears to be a mid winter trip to the dragstrip for some test and tune. Possibly JW's Light Green converted Judge and the Blue Bobcat.

There are two things to note; one the non production Ram Air set up, and two a 68 RAII Firebird engine shot. The Ram Air set up is probably something Milt Dave and Brian Ballish came up with. Why the article has a 68 RAII Firebird shot listed as the Blue Bobcat, your guess is as good as mine.



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The shroud and fender well are Firebird, the recessed top 3.8 water pump bolt is 68, and also notice this is a power steering car.

[Steve_Hoog]

Here is the full article March 1969 Popular Hot Rodding that the WY picture came from. The other interesting thing is the strange angle the oil sending unit appears to run. It may just be because of the angle the picture was taken from, but it appears to go out at a 45 degree angle. That is why I was checking to see if the V motor had a special adapter, no one seems to think so.



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[67 GTO]

I've always believed in defensive reading. I'm usually quite surprised if I cannot find something more after a careful lookover...
[image]https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/download.php?Number=62878[/image]
If you look at this pic, they refer to the car as a 63 Catalina - it's a 66 GTO. I've seen this same picture also used in some 67 articles.

[image]https://www.yenko.net/attachments/63897-68RoyalGoatest2.jpg[/image]
Check out the dropped exhaust on the RA II car, yet it looks like the other car's pipes aren't hanging down. Were they playing favorites?

[Steve_Hoog]

67 GTO

I am dead guilty of not double checking articles for many years. I was always in a hurry and took it at face value, I have no learned my lesson. That was not a good practice.

[Steve_Hoog]

I think I have figured out why the sender unit looks ackward in that underneath shot of the Blue Bobcat. After looking over the March 1969 Super Stock that covered the 350 HO Firebird, I saw this engine shot. Although the nylon tubing cannot be seen on the Blue car, I'll bet Milt and crew did this type set up on cars to allow both the factory and a mechanical oil gauge to work.

[Steve_Hoog]

I was really hoping this was a 69 WY, as you can see from this photo it is a 68 timing cover. Chances are it's a 68 block to go with the code, still leaves the questions of how and way.

This does not in anyway distract from the cars importance to Pontiac history, in my opinion. Just a strange piece of the puzzle.

[flash]

to everyone that tried to answer this question,user( bobcat ) came the closest to reality, and seems to have the history nailed except the porter story. the porters that washed and primped the cars in those events worked for the promoters just like the gate and litter crews. at any given time the bobcat and hot chiefs had a group with the cars but that would have been wangers the tech center guys and a few of the wrenches from the dealership, but never a porter. Ace sr. was more worried that ace jr. was going to kill himself with his fast toys, than about the race program. royal pontiac produced its last hot car in 1976 a black grand prix with jade green pinstripes. the dealership was sold to al shaffo the same year he defaulted after six months and the dealership was then sold to jim fresard.there are many firebirds,gto, lemans, and grand prix cars out there with some H.O. stuff and special paint that no one seems to remember but they were hard to miss in a crowd. royal raced in many events from the 50s to the 70s including pikes peak hill climbing... well that is enough for now... I would be interested in knowing how bobcat came to know so much about the royal team... but he is more accurate than all the books written.

[Steve_Hoog]

Flash

Bobcat was and still is right there with all the people involved, he still races one of the original hot Bobcat cars. I have found him to be one of the best assets for the Royal history. I think the porter comment was a sarcastic joke, in my opinion.

If you know anything about the 350 HO Firebird and interested in sharing, I would like to hear.

[GOAT72]

This one should cast some light on those Royal days though.

Milt Schornack and the Royal Bobcat GTOs