How he got "Grumpy."

[retengw31]

OK, here's the Old Reliable/Ramchargers story from Vineland, NJ, circa 1962/1963 (pretty sure it was 1962, though. Left the area after that never to return.)

Ramchargers blew up their car in first T' N' T run and wasn't fixable that night. Young kid shows up in a brand new white plain Jane Mopar with whatever was the trick package back then. Ramchargers convinve the kid to let them use his car for the match race and he can keep all the parts they're going to put on it. Not sure of everything they put on, but did see the rear end and induction system go in. Kid was in a daze. Strickler annihilated the 4 speed, so Grumpy thrashed to put in a new one while he ate a hamburger in the back seat of the tow vehicle. Wierd duck, but sure could drive.

Ramchargers didn't win the races that night, but became a big time crowd favorite, put a kid's head in the clouds, and sure made an impression on me! What a class act.

[Salvatore]

Sounds like a lot of fun in those days. You must be an old guy. My buddies used to run at Vineland alot in those days.

[Belair62]

Something tells me Strick was just staying out of Grumps way !!!

[Verne_Frantz]

Dave,
Great stories!
I can imagine serious Mopar guys finding that kid's car today and trying to figure out how it got that equipment on it. Nobody would ever figure it out.
Strickler was one HECK of a driver, but he didn't understand engines very well. If the Grump wasn't doing the work himself, he was directing one of the other guys to do things. I heard from one of the original crew members that they had to change transmissions pretty often. They usualy had a couple spares with them at every meet. And shifters too, before they allowed Hursts. Strick kept bending and breaking them.

Correction on my last: A friend forwarded a pic of a Mopar Profitt drove to the '62 title "Mr. Stock Eliminator". I never knew he was driving TWO makes in '62!
I spent some time with him at last September's 409 convention in KC. It was an honor. He's a great guy!

Verne

[SmallHurst]

Funny how small the world is. When I got back from the Pure Stocks in MI (I live in KC), my uncle had spend the weekend at the 409 reunion. He was talking about some ruff and ready racers up for the weekend. He and his buddy rebuilt several 409 cars back in the mid to late 80's then turned to 2nd gen vette's. $$$$

To add to this story, my brother and I (age 13) were visiting my uncle and they were just finishing up a '64 Impala SS with the 409 (Roman red with the red interior) and they asked if we wanted to go for a ride. What do you think our answer was? So off we go, the front bumper isn't on the car yet so the hood was securely tied down with wire and we find a deserted strech of rural blacktop. I remember the front end of that car going higher and higher as they stepped through the dual 4's. Definately left an impression on me. About 15 years later, I was at a show in Wichita and swung passed to see my uncle and we went blasting down the same road in my car!