Short Tracks: Move over Smokie... this one started

In 1973, Pontiac Firebird Chief Designer John Schinella proposed a bold new hood graphic for the Trans Am. Knowing that his boss, GM design guru Bill Mitchell, liked the famous Black and Gold livery of the John Player Lotus Formula One cars, Schinella had a ‘73 Trans Am SD455 painted in dramatic Black Metalflake, decorated with gold pinstriping and a gold-leaf version of his Firebird hood motif, and presented it to Mitchell for his approval. Mitchell was instantly smitten; he liked the look so much that he ordered the car placed on display at the 1974 Chicago Auto Show, where it received rave reviews. Soon thereafter, Mitchell began using the one-off show car as his personal driver.

Mecum is offering that very same Bill Mitchell/Chicago Auto Show 1973 Firebird Trans Am, the only one of its kind and a true part of Pontiac history. Completely original, un-restored and in remarkable condition, this is the car that launched an automotive cult that still thrives thirty-five years later. The new Special Edition Black and Gold T/A boosted Firebird sales over the 100,000 mark for the first time in 1974, three years before it got another shot in the arm from the surprise hit movie “Smokey and the Bandit.” Complementing that incredible Black ‘flake paint is a Gold-Beige interior equipped with all the optional equipment one would expect of a major show vehicle: power windows and locks, a tilt three-spoke Formula steering wheel, console, AM/FM 8-track stereo, gold engine-turned instrument panel and console trim, full gauges and air conditioning. The Bill Mitchell Trans Am is also equipped with a 290-horsepower 455 SD V8 with a unique detail, in that it uses unitized ignition built before the introduction of HEI. With a long career as a Pontiac promotional ambassador, parade car and show vehicle, and a strong, knowledgeable following of enthusiasts, this is quite probably the most intriguing, high-profile Trans Am in the history of the model. Such authorities as Don Keefe, Tom DeMauro, Jim Wangers and its creator John Schinella agree on its overriding historical significance; the car has been noted or featured in no fewer than twelve magazines (nine in the past year!) and thirteen books, and is instantly recognizable.

More info and pictures of this car:  http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=SC0509-79432

Mecum will have 1,250 cars at its Spring Classic Auction in Indianapolis. Full details of this and all its upcoming auctions can be found on its website: http://www.mecum.com/index.cfm

A Cut Above (and on the side!)

Love Mustangs, but wish they were a little flashier? How about we let our imaginations go a little wild, rip into one and build it like you had an open cheque book. The result, I’m sure, would still be nothing like what you see here. Check it out - scissor doors and a retractable hard top – and, what’s more, this might have been the car you considered buying way back in 1967 if (then) Ford designer Ben J. Smith had been successful in pitching the idea to his boss Henry Ford II. It recently went up for sale on eBay. At time of writing, it was sitting at US$11,100 and the reserve still hadn’t been met. It will be interesting to see if it meets it. By the time you read this, it will all be over – the auction closes on May 11 - but check it out anyway. If it gets passed in, call and make an offer. You’ll be guaranteed of a unique piece of automotive culture.

Here are some edited details from the listing:

Professionally-built by Mustangs Plus with templates purchased from Ford. Virtually everything in and on this car is brand new. Complete documentation portfolio including receipts for everything.

Started life as a coupe. The car has a Crate 302 from Ford Racing, with Edelbrock Aluminum Heads and Manifold. It has a New Ford Racing Tremec T5 5-speed HD transmission, Full Grab-A-Track Front and Rear Suspension, 4-Wheel Disc Brakes, and American Racing Torque Thrust II Polished RestoMod Wheels.

This is also the first ‘67 Mustang with Custom Lamborghini-type vertical doors. The template was fabricated, and then shipped to Vertical Doors Inc. This car is painted in the ever-changing colour of “Poison Ivy” from the PPG Vibrance Collection. This paint changes from Green to Purple to Blue. The side stripes change from orange to yellow. There are no decals, stickers or rolled on pin-striping; it is all professionally painted. Completing the exterior is a Shelby GT 350-style Dual Scoop fibreglass hood.

The car has an all-new Classic Auto Air In-Dash air conditioning system. The seats are Pro-Car seats. The rear seat matches the fronts. The car has power windows, custom Dakota Digital Gauges, Flaming River Rack and Pinion steering with tilt steering column, and Pioneer sound system.

Now to the best part, the Retractable Top Unlimited Kit from Mustang Plus. The top is all fibreglass and has four latches on it that lock it down when on. They put a few years into this project and it shows.

This unique 1967 Retractable Mustang is one of just a few Classic Mustangs (the ONLY ‘67) to be equipped with a retractable hardtop roof. The concept was originally considered by Ford in 1966, but was never produced. Originally considered as an option for the 1967 Mustang by Ford Motor Company, approximately $250,000.00 was allotted in 1965 to build a prototype. The option was turned down in 1966 by Henry Ford ll because it would not be motorized. Twenty-five years later, designer Ben J. Smith retired from Ford Motor Company and built his own Retractable Mustang based on the prototype that had been built at Ford. Ben’s Retractable Mustang paved the way for others to be built and a handful were constructed in 1994 (but not any ‘67s).

An article in the October 2005 issue of Hemmings Classic Car magazine seems to confirm the seller’s claims. It appears that Smith and his son Dave had created a handful of retractable hardtop Mustangs before they called it quits in 1996. As for the original 1965 prototype, Smith indicated to Hemmings that it disappeared, never to be seen again.

eBay link:  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360152018428#ht_61348wt_1030

Performance Minus

It probably comes as no surprise, even to regular TV-watching ‘car-guys,’ that NBC has officially announced that its new Knight Rider TV series featuring Justin Bruening in the role of Michael Knight and a specially-modified Ford Shelby GT500KR as KITT, is out of gas after only one season and some 17 episodes. And whilst I consider myself in the ‘car-guy’ league, I have to admit that I never actually took the time to watch even a single episode!  Maybe others, like me, didn’t want to taint or worse yet, destroy the memories of the original series (yes – I’m that old). Then there’s KITT’s identity – from a Pontiac Firebird to a Ford Mustang – what’s with that!

Perhaps the new series creators should have taken heed of the previous attempts to revive the concept. The ‘Knight Rider 2000’ in the early 90s, and Team Knight Rider in the late 90s both failed to recapture the ‘80s glory of the original.

The ‘Hoff’ gets a bad rap from most of the media, most of the time - but you know, there was some small degree of magic in his work in that old series. Sure, the story lines were about as thin as a cigarette paper, but it managed to last 84 episodes from 1982-1986. Put it down, if you will, to simply being another ‘time and place,’ where technology was simpler and TV shows were generally more ‘camp’ than today, but I prefer to think its success was due to the way that David Hasselhoff approached the role. He didn’t take the role too seriously. It was never meant to be a show about one man single-handedly trying to change the world; it was merely a one-hour action/adventure block of entertainment.

$500K ‘Hero’ Camaro

Car auctions continue to defy the current economic gloom – and that is a good thing, except maybe for those who want to pick up a bargain! One such example of thumbing one’s nose at Wall Street was the buyer of the Project American Heroes Camaro, an extensively modified 1969 RS/SS. It was auctioned off at the April 10, 2009 Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Auction to benefit US Armed Forces veterans and their families. Its appearance lit up the room and sold to wild applause for a record US$500,000.

With wounded Army Lt. Mark Little standing before the crowd on a pair of prosthetic legs, the gleaming red Camaro was rapidly bid up through the six figures to become the highest-selling car so far at this year’s Florida auction. The entire half-million dollars went directly to the Armed Forces Foundation, which aids veterans with such programs as family assistance, injured-support services and bereavement assistance. U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney appeared on stage to help introduce the car and the foundation.

Besides its charity connection, the Camaro is an amazing creation, built by Route 66 Motorsports (www.rt66motorsports.com) in New Lenox, Ill., with parts provided by more than 25 aftermarket manufacturers and modeled on a rendering supplied by well respected designer Eric Brockmeyer (www.brockmeyerdesign.com). The project was documented in six issues of Super Chevy magazine, including a special 100-page feature. Camaros were actually quite plentiful on that auction day. Besides the American Heroes car, there were 40 Camaros on Friday’s schedule.

Full details of the auction can be seen at: www.barrett-jackson.com/events/palmbeach/default.asp

“Mountain High Racing” - Westwood50 Update

If you read Short Tracks in the March/April issue of Performance Plus, you will recall us mentioning the upcoming event to be hosted by the Sports Car Club of British Columbia (SCCBC) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the now defunct ‘purpose built’ Westwood Racing Circuit in Coquitlam, B.C. The original site’s picturesque surroundings are now just a memory to most, except the current residents of the Westwood Plateau housing estate, of course. The circuit closed in 1990, after being built and managed by the SCCBC for 32 seasons.

To recap, the SCCBC moved their operations to Mission Raceway Park in Mission B.C., on the understanding that new land would be made available for the construction of a new circuit. That never happened for a number of reasons, and the club has now adopted Mission as its ‘home.’ It is at the River’s Edge Road Course within the Mission facility that this milestone event will take place on the weekend of July 17, 18 and 19, 2009.

The event, presented by the Westwood50 Organizing Committee, the SCCBC, the Vintage Racing Club of British Columbia (VRCBC) and the Confederation of Autosport Car Clubs (CACC), will consist of a special three-day running of the Vintage Club’s annual Historic Motor Races, as well SCCBC special races. These include:

• PEPZI-PRO - series for Formula Fords of any era (this class of racing was the most successful at Westwood.)

• GROUP 8 – a ‘non-contact’ series for cars that would have been eligible to race at Westwood (i.e. pre-1990 cars). This includes street cars of this same era.

As Group 8 will be a ‘lapping’ group, the usual licensing and tech / roll-bar requirements will not need to be met. This opens up the event for participation and enjoyment by a much larger cross-section of motoring enthusiasts. It will be run under the “SoloSport” guidelines of the ASN Canada FIA governing body. Refer to its website (www.asncanada.com) for details.

There will also be a variety of social events, including displays of cars with Westwood history and other memorabilia. A much-awaited event is the Gala Dinner at the Mission Best Western Inn. But if you want to rub shoulders with Canada’s motor racing ‘elite’ – current and past – you had better be quick. Seats for this are selling fast (as at time of writing there were 150 sold). The chance to hear hair-raising stories from drivers of the past is something not to pass up. Tickets may be purchased using the Banquet Registration Form on the Westwood50 website. Click on the ‘Documents & Announcements’ link. The purchase of a Gala dinner ticket also entitles you to racetrack admission for all days.

The Westwood50 will be a significant and memorable event for all motor sport enthusiasts. If you intend to enter for some competitive fun, you’d better hurry. Entry for driving events opens up about mid-May. Entrants will receive full event privileges including three days of track sessions, “goodie” bag, BBQ at the track, and more. If you’re simply attending as a spectator, mark your calendar if you haven’t already!

Well-known Westwood50 organizer Tom Johnston told us that with over 3,000 hits on their website, interest is growing fast. Enquiries have been received from all over the North American continent.

Additional information is available from Westwood50’s website: www.westwood50.org. Check the site regularly for up-to-date details – especially as the event nears.

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