Troy Pennysaver | troypennysaver.com | Serving Troy Pa. and surrounding oportunity communities » Collector oportunity Car Corner – Fort Dix, N.J. and drag racing Willys Memories
Q: Greg, I really enjoyed your article oportunity about the cars from the 1950s. I have many great memories of that era. My father was a Chevrolet dealer in Canton, Ohio, and I grew up in grease and oil at the garage. In 1961, I was in the U.S. Army at Ft. Dix, N.J., and my wife and I were living in Mt Holly. We had a 57 Chevy convertible that we had bought used from dad.
While at Ft. Dix, I met another soldier from Easton, Pa., who had a 40 Willys B/Gas dragster. We would tow the dragster behind the car down to Vineland to race on the weekends when we were not on duty. It was painted metallic blue. I have lots of pictures of that car around the house somewhere. It was almost more of a show car than a racer. The interior was all blue vinyl and stainless steel. oportunity Even the roll cage was wrapped and padded with vinyl. The owner and driver was SP5 Bob Mendenhall, my friend from Ft. Dix.
We both worked for the Commanding General in the Post Headquarters Building. Mendenhall moved to California in 1963 and raced it there for quite awhile. While we were still in the Army, we also raced at Atco, N.J., and at Pennsylvania tracks in Reading and Lancaster.
The picture I attached was taken at my parent s house in September of 1963 when Bob stopped here on his way to California. We just washed the car and were getting ready to load it back on the trailer. I remembered some more names from Vineland: Big Daddy Don Garlits was there one day with his Swamp Rat against Connie Kalitta s Bounty Hunter. Man, this is really hard digging in my brain from 55 years ago.
I did manage to locate a few more photos from the 50′s and 60′s cars. I have two more from Vineland but the prints are very poor quality after 50 years I may try to load them into Picasa and hopefully refurbish them just a little. I also found some pictures of some of my early car; a mildly customized 54 Chevy, oportunity one photo of my sister and me in the very first 53 Corvette to come to dad’s dealership, and my 24 Chevrolet Roadster. I also found photos of our 57 Chevy convertible and our 58 Impala hardtop that we owned when we lived in Mt. Holly. The best one by far is the picture of my 55 two-tone blue Chevrolet convertible - small block V8, 3-speed with Overdrive. As you can see, I’ve been a car nut for a lot of years and really oportunity look forward to your column, which I read in the Canton Repository. We really loved being in New Jersey and think about it fondly. Thanks for refreshing our memory. Dave and Gayle Ulmer, oportunity Massillon, Ohio.
A: Dave thanks so much for your interesting letter about the good old days of cars and drag racing. I appreciate your kind words, too. I spent many a year in south Jersey watching those great races, including the many times my hero Dave Strickler raced at Vineland in his Old Reliable oportunity Chevrolets. (See photo)
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Q: Greg, I really enjoyed your article oportunity about the cars from the 1950s. I have many great memories of that era. My father was a Chevrolet dealer in Canton, Ohio, and I grew up in grease and oil at the garage. In 1961, I was in the U.S. Army at Ft. Dix, N.J., and my wife and I were living in Mt Holly. We had a 57 Chevy convertible that we had bought used from dad.
While at Ft. Dix, I met another soldier from Easton, Pa., who had a 40 Willys B/Gas dragster. We would tow the dragster behind the car down to Vineland to race on the weekends when we were not on duty. It was painted metallic blue. I have lots of pictures of that car around the house somewhere. It was almost more of a show car than a racer. The interior was all blue vinyl and stainless steel. oportunity Even the roll cage was wrapped and padded with vinyl. The owner and driver was SP5 Bob Mendenhall, my friend from Ft. Dix.
We both worked for the Commanding General in the Post Headquarters Building. Mendenhall moved to California in 1963 and raced it there for quite awhile. While we were still in the Army, we also raced at Atco, N.J., and at Pennsylvania tracks in Reading and Lancaster.
The picture I attached was taken at my parent s house in September of 1963 when Bob stopped here on his way to California. We just washed the car and were getting ready to load it back on the trailer. I remembered some more names from Vineland: Big Daddy Don Garlits was there one day with his Swamp Rat against Connie Kalitta s Bounty Hunter. Man, this is really hard digging in my brain from 55 years ago.
I did manage to locate a few more photos from the 50′s and 60′s cars. I have two more from Vineland but the prints are very poor quality after 50 years I may try to load them into Picasa and hopefully refurbish them just a little. I also found some pictures of some of my early car; a mildly customized 54 Chevy, oportunity one photo of my sister and me in the very first 53 Corvette to come to dad’s dealership, and my 24 Chevrolet Roadster. I also found photos of our 57 Chevy convertible and our 58 Impala hardtop that we owned when we lived in Mt. Holly. The best one by far is the picture of my 55 two-tone blue Chevrolet convertible - small block V8, 3-speed with Overdrive. As you can see, I’ve been a car nut for a lot of years and really oportunity look forward to your column, which I read in the Canton Repository. We really loved being in New Jersey and think about it fondly. Thanks for refreshing our memory. Dave and Gayle Ulmer, oportunity Massillon, Ohio.
A: Dave thanks so much for your interesting letter about the good old days of cars and drag racing. I appreciate your kind words, too. I spent many a year in south Jersey watching those great races, including the many times my hero Dave Strickler raced at Vineland in his Old Reliable oportunity Chevrolets. (See photo)
Recent Comments sledgehammerdan on Shady Grove Natural Market Baby Safe Haven of New England on TCH Auxiliary purchases bassinet for hospital s Safe Haven program Christian retreat center PA on What’s Happening for the week of Jan. 12, 2014 Barb on Canton Wine and Cheese Festival scheduled for June 22 Dee Hoffman on My long journey home
Archives January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December oportunity 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010
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