Ziggy you hit it out of the park with that story. I am sure some of those folks who saw the casket literally on Youngs St. are still traumatized today.....lol.

You mentioned the Georgetown drag strip. I think that is the track (Toronto International Dragway) that Dick Harrell crashed and unfortunately died at.

So you sold the Vega and the 69 Camaro. Now we will wait for the next chapter in your escapades.

Just keep them coming.....

Paul

I think Georgetown used to have a drag strip, and Toronto International Dragway is actually Cayuga….. (correct?)

Ryan W31

Ryan the Toronto International Dragway is indeed (was) The Georgetown/Acton area dragstrip (now it is all residential housing). Started out as the Golden Horseshoe Dragway. It is where Dick Harrell lost his life 09/71

I think Cayuga was known as 1320 Dragway and Toronto Motorsports Park Dragway or something like that.

I would have to ask my buddy about 1320. As long as I can remeber Cayuga was Dragway Park Cayuga. Then switched to TMP ( Toronto Motorsports Park) when this group bought it an Uli Beari (sp??) runs it.

'

Cayuga 1320 also Golden Horseshoe names were both 1970 only.
Below are a few facts from the Canadian Racer site Database as this link...
https://www.canadianracer.com/track-select.asp
:beers:
~ Pete

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:beers:

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Thanks Pete. I believe the local car club, Piston Pushers, has the original Chrondek Christmas Tree from the strip too?

Original Poster
 

TID poster.

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Cool if the Chrondek Tree exists, pic of it also more on this TID F'book page...
https://m.facebook.com/Friends.Of.TI...ernal&mt_nav=0
:beers:
~ Pete

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More TID/Golden Horseshoe pics/clips on YouTube as links below...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JjPcQbnUtQs

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTuKLNw1jpQ

:beers:
~ Pete

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Dragway Memories
 

Hey Pete,
Rob Potter's Dragway Memories videos on You Tube are great !




Great show at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum last Sunday.

Marc

Pete, it IS GOOD news. Just spoke to the President of the Piston Pushers a couple hrs ago when I seen him. Mentioned the 1320 Dragway and he remembers racing his '69 L78 Nova there.

As for the ORIGINAL tree? YES it still exist but I was a bit wrong. The club borrowed the ORIGINAL Chrondek Tree from a local engine shop guy by the name of Don Douglas. Don is in possession of that original Christmas tree.

I was watching a Chevelle on Ebay one night and I was curious on what it would go for. It wasn't just another Big Block Chevelle. It was a fully restored, black on black, 69 Chevelle SS, 396/375, 4 spd, post sedan, with factory 4.56 gears and paperwork. I had just sold one of my race Buicks with an enclosed trailer and bought a new open trailer so I was good to travel. I'm not sure but this being 20 years ago I think the bids stalled at 31K which was less then the reserve. I remember there was a lot of talk on the net about this car. The car was fully restored.

So I loaded up the truck and trailer and set the GPS to Nova Scotia. It was a long haul for an empty trailer. Without any weight on them, they bounce around. When I got there I got a room near The Magnetic Hill. It was pretty cool. So I went to look at the car and it turned out to be pretty nice. I took it for a test drive and everything checked out. The reserve was 33K on the car and that's what we agreed on. I got the car home with no issues. The next day I checked the car out and everything looked good. Of course, there are always some areas that you want to change for your own personal taste. I decided I was going to race the car in F.A.S.T. series in Michigan. I pulled the headers and replaced them with stock manifolds. I ordered Poly Glass tires and changed rear gears back to 4.56. Someone had put 3.55 gears in the car which did not work with the L78. I got a 780 Holley 4557 and a bunch of other repo parts to finish the car. The only place the car needed any kind of work was the engine bay. My favorite. All back to stock. Even though I took the headers off the 4.56 gears really woke the car up. 1ST & 2ND and sometimes 3RD were totally useless. I was just hoping that the track would give me better traction. I had a great time at the track and met some really nice people and won my 3 races. I didn't qualify for the finals but I still had a great time. Please excuse the link for pics. It's the only way I could remember on how to post pics. Thanks

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-short-term-r...8965?undefined


https://www.kijiji.ca/v-short-term-r...8965?undefined

Ziggy, you just triggered a though on the 69 L78 Chevelle with 4.56 gears and there is a current thread here https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=171198. I wonder if it's the same car.

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=171198

On this car, it obviously had A/C, and I know of no original L78 Chevelles that came from the factory with A/C. Maybe I missed something?

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More great stuff Zig, please don't stop also sorry for sidetracking w/ the Toronto area Dragway stuff.
Love to hear more of the '69 L78 Post and what happened to it also any chance you still have paperwork?
4:56 or 4:88's were special for '69, some info notes Copo 9511 necessary and Canada paper may include extra info?

Cool update on the Chrodek EZ and what a piece of history!

:beers:
~ Pete

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NP Buddy. You can muddy up my thread anytime with Toronto history. ;)

Speaking of Vega's and Toronto street racing, there used to be a charcoal grey BB Vega with a tube chassis (I think the owners name was Manny ... I would guess this was somewhere around 1985). The car sat so low in the front that the front corners of the valve covers protruded through the hood. He also ran a massive slick on the street. I think I saw it run 10.70 at Cayuga. Anywho, one night of street racing on the 404 (when the 404 ended at Bloomington) the cops showed up so we all split. I later heard that the cops caught the Vega and wanted to tow it (due to the slicks) but the car was so low in the front, if they hooked it from the back the nose would drag and they couldn't get a hook under the front because it sat so low. As the story goes, the cops ended up allowing him to leave with the warning of "if we ever see that thing out here again, you'll be sorry". I never did see it on the street after that.

Another about a Vega and Toronto street racing ... I remember reading a newspaper article about street racing in Toronto (I don't think it was the same article that had Dieters Cougar in it, I think this article was much later) and they had interviewed the owner of a yellow BB Vega who stated that, although he enjoys hanging out at Weston and Finch, he refuses to race on the street (obv that is what anyone would say ...). Welp, a month or two after the article and isn't the yellow Vega spotted (not by the cops), carrying the front wheels in the air, through an intersection :haha: Me street race? No way, I'm just here to watch (wink wink)

Tony, as I was reading your first paragraph, my mind remember a YELLOW BB Vega with a Nash 5 speed I used to see at Cayuga. Then your 2nd paragraph you mention a YELLOW Vega that launched hard and carried the wheels.

The YELLOW one I remember was The Saturday Night Special that was Ray Mercer's car I think who owned it? I heard it did run the streets a bit. 511 inch was on the big scoop on the tunnelram.

The Weston/Finch yellow Vega (as I remember it) was a street car, not lettered up like Saturday Night Special (I also saw SNS at Cayuga) although I guess it's possible the Weston/Finch car morphed into a lettered drag car but I think the two were around at roughly the same time though so I can't say either way really.

Is the Cougar you're referring to the one that is in the popular street racing video with the Springsteen soundtrack? The video looks like it was professionally done.

Found it: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...6FORM%3DHDRSC4

When I bought my 052 block ZL1 I was going to do a Motion Vega ZL1 tribute. I thought that would have been the cats-ass. But shop owner convinced me to do a '69 Vette tribute, so going that route.
I might still go with a Vega tribute of some sort. Was thinking of a Ls, but still thinking "another" Alum block BBc, seeing as I have 3 now.

Dieter. Street Racing Toronto
 

I just had a chat with Dieter. A street racing legend around here and yet a real humble guy.
He sent me this article from the National Post way back when.

Thanks Dieter.

The video was done sometime around 1978. Dieter did it for a project in college. He had access to pro cameras and equipment from the college.

Here is his car when the 1970 Canadian Ford Drag Team owned it.

https://www.dragzine.com/news/flashb...-team-in-1970/

Thanks for sharing. So was that Cougar destroyed in a crash as Dragzine states?
Bummer if so.

I don't think so. Where did you hear that?

[QUOTE=markinnaples;1588510]Thanks for sharing. So was that Cougar destroyed in a crash as Dragzine states?
Bummer if so.

I don't think so. Where did you hear that?

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Above link wouldn't work for me, is this the same clip...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AYGS-epJNs0
:beers:
~ Pete

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[QUOTE=ZiggyL78;1588590]From the Dragzine article that was posted:

Mark, magazine do get it wrong sometimes. I looked at a 1965 Ford falcon with he K-code 289/271Hp, toploader and 4.30 gears. Now the magazine states only 7 total were built. I was told by the owner it was more like around 40? And, at the time, factory sponsored Ford racer Don Henderson, told me he believe there almost 1 for every 2 Ford dealers in Ontario. BUT since they were not well know for advertised, most were just sold as V8 Falcons.

I have seen what was believed to be a white with red int, and the black with red I was looking at buying. Plus the "Teacher's Pet" car in Motor Trend.

'

A few more pics of subject Cougar when w/ the Ford of Canada Performance Team.
Note names of those in the '70 Summernationals newspaper article including Wally Parks etc.
Is this car confirmed dead/alive also what of Dieter as he'd know also looks like he's on F'Book?
:beers:
~ Pete

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and I quote...

I was told the car was in a crash, but that was just a rumor. The person that has it now, found it sitting in a driveway in Brampton, the person i sold it to passed away and his girlfriend sold it for $2500. to him. The car needed a repaint of the original colours and it had a big block 428 CJ replace a mild 351 Cleveland that i put in the car when i sold it, it was never in an accident..
Dieter

Yeah, I had no idea whether the mag was right or not, just sharing what was said.
Thanks for the update. I wonder if the Lost Muscle Car Facebook page could find it. They've had a lot of luck finding some cars that people were looking for.

Speaking of rumours...the Mercury Cyclone is supposed to be in Edmonton AB in the same condition as depicted in the photos.

So I want to veer off down a different road here because I had so much fun with this car I think you guys will enjoy the story. When I got involved with the Buicks back in the late 80s I was on the main Buick forum and I met this girl.

Long story but she became my GF and she lived in FL. Yes. How convenient. So for you Canadians out there if you have never gone out with an American girl, all I can tell you is you better have a strong rope and a stronger horse!

So 1 day I'm getting bored and I wanted to get away by myself. I couldn't just say. Well. I think I will take a little trip and I will see you in a couple of weeks and I don't know where I am going. Oh ya sure. Have a wonderful time. lol.

So plan B was to start a fight and see ya later. Works every time. Geez. I hope she isn't reading this. I had a buddy who owned a nice motel in Tampa. So off I went from Ft Myers. It was the middle of winter back home. No way was I going there. So I hung out going to the show, the dog track, and looking at cars for sale. I hadn't owned a Vette except for a rough 67 coupe. Another story. There was one of the largest used Corvette dealers in the country in Tampa so off I went. Man. I had never seen so many used Vettes before. So I decided I was going to spend somewhere around 20K and a C5 would work. You could pick your color as there were that many. I liked Magnetic red so I started hunting I had about 5 cars to choose from but nothing really got me excited. The girl running the place said she didn't have anything like what I wanted. Now, this dealer had it down on rebuilding Vettes. They would buy a crashed Vette tear it apart and cauterize all the parts. 80% of the crashed stuff was thrown out. Then they would sandblast a frame and powder coat it. The driveline is next and all body mounts and small stuff are new parts When you buy a used Vette not many guys replace body mounts, belts, plugs, wires, bulbs, hoses, windshields,etc.All such stuff is replaced with new. Because they have done it so many times the car goes together like clockwork with all quality stuff. These people take pride in their work and do it all right. All good body parts are picked out and assembled. The color of the car is decided and into the paint shop, it goes. After painting about a 1000 Vettes these guys knew their shit and every car came out almost perfect. The interior goes in next. If you have ever worked on a Vette you realize that the car is almost built to be easily assembled. Most shops drop the chassis out of the body to do a re&re. I did it once. Never again.

So I'm walking out of the yard and go by the shop and there it is. A Magnetic red(burgundy) coupe and it's just being finished. I look inside and it is an auto with tan leather and a virtual dash. So I go into the showroom and ask the girl what the story is and was expecting her to tell me it was sold. She told me to sit down and goes into the shop for about 10 minutes. I really don't think she knew a lot about the car. She comes back and says. Sorry! Oh no. It's sold! Sorry, Ken. I totally forgot about that car. She was the sales manager which I like as I would rather work with just one person. She gives me a number which of course is more than I want to spend. I try all the tricks and she is not moving. I think she started at 26500 and dropped to 25900 which was cheap for a nice C5 this clean. But even though this car was amazing it was BRANDED. Even though the car had no major parts rebuilt it still is branded. I told her I had 2 other cars to look at and I WALKED! I know. I can't believe I did it either. Remember. I have never owned a late model Vette and this car was like new. I was a bachelor on vacation in Florida. When I got back to the motel my message light was flashing I knew it was her.

We ended up settling at 24500. I went back to the dealer to settle up and she told me the car would be ready in two days. Two days later I'm on the patio of the motel waiting for the car to arrive. After having lunch I see the car coming down the street. It looked great, especially with the 5 spoke wheels that I added into the deal. Two guys get out of the car and one guy hands me the keys. He told me he has driven over a hundred C5s and that this one was as good as any of them. The other guy shakes my hand and says nice car. After they leave I take the car to the back where my room is to check it out. The car was like new. The tan leather went really well with the Magnetic Red.
04-19-2022 03:58 PM

So after I bought the Vette I planned a trip to Gainsville to meet some friends. I had been waiting for "Ghost Rider" to come out and it started the day I was leaving for Gainsville. I decided to go that night. Even though the movie was a little corny I really enjoyed it. I came out of the show and it was a perfect Florida night. I got on #75 with the tops off and I was off. I'm doing about 75 or 80 and these two guys go by on a pair of fast bikes and they're flying. I had been driving Buick GNs for quite a while and normally I wouldn't chase anything in high gear. These cars are really fast but they are not that quick on the top end without all the good stuff. Wait a minute. I'm not in a GN I'm in a LS1 Vette. These cars can go 180 with just a tune. I nail it and here we go! I can barely see their tail lights but soon I start to real them in. I passed them at 162 MPH!!! I came to my senses and slowed down and they caught up to me. They slowed down and looked the car over and gave me the thumbs up and took off again. I said to myself "you f**king idiot". You're in the US chasing 2 bikes at over 150 in a car you have only owned for less then a week!" Just as I'm contemplating what could have happened, out of nowhere this State Trooper pulls up behind me with the welcome lights flashing. Oh. I guess he wants to congratulate me on nailing those 2 bikes ;) Geez! Now I'm done. He comes up to the car and says Mr Ziggy . How are you tonight? How does this guy know my name? How is Jane ? How does this guy know all this information? He tells me my GF had called the cops to pull me over as I forgot my pills. Wew! What a relief! I told him I just grabbed a few for the trip. He says OK. You take it easy. I thank him and then I do a smoking burn out as I disappear down the highway. Kidding. lol.

After going home a few weeks later I decide the car is not quick enough. Strange EH? ;) I buy a used Cierra single turbo kit from a guy on the Corvette forum. Pretty easy install, but I am sure glad I had a hoist in the shop. Actually installing the new fuel system was the hardest part of the job. After everything was installed I programmed the stock ECM. I had a little experience tuning the GNs which helped a lot. I took the car out for a few shakedown runs to get the car set up. A buddy comes along to monitor the ecm. We set the boost and check the O2s. I also perked up the gas with some C16 just for some extra protection while testing.

I believe I may have occasionally seen this car in Ajax.

I remember hearing it (at idle) and thinking "that is one hell of a cam for a car that needs to pass emissions" :cool2: (there was no question in my mind that this was not just a "cat back" exhaust I was hearing).

I am guessing, based on the pic you posted of the engine completely out of the car, that the modifications didn't end with a bolt-on turbo ;)

Single turbo motor sounded stock until you whacked it. The motor you heard was a 408 stroker. LQ9 with stock truck heads and twin turbos. It made 711 RWHP and went 9.90@145 3rd pass down the track. Too bad I sold it. It was an easy 9.40 car with better tires and some suspension work. My wife wouldn't get in the car after that. LOL.