[whitetop]

T Billigen
I agree with your comment about the Ohio Valley being the hotbed of musclecars. I met a retired Chrysler Zone rep many years ago from my area and he told me about the sheer numbers of rare Chysler musclecars (440 six paks, Hemi's) that were purchased in the Ohio Valley Region which I would included north of Youngstown down past Wheeling and eastward to the Pittsburgh area. His term was they used to call it the "Hot Rod Valley" beacause of th amount of musclecars purchased. I grew up in the valley and have lived in 3 other parts of the country and nothing compares to the numbers of cars in this area. The car numbers in this area are still high today even after many of the cars have been sold (or rusted out- also the emmissions from the mills were horrendous to the cars)to other parts of the country because of the depressed economy this area experienced back in the late '70's and '80's or the guys who owned them moved away and took the the cars with them.

I remember a speed shop in Cadiz Ohio (Coultraps)that was directly in line between Columbus and Pittsburgh. When you walked in the door you pulled a numbered ticket to be waited on. This is from a shop that was out in the middle of nowhere and the closest town Cadiz had a population of 4-5K. The place had 8-9 bays that installed the parts you bought if desired. I talked with Tom Coultrap several years ago and he said it was common for guys to bring in a brand new car in the morning and he would install headers, carb intake wheels etc. and they would pick it up later that day or the next. Again, most were coal miners or steel employees with money in hand.

I know what you mean about the numbers and interest in the Youngstown area. I had some relatives that lived in the Warren Ohio area near Youngstown. My cousin bought a new '70 SS Chevelle(all white stripe delete) and raced it at many of the strips in the area you mention. I went with him in '74-75 to one small strip right across the river in Sharon Pa? Something with Beaver in the name?

Stefano I disrespectfully disagree on the impact employees may have had on the selling of the Copo's. I'm sure it had an impact but if you look at all the mags of the period the Zl-1's and Copos were plastered everywhere in ads, road test etc. Many dealers had ads in Hot Rod or the New York based publications for these cars. The cars were no real big secret back then. There were probably many dealers in the dark just like today.
Dave





[Edited by whitetop (05-09-2002 at 06:35 PM).]