In The Beginning

[CamaroNOS]

Originally Posted by EZ Nova

Well since I'm STILL in Brantford, I know those guys you named. It was Al Proctor's Vette we took to Weston & Finch. That was also THE ONLY CAR to beat my car that ran those streets, BLACK GTX ragtop. Al now plays with motor cycles and a Late model COPO Camaro he races. Mark Radawicki got out of the scene pretty much after the Duster. Ya he had the '79 Blue Z28, but it wasn't a fast car. I bought the shell from marks Duster and parted out the body parts around '87.

Ziggy with the Arrow was Rodger Zigmond. Nice guy and still around. He was a good painter and painted Eddy Stern's Candy Blue '68 427 Firebird. Roger is out of cars now. I worked with him back in 2004 and still see him from time to time before covid. Eddy still has the Candy blue firebird, but now blown and street tubbed.

If you were around you should remember Greg Teasdale. He is getting back into it as he has a few car one being a LS6 70 Chevelle. But also bought a fats '68 (??) Camaro.

So back then I had the BLACK GTX rag, 440 4sp Dana. Fast car back then and I was only 16. Only had it 4 yrs but found it last yr out on east coast in the USA. Spoke to the owner and going to try to buy it in about a yr depending on life.

I DO still own Gord Sipost's old Red '69 Nova SS. That was a stupid fast back then. I seen it beat Al's Vette AND Ziggy's nitrous Arrow out on Oak Park rd. AND he mis-shifted 4 times against the Arrow, he missed 3rd TWICE that run, and still put a car on the 11.70 Arrow.

Doug from here (427 Strato) is also from Brantford.

Man those were fun days.............

John

It’s a small world John.....I took the liberty and reached out to a few friends of mine Al, Greg and Tim regarding your version of “the facts” and here is what I learned.

Its funny that you referenced Tims GTX rag top as Tim and I went to school together back in the day. I remember spending time in that car as we would head out to Hardy Rd and Tim would gladly show you how fast that car was as he ran the car through the gears and down the marked out quarter mile. I distinctly remembering the car running through the end of the quarter at 100 mph, time after time, like clock work. Based on those numbers, that pegs the GTX about a 13:30 car which we all thought was crazy fast, back in the day. So here is my delima, how were you able to take on Al Proctor’s Corvette which ran a 11.60 with a 13.30 car and have that to be the only car that ever beat you. If I understand the facts correctly then, that would have meant that you only raced your GTX against Al’s Corvette because there were a ton of faster cars running the streets in Brantford with much better times than your 13:30.

And to add some more mystery to your story, Al confirmed that he never ran your GTX. If you really do know Al well, you know that he is wicked sharp and smart as fox.There is nothing that man forgets……nothing.

Yes, Gordies Nova was quick with a 427/4 gear/4:88’s but once again, Al Proctor never ran Gordie……ever and Al also confirmed this as well. Not on Oak Park Road as you mentioned, not on any road. Nobody ever knew how fast the Nova was, even Gordie didn’t know because he never raced it. And you know why……

Regarding the Nova running Ziggy’s Arrow, it must have quite a night for you to remember because nobody else remembers it. If the Nova took the Arrow by car length after missing all of those countless shifts, that news would have spread like wildfire through Brantford. Funny how that story was also kept quiet.

So, at the end of the day, I am perplexed after reaching out to all of my friends, the guys who actually ran the streets of Brantford only to find out all of your discrepancies. If there is anything you would like to verify with my facts, please feel free to call Al, Greg or Tim and you can quiz them.

Paul