Introducing........RAT’S NEST

[R68GTO]

Let’s get to that 2nd owner story so the title of this thread makes sense. Owner #5 gave me the name of the guy who used to race the car regularly (turned out to be the 2nd owner). He didn’t have a phone number but said the guy still ran a local business. I called that business looking for the guy. The kid on the other end said he never heard of that guy. I told him why I was calling, he said, “oh, I know who you're probably looking for!” He connected me with that guy (I’m keeping names out because I haven’t asked their permission yet). He told me it wasn’t his car, but was his best friend’s / drag racing buddy’s car and knew it well. I got the same “did you know that’s a factory 427 4 speed car?” statement. His buddy had passed away about 8 years ago. The guy I was speaking with actually painted the car shortly after his buddy bought it! In our conversation, I asked if he knew if the car had Camaro fender emblems when his buddy had it? He pretty quickly said yes. I asked how in the world he knew that so quick. He said cuz I have a picture of the car hanging above my desk! He asked me if I could call him back around 5:30? He said that the 2nd owner’s son would be at his business then and I could then talk to both of them! Both guys are still drag racing today. Of course, I called them back and we talked about an hour about the car. The son told me he clearly remembered when his Dad brought it home. Blue, dog dish hubcaps, no spoilers. He drove it on the street for a short time, then turned it into his drag car. The photo below is the one hanging above the guys desk. My first look at RAT’S NEST! The son still has his Dad’s racing helmet (painted to match the car) hanging in his garage!

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by R68GTO

.. everyone before that (we're now back to the late '70's) essentially said the same thing to me when they first understood what I was calling about "I wondered where that car went, did you know that was a factory 427 car?!"

Originally Posted by R68GTO

I got the same “did you know that’s a factory 427 4 speed car?” statement.

Okay , i see what you did there. Not quite the same .

oh no
no
No F'n Way !
say what ?
omg
:faint:

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Rats Nest race car is Wicked and Wild
now its a bona-fide bull fighter !

... but Red
whats this about 427 - 4 speed

typo ?

or is hate about to take on a new dimension here

[NorCam]

Just read this thread and gotta say congrats on the find. Since the entire drive line is MIA, IMO it would make a great throwback car to it's earlier life and the semi original paint scheme. Restore it back as a 427 street machine with these colors. It's totally deserving of that. Or sell it to me and I'll do that.

[markinnaples]

Awesome, just stinking awesome. Congratulations.

[69LM1]

I am a fan of the Keystones!

/Rich

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

After highschool a friend had a Red/White/White 69 Camaro Vert.
Keystones with white letter tires almost that wide - similar stance etc...
Car was a dead solid P@ssy Magnet / Sex Pistol with a hair trigger.

It was all we could do to keep from hating that sumvabich.

Car looked like a Valentine Card on steroids , laced with Aqua Velva and English Leather.

[ZLP955]

Great story, love the suspense as the story builds.....
And that car with the Keystones looks just perfect.

[Copo_Cartel]

You have a great car I love that history especially watching it do what it was made to do congratulations on your find and the future with the car can’t wait to see the car

[R68GTO]

Thanks guys! I had a great day today.....my brother and I took the car to the home of the 2nd owner's son so he could see the car again for the first time since around 1974. The guy that painted the car red/white/blue was also there today - those two still hang out and race together nearly 45 years later.
I flipped him the keys and told them to go have fun with just two rules....don't blow it up or wreck it......other than that, go have fun! We spent a couple of hours together and I learned some more interesting stuff on the car's history. I'll post some more tomorrow when I have time to download some pics.