Royal info wanted

[skierkaj]

Through what years did Royal Pontiac tune and deliver special packages to Pontiacs? Does anyone have any pics of the span of years?

[442w30]

I know 1969 was the last year. The first? Can't recall, but probably 1963 or so.

[supcarbob]

The first 'Bobcat' package was marketed in 1962 by Royal Pontiac. The last year was 1969 when the dealership closed. George Delorean who owned 'Leader Automotive' purchased the 'Royal Racing Team' membership from Royal and that didn't last long. Milt Schornack also did ' Bobcat' packages through his own company ' Royal Automotive' for a couple of years after that.

[Bobcat]

Jim Wangers, Frank Rediker, Win Brown and Dick Jesse put the Bobcat Package together in 1961. The 1961 Bobcat Catalina had the letters on the back tail light panel spell out Bobcat using the letters from Catalina and Bonnieville. The years where 1961 till the dealership was sold in April/May 1969. A Bobcat could be anything from a tune up to a full blue printed motor and a custom paint job on the car.

[jfkheat]

Just got a Pontiac book in today that has several pages on the early Royal cars. The book is MUSCLE - PONTIACS! THE YEARS OF EXCITEMENT. Below is the first few papagraphs from the article titled WANGER'S WINGED WONDERS: A PICTORIAL OF THE ROYAL PONTIAC. There are several pages of black and white pictures of some of their race cars. There are also inserts from some of their brochures. Their first race car was a 1959. For you GTO and Judge fans, this book has about 20 pages on the GTO and Judges.
James

Royal Pontiac, Royal Oak Michigan, began the unofficial Pontiac racing outlet in the early 1960s and, from time to time, they issued racing catalouges of their own which are exceedingly rare today.
"Operation Hot Chief," was the project of Asa (Ace) Wilson, Jr., a Pontiac dealer and hot-rodder enthusiast. Wilson got into the business of producing drag strip Pontiacs shortly after he entered a car in the Daytona, Florida races.The fame of the Royal Pontiacs spread for their superior ability to engineer acceleration into a factory built car with factory built parts. The only nonfactory equipment installed on the Royal Pontiacs were tachometers, special water and oil temperature gauges and lake pipes. Wilson'e cars were extremely successful at the Detroit Dragway during the regular season in 1960. He exploited their fame to attract a great many enthusiasts to his showroom.
There was no great secret to the success of the Hot Cheif; it was simply a car that had been equipped and prepared correctly for its job. The 365 HO engine was an example. It was not a factory-installed item but, rather, factory authorised. Essentially, it was the Tri-Power with particular dealer options, including a special cam, solid lifters, heavier valve springs, larger intake valves, revised combustion chambers, chambers in the cylinder bores under the intake valves and a four-bolt main bearing caps.
Royal Pontiac was still hard at work producing racing Pontiacs up to 1963. In that year, Pontiac was reigning stock car champion. In January, 1963, however, GM ordered a ban on supplting help to racing enthusiasts and "outlaw" dealers, including Royal Pontiac. Basically, that was the end of the great racing Pontiacs. They still won the Grand Nationals but, it was only a matter of time.

[copo9566aa]

Thanks
Hot Chief no 1 [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[copo9566aa]

It's me or this Pontiac "Hot Chief" racing on the 1/4 with the window sticker [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[Steve_Hoog]

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[Steve_Hoog]

In this April 1969 issue of Super Stock there appears to be a mid winter trip to the dragstrip for some test and tune. Possibly JW's Light Green converted Judge and the Blue Bobcat.

There are two things to note; one the non production Ram Air set up, and two a 68 RAII Firebird engine shot. The Ram Air set up is probably something Milt Dave and Brian Ballish came up with. Why the article has a 68 RAII Firebird shot listed as the Blue Bobcat, your guess is as good as mine.



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The shroud and fender well are Firebird, the recessed top 3.8 water pump bolt is 68, and also notice this is a power steering car.

[Steve_Hoog]

Here is the full article March 1969 Popular Hot Rodding that the WY picture came from. The other interesting thing is the strange angle the oil sending unit appears to run. It may just be because of the angle the picture was taken from, but it appears to go out at a 45 degree angle. That is why I was checking to see if the V motor had a special adapter, no one seems to think so.



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