Owls Head, Maine
2006
June 11 - OWLS HEAD - At last some success.
The day began with heavy rain in Bangor and little indication or hope of any positive change. Yet by mid-morning, conditions got better around Waldo County, and we gave it a go. By afternoon, Owls Head was bathed in sunshine reflecting off vintage tin, hot rods and race cars alike.
{Note -There are many more photos of this Owls Head event that Ed Kennedy has posted on his site so you don't have to miss out:
http://community.webshots.com/user/thestreetrodder }
Lorraine and John Rice were the bravest souls, and arrived EARLY at the show site. They, along with Virgil & Pam Conkright, and Wayne True, had "the pavement swept and the red carpet laid" when "Wicked Good's" convoy arrived at the Museum, as well as presenting an excellent display and information on the Hall of Fame activities of MVRCA.
Yes, "convoy" was the correct term there, as cars gathered at Rosey's, and paraded together to the show. Our '51 GMC hauler brought up the rear, and what a sight it was as we traversed the hills toward Rockland. The convoy literally stretched out for half a mile in front of us, and all you could see were vintage stock cars ahead. (Could that be an indication of how far reaching our venture may be over the next few years ?) It looked like a parade as we slow paced it through Camden, and perhaps the folks gathered on the sidewalk viewed it as such.
Rosey's 4 car hauler was a sight to see as he led us on our path toward our wonderful day together. And things were pretty quiet as we arrived. That soon changed, as the music of 12 vintage race cars unloading and parking soon filled the air. When was the last time that anyone got to enjoy the open exhaust of 12 vintage racing cars making music together in the State of Maine, as a prelude to taking to the dirt in earnest?
Yup, we had them all at Owls Head; flathead Fords, stovebolt Chevys & GMCs, small block Chevys & Fords, and even one flathead Mopar "on the make". Together they sang, and an occasional solo floated along with the breeze. That melody can only be enhanced by a large field of vintage racers taking the green together, and meaning it.
Jim Sprague brought his #13 1936 Chevy 5 window "Bone Crusher", sporting a small block Chevy, and one very small and scary driver, about the size of his younger daughter Hannah ! That Halloween mask fit right in with the theme of Jim's car. Jim also brought along his daughter Ariel and her 1932 Ford with the small block Ford. The '32 coupe (still being completed) presented Jim's newest idea in one tube radiators with attached beer tap. The '32 should be finished before the summer is over (or the ground dries up, whichever occurs first). Jim will definitely need a full face helmet, just to protect his continuous smile from the dust - we are a bit unsure, but are beginning to think that Jim might be taking a liking to this vintage racing thing !
Ed Kennedy had the nerve to bring his yellow #22 1933 Chevy 3 window SUPERSPEEDWAY race car to the show, thinking he could sneak it in to mingle with our dirt trackers. He didn't think we would notice this terror of Vintage Days at NHIS. Rumor has it that the coupe was passing cars inside and out, on street rubber, and that the car was doing four wheel drifts in the process ! Sure that's a STOCK 283 junker Ed, uh huh, sure.........
Barry Clukey trailer towed his 1940 Dodge coupe to the meet in its mid-restoration phase. Looks like Barry will have the first Mopar flathead powered racing car to hit the dirt in our club. These old Mopar flatheads ('32 - '59) appear smaller than some of the other era engines, but they more than hold their own due to the high torque delivered to the rear wheels when you want to GO! Barry's #11 Unity car was built and first driven by Merton Hanks, then piloted by Dennis Smart for a time before resting until Barry began his resuscitation efforts. Barry's racing partner, "Haggie" Pratt, has an eye toward finding a 1937/38 Dodge/Plymouth coupe with which to replicate his Dad's Exeter race car.
Ken Sargents 1941 Chevy streetrod was a good looking addition to our caravan as well. Ken has owned and driven this car daily all over the country since about 1961!!
John & Lorraine Rice shared their #86 Chevy coach with us (whew, what a beauty ! - and NO you can't RACE it with us - but what a pace car it would make !!!!!). A closer fit to our racing rules is their #24 1937 Pontiac "Early Modified" that looks nearly as nice as the coach. This he has race ready, right down to the dirt slicks - how come the tires don't leak down like ours do ? The Pontiac looks like a real competitor here.
Rosey Gerry trailered 3 of his own cars, leaving several at home grumbling. Rosey's #33 black & white 1933 Dodge 5 window Unity coupe enjoys flathead Mercury power, and makes that flathead "burble" come alive through those three header pipes on each side. His recently completed red & white #51 1933 Plymouth sedan/coach is a clear example of how a classy "bomber" race car would have been built 55 years ago. This car exhibits rather quiet power with its 1953 Hudson 232 flathead - Rosey says it goes better than the Merc ! Rosey shared with us his recently acquired ORIGINAL 1946 Ford Cherryfield race car. This unmolested race car is in AS RACED condition, right down to the rubber. The frame and cage are excellent. The engine sounds solid and merely needs a tune-up and some good run time to really click them off. The floorboard is gone, and there is a hole in the roof - not bad for forty+ years in the Maine woods. This car is Rosey's next wintertime restoration project.
Also sharing the ride, was one of the classiest race cars of the show, Mark Collins unnumbered orange 1936 Ford 3 window Unity car. This car is a "sleeper" if there ever was one. Mark was kind enough to his vintage piece to avoid the facelift, and he presents us with the best ever example of a genuine 1955 era Maine racing car. This car earned every wrinkle, probably one for each time it found itself upside down; and they are all there for us to see, touch, and appreciate. That 1958 Chevrolet 235 stovebolt was salvaged from a station wagon destroyed in Steven King's movie "Thinner", and Mark left a "strip" on the asphalt about 150 feet long !
Bringing up the rear of the convoy line-up was the Clark's green #36 1936 Chevy 3 window "Early Stock" powered by its 1948 GMC 248 in-line; and their red & white 1933 Ford "Early Modified" powered by a race prepped Mercury flathead. Their 1947 Ford Exeter/Unity "Early Stock" remained at home due to a shortage in transportation, as did their half completed 1937 Nash coupe "Early Modified". They hope to have the '47 Ford back on the track for our next activity, after 45 years of inactivity.
Key to the success of this day was Bob Morris's invitation (Thank you Bob !); Haggie Pratt (see above); Robert Hills, whose 1938 Chevy should soon be completed; Dave Smith, all around good guy, & relief driver extraordinaire; Bob Cercena, whose own two 1934 Fords are approaching race ready; Colin Shields, a true vintage stock car racer since 1948 ! - soon to pilot his 1947 Ford Exeter/Unity car; and Pam, Virgil, and Wayne.
All in all, the day was a smash hit and generated much interest in Maine's vintage race car movement.
Not to mention, all the girls and boys of Wicked Good Racing had a really good time!!