"Cammers at the Coast"

[BH107]

Just an FYI, if any of you guys on the west coast are interested we are having a SOHC 427 get together on April 17th. It will be held in conjunction with the Fabulous Fords Forever show at Knott's. We have over 20 cammer powered cars registred and quite a few special guests who will be in attendance. Health permitting we'll have Gas Ronda there, along with his last Funny Car which was recently restored. Hope to see some of you guys there.

[fekbmax]

get some picts and video for us east coast guys, ..

[BH107]

get some picts and video for us east coast guys, ..

Will do!

[machoneman]

Darn it, you west coast guys have all the fun in April!
Darn you!
LOL

[fairlanegt427]

from living here in north Dakota it is just far whichever way i wanna go whether its left or right on the map

[BH107]

Just a reminder for anyone on the west coast. The show is tomorrow and we have a great group of cars and special guests that will be on hand for the west coast Cammer reunion. Hope to see some of you guys there.

[HolmanMoodyStroppeGang]

Thanks to all of the cool members who came up to meet the guys. It was a really well attended show, sold out, and special praise belongs to Cammer Butch of BE racing, Butch Engelbrecht, and his assistant, Ben Hertel, or BH107.   we were guests of FORD, so thanks t SVO's John Kleinert and his capable staff.

It was fun to introduce some pals there to Butch Leal, my old pal, and the venerable John Vermeersch. John gets the special long distance award for towing his gorgeous SOHC Starliner here then flying out for a few days. So members here who came by, met Ed Pink, Bob Brandt who we all recall from Prudhomme racing, he and Pink are building 5 Cammers right now for Hot Rods and a few racers

I introduced some of our old Holman Moody Stroppe team to some very kind new friends.. We had my old partner, Bruce E who did the chassis on 12 Drag Team Mustangs in a row for Dyno Don, Hubert Platt and many more.  We have Dyno 'DAN' N***k, who built the SOHC Dyno Don ran to his fastest pass ever, in sanctioned NHRA Pro Stock, in 71, the 939 motor in the Maverick.  He and Earl Wade both built for DON and Don loved Dyno"Dan'.  We all do, fast and funny !

Me and Dan built together at Stroppe the next year, then he went to Parnelli Jones. He was also in the FORD EEE building during the glory days. Did 494's, Boos 9's for FORD, then was on the Trans Am program with Doug Nash.

We had Larry Knapp and we debuted the red Les Ritchey tribute 66 Fast Back AFX er. The gorgeous 'Performance Associates' AFX er.  Now when we lost Les, Bruce E above was there, and Stroppe hired all 4 of Les' Crew the next week to help the Ford Drag team and the families of the Performance Associates Team. This is how I met Wally Cartright, and others. 

We had a lot of stuff to light, I was over and on the Stampede SOHC AFXer, it is a pleasure and privilege to warm up then rev the last ProStock style SOHC that the legendary EARL WADE built for this car.  Dyno DAN was all smiles recalling that is sounds just like Dyno Dons Pro Stocks from 70 and 71. It does. You get this vibe like Dyno and Earl are there and smiling.  This SOHC is a good 3 tenths faster than Don's 71 Pro Stock, and we built this car at Stroppe, so Bruce E, who did the chassis, got to help today and that was real nice. Seemed fitting and fun.  Now both of my old pals have had strokes, so the fact that they are better, and back in to it, is real heart warming to me and stroppe, and pals.


Then we lit a SOHC on a stand, about 10 times, it was fun grabbing the dual 715s on it, to warm it, get it up over the cam lope then wing it several times.   That is Phil Featherstons latest build and It was fun to feel it get warm, cackle, and sound fierce. Great Job Phil

John Calvert was with us at lunch, so was Steve Saleen and many of his cars and owners, Linda Vaughn, and many more

I sent JAY a handful of pictures for the gang here, and we have members who have video and more to share

We did a picture of 3 of us who raced with Dyno Don, Dan N, who was with Don on the Mavericks, then Pinto Pro Stocks, then JOHN V, who was on Dynos Crew during the 351 Cleveland Gapp and Roush Era. John toured with Dyno, then next year, went to Roush

So I was with Don, before, then after, so the 3 of us got a picture to remember Dyno Don who we miss often.

Wish we all could have had fun there, lots of really cute ladies too,,,Mama Mia....short shorts and bikini tops, Ari beach wear, it was 83 degrees so....lots of 'tanning' going on...love it

And Mike C, he went 870 this Winter, and we always catch up, he is with Team Andretti this year, so he was a few miles away in the pits as an engineer for Andretti Racing

I sent him some pictures of the Cammers on The Coast

Saw the cool and fast Tommy T and his lovely Bride, Mrs T.  Lovely people....such a cool couple too.....we should all be so lucky.

We had a firm in England re issue the team stickers that nobody could buy then. You had to be a sponsored car, on FORD's Team, and run hard.   We had to have built the engine and car to get a sticker.   So I brought 2, and presented them to our favorite SOHC.    The first 2 went to Detroits fastest guy, John Vermeersch. He put 88,000 trouble free miles on a crate SOHC to show that if you left one as FORD engineered it, and stock, it could live a long time. John's SOHC was still running fine, it just had a few gaskets weeping.  So gaskets needed, no big one. And no hard seats on the exhausts.  And 45 year old soium filled valves that never fell to pieces despite many rumors.  Sure, you beat in to death, after 500 passes, different deal..

That's about it for today. Thanks FORD ! 

Kindly

Tom from Stroppe

Jay and racer T have pictures for you of Gas Rhonda's Nitro SOHC, the Bob Ford AFX, and many more, soon

Thanks Again guys. super fun and FORD strong all the way

[HolmanMoodyStroppeGang]

Here's a few more Cammers guys

[HolmanMoodyStroppeGang]

Here is a close up of a Nitro Cammer, a bitchin' SOHC AFX and a Bird with a SOHC. You can open these in a tab and mouse around if you wish.

[57 lima bean]

The Fairlane would definitely be a handful.Thanks for the photos!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj1bmCyd04Q

[turbohunter]

Wish I could have been there.
The view looked nice around Les Ritcheys car.

[HolmanMoodyStroppeGang]

We wanted to send a special thanks to Cammer Butch of the SOHC SHOP and Ben H for assembling a very nice event inside of the All Ford show

If you click their website here, you see some very cool pictures. I didn't get all of the cars so here is the yellow tilt front end stroked SOHC Mustang and more

Now Bruce E, who built the chassis under Stampede and Crewed the Connie Kalitta Top Fuel car in 65-6-7, did the chassis on the bird you see under construction.

Here is the SOHC SHOP website guys.....http://www.sohc-shop.com/


You can see more FORD HEMI cars there

We have a lot more pictures and I do indeed wish everybody could have been there....

Had a splendid time and got to finally shake the hands of many many super cool FE folks from around the area.

Thanks to a stand up bitchin' guy, Tommy T and his lovely wife Mrs T

High praise to the Knapp family for having Father, Mother, Son, daughter, grandchildren and 2 cars there.  It warms my heart to see a family participating in motorsports as a team.

I had a kind company in England re do our official sponsor stickers from the 60's.

The Holman Moody Stroppe chrome backed stickers were on the cowl of Kalitta's Dragster, and so many other winning FORD race cars that we had very few remaining

These will only be placed on cars we built, or backed, or raced, or sponsored.  They only went on Ford Team cars, backed by FORD, and built or re built by us, and that usually had our engines in them for competition

We all made a decision on which car would get the first pair.   I own them and the rights are shared with Willy and Dan, Bruce, and others

It was fun to give the first new pair to Mr Motor City, the Chairman of the Board,,,John V

He says they go on a special FORD of significance he is finishing in Motor City and that is splendid

I hope you get to see Phil Featherstone's bitchin car and SOHC. Phil,Leal,Dan, me, Bruce, Vermeerch, we had a blast..laughed and laughed and Phil is just so darned funny and good.  When I think of him, I think about that big smile, him posting win light after win light, power and skill.  He cracked up because I had to introduce him to Dyno DAN, Bruce and then gave him well deserved 'props' when I dragged him up to ED PINK. I tell Ed, Ed, this is one of the fasted FE men in America, a life long FORD Racer and Champion and a stand up good guy. Ed is smiling and then I look at the venerable, awesome, sage, razor sharp ex Prudhomme Crew Chief, genius tuner Bob Brandt, and pat Phil on the back and say, among FORD men Bob, Phil here is in that fastest of the fast league, for decades. That was fun. So then I mentioned, it is great that you guys have 5 new Cammers on the stands getting ready to pound the asphalt soon.

As I mentioned, one will be cackling injected on 80% Nitro, a lot like a few old FORD Funny cars. It will go on tour so I hope a lot of FE lovers get to feel, hear and smell one of them soon?  Why not. We ain't getting any younger....

We have videos of me and Larry Knapp putting some heat in his AFX,,,,how fun. A lot of pictures were taken because the crowd was huge

All of the spots were sold out.  Selling show car spots supports the sponsoring Club and allows all fans to enter for free.

On this Les Ritchey car, some of the FE guys and me have been conspiring while paging through our Tune Up books.

I have 5 little tricks, gleaned from a few of the Dyno Don vets there, to play with for this classic race car some day.   I do think we can shave a good 3 tenths or more off of this platform with ease. FORD spent millions running Nitro FE's. The engineering and data was not lost. It did in fact help many later cars do their thing just fine.  Sage older engine men and tuners wrote a lot down, so hundreds of passes from then, imposed on hundreds of passes in the 70s,80s and hence, mean something to some of us. It is as if the circle remains unbroken in a way.

I sent a few of you a video of one of our Tune Ups making around 4,000 HP reliably on fuel. And that is at center, on kill, then backed down.  I am certain, that a modern SHELBY block based SOHC, with a nice Billet crank, Alan J rods, POND or other alloy heads, a Dash $ Hilborn or Waterman 18 GPM pump, a pair of special cams that we kept, special higher RPM tricks we gathered racing since then,etc, could make about 4,000 HP with the same pump the SOHCS made close to 2,000 HP with in the late 60s. Many agree that a modern SOHC would flat haul the mail, on kill, in good air, hooked hard, and spun over 10,000 RPM.  That is quite doable with modern valvetrain pieces, 5/16 Titanium intakes, light stainless exhausts, better springs, lighter rocker arms, and more little tricks that we know live and work....

A billet blower, tricks inside, and only a 16 nozzle fuel system. This is where the FORD tune up book is crucial. It is all about where the nozzles are, how big they are, where they point, and how the fuel curve gets tweaked when we lean her down at mid track then down track past 1,000 feet.    The key we think, and I know, is how, when and where, to be brave enough, to take fuel away from her and stand the flames up high, but avoid melting her down.

A huge help today are 2 computer related items....one is head sets for the Crew to scream LIFT if the car gets stupid on you

The other is obvious, a race pack

One goal is pretty apparent......if those darn 392 Dodges, and 417 DONOVAN based Dodges, and 426 Dodges, and RATS,,,,WON the Heritage 5 second boasting rights for the last decade?

I know for a fact that this bugs the bee geezus out of some fast old Ford folks. I have been hearing it at the races for 20 some years. Standing in the staging lanes with some DONOVAN as olf Ford friends come buy and make ya laugh saying,,,,Where's the SOHC or Boos 9?  You defected again to the Dodge garage,,,,We laugh.   I say, FORDs know how is in this fuel curve !

So some figure, somehow, somewhere, a gang of FORD boys out there should be pretty pissed off with the FE's relagated to museums and gas. Gas is bitchin', all priase to all gas guys, I am a gas guy,,,,but FORDS DRAG TEAM had a mess of injected FUEL FES, and even more BLOWN FUEL FE's.

Mounting a tight 6-71 on top of any FE has been done since the early 60s and many wish a lot more FORD guys would FORCE FEED the old gal

We have a bitchin platform to run heads up against CHEVY(In the 5's easy in recent years) and Dodge and it can happen.   Just need a new team.

Whoever thinks it can't happen is a doubting Thomas. .  I, am a non doubting Thomas and I have most of the parts when a few pals want to form a 3 or 4 FORD guys team, and haul ass. Old school.

It would not take huge money either.

If you know how to run a blown Heritage car, you can get a nice 6 passes out of a HEMI and never pull the heads off too !!!   If you have to field strip it every round, your tune up might be off !!  Ya think? 

So me and some pals have not lost hope.  We DO have a new, 225 inch car that has easily gone 5's, with a late model Alan engine,,,,just change motor plates...plumb it, etc....

Next...for fun,,,,

What is going to be fun is trotting out the Les Ritchey car soon,,,,this Hot Rod has a lot of potential.

Now I have been in that loop a good long while,  Here is a little hint.  The injection on her is from a faster than all get out SOHC of old. This fuel system was on GAS RHONDA's injected alcohol engines and flew.

So today, the engine below this fuel sytem has a lot more BMEP potential,,,sure does....   This SOHC is sleeping on some EARL WADE magic, and more.....

I am solid in my belief that a few more changes here, and this MUSTANG has 7 second potential.   A LENCO 3 speed, current 2 disc clutch from East West Bob, and the injected light load system,,,,maybe 3 lean outs, and dual chutes, 

You could get a SOHC to ride the pinion so hard injected on a light load, you would smear the rubber off the slicks in 15-20 passes I bet.  No reason this car can't have fun in the 7s just like the FORD Comets And Flip tops of old.....    How fun would that be? 

Some Old Boys just might'' SOHC it to 'em' !! ''...Old School...Ford style......

So the event was a blast......all positive vibes.....smiles and man, chicks 'O" plenty,,,, Mama Mia,,,   I dragged 2 in to the Rohonda Car for pictures,,,somebody has this Brunnette in it,,,wow,,,,wow,,,,did I say...Wow   10 plus     Met this blonde that caused loss of sleep,,,,size 0,,,,nice everything,,,pretty as a Georgia Peach man.........

Some real nice folks said hi and got to meet some of the old gang. Some real nice folks had a lot to say about some past things that were just flat peculiar and so wrong.....FORDS are FUN   So are 99% of the FORD Family....

Many wished we could have had Bobby Spears there, now that means our shop steward, AND, the 'Fast Bobby' we know and admire from Northern Cal....He gets a pair of the stickers some day. He was on our team and one of the very best. Me and Butch Leal always discuss how good he was and how he could tree anybody

I did my best to get Amos Saterlee and his family there.   He is recovering, on the mend, and his boy sent his best

The big guest almost made it, but we will have Tommy Grove at a very special event soon. We hope Fast Bobby will be there too. NHRA is hosting it

The night before Knott's was an 'absolute hoot'.     The NHRA museum on the Pomona Fairgrounds hostea Roast for TV Tommy IVO

About 200 folks attended to have a blast !  Bob Fry was the MC and IVO got some very nice surprises !

One of his old co stars was a surprise guest and here is a little glimpse for fun...

http://www.tommyivo.com/


IVO is a really fine man. He had so many great Hot Rods and drove everything. He is so friendly to be around too. Always laughing, smiling and funny as all get out !   He often says,,,Well, you know, I am a VAM PIRE !!    ha ha   He likes to stay up late, working and so on....and is just a night person....cool

Seen at the scene were many old speed Demon's,,,,kind of a who's who. Special praise goes to Steve Gibb's of NHRA for making it happen.

All praise to NHRA for hosting the tribute.

Check out,,,,IVO's TURNING 80 here if you wish....

http://www.museum.nhra.com/




Knott's was  a blast and thanks from all of us to FORD for the special events that they sponsored, including a great lunch during the awards ceremony

More soon and thanks JAY for hosting a real nice Hot Rod shop here.   You have a huge team of fast FORD guys and gals here and together, we can hand Chevy and Dodge a lot more losses,,HAHA

Now this Saturday I may have a spot or two for a really special event. We are flying in authentic Cajun crawfish and spices to host a gathering at a famous race car shop in Gardena

I may light a Fuel Car again for fun

The theme is a blind Scotch Tasting set up like a Drag Race.  There are 16 slots. Participants sip expensive hootch and make a guess on the quality.  If he is correct, he advances,  If wrong, on the trailer.  I don't drink but it is hilarious. One bottle of Scotch from the highlands of Scotland cost around 210 bucks.   People sip it like fine wine, nobody gets plastered,

There are judges and the victor gets a special prize...

Hope to have a handful of fine honey's there too,,,,,

If 1 or 2 fast Ford friends want an invite, email us...HMStroppeVet@Gmail.com    Attn;Tom


This Summer should be fast all over the nation

And Saturday Night Nitro at Famosa will be wicked,,,,,,expect 550s and 60s

Thanks

PS.   You guys are all a bunch of smart, fast, fun folks.  This was well discussed at the show. Sure, you always have a few rabble rousers and that's all fine too.  That stuff just means, take it to the line, good luck to all..   Smoke 'em hard for Henry,,,,,,