FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => Member Projects => Topic started by: jayb on February 27, 2018, 12:55:06 PM
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Yesterday I got back from a short trip to Phoenix, AZ, to visit my Dad. While I was there I had the opportunity to drive up to Sedona, Arizona, and visit with Robert Pond. Robert used to be in Riverside California but has recently moved into a beautiful place in Sedona, with stunning views of the surrounding red rock mountains that Sedona is known for. But of course, the really stunning views were in Robert's shop.
Robert has a collection of beautifully restored and original cars that trace his racing history, starting with the 63 lightweight Galaxie shown in the photos below:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/Pond63LT.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/Pond63LT2.jpg)
The car is equipped with all the original lightweight equipment, including the aluminum bumper, and like all of Robert's car it is in immaculate condition. It is equipped with a low riser 427, as were all of the 63 lightweights.
Sitting next to the 63 is Robert's 64 lightweight Galaxie, photos below:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/Pond64LT.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/Pond64LT1.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/Pond64LT2.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/Pond64LT3.jpg)
As you can see this car even has the original window sticker. Robert also pointed out that this is the only one he's seen with the original vent tubes running from the battery cells out through the floor of the trunk. The high riser certainly makes a statement in this car's engine compartment.
Robert's attempt at being open minded came with this 1966 Plymouth Belvedere, equipped with the 426 Hemi:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/PondHemi.jpg)
Robert told me that as a post car, this car was lighter than the hardtops, but in 1967 Chrysler wanted everyone to switch to the hardtops for racing. These were heavier and it made no sense to Robert to go to the new car, so it was back to Ford.
Next in line was a 427 Fairlane:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/Pond427Fair.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/Pond427Fair2.jpg)
The car pictured below is a Mercury 202 with the 427, of course.
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/PondMerc1.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/PondMerc2.jpg)
The Boss 429 Mustang pictured below was purchased by Robert in 1974. He sold it, then bought it back several years later after it had changed hands a couple times.
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/PondBoss1.jpg)
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/PondBoss2.jpg)
The photo below is Robert's 67 Fairlane Stock Eliminator car, formerly a national record holder if I recall correctly:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/Pond67.jpg)
The Fairlane pictured below will get an SOHC that Robert is currently building:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/PondSOHC.jpg)
Finally, Robert owns one of the 50 original Cobra Jet Mustangs that Ford built in 2005. Robert's is #50:
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/PondCJ.jpg)
Robert had a story associated with all these cars, and I can't remember all the details associated with each one, but for example (if memory serves), his 64 lightweight Galaxie has 37 original miles, and the Mercury 202 has only 2000 miles on it. All of the cars are striking examples of their type.
It was great to be able to spend a couple hours with Robert and look at all these cars. Makes my collection look pretty lame LOL! Thanks Robert!
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Wow!!!! 8)
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OMG
We are not worthy.
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Maybe 1 to 1.5 million in value?
OMG
We are not worthy.
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Wow indeed, especially on that '64 only having 37 miles!! I'm glad that people have preserved cars like this from when they were new, but I can not even imagine having any of those things and not driving them.
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Thanks Jay the engine bay pic answered a few questions for me
how they looked from the factory not that i plan a complete factory
stock engine bay but nice to know
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Did you try to convince him to run the SOHC car in Drag Week? ;D
Really cool cars. Any one of those would gather attention on it's own, let alone under one roof.
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That is a nice collection for sure, looks like a museum. Did you get to see his inventory of blocks and heads, etc? I see some boxes and crates by the stocker, but imagine he has much more than that. Is he coming out with anything new and interesting as far as FE parts?
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I looked at a lot of his SOHC parts and saw the blocks in boxes, but didn't look at his heads. He said that he'd recently gotten his heads NHRA approved, and was going to start working on a high riser head that also could be NHRA approved. Looks to me like Robert is steering his business towards the NHRA racers and also some of the European race organizations.
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Thanks Jay! Very nice to see such well preserved cars. I guess I would have to agree with your thoughts on where his business is heading, Robert like the rest of us is not getting any younger. Go too your core business.
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I remember watching an episode of Pass Time with Mr Pond in the white Fairlane. All the contestants guessed his e.t. would be in the low 13s and he ripped off a 10.0! They were all in disbelief. :)
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Those are amazingly cool. 8)
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Awesome. I spoke with Robert a few times while purchasing one of his SOHC intake and some main bearings. Super nice guy! Love the car collection.
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I recently heard Mr. Pond has bought both John Cooper and John Calvert's NHRA stocker T-bolts. Did you happen to see them?
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Shame on me for forgetting to post the picture below. The other T-Bolt was in the trailer, and I didn't see that one - Jay
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/PondTBolt.jpg)
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Wow its like a time warp, Im with Doug how could you have such beauty and not drive them.
Besides the 2005 is he the original owner of any of them. I guess if you were to do a car all original he would be the one to call for info. I see he has the original sticker on one but did he buy it newe.
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Very cool stuff! I saw many of those cars when I went to visit Robert in his old place. What a collection of great cars!!! :o :o
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Thanks Jay! Really appreciate you posting these great Fords of the 60s.
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Pond have any iron blocks available?
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I think he's out of the iron blocks at the moment...
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Jay,
Did Robert talk about the Mercury 202 with the 427? Was that originally the Zach Reynolds of Reynolds Tobacco car with ~2,000 miles on it? Just curious if that's "that" car, and where it ended up.
Reference: https://www.mecum.com/lots/AU1214-198936/1967-mercury-comet-202-sedan/
Thanks!
Joe
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Could very well be the same car, Joe, but I don't know for sure.
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Shame on me for forgetting to post the picture below. The other T-Bolt was in the trailer, and I didn't see that one - Jay
Coopers shop sure did a beautiful job on that car!
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Thank You Jay for sharing your visit and photos of Roberts awesome collection!.............Al
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Shame on me for
going to Phoenix and not telling FElony, who could have shown me the best strip joints the city has to offer.
I used to sneak up on Pond at Div 7 races here while he was occupied wrenching on something and quietly declare that Ford sucks. He would turn around to see me standing there with some over-the-top Ford shirt and grin. I was kinda hoping he would move somewhere in the metro area, but instead he wound up in the pinkest possible part of Arizona. I hope he doesn't get any cooties. BTW, do dynos adjust for elevation? Sedona is high.
Oh, and thanks for the pics!
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Crap, I should have looked you up. Of course, the wife was with me :o
Dynos do indeed adjust for elevation, via barometric pressure. 1" of Mercury on the barometer is very close to 1000 feet of altitude, and dynos have a weather station built in to measure that, and correct the readings to sea level, for comparison purposes.
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Shame on me for forgetting to post the picture below. The other T-Bolt was in the trailer, and I didn't see that one - Jay
(http://fepower.net/Photos/Posts/PondTBolt.jpg)
Jay, did Robert mention if he was going to put Calverts old 64 Fairlane back to a stickshift, or convert the ex Cooper car to a stick?
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Jay, did Robert mention if he was going to put Calverts old 64 Fairlane back to a stickshift, or convert the ex Cooper car to a stick?
Someone posted a couple pictures on the FE Fanatics Facebook page of Robert Pond at the Arizona Nationals last weekend with John Calvert’s old car, looks like it was entered in AA/SA. No idea what the future plans might be.
(https://s5.postimg.org/mq1l25j9z/3_FC0709_F-_B23_B-42_AC-_B8_C1-_FB1_DC53_CA4_BE.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/h1vab9exf/)
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Robert actually thinks he broke the engine at that race, he said it sounded like something was seriously amiss at the 1000 foot mark of his last race. Also I think he will be keeping it an automatic, his knee and hip are tired of pushing in the clutch pedal, apparently...
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I remember watching an episode of Pass Time with Mr Pond in the white Fairlane. All the contestants guessed his e.t. would be in the low 13s and he ripped off a 10.0! They were all in disbelief. :)
Laughed at that episode as they had a couple of other Stocker's in the group.One of which was Jason Line's mom running her F/SA. Jay....was the wife with you at RPM?
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Crap, I should have looked you up. Of course, the wife was with me :o
In that case, I could have pointed you to the best 5-Star restaurants. I've been kicked out of every one of them because, well, you know.
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Did Pond move the machine shop and whole operation to Arizona?
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Laughed at that episode as they had a couple of other Stocker's in the group.One of which was Jason Line's mom running her F/SA. Jay....was the wife with you at RPM?
She has a friend in the area also so she had lunch with her, but she did stay around Robert's place for 15 minutes or so before she left. I believe she gained a new appreciation of how the car hobby could explode ;D
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Did Pond move the machine shop and whole operation to Arizona?
No machine shop in sight there...
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but she did stay around Robert's place for 15 minutes or so before she left. I believe she gained a new appreciation of how the car hobby could explode ;D
Clearly the easiest way to minimize your own collection is to take her to someone like Mr Pond's place. Makes total sense.
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What an amazing collection!
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Hah! Good one! Yeah, Jay you gotta step it up to keep up with the Joneses! LOL
but she did stay around Robert's place for 15 minutes or so before she left. I believe she gained a new appreciation of how the car hobby could explode ;D
Clearly the easiest way to minimize your own collection is to take her to someone like Mr Pond's place. Makes total sense.