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In the early 70's Andy had this midnight blue 66 Chevy II. It had a
327/365hp and M21. I saw it run in the 13's with a very, very lot of
tire smoke at a quarter mile drag strip. I can't imagine what the thing
would have done with a couple of wrinkle walls (traction). I believe
Andy bought this Chevy II from an Annandale High School buddy, Jessie.
When Jessie owned the car, it had a 283 with a Saginaw 4 speed. The
Saginaw was interesting in that it had a 314 first gear, but was not
strong enough for Andy's needs, especially after he upgraded the 283
to a 327/365 hp. He replaced the Saginaw with a Muncie (M21) which was
a close ratio with a 220 first gear. If I remember right, Andy actually
blew the Saginaw, then asked me to loan him my brand new unused
M21 that I had just bought for the L88 Nomad. I did not have
my Nomad on the road yet, so the M21 was just lying around. Occasionally,
I would go to the garage and just admire it (a guy thing). We worked out
a fair equitable deal; naturally I was going to help him. Anyway, I was
driving a 61 Chevy all-door that Bill gave to me for transportation
(Thanks Bill). This 61 gave me time to build the Nomad right and get it
on the street.
Whenever Andy and Bill worked on a car, typically something was going to
happen. Late one night at a gas station, Bill and Andy installed fender
well headers in this Chevy II and the installation required a lot of work. So they
needed to take a break after the installation. They took the Chevy II -
with straight headers - out in the middle of Annandale. They pulled up
to a red traffic signal and trying to keep the noise down they turned
off the engine - too late for that! In the mean time a 66 396
Chevelle pulled up. The driver looked over at the rather quite Chevy II
and revved his 396. Even though Andy's SS Chevy II had big rear tires,
Crager SS Mags, and sat high because of the heavy-duty springs, the 396
driver probably thought he could take the little Deuce. In addition,
because the Chevy II's engine was not running there was no rough cam
sound, no solid lifter noise, and no headers rumbling. When Andy heard
the 396 rev, he just laughed and then smiled and then started his
straight exhaust monster revving it to 7500 rpm a couple of times. After
having his ear drums broken, the Chevelle driver just did not even try ... Andy
revved up the engine again and side stepped the clutch; the Chevy II
just about pulled the front wheels off the ground when the light changed
to green (even with very little traction). He left that 396 in a whole
lot of tire smoke. Soon after, Andy and Bill pulled up to the gas
station and parked the Chevy II behind. Next they sat back on the front
steps watching the police run up and down the street looking for the
noise maker(s). This is Bill telling me the story - wish I could have
been there.
While I am telling Andy and Bill stories, this one happened about the
same time. One day, Andy and Bill were on their way to a Springfield
auto parts store; maybe it was in West Springfield. They were the last
ones in a long, slow, line of cars going up hill. Andy was driving his
Chevy II and got impatient. So he dropped down a couple of gears and
crossed the double solid, then he pounded a couple of gears to get past
the cars. Bill was sweating bullets because it was a long, long string
of cars they were passing. As they passed about half the cars, a big ole
dump truck crested the top of the hill coming head-on. Now - Bill was
sweating more than bullets! Andy did not let up, not one bit. The dump
truck kept getting closer and closer and then I guess the dump truck
driver started to get a little concerned so he started blowing his horn.
Andy did not let up, not one bit! He had that Deuce screaming for all
she was worth. At the last second, the Chevy II, Andy, and one very
scared passenger swerved back into the other lane just in time to miss
the dump truck and clear the lead car. This is Bill telling me the
story - glad I was not there!
One night back then - maybe in the Fall - Andy called me on the phone. He
wasn't very happy. He told me someone
stole his Chevy II that night and the police found it at local High School
(not Annandale High.) He said the police told him that the car was up on cinder
blocks and did not have any wheels - the knuckle heads had stolen Andy's Crager Mags
and tires. Andy asked if I would pick him up at his parents house where he had the
original wheels with stock tires. When I arrived at his parents house we threw the
wheels in the back of my car and took off for the High School where
his stolen deuce was located. Upon arriving the car acutally looked in reasonably good
shape to me. However, Andy was besides himself. He put the wheels on his car and then
took off down the road. Later, he told me he got into it and his deuce just did not
feel right. So he sold it shortly after. He was afraid that whoever stole it dogged it
to death by over revving it. If I remember right Andy said he heard a new knock or two.
He never forgot his deuce had been taken and developed a stronger dislike for knuckleheads
and bad guys ... then he became a cop ... he derived great pleasure and satisfaction
in "gently" throwing these kinds characters in the back of his police patty wagon and
hauling them off to jail. ~Bob
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