Big Thanks To Fred Ebert
This video starts out with Bob Glidden's 5th World Championship win in NHRA Pro Stock, at the World Finals in Ontario California. He took out Frank Iaconio, by a nose. I had done an interview with Dave Koffel, and I will place a link to the vid. He tells the story, how he met with Bob Glidden in July of 1978, at Milan Michigan, when he was racing his undefeated Fairmont. He offered Bob a chance to race for Chrysler. Bob said he would think about it. In the Fall of 1978. at Seattle at Pacific raceway, they met up again, and bob agreed to join the Chrysler team. Don Hardy, started build on the 1978 Plymouth Arrow, and was finished by December of 1978. Dave Koffel told me when they went to Orange County Raceway for testing, the car ran an 8.60 right off the trailer. Grumpy Jenkins was there, and his jaw dropped to his knees. You have to listen to the interview to hear all of the great stories. My favorite, was that the Lenco had broken in California during testing, and Dave Koffel said to "Glidden What are we going to do?, Bob Said, I will tell you what you're going to do, get in that truck, and drive to San Diego, where Lenco was located and get the parts we need" Dave did that it was race on. Glidden lost 3 races, 2 were from redlights. See the complete list below.
Ted Spehar, built the first engine, and Chrysler provided enough parts to build 2 more engines. Bob said he could make these better. These were small block Mopars, based on the 340 X block. They were topped by iron W2 heads. Bob worked his magic, In theory they would need to flow more than 400cfm. He also worked over the Holley Pro Dominator Intakes, although I have read, that he just bolted them on. The new owner says that it makes 975 hp at 314ci, at 9800rpm. That is over 3 hp per cube. What do you guys think for horsepower?
The car was sold to Paul Gentilozzi, after bob won the 1979 Pro Stock Championship. He was going to continue racing with Chrysler, and in fact a 1980 Plymouth Volare was being built at Don Hardy Race cars, but then Chrysler went bankrupt in 1980, and pulled out of racing. Bob Glidden was stuck with the car, as the story goes. After Paul Gentilozzi, the car was sold to Jerry Hurley, and raced, followed by sale to Dempsey Hardy. Hardy raced it for a few years, then parked it in a trailer where it sat for 15 years. They had to pry the tires from the floor of the trailer. The car had parts stollen from such as carbs, but otherwise was complete. All the sheet metal and fiberglass parts were present, and complete interior.
The 79 Arrow that was built by Don Hardy Race Cars, was restored by the current owner. He did all of the restoration work, including paint. The car came with the original engine, two different Tunnel Rams, 340x blocks, and 2 sets of heads. The owner said he finished the car, and took it down the track, the Arrow ran a 8.60, letting off the gas before the end of the quarter.
The last part of the video has the car actually running, and man does it sound strong. A real piece of history, that represents a time when things were simpler, life was better, ann racing technology was being developed at a fast pace.
1979 Pro Stock Season
February 4, 1979 AutoClub Raceway: Winternationals Glidden over Satmary
March 11, 1979 Gainesville Raceway: Gatornationals Glidden over Sox. Glidden wins $12k
April 29, 1979 State Capitol Raceway Rain out
May 2, 1979 State Capital Raceway: Cajun Nationals Glidden over Shepard
June 10, 1979 National Trail Raceway: Spring Nationals Glidden over Lombardo
L June 30, 1979 Bandimere Raceway: Mile High Nationals Glidden Looses to Randy Humphrey,
L July 15, 1979 Englishtown: Summer Nationals Frank Iaconio takes out Glidden
August 6, 1979 Sanair Superspeedway: Le Grand Nationals Glidden Over Iaconio
September 3, 1979 Indianapolis Raceway: US nationals Glidden over Lombardo
L September 23, 1979 Pacific Raceway: Fall Nationals Iaconio over Glidden
October 7, 1979 Ontario Motor Speedway: World Finals Glidden over Iaconio
5 ноя 2023
