BeeLine Willys Gasser

[gene-terenzio-srParticipant]

quote dinotheweirdo:

Gonna pick your brain more…Nelsons’? did what ?and had race cars? Plus, sounds like Bee-Line was a general Auto repair place …Was the Willys the only Racer out of the shop.? Pete Maples will probably add to this Too.

Who ran out of bee-line?, jimmy yerks, aa/gd, johnny lopiano, drove the beeline aa/gs, and jimmys aa/gd, some times, then built his own aa/gs 33 willys, that i drove, along with my aa/a,& a/a, i don’t remember anyone else, don’t know if any one remembers my 48 fiat that vic crashed at dover? that body was delivered right to bee-line. ok peter fill in the blanks

[dinoKeymaster]

I’ll try to dig up a photo of the Fiat….Altered ?

[gene-terenzio-srParticipant]

quote dinotheweirdo:

I’ll try to dig up a photo of the Fiat….Altered ?

It was 1966 it had a 401 Buick with hilborn inj.
It’s blue, see if you got it rolling up the embankment on the spectators side, that was the last time vic tried to give me a driving lesson.
…………………looked ALL over ,can’t find it …maybe somebody has one.Will be contacting Pete Maples, for more Bee-Line info …Who knows what He’ll dig up.

[dinoKeymaster]

From Dennis P.:
Here you go Dino, this is Al Zaborrini against Angie Greco of Weathersfield, ct. at
Conn. Dragway. photo courtesy of Charles Milikan, Jr.

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[pmbuickParticipant]

Ok guy’s I just found this post. And now I will give you what I remember.Way back when I was a kid it was Al and Jerry’s Speed Shop featuring Bee Line alingment and muffler service it was on West Main Street in Stamford. They always had an engine building service, (as a matter of fact Russel Grady told me if you wanted to go fast back then you had to have an engine built by Al) they did crossfire and Ardun head flat heads until the mighty 303 Olds ohv came out. In the late 50’s Al and Jerry built Bee Line Automotive on West Avenue which was just around the corner from the original place, they had 2 shifts boring and balancing engines (hey Gene remember Froggy Jack he always worked the night shift) they were definately an engine building speed shop until around 1967-68 when Uncle Al decided to make money instead of horsepower.
For a young kid growing up it was a great place to be, hanging out with all the older guys and listening to the war stories getting a quarter to clean their tools and sit in that Willys when Al fired it up to tune it or sit in Jimmy’s dragster to steer it onto the trailer. I will never forget having the honor of polishing the halibrand mag wheels, never dull and 0000 steel wool. Jimmy Yerks promised to put wheels by Pete on the dragster. We had many fast cars running out of that shop.
When KS Pitman and crew came east Pitman would stay at Al’s house and the other guys got hotels. He matched raced with them until the end of 1966 when he finally determined it was time for a Hemi. He built it and never put it in and the rest will come in time.
It was great to see Him sitting the that car at the reunion and for him to get the credit he deserves for making it famous. Thanks again everyone, Peter Maple

[pmbuickParticipant]

Gene you know that Anthony and I were sitting on the fence that day when Victor said ( I will show you how to drive that car) but unfortunately we didn’t have a camera when he rolled it into the embankment and came out saying that was quite a ride, laughing all the while.
You, My Aunt, Uncle and Anthony and me, followed you running down track with you screaming I’m going to kill him for ruining my new car. I can’t forget that day. It was the first day and last day out with that car.

Peter

[gene-terenzio-srParticipant]

quote pmbuick:

Gene you know that Anthony and I were sitting on the fence that day when Victor said ( I will show you how to drive that car) but unfortunately we didn’t have a camera when he rolled it into the embankment and came out saying that was quite a ride, laughing all the while.
You, My Aunt, Uncle and Anthony and me, followed you running down track with you screaming I’m going to kill him for ruining my new car. I can’t forget that day. It was the first day and last day out with that car.

Peter

Laughing? I remember that he was scared shit less, Matter of fact he was so scared that his jonson shrunk so much he couldn’t find it to take a leak, (and he told me this) do you remember wile he was upside down he still had his foot to the floor and the motor was sucking up rocks and dirt? (I certainly don’t remember saying I was going to kill him. who would build my new car if i did that. lol lol you are right that was the first time out and last time out.

[pmbuickParticipant]

Gene I just got home from dinner with Vic and I told him about this thread. He said it was the last time he ever drove a race car, because he was just not qualified to do so! And yes I do remember the foot to the floor thing I think you said it had dirt in the rings. Peter

[dinoKeymaster]

We set Dino’s “wayback Machine ” to 1961…Champion Spark Plug Reps(the suits) pose with Al Z. in front of the Original BeeLine building. Those two big trophies on the right from Detroit NHRA Nationals. Photo supplied by Al’s grandson Doug.

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[jimbo]

I have a magazine from I beieve 1960 that has a story on the Bee Line Willys and in those days it was black with a Olds engine with Hilborn injectors. I will dig out the old magazines and post a picture but I think it showed the Bee Line shop on West Ave. in the backround.

I used to live near John Lopiano and when he fire up his 33 Willys and I would run over to his parents home which was where he was living at the time.

It was so cool to see Antone with his girlfriend helping John tune the engine.

Then they would make a pass up Burwood Ave.

I often wondered where John 33 Willys went and I remember him telling me that he was friends with KS Pittman.

In thoese days he had a guy in Norwalk doing the machine work and I think is name was Joe Virack or something like that.

Jim Hill

[vbobParticipant]

HEY !!
Then and now !!

‘V’

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[dinoKeymaster]

V-Bob..that’s Not Lopiano, But another look-a-like….Jimbo? find that article ?AND we need you guys to search for More Photos of the Bee-Line Car.

[vbobParticipant]

HEY
Dino, call Mr. Never Dunn in R.I. about this !
‘V’

……………….Roger-Wilco…Over and Out Dino

[pmbuickParticipant]

Hey V-Bob that looks like Johnny’s car. as for more Bee-Line picture I believe Dino has a bunch from Al’s grandson Doug.

Peter

[dinoKeymaster]

We did this Before about Lopiano…Hard to tell If car the same from photos…And just How many Painted similar Brown could there be?
SEE: http://www.doverdragstrip.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=556&p=2485&hilit=Lopiano#p2485

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