Centalanzo’s

[paul-ceasrine]

More Info out there on the fomer Centolanza 68′ Hemi Cuda than anything.
One says from Pennsylvania.
One says North Dakota.
One says New England.
One says Maryland.
Lot of tow miles on that car 😆
At least it did exist.
Hey Bob Smith…
August 1971 Super/Stock & Drag Illustrated, feature on Centolanza Bros. 67′ RO SS/DA
Hemi Belvedere. Wonder if it was at the 71′ (5/9/71) S/S Magazine Nationals at US30/York.
Wonder if they were the ones who picked off Ray Allen/Briggs Chevrolet SS454 automatic
“Killer Car”.
PC………”GO FREDO”

[hvy70ssParticipant]

Paul….At the 1971 7th Annual Super Stock Nationals Centolanza’s ran the ’67 RO car to the win. In the final it was an all SS/DA heads-up race between them and the Tritak and Morgan ’70 ‘Cuda. They both ran 11.42 with the win going to Lou on a hole-shot. All the Chevys went out early…including the Truppi-Kling-Allen ’70 Chevelle SS. That Chevelle was very dominant back then. From what I read here in the Dragster, alot of cars had traction problems that day. If i can I’ll post some pics

Bobby Smith

[paul-ceasrine]

Bob,
Your amazing 💡
You should be called ENCYCLOPEDIA BOB.
At least under the letter “D” (Dover related).

The 67′ GTX 440 for the “Mountain Garage” boys, which probably ran SS/E in 67′ and
SS/F in 68′. Did that end up in the hands of Chickery & Hampps? The SS/FA car, with
the Jocko’s Speed Shop lettering on the back quarter-panel.
Also, not sure, but did they run or somebody within their group run a 273 Valiant in
maybe E/SA in 67′ or I/SA in 68′. My father and I went up to their garage in the summer of 68′ to buy slicks from them for his 67′ Cuda. They had a set of GoodYears 6″ or 7″ wide
ready-to-go on 4″ small bolt pattern rims (A-Body size).
I think they also recommended my father to go to “Floyd’s TNT Ignition” in Marlboro
for Carter AFB carb tweaking and distributor work.
PC
From the Movie “Analyze That”; Your good……No your good.

[hvy70ssParticipant]

Paul…Maybe up to the last article I was amazing as it was all memory BUT…As of last week I have Lou’s scrapbook to borrow. In there are alot of National Dragster clippings!! OK next question..I DO believe Chickery got that car, but cannot confirm. Now using the “wayback machine” I found the boys earliest cars were around 1964-1965. At that time, 3 cars ran out of Mountain Garage of Highland Falls, NY
1. Tony Centolanza- 426″ Fury in B/SA 14.20’s
2. Lou Centolanza-273″ Valiant E/SA 14.30 known as “Lil’ Brute”
3. Ken Conley-273″ Valiant E/S 4 speed known as “Prince Valiant”

Paul…good memory!! Those 7″ slicks on 14″ 4 bolt rims probably were on one of the Valiants. Also Floyds TNT was the the man back then….they did a distributor for me back in the ’70s too. Great service.

Bobby Smith

[dinoKeymaster]

Bobby –SCAN PHOTOS AND SEND AT Hi resolution !!!!!

[paul-ceasrine]

Bob,
You can also add the letter “C” in there, for Centolanza related 😀
Your good,,,,,,,,,,,No your very good!!
I knew it, I knew they had a Valiant.
Those little 273/235HP pocket-rockets weighed 2725lbs.
Fit right into E/S or E/SA, in 65’/66′ ? Some girl in the mid-west is running one now in K/SA, running in the 11.00’s, on a 12.95 index. And the NHRA re-factored it to 210 HP.
What the hell are they doing to the engines these days. Just saw a 69′ Firebird RAIII
in D/S run a 9.98. Thats faster than the AWB-Injected cars from 66’/67′.
Thanks for the info.
Do remember Prince Valiant in I/S also, maybe 68′.
Yeah, Floyd’s. Good guy. SUN ditributor machine on the right side of his 3 or 4 bay garage.
Carb re-build $35. Add another $8 if he had to take it off the engine. New all the
jet and rod #’s.
PC

[m-amp-m-speed-amp-custom]

I’m not the only one up @ 4am! Chickery & Hemp did buy the GTX painted it Blue & Silver w/strips from hood to trunk. It ran out of Jocko’s for a few years then went to M&M till about ’75, SS/HA. The car is in Hyde Park on Dorsy Lane about ready to get redone. It had five owners after Centalanzo. Rich

[paul-ceasrine]

RICH,
Good morning. I woke up at 2:30AM. Fell asleep early. Wanted to know if the
Yankees won.
Tell me, if your in Florida, How are the bagels in the morning. Not as good as
New York. It’s the probably the water.
All those Mopars changing hands back then.
Question, What ever happened to Tony’s “Mr. Ed” Dart?
I know by reading the threads that the Tunnel-Ram and related parts were purchased by
Bill (Storm King 2). What about the car itself.
I do remember the struggles with the 4-speed when the car was first run in late 70′ or early 71′. Still nice car, Clean lettering and looked sharp with the Cragar 5-spokes. Broke my heart to see the 68′ Hemi hood off the car with the Tunnel-Ram hood on. Liked it better in SS/A.
Please pass the Cream Cheese 😆
Paul

[dinoKeymaster]

Terenzio Said It is the water…Use Club soda to fix. Mama made it best .

[dinoKeymaster]

…”Attention Paul C. remember these?? Bob Smith”
Thanks man…more to follow

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Attachments:

[dinoKeymaster]

“This should end all controversy as to when they ran the ’68 SS/A car and what the record was at that time. Bob Smith”
. . . .spelt their name wrong too 😀 Bobs pilfering the “scapebook’!

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Attachments:

[m-amp-m-speed-amp-custom]

Paul,
That was good with the cheese thing. Everyone calls us cheese or marcrazy. The bagels and pizza suck…not even close to New York. As for the Dart, I left before he sold it. It made me sick when I heard about it. I loved that car!!! I had to pull a lot of strings to get that manifold, it was one of if not the first on the east coast. They didn’t even make the linkage kit yet, we had to make our own. Chick had to run Pro, should never have done it. I’ll ask cousin Tony or Gunn, they would know who bought it. Don’t know why but we never could get the clutch to work right, had a lot of trouble with the linkage! That car is one I will always miss. Rich

[paul-ceasrine]

ENCYCLOPEDIA BOB,
It looks like the “Centolanza Brothers” had a nice little “273 Appetizer” or should I say
Hot and Cold Antipasta’ before the 67′ 440 GTX and Hemi main courses 😆
That’s a 65′ Valiant V-200, 2-Door Sedan (Post-Car)
The 273/235HP Commando 4-bbl became available in 65′.
Try finding performance parts for those cars back then was nearly impossible.
No manufacturers wanted to make them. Not enough cars.
Pretty successful though. 15 Dover Class Winner stickers on the driver-side side window, and it looks like (2) round New York National Speedway stickers (which opened in 66′).
If its E/SA (as DINO would say “Easy Stock; Staging Lane 5), then it’s 1966.
Probably drove the car to the track.
I know all the info on the 273, without using an Encyclopedia 😉
As for the slicks, my father and I got GoodYears 7″ wide x 26.5″, 14″ rim 5-bolt/4” bolt-pattern. The rims were black (still have the photo 😯 ). Must have been off
Ken Conley’s “Prince Valiant”.
OH, Cost to go over the Bear Mountain Bridge to Route 9W….25 cents. 😮
PC

[dinoKeymaster]

More Record Info And Photos Tomorrow…Bob just sent .

[storm-king-2]

Re Chick & Mr Ed,
We ran against Chick most of 1970 in pro/stock. Both of us were running the cross ram hemi’s & torqueflites. Sat out all of 1971, almost threw in the towel. I never saw Mr Ed with the tunnel ram & 4 spd. As a matter of fact I’m not sure I knew he had had it on the car when I bought it from him. Not that it would have mattered, it was a heck of a deal. I think it was probably late 71 or early 72 when I bought the tunnel ram & carbs & the entire 4 spd setup from him. Never heard where the car went. Chick was one of the best.
Bill Smrtic

[Author]

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