M & M Speed & Custom checking in

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

Pat:
Yes I did. I do have pictures with the other one on it, I knew Marty would prefere this one. I can put that one on also if you want?
Your welcome, 😆 😉
Rich

PS:Looking for pictures of Cianico’s and other M&M cars if you or anyone has any please send to http://mmspeedcustom@aol.com. Thanks

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

Dino:
Here is another Speed shop you may wan’t to add to the list. The Rocket Store of Poughkeepsie. They sold other things also, more like a general store but did a good job selling speed equiptment, probably one of our biggest competitor in Pok. I can’t remember the address, but I’m sure some one will tell you. I think it was on Academy street ??, now the west bound Arterial. I’ve been gone a long time, 32 years!
Rich

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

Everyone knows this car!! Chickery and Hampe bought the car from the Centalonzo Brothers of Highland falls who bought it new in ’67. The GTX was NEVER regerstered on the street from 1967 to I belive now 2009. When Chickery and Hampe split up in 1970 they sold the car to Donny Hasbrook (I think that was his last name) of Poughkeepsie, who worked with Chick at Eastern Offset at the time. M&M then sponcered the car with Chickery as part of the package in late 1970. Donny only ran the GTX unlettered (paper M&M sign) for about six months. The GTX didn’t do a lot of racing in that time period, so he sold it. Bruce E. Smith was the next owner. Bruce ran the car with Chick’s help for a couple of years and did OK, a few runner ups. The car would run 11:80’s all day with any driver at any track. Bruce decided he had to sell, M&M owned it for a short time till we found the fourth owner, his name was Stu Burns formerly of Rocket Store who was managing M&M’s Kingston store at the time. He ran it for a few more years. When I moved to Fla. I lost track of the car till 2007 when I heard it was on East Dorcey Lane in Hyde Park in a garage being stored. The new owner Mat Tacony (sp) is now restoring it, so I understand “it will GOOD to see it back!!”. As far as I know it has still NEVER been regestered. 😯 😮
Note: When the GTX came over to the M&M coral it was running SS/HA with a 440cu.in. engine. There is some dispute about how it fits in the class with a 440 but it was in SS/HA and did have a 440cu. in. Also could or did run SS/EA & SS/FA, so I have been TOLD (PC)!!
Rich

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[bobby-s]

Rich

did Mat own it when the car was at the ’08 reunion, pictures below,

Bobby S.

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

Bobby:
Thanks for posting the two pictures, I was going to post them myself but forgot where I saw them. “It’s a bitch getting OLD”! I have never meet Mat (that I know of) but I was told he has a truck & trailer business on Rt. 55 in Pok. I will get the name and address of the business, after the sun comes up today 😆 . My nephew Steve lives across from where the car was stored and he told me it was there in 2007. So I guess Mat was the one who brought it to Conn.? Still looks good and has the M&M sticker still on rear side window 😀
Rich
PS: I wanted to buy it back but Steve said he asked and it wasn’t for sale 🙁 .

[paul-ceasrine]

Rich,
It was a nice car whatever class it was in. A “Gentleman’s” muscle-car is the best description.
One thing it did have, big primary-tube headers 😎
PC

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

Paul:
Ya and a GREAT BACK SEAT! 😉
Cheese
PS: I got the donuts.

[paul-ceasrine]

😀 Ric,
Good morning. I see your up early, and on-line too 😀
Hopefully, the coffee is being brewed. I like mine with the Columbian-blend, and that includes the coffee as well 😉
Back-seat leg room in the GTX 36.3″. That allows for some long-legged Braciole’s.
1967, NHRA only had S/S classes (A thru E)
1968, NHRA only had S/S classes (B thru F) (from March thru the end of the year).
1969, everything changed..
I need a large coffee to go,,,,,,,,Enjoy the day
PC

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

Paul:
Leave it to you to know that!!!!!! 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
Rich
Got a BIG car show today last year 800 cars, got to sell some parts!
One lump or two?

Dino what happen to my avatar?? It went away I just put it back…. ❓ Don’t know -controlled through YOUR User Control Panel,I can’t access.-Dino

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

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!
Moving down the list, I could use all your help. Need pictures!! Ronnie Morehead’s “BEHEMOTH”, Steve Cianico’s “AMERICAN GRAFITI” any other pictures of M&M cars you all have would help greatly. Working on John Gunn’s cars next, 1962 Vette & 1968 Chevelle SW.
Comming soon to a Dover Forum near you.
M&M Speed

[paul-ceasrine]

RICH,
I think the Vignogna’s are in possession of the famous G/SA “BEHEMOTH”. I think that
car made it the Finals in a couple of NHRA Championships, back when Nixon was
President..Not sure when Ron Morehead got it, must have been later…
OH, 1968 NHRA WinterNationals (Feb 68), Ronnie Sox (67′ 440 GTX 4-speed) won the
SS/F class. Best ET 11.95 @ 112 MPH. Not too bad for back then.
PC

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

Paul:
I spoke to the guy (on line) who owns the car, he also has Hampe’s ’62 but didnt want to sell it, we were thinking of buying it. He does want to sell the BEHEMOTH thow. Ronnie knows him also.
Cheese

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

John Gunn is from Poughkeepsie now in La Grangeville, He bought Chickery’s old machine shop in 1978?? and turned it into one of the BEST engine shops in the northeast. I met John at my dad’s Shell station on Rt.44 in Pok, 1967 when buying a engine from a friend of his (JUNK!! 👿 😳 ) and we have been good friends ever since.
John has had (like the rest of us) a lot of realy nice cars, but I think the three nices ones were the 1962 Corvette, 1968 Chevelle Station Wagon and the 1988 Cutlass (pic comming soon). John, like most of you know, that know him, still has the cars stored somewhere along with his first dollar! 😆 LOVE YA Buddy!!
Hope he keeps on winning races and setting records for a long time!!
Rich

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

Found this picture in a old (2005) National Dragester. John had leased the car to Eric Reiff. They ran Dudley Gee in the Super Street final, Reiff winning with a 10.903.
Rumor has it the Olds maybe getting badged with the M&M logo in the near future, hopefully by the Dover 2010 event, (right Tony?).
PS: sorry about crapy picture!

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[bruce]

Re: ’67 GTX
Hello all… I can’t tell you the memories seeing the GTX pictures brought to me. Thanks to John Gunn for relaying to Richie my number and thus he gave me this web site. Reading some of the posts was a trip down memory lane for me. The answer to the question “did he ever catch the Camaro?” is no. This was the final elimination and was by far the best light I ever cut and i had a tremendous hole shot…. but not enough HP to get the job done. The Camaro was owned by a light skinned black guy whose name I’ll never remember…. it was widely known that he should have been running SS/C +/- and not SS/F, ********cheaters…. 🙂
Of all the races we attended the one that I remember most was my trip to St. Pie, Canada (pronounced St. Pea) for the Grand Nationals. Chick picked me up a 3:00 AM with the Dart on the flat bed and the GTX on the trailer. Richie Marchese had welded the trailer hitch to the frame of the flat bed truck with enough angle iron to support the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge; except where all the pieces came together at the ball. Well, just south of Lake George, with Chick driving and me half asleep, I hear Chick yelling “holy ****”…. and he’s whipping the steering wheel from the right to left and the truck is surging. I finally looked in the rearview mirror on the right side of the truck and it looked as if the GTX was trying to pass us on the shoulder, sparks from dragging the trailer looked like an exhaust from a jet engine ( I though it was Tommy Ivo, how many of you remember him?). It was by far the most incredible driving I’ve ever witnessed, thanks to Chick, I sure miss him. When we finally got to the Grand Nationals and met up with Richie, who by the way, drove up the next day in comfort with his wife and stayed in a hotel while we slept in the cars at the drag strip. By the way, back then, in Canada they allowed beer in the pits , maybe not officially but at night after everyone had left the party was on, lots of fun. This story goes on but I’ve already taken up too much space I finish the story of the now infamous trailer hitch after I see some reply’s. By the way no damage to the cars, the trailer is another story.
Bruce Smith

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