› Forums › Forums › SPEED SHOPS from Dover’s past › "Fastlanes" STAMFORD & Conn. Hang-out memories
digger.
dinoby fastlane on Wed Jan 13, 2010 11:04 pm
WELL I GREW UP IN STAMFORD OFF EXIT NINE DOWN SEASIDE AVE TO SYVAN KNOLL RD IN A SPOT CALLED THE CIRCLE IN THE EARLY TO MID 60S AND EARLY 70S I WAS STILL A YOUNG KID UNDER 16 UNTIL LATE 1971 WHEN I GOT MY FIRST CONNECTICUT DRIVERS LICENSE . BUT HERES A FEW HOT SPOTS I WILL NEVER FORGET BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS AROUND THE OLDER CAR AND BIKE GUYS FROM STAMFORD CT . OLDEST HANG OUT’S SPEED SHOPS I REMEMBER FIRST WAS DINO’S BUDDY DAVE / CANT REMEMBER HIS LAST NAME SPEED SHOP UP ON COVE RD IN STAMFORD . MOROSO’S BRAND NEW SHOP IN GREENWICH NEXT TO THE MACDONALDS ON THE POST ROAD ON U.S. 1 . FAT MAN HENNESSEEY’S SPEED SHOP IN NORWALK CT. THEN I REMEMBER ALL THE OLD HOT DOG BURGER HANG OUT’S GOOD GUYS DRIVE-IN DOWN ON SHIPPAN AVE TONY ALTAMAURO’S PLACE. THEN TONYS DRIVE-IN OPENED UP AFTER HE CLOSED THE GOOD GUYS RIGHT NEXT DOOR . THE CARVEL ON SHIPPAN AVE . JOANNES DRIVE-IN DOWN THE STREET . THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN MOVIE THEATHER AND NORWALK DRIVE-IN WERE ALL THE OLD HOT ROD AND BIKER MOVIES WERE FIRST SHOWN WHEN YOU WERE A KID. STREET RACING DOWN NEAR CLAIROL OFF JEFFERSON ST A CONCRETE 1/8TH MILE. AND THEN THE BIGGEST FIASCO IN STAMFORD KINGS DEPT STORE ON MARKET STREET IN THE SOUTH END . ALONG SIDE I-95 ON STATE ST BETWEEN ELM AND EAST MAIN. ON I-95 FROM THE WEST SIDE EXIT 6 TO 7 . THE MERRIT PARKWAY FROM HIGH RIDGE TO LONG RIDGE ROAD. THE GROUP OF NORWALK GUYS AT THE DUCHESS WHO WERE RACING UP ON RT. 7 AND DOWN HERE IN STAMFORD . FRIENDLYS ON HIGH RIDGE ROAD AND ACROSS THE STREET THE COUNTRY DINER. THE THREE DAIRY QUEENS ONE ON EAST MAIN ST AND WEST SIDE ON WEST MAIN ST. AND ONE DOWN ON SUMMER ST. THE WHITE TOWER ON EAST MAIN ST / THE BUTTERY. THE FARM SHOP IN GLENBROOK . ALS DOG HOUSE IN BULLS HEAD . ALL THIS BEFORE THE MID 70S GAS CRUNCH HIT AND THERE WAS NO MORE HOT RODDING ON THE STREETS AROUND HERE. BETWEEN 1978 AND 1979 I BOUGHT A 1969 S/S BIG BLOCK CHEVELLE FROM A FRIEND OF MINE FOR ONLY $600 DOLLARS AS NOBODY EVER SEEMED LIKE THEY WANTED OR WERE INTERESTED IN THESE CARS ANYMORE. DROVE IT LESS THAN ONE SUMMER AND SOLD IT FOR $800. THIS SAME FRIEND OF MINE HAD “ARE YOU READY” HANG ON CAUSE HE’S REALLY SUCKING WIND THESE DAYS ESPECIALLY WHEN BARRETT JACKSON COMES ON EVERY JANUARY A ORIGINAL 1971 426 HEMI CUDA / 1966 327 CORVETTE STINGRAY/ TWO MUSTANGS A 1965 HARDTOP AND 1966 FASTBACK SMALL BLOCK 289 POWERED CARS / MY NEIGHBOR DANNY GLADSTONE HAD A LOW MILEAGE ORANGE 1969 427 YENKO CHEVELLE AND A 1964 WHITE STINGRAY 327 THAT WAS STOLEN FROM IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE AND WAS FOUND IN THE BRONX GUTTED .THEY WERE BUYING THESE MOST OF THESE CARS BACK THEN FOR ONLY BETWEEN ONLY $1.500 TO $2.500 HUNDRED DOLLARS. OUCH . OH WELL ! ANYWAY IT WAS NOT ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL THE YEAR 2000 BEFORE I WENT OUT AGAIN AND GOT A 1967 CLONE S/S BIG BLOCK 4 SPEED MALIBU AND MY NOW 1968 PRO STREET S/S CHEVELLE IN 2004 .FASTLANE
fastlane
HI DINO THANKS FOR POSTING MY MEMORIES IN HERE . BUT WHO WAS THE DAVE I MENTIONED THAT OWNED THE SPEED SHOP IN STAMFORD CT ON COVE RD . HE MOVED TO DANBURY AND WHEN YOU GUYS STARTED UP THE SYCAMORE CRUISE I WAS BUYING THE BLUE DOTS FROM HIM AND INSTALLING THEM ON THE HARLEY TAILIGHTS AT MY SHOP THIS HAD TO BE BETWEEN 1981 OR 1983 . RIGHT ? MY FRIEND TONY PISANO BOUGHT DAVE’S SET UP FOR THE DRAG’S A FRONT ENGINED VOLKSWAGON DRAG CAR WITH A FLATHEAD MOTOR IN IT AND WITH SLICKS OUT BACK WE GOT CAUGHT BY THE COPS TOWING IT DOWN COVE ROAD PAST HIS OLD SHOP TRYING TO GET IT STARTED UP 😳 BAD BOYS .TONY ALSO HAD A 1966 CHEVELLE S/S AND WENT TO MOROSO’S AND BOUGHT A DUAL QUAD TUNNEL RAM SETUP TO PUT ON IT.SO WE RIPPED OFF THE HOOD AND DROVE AROUND TO ALL THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS AND GOT STOPPED MANY TIMES FOR RESTRICTED VISION OFFENSE CAUSE IT SAT UP SO HIGH WITH THE DUAL CARBS ON TOP AND STACKS OR AIR CLEANERS. CANT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT HE HAD ON THERE . HAVE TO ADMIT IT WAS PRETTY COOL TO BE ONLY 16 TO 17 YEAR OLD KIDS RIDING AROUND IN SUCH A NASTY LOOKING CHEVELLE BACK IN THE DAY . FASTLANE 😀 SO HOW ABOUT A TRIP TO WETSONS FOR A BAG O BURGERS FRIES AND A COUPLE A SHAKES TOO IN GLENBROOK 😉
dinoThe ‘Dave’ is Digger Dave Dufrane…Here on the forum : diggerdave …lives way upstate N Y …about now, he should be in Key West… go to Members …then go to D …find his (anybodys)name and click on it -takes you to his (or anybody elses) “Profile” page. On any Profile page you can view all thier posts -e-Mail or- Private Message .
digger
fastlane did you live in the cove? i remember danny gladstone and tony very well,all the cool guys came from stamford.
dinoWelcome Back Digger …If you are back.
fastlane
YES I LIVED IN SYLVAN KNOLL OFF SEASIDE AVE AND GREW UP WITH DANNY GLADSTONE HE WAS MY NEIGHBOR THERE FROM BACK IN 1958 WHEN MY FATHER FIRST BOUGHT THE NEW HOUSE THERE ONCE WE HAD MOVED FROM GREENWICH AVE DOWN IN WATERSIDE CONSIDERED THE SOUTH END UP TO SYLVAN KNOLL THE COVE AREA AFTER MY YOUNGER SISTER BONNIE WAS BORN . YOU MAY REMEMBER MY BROTHER WALLY RASILE JR. HE USED TO HANG OUT WITH RICHIE SILEO FROM SYLVAN KNOLL HES OVER 60 NOW. HE HAD A FEW BRAND NEW G.T.O.S A 68 OR 69 GREEN ONE. THEE ORIGINAL MISTER WAX . FIRST GUY TO COME AROUND WITH THE MEGUIARS PRODUCTS REMEMBER THERE SLOGAN “LOWERS E.T.S ” I MET TONY PISANO LATER ON INTO MY TEEN YEARS 1968 / 1969 WE HAD RENTED YOUR OLD SPEED SHOP AS OUR CLUBHOUSE IN OUR EARLY TEEN YEARS REMEMBER THE CLUB WAS CALLED “COVE INC ” JUNIOR COLACHICCIO WAS FUNZIES LITTLE BROTHER HE HAD THE 1968 OR 69 DODGE CHARGER . THEN THERE WAS EDDY COOK MIKE ZOPPI MARTIN GRISKO BRIAN CHIMELESKI CHUCKIE MAZZELLA CHARLIE WITUCK VINNIE FERARRA TONY PISANO DAVE NOVITSKI AND ALL THOSE LITTLE PAIN IN THE ASSES YOU KNEW WHO HUNG OUT ON THAT CORNER BETWEEN THE TIME YOU OPENED THE SHOP AND LEFT WE WERE HANGING OUT THERE ON THAT CORNER FOR BETWEEN 4 TO 6 YEARS 1968 TILL 1972 OR MAYBE TILL AT LEAST 1974 AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. WHO EVER MADE IT THAT FAR HA ! 😆 ACROSS THE STREET WAS THE SUGAR BOWL WHICH THEN BECAME COVE PIZZA /THE THREE GABLES BAR / THE BARBER SHOP ON THE CORNER OF SEASIDE AVE AND COVE RD . OLD MAN BILL SWAZIES GARAGE ON THE CORNER OF COVE AND DORA ST . THE HILL GAS STATION .29 CENTS A GALLON FOR REGULAR / COVE BICYCLE SHOP / SALS VARIETY ON HOBBY STREET FIRST THEN ON COVE RD AT THE NEW PLACE IN 1966 / JOE THE THE SHOEMAKER’S LITTLE TINY SHOP ACROSS THE STREET FROM SALS VARIETY. THE HAIR DRESSER’S SALON ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOUR OLD PLACE ON THE CORNER / THE TWO LIQUOR STORE’S / LOTS OF GREAT MEMORIES FROM AROUND THERE AND GOOD TIMES BACK IN THE DAY GROWING UP AND LIVING IN THE COVE AREA FOR MANY YEARS . CHRIS FASTLANE 😀
jimbo17
I also grew up in Stamford and for the life of me I cannot remember where Diggers speed shop was on Cove Road.
What years would the speed shop have been there?
I lived in Waterside and for me it all started at Pete’s gas station on Greenwich Ave.
Jimbo
fastlane
IT WAS THE ON THE CORNER OF AVERY ST. AND COVE ROAD .THE OLD ITALIAN LADY JOESEPHINE D’AQUILA WHO LIVED AT THE END OF AVERY ST. OWNED THAT PROPERTY BOTH STORES AND APARTMENTS UPSTAIRS TOO. IT WAS WHERE THE ORIGINAL COVE PIZZA STARTED OUT IN 1969 BOTH KENNY BYXBEE AND GEORGE YOUMANS WORKED THERE AS KIDS . I REMEMBER THESE WERE ONLY .60 CENTS AT THE TIME . THE SUGAR BOWL CANDY STORE WAS ACROSS THE STREET. SO DAVE’S SPEED SHOP WAS IN THIS STORE BEFORE COVE PIZZA STARTED MAKING THE TIME LINE BETWEEN 1965 UP UNTIL AROUND 1968 . NOW WE WAIT AND SEE IF DIGGER DAVE FOLLOWS UP ON THIS AND REMEMBERS EXACTLY WHAT YEAR . FASTLANE . THIS SHOULD BE INTERESTING 😎
jimbo17
Thanks:
I knew the D’QUILA family and now I do remember it being there.
I should have asked Vito because he remembers all that stuff.
Thanks Jimbo
fastlane
YUP VITO USED TO PARK HIS DRAGRACE BIKE AND TRAILER WHEN HE WAS RACING WITH BUTCH HOOPER ON DEAN ST . NEXT ONE DOWN GOING TOWARDS COVE ISLAND . THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN “BUSTER” PARADAYS HOUSE . I HUNG WITH OUT WITH HIS LITTLE BROTHER EDDY WE TO ROGERS SCHOOL ON LOCKWOOD AVE. AND THEY LIVED RIGHT BEHIND THE SCHOOL ON THAT LITTLE ONE WAY STREET OFF MYRTLE AVE. BUTCH USED TO TAKE US FOR RIDES IN HIS BLUE 1966 OR 1967 S/S CHEVELLE 396 . AND UP TO SHELTON IN THE SUMMER WE WOULD GO TO THE BIG SWIMMING POOL UP THERE AND THE HAMBURGER JOINT THIS WAS RIGHT OFF RT. 8 ON THE WAY TO WATERBURY. 😀 I WAS TALKING TO MARTIN GRISKO IN TENNESSEE THIS MORNING AFTER I SAW YOUR POSTING TO CONFIRM WHAT HE THOUGHT ABOUT DAVES PLACE. HE SAID HE TOUGHT HE WAS THERE ONLY FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS MAYBE AROUND 1967 AND 1968 . THEN WE WOULD GO TO MOROSOS PLACE IN GREENWICH ON THE POST ROAD. AFTERWORDS HE SAID YOU ARE DONNA LOTT’S UNCLE SHE WAS MARTINS OLD GIRLFRIEND FOR 12 OR 13 YEARS BEFORE THEY BROKE UP AND HE MOVED TO TENNESSEE COMING UP ON THREE YEARS AGO NOW THE SPRING OF 2007 . CHRIS RASILE FASTLANE 😎 I MET YOU AT VITOS BACK AROUND 2004 OR 2005 YOU ARE JIM HILL RIGHT ? MAYBE WE CAN GET DINO TO CALL DIGGER DAVE UP AND CONFIRM THIS OR E MAIL HIM.
jimbo17
Chris:
You found me same Jim Hill
I think you are right and we did meet over at Vito’s shop a few years ago.
Vito likes to either go out for lunch or breakfast over at I think it’s Bobbies diner on Myrtle Ave. over by the old Buick dealer.
Last time I saw Martin was at his home in Newtown before he moved to Lenoir City, Tenn.
How is he doing down there?
Jimbo
fastlane
Chris:
You found me same Jim Hill
I think you are right and we did meet over at Vito’s shop a few years ago.
Vito likes to either go out for lunch or breakfast over at I think it’s Bobbies diner on Myrtle Ave. over by the old Buick dealer.
Last time I saw Martin was at his home in Newtown before he moved to Lenoir City, Tenn.
How is he doing down there?
Jimbo
yea bobbys diner is on jefferson st next to minchin buick on magee ave. . this is where pmbuick peter maple works and mike calorossi who is the sales manager there is related to chippettas dominick and his son donny from west high service station on high st and west main st johnny reba’s old gas station . between jackie robinson park and richmond hill ave . my first custom bike shop was in that gas station from 1983 till 1995. as far as martin hes doin fine and he loves it down there . i took three trips to visit him last year was looking at some property around there myself . i am getting tired of the 6 months of cold weather and long winters around here . there are 6 or 8 drag strips both 1/4 and 1/8th mile just in that state alone. lots of car cruises and bike night’s almost all year long . average snowfall for there whole winter is only 6 inches normally in january and feburary . this winter was the exception though he said his bill for last month was close to $400.00 in total to heat the joint from all the cold weather that made it that far south this winter. as he also said global warming my a** 😳 L.O.L. you know martin .
jimbo17
Chris:
Now you are really bringing back some old memories when you talk about Dom’s West High Station.
I used to hang out over there around 1966 thru the early 75 with Vic and Joe Capone and that gang.
I had the blue 1951 chevy coupe with the dark blue windows and Joe Capone had the white 49 chevy coupe.
Mike and Tommy Visconti also used to hang around over there all the time.
Vito tells me that Victor is building bikes at his parents old home down the cove.
I moved to the west coast of Florida in 1990 because of the cold weather and all that stuff.
Everytime I go with Vito to Bobby’s I swear we see someone from the old day’s and it seems the guys love the place.
Last time Glenn Johnson and Richie Testa were there and I had not seen those guys in years.
I know Vito has coffee with Victor Terrenzio over on Hope Street at that Ron’s Deli but each time I have been up north I have not gotten over there yet.
The area with Martin moved to is very popular with my friends here in Florida and many of them have built homes in either Marysville or the Madsonville area of Tenn. because property tax on a new home is around $600 to $800 bucks a year and that’s for 5 acres of land.
Stay Well Jimbo
fastlane
hi jim then you must remember vics old yellow 1965 389 g.t.o. and his side kick artie greco from houston terrace down off of mathews st. he worked at mickey pintos gas station on east main the next street down from tads diner behind the stamford motor inn. artie had the brand new 427 1969 orange with black stripes yenko chevelle . this was in his moms name because of the insurance costs even back then. and speaking of mike visconti. vic just bought his low mileage one owner red 1966 327 air conditioned corvette stingray and took it to his parents / his house from mike mothers house down on high street in the garage behind her house. vic said it had been sitting over there for 12 years since the last time they had it running and it still had a pair of those old mid 1970s era conn plates on it . earlier on when i was 10 or 12 i used to deliver newspapers the stamford advocate and the stamford shopper you remember these ? from cove rd down seaside ave when vic was dating judy natale his first wife and tommys sister. when you came out of sylvan knoll rd on to seaside ave kevin dunn lived right across the street on the right side . i used to climb up on his trailer and look inside his willys wagon parked in the driveway and vic’s wife judys parents lived two doors over. also do you remember mark boccuttzi who also lived on seaside ave ? he had a blue mid 30s coupe and some bikes old harleys xlch’s and some 650 bonneville triumphs and and there was bobby docimo and his younger brother jack . how about when joe capone broke his leg on that old harley 45 c.i. three wheeler on old kings highway in darien ? as far as the the taxes on martin’s house in tennessee they just went up to a little over $1000 they were only $675 for his 3 b.r. home with a in ground swimming pool on three full acres when he bought it. so for now take care jim. that about the latest news from around here chris fastlane 😀
jimbo17
Chris:
I knew Mark and all those guys from the Cove.
Did you know Mike Wickler? I races karts in the late 60’s and early 70’s I met Mike and his dad. They were the first family I met that really travled the country racing karts back then. The father would tell me they were going out to Texas for a race or some other western states.
Mike stopped racing karts for a while and I bought his laydown kart and engines and thats when his dad asked if he could build my engines and come with me to the races.
John Wickler was a super engine builder and he came with me to Thompson Speedway and Bridgehampton a few times.
I was about 19 and having John build the engines was a very big help.
I would come home from work and John would be sitting on his tool box waiting for me to come home so he could work on the engines.
The other guys at the kart races were always asking me how much I had to pay him for building such fast engines and the truth is I never paid John a dime. I made for all the parts and John just loved building the motors.
Around 1975 I sold all my karting equipment because I good friend of mine was killed racing at Virginia International Raceway in Danville, Va.
I had been sitting in his kart a few days before he left for the race in Va.
There are many great stories from the West High station days and when I am back in town and drive up the west side it’s hard to believe that the old place is still there.
Hell it was there in the early 60’s and I don’t know who is running it today but man thats a long run for a gas station.
Tell Martin I said hello. Jimbo
