[BqUICK]

55 Packard Guy,

Thanks for sharing details of your dad, Tony. The B-24 guys did a wonderful job during the war.

Once, back in 1992 or so I sat in on a meeting of the "WW II Round Table" a group of Air Corps vets who served in WW II. Most of the guys were heavy bombardment and Frank Beadle, a B-17 pilot and Mary Rice, General Jimmy Doolittle's personal war time secretary, ran the meetings.

Well, the B-17 guys had been having their say for a while, apparently, and it was now time for a B-24 Liberator man to extoll the virtues of his machine. The pilot outlined the complete experience from releasing the brakes under full throttle to climbing to altitude, to the bomb run through the flak, and landing and coming to a stop. He really gave you a feel for the experience.

Naturally there were some kind hearted jabs back and forth about whose bomber was actually better. The B-17 was supposed to be tougher and more survivable and the B-24 was faster and could carry more load, etc., etc.

I enjoyed those days in the '70s, '80s, & '90s when I got together with many Air Corps/Air Force people and often went to parties with the men and their wives. Through my academic background at the College of Aeronautics and involvement with the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Deborah and I met many great WWII people.

A few of the famous people I have met or listened to at functions were Robin Olds (P-38 Pilot), Frank Beadle (B-17 Pilot), Frank Morgan (Memphis Belle Pilot), Jimmy Doolittle (Leader of the Tokyo Raid), Francis Gabreski (Top P-47 Ace in the 56th Fighter Group), George A. Vaughn (WWI Double Ace!!!) General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. (commander of the Tuskegee Airmen!!!) Alot of these people are dead now but their legacy lives on in the freedoms that we have today as Americans. I have a great deal of respect for the men and women of WW II, who did every job from ditch digging to general, as well as the many civilians who contributed to that effort.

...Lest we forget!!!

[Smartin]

Sorry for the delay in posting more pictures, but I've been pretty busy....

Will post tonight after I shovel food in my face and get a shower

[BigFella]

Hey Bquick,

I got the website up today (finally). Your on the front page and after my visit in May you'll have your own layout! I can't wait to see you and your car.

electra225 web page

[Smartin]

[imported_jscheib]

I was trying to find a way to make it to Elmira, from Hartford last weekend to see this car. Owning a '32, I decieded recently to acquire a '68 Riv for some later model "muscle", but this car now seems like a pup compared to this Electra. I am also new to the Peformance site, so I hope you will keep all posted anout the Watkins Glen schedule - I would love to see the car in action. Seems like you have a lot to do, but is there any chance you would be taking the car to the Rhinebeck NY show this Sunday?

[BqUICK]

J,

We are not going to show the Faithful Pursuit for a long while to come. We go to Machuga's mid May for the balance of the suspension mechanical work. Then its back to Putman's for the custom fabricated spoiler and stripes! After that we will be working on the track performance. Pylons first, the Glen, some drag work, then comes high speed gear ratio selection!

Showing the Faithful Pursuit is secondary to obtaining peak performance. It was designed as a competitor first and only looks like a sedan, that's the beauty of it. I cannot emphasize enough how specialized and lenghty the effort was to achieve this effect.

Dave Machuga said it took twice as long to integrate all the features into a stock chassis. Typically, he removes the body and body panels are cut off, a tube chassis is fabricated from scratch, and the panels are fitted back to the chassis on outriggers. That would have been easy compared to what we did!

Also, I love your '32, the venerable Deuce. As you may know the Electra is also known as the Deuce, referring to the "2" in in 225! Its the big Deuce Coupe!
I like the '68 Riv too. I think that year has the "backbone" chassis and a really sweet 4 link rear suspension, many people are not aware of how special the Riviera is. Take a look under one and ask a road racer about what you've found! Panhard rod, anti sway bar, tubular 4 link and a backbone with the drive shaft running through it!

We almost used that setup for the Faithful Pursuit, but that discovery came too late and we fabricated our own setup.

I will be happy to arrange a showing for Buick people most any time! Just let me know. maj2nd@aol.com

God Speed,

[imported_jscheib]

Michael,

Many thanks for your response. I can appreciate your effort on this car. It is unbelievable. Having built and worked on a few hot rods and jalopy dirt track stock cars in the mid-late '50s, and been away from cars for a number of yeras, I find I have forgotten some of the subtle details in race car construction, and you have certainly made me want to look more at the Riv. Maybe my subconsious was at work when I fell for this car. I certainly will be studying more on the performance features, now that you have brought them to my attention. I will follow your pages and hope to make a visit to Watkins Glen if you alert everyone when you have it there.

I know showing is not the primary purpose of the car, but I would hope it could be recognized at the 2005 National show in Batavia, providing it does not conflict with your race schedule.

John

[BqUICK]

PHOTOS:

1. On trailer from interior shop going back to the paint shop for roll cage install.
2. In the Wings of eagles museum main display hanger. We drove onto the tarmac and a tanker truck dove up and gave us 22 gallons of 100+ Low Lead Aviation fuel. And yes you could see the needle on the tanker go down as the Faithful Pursuit sucked down the good stuff. She already had 10 in her before that!
3. Rear quarter shot after the stripe was applied and before the 99th PURSUIT SQUADRON SHIELD WAS APPLIED. Note, the rear GS swing away plate, correct for 1969 was not yet applied. Just one more thing we ran out of time for.
4. GSX Emblem on sides of roof, perhaps correct for this year if it were a Skylark GS.
5. The family shot, including my wife who was my girlfriend when we bought this car during our last summer before college! (25 years ago) 6. Lt. Col Clayton Lawrence, WWII Tuskegee Airman and pilot.
7. Electra GSX Road Racer side shot. Intakes under the front and rear bumpers are for engine and transmission oil coolers respectively. 189mph Y rated Pirelli P-ZERO SYSTEM tires, custom mage PS Engineering Kidney Beans. Looking long and low. Rides like she's on rails!
8. Nice shot of the Faithful Pursuit as it drives out of the hanger amid the cheers of about 150 people! I had surprised my wife by telling the audience that we had not driven the car together in 22 years plus. I then invited the wife to join me as we drove into the sunset, literally, out of the open hanger door!
9. Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. members and I line up in front of the display that museum volunteer Ed Flesch and I helped to build. Ed did the lion;s share of the work and it turned out great!
10. Saying goodbye to remaining Airmen as they prepare to fly out. I was wearing the same old blue blazer that I met the Doolittle's Raiders with back in 1992 at their 50th reunion! The jacket was my dad's and he gave it to me back in the 70's. Note the BUICK TRI SHIELD PIN!
11. Here is the super rare 430 STAGE II option sticker. My car has a 455 STAGE I built by Scotty Guadagno back in 1997. It has less than 2 hours of total run time!!!


God Speed,

[BqUICK]

Good News!

Roy Hopkins came on 1st in class in the One Lap of America race!
He raced his BMW M-5 to victory in the Luxury Class. He came in 10th overall in a field of 82.

Roy is our Faithful Pursuit driver for the 2005 Silver State Classic. He has helped us with the details of the Faithful Pursuit during her construction at Machuga Chassis and was on hand during the unveiling two weeks ago.

Congratulations Roy!


http://www.onelapofamerica.com/

http://www.onelapofamerica.com/About/about.htm
God Speed

[Smartin]

wow, haven't had much time to sit at the computer lately...

Here's some eye candy..