Just a flash from the past

[keiser31]

Hey, hey, we're the Monkees!! I took these photos in the 1960s at Ace Wilson's Royal Pontiac in Royal Oak, Michigan when I was 16 years old. It was quite the event to have the Monkeemobile in our little town!!

[Guest simplyconnected]

Cool '66 GTO. Looks like a Barris custom job straight out of California.

Did you get a Royal Bobcat from Milt Schornak while you were at 400 N. Main?

He now hangs out at D&S Engine Rebuilders on Rochester Rd., in Clawson.

Thanks for snapping the pics and thanks for bringing back great Royal Oak memories.

You know you're old if you can remember Clara Barton when it was a Jr. High (next door to Royal Pontiac); now it's a SENIOR CENTER!

[keiser31]

I went to Clara Barton Jr. High and then Dondero High School. Graduated in class of '70. I also remember when the Ace Wilson's dealership had the new 1967 GTOs. They had a dragstrip style slot car track with two GTOs set up in front of two driver's seat/4 speed console/dash areas side by side. Two people would sit and race each other using the 4 speeds to out shift each other through these areas marked 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. I was 14 years old, but I out shifted three High School dudes and won a bunch of GTO posters, a model of the '67 GTO and the respect of all of my buddies who were there. I then later grew up and used to street race on Woodward Avenue. I was raised by a Chrysler man and so a Roadrunner was my weapon of choice for blowing off GTOs. (sorry)

[Guest simplyconnected]

Berkley High, class of '69. I could hear the bells from Shrine every day at noon and three pm from my house behind Cotter's Tavern (the five Cotter kids lived three doors from me).

Swinger 340 was my weapon of choice. (stop shaking in your boots...) Dad sold screws and bolts to Fisher Body, but always bought his cars at Royal Pontiac from Tom McQueen (sales manager). From working on all of Dad's Pontiacs, I got to know everyone at Royal Pontiac over many years. They always gave me a good discount, and tips on what the 'big guys' were doing. Sam Frontiera and George (parts department) were absolutely the best. They taught my about offset cam keys, heavy-duty timing chains (from 4-cyl Tempests), and 60# oil-pressure relief springs and the smaller ball (that would let bigger pieces through).

Got a "Drag Racing" ticket on Woodward in Bloomfield Hills, once. I was in my cousin's '66 GTO (tri-power 389), racing a Roadrunner. The cop sat behind a gas station just north of Long Lake. We launched from that light, as he waited for us idiots. Then he got us BOTH as we approached. We were both in the back seat of the squad car, and as the cop is writing the tickets, Roadrunner-boy was pleading for the cop to let him go because he already had lots of points. This cop said he didn't want to "scrape us up off of Woodward, and this should teach us a lesson because the judge, Mrs. Vander(something), is no virgin to drag racing." The fine was $100, and loss of license for a year. I went to court, dressed in my finest suit, $100 cash in-hand, and my driver's license cocked and ready to be given up. She called my name, I stood up and was sweating Dextron II. She politely explained, the arresting officer has failed to appear in her court. She urged me to drive more safely, then dismissed the infraction. I never found out what happened to Roadrunner-boy. If my dad ever found out, he would have blistered my a$$! Aahhh... the glory days of Woodward... took out many girls I met between the Totem Pole and Ted's... married one of 'em too.

[keiser31]

Ahhh....Woodward. I think I am going to write a book about street racing on Woodward. I wish I could have made it to the Dream Cruise this year, but the memories keep me there.

[Guest simplyconnected]

Those are certainly fond memories. The boys on the west side made full use of Telegraph. It was mostly Ford Country, because Dearborn was there. The east side had most of the Chrysler guys and Gratiot. I don't need to say more, everyone remembers Gratiot Auto Supply. They carried 'racing EVERYTHING;' blowers, M/T wrinkle-wall slicks, you name it... right in the store.

But the Royal Oak area of Woodward was the best. Pete Seaton (Seaton's Shaker funnycar) came from RO. I went to school with Marshal Crenshaw. Glen Frey of the Eagles is from here and so is Jack Kavorkian (Dr. Death). Kavorkian Standard gas station was at 11 mile and Main for ever.

Legendary race cars include Ace Wilson's '61 Pontiac Ventura that ran out of the famous Royal Pontiac from Royal Oak, Michigan and now headquartered in Mesa, Arizona.

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And, you know what? There's a 'Royal Pontiac Club,' too.

[keiser31]

I remember one night in my dark green '68 Roadrunner when I raced a '67 Pontiac Firebird. That guy got caught, but I kept on driving. That was at 12 mile and Woodward. I made it to the street where Arby's Roast Beef was and made a hard right down the street and then a hard left up some guy's driveway. Put out the lights, ducked down and counted three Johnny laws from Royal Oak tear down the street looking for me. Man, I was shaking like the proverbial leaf. We walked up to Arby's leaving the Runner in that driveway. A little while later a buddy who was with me went and got my car. We cruised home real slow. You see, I already had 12 points on my license. I couldn't bring myself to stop and get hauled in.

[keiser31]

Great shot of the Pontiac. My neighbor across the street from me in Royal Oak had one of those that was a burgundy convertible with a white top. What a car!

[keiser31]

A couple of brothers from Royal Oak each had a 1964 GTO hardtop. They were beasts. One was gold and the other red and they were both raised high for headers and big meats on the back. Man those two cars were the screaminest. Another neighbor I knew had one of those giant Bonnevilles or something like that with some sort of lightweight frame. He showed me the big holes in the frame and I thought the engine would twist that frame, it was so powerful. In fact, I think he called it a factory lightweight or some such name. I used to hang out near the MOPAR guys like Jimmy Addison and the Silver Bullet ('67 GTX) and the Ramchargers Candymatics cars in Ferndale. What a GREAT place to learn about cars. When I wasn't driving my 1931 Dodge coupe or my '36 Dodge touring sedan, I would go race. Fast and fabulous times.

[Guest simplyconnected]

We would do our serious racing on I-75, with a few lookouts for cops. My neighbor had a blue '64 GTO, one of the very first ones. He pulled the 389 out and stuck in a 421 Super Duty with a Turbo Hydramatic, when it was three years old. Every time he started that car his eyes got like saucers and his knuckles turned white on the wheel. He ran a wild Isky roller cam with M/T cross-ram manifold and dual AFB quads. He could fit a pack of cigaretts in the intake ports. It was awesome power. Yep, it came from Royal Pontiac.

[keiser31]

I remember one evening when cruising Big Boy's north and running across these three guys in a beer bottle brown Firebird. They were kicking EVERYONE'S butts on I75 and Woodward. Here they were in their white shirts and thin ties racing this mild looking car with a very stock-looking appearance. Hmmm...how could THAT be? I had to check their ride out and even test it. Well, I tested them alright. The only other cars that could beat me were Corvettes and Hemi cars and these guys STOMPED me and everyone who raced them. Turned out to be the first Trans Am and the guys were GM engineers from GM Tech Center. No spoilers, no scoops, no stripes...just the raw power of that 455HO monster and the three geeks. Man, was I ever surprised.

[Guest simplyconnected]

Royal Oak was blessed with residents who were automakers. Everyone worked for some faction of the big three. Remember the 421-Super Duty (extreeeemely hard to get)? He had to sign a waiver stating the engine would not be used on public roads... and the turbo-hydromatic? Straight from the plant, but beefed up for street racing, first. (That was because another neighbor worked at Hydro Matic Div., GM, @ Mound & 9 Mile.)

The GM Tech Center was just down 12 or 13 Mile, ten minutes from Royal Oak. Pontiac Motor Div., was 15 minutes away (the assembly plant, engine plant, and foundry). Cadillac Fleetwood was by the Ambassidor Bridge. Ford Motor Co., Rouge Complex was 25 minutes away. (There were 17 plants in the Rouge that employed 100,000 workers. At the time, Mustangs, Cougars, Mavericks, and Comets were assembled there. Ford's Power House was had enough capacity to light Boston.) Chrysler had a dozen plants, all within 30 minutes of Royal Oak. Remember Dodge Main, Jefferson Ave, Sterling and Mound Stamping Plants, and many, many more (Budd, Kelsey-Hayes, and a million 'job,' tool & die, and 'build' shops)? I won't include factories that had folded, (like Packard).

Some of the ladies on my block worked in a little Troy plastics factory, making toys for us kids. The name was American Model Toy (AMT). They were the best, too.

[keiser31]

Oh man...I-75!! My neighbor two doors down from me in Royal Oak had a B5 blue Hemi Super Bee 4 speed white vinyl top and interior that he used to race on I-75. He took me for a ride one evening when traffic was thin on I-75 and yanked the wheels off the ground!! My very first wheely that wasn't on a bicycle. WOW!!

[keiser31]

The neighbor across the street from me had a 1969 GTO convertible 4 speed ram-air monster that got rear ended. Totalled!! He went out and bought a new Fastback Mustang 500KR. I could here that beast start up wherever I was.

[Jim Rohn]

The/A Monkee Mobile was out at Woodward this year ...

[keiser31]

Great shots....looks just like I remember it when it was first built!