KenK
All-around racing fan
.. of some cars I saw in Edwardsville, IL back in the 1970's.
At the corner of Buchanan & East Schwartz st., there is a Jack-In-The-Box restaurant. Back in the 60's & 70's there was a Gulf station there. I saw 3 race cars there.
The 1st one was parked at the corner by the stop light, backed up to the street. I distinctly remember the taillight openings of a Plymouth Duster. The body was in gray primer. No front sheet metal. Tubular nerf bars.
8-lug hubs on the rear for sure, can't remember the front. No engine in it. 5-slot steel wheels like everyone used back then. Body may have been shortened to 2-seater length. Only saw it once while going by, never saw it again.
Also at this same location, a 1964-65 Chevelle. This was clearly a Late Model, no nerf bars, full stock body,
8-lug rear hubs, 5-slot wheels again, good size tires. Color was blue or aqua, like one of the stock colors for that car, seems like there was some silver highlights added. Can't remember the number. Again, only saw it that one
day, as we passed by coming & going.
A 3rd car at this location was raced at Highland, because I saw it race there. In fact, I saw it do a slow roll in turn 3! It had an early Corvair body painted orange. Again, I don't remember the number, and I don't know if
it was an "A" car or a "Cadet" or "B" car. Seems like I remember seeing an a-arm/coil spring front end when it was backed into the service bay one day. Possibly a 55-57 Chevy frame?
A couple of blocks east of this place on East Schwartz st., I saw one parked in a driveway. I believe it was at
435 East Schwartz st. Seem like it was a Modified, tubular nerf bars, big tires, etc. Body was purple, taillight
openings had red covers. I'm sure the body was a 2-seat Thunderbird, like a 55 or 56. I don't think I remember
it having the fins of a 57. Saw this car multiple times at this location, but never anywhere else. Really don't
remember seeing much more that the back end.
At 601 North main Street, there is Jack's 66 Service, an auto repair shop. In the 70's this was a service station,
I believe a Shell station. One night we were coming back from the north side of town and there was a drag car there. Seems like it was an early funny car, a first generation Camaro, it had wire wheels in front, and a wild paint job. In 1982, a friend
was working there. By then it was Bill Mindrup's Lawn-Boy store & Tire shop. My friend met Mindrup's son
(Steve?) who mentioned that he used to drag race.
There was on the southeast side of town a 1967-68 Camaro parked under a carport. Was a drag car, a
basic stock doorslammer type car, slicks & aluminum slot wheels. Multicolor pant job. Had "GIZMO"
on the rear above the wheel openings. Seems like I heard this car belonged to the brother of one of my
classmates. Their name was Harbers. The brother may have been Chuck?
Across the street from the Edwardsville Middle School, there is a Convienent Food Mart quick shop.
In the 70's, this was the Edwardsville High School and the quick shop was Chuck Nelson's service
station. In 1976-79 Chuck had an orange Nova late model he raced at Tri-City and I sometimes saw
the car parked at the service station. Seems like the Nova was a 1973-74 model. I have always liked those
bodies on race cars.
Up the road to the west from this location, I saw a house back off the road with a Camaro race car parked on the property.
Was a 1st generation Camaro, I believe a 1969. Was brown with white lettering/numbers. Wheels were
white rim dark center. Was told this belonged to a Lloyd Leichsenring and it had a 396 & a quick-change
rear end. My 1976 Tri-City Speedway program book lists his name as as being car #79, but I never saw
the car at the track.
I'd like to build models of these cars if I can find the correct parts & enough info.
At the corner of Buchanan & East Schwartz st., there is a Jack-In-The-Box restaurant. Back in the 60's & 70's there was a Gulf station there. I saw 3 race cars there.
The 1st one was parked at the corner by the stop light, backed up to the street. I distinctly remember the taillight openings of a Plymouth Duster. The body was in gray primer. No front sheet metal. Tubular nerf bars.
8-lug hubs on the rear for sure, can't remember the front. No engine in it. 5-slot steel wheels like everyone used back then. Body may have been shortened to 2-seater length. Only saw it once while going by, never saw it again.
Also at this same location, a 1964-65 Chevelle. This was clearly a Late Model, no nerf bars, full stock body,
8-lug rear hubs, 5-slot wheels again, good size tires. Color was blue or aqua, like one of the stock colors for that car, seems like there was some silver highlights added. Can't remember the number. Again, only saw it that one
day, as we passed by coming & going.
A 3rd car at this location was raced at Highland, because I saw it race there. In fact, I saw it do a slow roll in turn 3! It had an early Corvair body painted orange. Again, I don't remember the number, and I don't know if
it was an "A" car or a "Cadet" or "B" car. Seems like I remember seeing an a-arm/coil spring front end when it was backed into the service bay one day. Possibly a 55-57 Chevy frame?
A couple of blocks east of this place on East Schwartz st., I saw one parked in a driveway. I believe it was at
435 East Schwartz st. Seem like it was a Modified, tubular nerf bars, big tires, etc. Body was purple, taillight
openings had red covers. I'm sure the body was a 2-seat Thunderbird, like a 55 or 56. I don't think I remember
it having the fins of a 57. Saw this car multiple times at this location, but never anywhere else. Really don't
remember seeing much more that the back end.
At 601 North main Street, there is Jack's 66 Service, an auto repair shop. In the 70's this was a service station,
I believe a Shell station. One night we were coming back from the north side of town and there was a drag car there. Seems like it was an early funny car, a first generation Camaro, it had wire wheels in front, and a wild paint job. In 1982, a friend
was working there. By then it was Bill Mindrup's Lawn-Boy store & Tire shop. My friend met Mindrup's son
(Steve?) who mentioned that he used to drag race.
There was on the southeast side of town a 1967-68 Camaro parked under a carport. Was a drag car, a
basic stock doorslammer type car, slicks & aluminum slot wheels. Multicolor pant job. Had "GIZMO"
on the rear above the wheel openings. Seems like I heard this car belonged to the brother of one of my
classmates. Their name was Harbers. The brother may have been Chuck?
Across the street from the Edwardsville Middle School, there is a Convienent Food Mart quick shop.
In the 70's, this was the Edwardsville High School and the quick shop was Chuck Nelson's service
station. In 1976-79 Chuck had an orange Nova late model he raced at Tri-City and I sometimes saw
the car parked at the service station. Seems like the Nova was a 1973-74 model. I have always liked those
bodies on race cars.
Up the road to the west from this location, I saw a house back off the road with a Camaro race car parked on the property.
Was a 1st generation Camaro, I believe a 1969. Was brown with white lettering/numbers. Wheels were
white rim dark center. Was told this belonged to a Lloyd Leichsenring and it had a 396 & a quick-change
rear end. My 1976 Tri-City Speedway program book lists his name as as being car #79, but I never saw
the car at the track.
I'd like to build models of these cars if I can find the correct parts & enough info.
