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Alfa's In Trans Am

426K views 1K replies 112 participants last post by  kengta 
#1 · (Edited)
There are a lot of people here who have pictures of Alfa's racing in the Trans Am series. Let's post all the pictures we can find here on this thread. Here are just a few of what I have. I need to scan more.

Charlie Thieriot at unknown track 1971

Charlie Thieriot at unknown track 1971

Charlie Thieriot at unknown track 1971

Charlie Thieriot Laguna Seca pits 1971 (Host Kwech coming out of last corner)

Charlie Thieriot Laguna Seca paddock 1971 (BB member Rick Clemente with rain coat and gloves)
 
#544 ·
Interior comparison.

And here is a comparison of the interiors 1983 Ex J. Brown and recent GTA 72BS15.

First from 1983 and second and third very recent from Anthony R.
 

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#545 · (Edited)
Here are a couple pictures of 72BS15 somewhere between 2000-2001. The first picture was taken at Phoenix during a Vintage 2.5 Challenge race. The second was on pre-grid at a VARA Buttonwillow Raceway event. The car was entered as a GTA Jr. both of the mentioned events. I have a really good close-up somewhere. I'll look in the garage this weekend.
 
#546 · (Edited)
I was just flipping through this thread and saw an old pic of a car that resembles another car posted here by a few days ago. Is it safe to say the red GTA in the first picture is the same one in the second. Look where it says Ausca, drivers name on the door, and black stripe on the roof and hood. Also note the drivers helmet in both pictures. Ken?
 
#548 · (Edited)
Hey Anthony good catch. Yes I'd say they're the same RHD GTA.

Below are all the Wach's RHD pics I have plus the winner above for comparison.
 

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#547 ·
Scanning my old stack of alfa pictures before storing. Here are a few from the 1967 SCCA National Championship races at Daytona:

A normal team photo

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Classic car Family car


More upscale

Vehicle Transport Car Motor vehicle Mode of transport


Note shadow of photographer

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Regularity rally Classic car


Another shot of the Knauz / Kwech GTA

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Classic car Coupé
 
#549 ·
More Trans Am photos:

Sebring 1989

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Regularity rally Classic car


More Sebring 1989

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Classic car Regularity rally


Mid Ohio 1971 Note, only the GTV in the rear has a Green Quadrafoglio

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Coupé Classic car


Mid Ohio 1971 Only one car has an AUSCA badge

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Sedan Full-size car


Mid Ohio 1971 See?

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Classic car Coupé
 
#555 ·
More Trans Am photos:

Sebring 1989

View attachment 123922

More Sebring 1989

View attachment 123923

Mid Ohio 1971 Note, only the GTV in the rear has a Green Quadrafoglio

View attachment 123924

Mid Ohio 1971 Only one car has an AUSCA badge

View attachment 123925

Mid Ohio 1971 See?

View attachment 123926
Hi George thanks for posting these Pictures. I think the caption for the 2 Kwech GTA Green #18 pictures are meant to say Sebring 1968.

The orange #3 &4 GTA's are the Kwech team 1970 livery, the orange #3 & 4 GTV's as you say is the 1971 livery (there was a #2 also) and the Blue # 3 & 4 GTV's are the 1972 livery.

Ciao

Ken
 
#551 ·
And the final batch of scanned slides. All of the slides I have posted are kinda mixed up, but I hope they are entertaining and/or informative:

Again, Mid Ohio. Not sure of the year, note the Wetson cars don't have the Blue "Spear" on the side. Maybe pre-1971, because these are GTA's?(check the door handles)
Land vehicle Vehicle Car Regularity rally Classic car


Same Mid Ohio weeekend

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Regularity rally Classic car


More Wetson GTV's, but with the later Blue paint (no year on the slide). Note the upscale paddock facilities (!)
Land vehicle Vehicle Car Regularity rally Classic car


Oooops...
Land vehicle Vehicle Car Classic car Regularity rally
 
#556 ·
George, thanks for some never before seen pictures! I can only imagine what it felt like to be there. I like how even the front running Ausca team didn't seem to have that big of a set up and still was able to be the ones to beat. I assume BRE was the only BS team with big trucks and trailers?
 
#560 ·
Anthony,

I don't remember what the BRE haulers looked like, but I have a funny picture of the mechanics working on one of the 510's while it was under a car cover (!). I guess they were having fun with the people who always wanted to look over their shoulders as they worked on the cars. I put all of the old slides away, now I gotta dig this one out to scan...

Regarding the Alfa vs. Datsun battle. I always thought the Datsun performance illustrated that, if you threw enough money at a "Sows Ear", you could make a "Silk Purse". Wasn't it Bob Cozza who had a standing offer to race a stock Datsun 510 against a stock GTV, with the winner taking title to the losing car? (I don't remember Datsun ever taking this challenge... wonder why?)
 
#557 ·
T/A Alfa's & Bert Everett

I have enjoyed this thread very much, both as a new Alfa owner (79 Spider), but
more because I have been a big fan of U2.5 TA since high school.

I am sad to report that Bert Everett recently passed away. I recently heard
from Bert's son Tim, he called me by chance based on a post I made at another Internet
site. An obituary appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer at:
Obituaries | philly.com

I had also passed along this information to Chris Economaki, and a notice
appears in this weeks issue of National Speed Sport News.

I knew Bert as I worked for his company during a summer job in the 60's,
although during that year he was driving a Porsche. It was amazing to talk with him
after he returned from a race weekend, and our brief association allowed me to hope that I could start racing myself. I have now been racing for more than 30 years. I will
always be happy to remember those days working for a racing champion who was living the dream, and your thread here is just a great way to take us back to that time.

I followed Bert's racing over the years of his campaigning an Alfa, and it is
great to see all of you posting pictures of the races of that time. I hope to go through
many pictures I have in boxes here and add to your collection at some time!

BTW, I am in NW CT and had my Alfa at Keith Goring's shop recently. The service
was incredible, matched only by the memories of being in the shop!

All the best,
Larry DuLude
LD71 :D
 
#558 · (Edited)
I have enjoyed this thread very much, both as a new Alfa owner (79 Spider), but
more because I have been a big fan of U2.5 TA since high school.

I am sad to report that Bert Everett recently passed away. I recently heard
from Bert's son Tim, he called me by chance based on a post I made at another Internet
site. An obituary appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer at:
Obituaries | philly.com

I had also passed along this information to Chris Economaki, and a notice
appears in this weeks issue of National Speed Sport News.

I knew Bert as I worked for his company during a summer job in the 60's,
although during that year he was driving a Porsche. It was amazing to talk with him
after he returned from a race weekend, and our brief association allowed me to hope that I could start racing myself. I have now been racing for more than 30 years. I will
always be happy to remember those days working for a racing champion who was living the dream, and your thread here is just a great way to take us back to that time.

I followed Bert's racing over the years of his campaigning an Alfa, and it is
great to see all of you posting pictures of the races of that time. I hope to go through
many pictures I have in boxes here and add to your collection at some time!

BTW, I am in NW CT and had my Alfa at Keith Goring's shop recently. The service
was incredible, matched only by the memories of being in the shop!

All the best,
Larry DuLude
LD71 :D
Larry, thanks for posting this about Bert Everett. Unfortunately I never had the pleasure of meeting Bert but I know others in our community have as recently as Amelia Island 2008. He will be missed.

Once I have restored GTA 752507, #25, Bert's Trans Am ride from 1970 to 1972, his name will find a place of honour on the roof over the RHD door as it did at the time.

As I have said here before, 752507 will go to it's 1972 yellow BOBCOR livery.

Regards

Ken
 
#559 · (Edited)
Two Pictures from the 1971 Watkins Glen T/A program

Here are 2 pictures from the 1971 Watkins Glen T/A program. Wachs was entered as #6 at The Glen in 1971. Pics probably from 1970.

#4 Harry T on #4 GTA 1970 livery although if the Picture is from the Glen 1970 Harry T does not show in the result and I have a note, but no reference today, that Gus Andrey was on #4. Also Wachs between #4 and the BMW about to smash both front corners. Compare the wiper, windscreen top and vent on right side to the second photo.

Ed Wachs on #1 GTA RHD, note the grill center and compare to the pictures of Wachs up thread. Wachs was entered as #6 at The Glen in 1971. See the bent metal.

Also see Martin's comments below in # 569


Ciao

Ken
 

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#561 ·
Two things re BRE:

The book "The Stainless Steel Carrot" about John Morton's seasons with BRE have pictures of the transporter.

Yes BRE had a much bigger effort than anyone else, but my understanding is that the 510 was not at all a bad platform to start with. Semi-trailing arm IRS, overhead cam engine, more modern combustion chamber than Alfa's design. Not to mention lots of money, but also many many talented, motivated people. A lot of former Shelby folks worked at BRE, including Brock and Morton, and they really knew their trade.

Andrew
 
#562 · (Edited)
67 Runoffs Photos

Hi All,
I've been towing cars out of Vermont before the snow comes, so I've missed some posts. Post #547, by George, is of my car 752573. It was loaned or rented to John Martino after the 67 Trans Am season was over. He went to the Runoffs with it, instead of his own car. It qualified well, but the gearbox broke, so he finished well down in the results. These are great shots: Thanks George!!!
The rear fender shot shows Ate calipers, so it will save me the trouble of using Dunlop brakes. Keep up the good work, all of you!!!
Keith G.
 
#564 ·
Hi Again,
I found this fairly recent photo of Bert that our friend Alex took in 2002. He had contacted Bert about the Trans Am era and visited him in Doylestown, Pa. Alex showed Bert all the books about the Trans Am cars, which he enjoyed.
Keith
Thanks Keith and did you notice the picture of #25 laying on the table in front of Bert??

Ciao

Ken
 
#566 ·
Daytona67 photos

Hi all,
I downloaded George's photos of my car{AR752573} into Photoshop and played around with them a bit. There is an amazing amount of detail that can be brought out with a little fiddling.
I'm also adding the other photo from Daytona that Bob Lee got from someone.
KG
 

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#567 ·
Keith,

This scanning activity is most interesting. After you asked if I could get more detail, here's what I was able to do with a 41 year old slide from an Instamatic camera and a $99 Canon scanner:

Here's the raw image of your GTA at the 1967 SCCA ARRC at Daytona:

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Regularity rally Classic car


Here's the first enhancement:

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Classic car Coupé


And here's a higher resolution scan with brightness, color and cropping changes to get more detail of the rear brakes and sliding block:

Vehicle Car Automotive wheel system Automotive exterior Auto part





Hi all,
I downloaded George's photos of my car{AR752573} into Photoshop and played around with them a bit. There is an amazing amount of detail that can be brought out with a little fiddling.
I'm also adding the other photo from Daytona that Bob Lee got from someone.
KG
 
#568 ·
George's Slides!!!!

Wow,
I can't believe the amount of detail that came out of that dark hole under the car. It's encouraging that we may be able to do this with some of the other photos and slides that everyone has contributed.
Thanks again from all of us, here in the Trans Am photo thread!!!
 
#569 ·
Ken, regarding the 1971 Watkins Glen program:

Both pics seem to be from the 1970 TransAm race at Watkins Glen (U2-lt-race instead of 1971 2.5 Challenge), Wachs ran his GTA with no. 1 and without black stripe in 1970 (see the Elkart Lake photo from the Alleggerita book), and in no. 4 is Gaston Andrey and not Harry T according to the result list. Btw the third car in the second photo is Wachs ("about to receive a bent fender").

Did anyone note the other GTA in the first pic from post #547 "A normal team photo"?
 
#571 ·
Thanks Martin I concur. I edited my post and reversed the order of the 2 pictures.

Ciao

Ken

Ps: more entry lists for T/A and SCCA regionals comming soon.
 
#572 ·
I went back to the original slide to see if it could be manipulated to provide more information. Unfortunately, the only things revealed are:

1. The door handle indicates it is a GTA

2. The wrinkles in the bodywork indicate it's a race car

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Classic car Sedan


Hi
If the other GTA in the Daytona 67 photo is a race car, it is one of the cars in the results below. The Provenzano car is white, so one of the others, perhaps.
Keith
 
#575 ·
Keith,

Yes, a Red GTA with White roof. I altered the color and brightness trying to bring out the door handle detail. It's too bad I didn't stand just a little more to the right when taking the original picture. The entire slide is shown in my post #547.

George,
Is it possible that this is a Red car with a white roof? I can't tell if the reflection from the sky has washed out the color or it's an interesting paint scheme that might help identlfy it.
Keith
 
#574 ·
1970 Road America TA program cover and entry list

Attached in pdf is the 1970 Road America TA program cover and entry list.

Note Ed Wachs on #1 as mentioned by Martin above. Also note Bert Everett listed as entered on #2 and Wilber Picket on #36. Neither is shown in the official result so DNS. Everett was already using #25 as early as Mid OHIO 1970 so I would welcome comments on the #2 entry.

Ciao

Ken
 

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#577 ·
GTA's at Daytona

Hi all,
I got some photos from the Daytona Archives about 6 months ago. There wasn't much about the 67 Trans Am that I was looking for, but they sent me some other GTA photos. The first is of Wilbur Pickett in AR752573,during an SCCA race or the Runoffs in 71 I believe. This is the year that it was lemon yellow. I guess that SCCA wanted the bumpers back on the cars.
The next two are of Harry T's white #82 at the 24Hr of Daytona.{Not sure what year} Note the fancy pie plate headlight covers!! The driver is a young Sam Posey, and possibly Harry T. kneeling in the door opening. Also note that the door is red in the latch area. Also, the guy in the white shirt, closing the hood is Mac Tilton, many years before starting his clutch company.
KG
 

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