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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)
 
#909 ·
Anyone have any pictures or video of the 1970 Laguna Seca and Riverside TransAm event? I beleive Lee Midgley won the Laguna Seca U2L TransAm in 1970.
 
#910 · (Edited)
Midgley did indeed win the first Trans Am of 1970 at Laguna Seca. It was run there on April 19, 1970 before the tour went east. He was on #93 GTA AR *613217*.

Alfa then ran a series of ads in CP&A following most, if not all, of their 9 of 11 wins that season.

I have seen ads for all the wins but at Kent and Riverside and would like to hear from anyone who has or knows of those ads if they exist. I speculate that they would have been published in CP&A 10/10/70?, or 10/17/70? for Kent ; and 10/24/70?, or 10/31/70? for Riverside.

I attach a picture of a copy of the Laguna Seca Ad that John Wright sent me recently.

Regards

Ken
 

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#911 ·
Thanks Ken, very neat! I wonder if anyone out there has old film of the 1970 Riverside Transa-AM event....?
 
#912 ·
1966 Green Valley TA Race Poster Features GTA

The 1966 Green Valley TA Race Poster Features GTA #36. The #36 GTA finished first under Rindt at Sebring 1966 and was then sold to Hal Mayfield of Houston Texas.

Green Valley was Mayfield's local track and he had had #36 (Hal kept the #36 on that GTA for several years) out to at least one SCCA National event there before the Trans Am so the local organizers of the Green Valley TA likely used a local shot of #36 for the poster art.

Hal Mayfield did run that 1966 Trans Am at Green Valley co-Driving with Lloyd Berghagen in #98 RHD GTA. Hal apparently lent #36's wheels and tires to the effort but balked when asked to lend #36's sliding block which Berghagen's GTA did not have.

The picture is Mayfield on #36 at a 1966 Green Valley National event.

Regards

Ken
 

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#913 · (Edited)
Hello all, my name is Jon Mello and I am the moderator of the Camaro Trans-Am forum. Many thanks to those who have pointed out our forum and I appreciate the positive comments as well. We have chosen to include other makes when it comes to race report coverage and this includes photos. I think it is beneficial to all of those who enjoy researching the Trans-Am, whether it is the O-2 or U-2 cars. I have attached a couple of sheets I have from the 1972 Lime Rock Two-Five Challenge race. My apologies if they have been posted before. I have not yet had time to go through all the pages of this thread.

I have been doing some research on an incident which is said to have occured at St Jovite (Le Circuit Mt Tremblant) in 1969. What I have heard is Jerry Titus crashed a Firebird during the middle of the week (approximately Wednesday) prior to the race weekend. The Firebird was the one ordinarily driven by Dick Brown of the Gagnon Spring racing team, car #62. So far I cannot find a report or a photo of this incident. If someone can help me with either of these, say by the end of 2011, I would be happy to pay them 100 US dollars for their troubles. Thanks in advance.
 

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#914 ·
Hi Jon and welcome to the Alfa BB. Thanks for posting those Lime Rock Docs. I had not seen the Grid Chart before. It both helps and confounds my quest to understand the Brass tags issued in 1972.

Good luck in your search for 1969 Mt Tremblant Crash info. Have you contacted the moderator at Auto Course, he is Quebec based any has been helpful to me.

autocourse.ca

Regards

Ken
 
#916 ·
1966 Mid America Trans Am Report from Sports Car Graphic

Hi All, Just re-read this article in Sept 1966 SCG with the benefit of the last couple of years of research and note a couple of interesting things.

First it reports that 13 GTAs showed up for this event but 3 broke in practice along with a Ti, leaving 10 GTAs to start the race. Wonder who broke? We need an entry list for this race and a grid chart. Who has old timer contacts near Wentzville?

Second a rare frontal picture of #39 O'Brien on GTA at start of race. Are there white stripes on right side of roof?

Third I can see 7 GTAs in the picture, White Harry T left of Dart and #31 Taylor rear right and a RHD just behind #39 and others.

I think there is a Le Mans style starting line up picture somewhere of this race but can't find it at the moment, if I recall you can see #85 Brizzard with his hood up.

The fourth picture shows the SCG's idea of a centerfold. Decent!! Art by George Bartell. This could be bought from SCG as part of a print set.

The License plate number looks like 09056-UD. What if it was 109056-UD?


Regards

Ken
 

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#917 ·
1971 Bryar TA Program

1971 Bryar TA Program. The program was lightly printed or faded over time so the contrast is LTA.

There was an O-2 entry list included but no U-2 entry, however a PO wrote in the grid and results giving many times which is too good.

I note in the GTV ad, two dealers that previously owned GTA 752507, #25 that Everett was on this race. Baker & Heijn Inc and Gaston Andrey Inc.

Enjoy

Ken
 

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#918 · (Edited)
More 1971 Bryar TA Program

More 1971 Bryar TA Program. First picture RHD GTA 752525 #37 Jim Baker from a earlier year TA.

Last Picture compare the 1969 and 1970 lap times to the 1971 times.
 

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#919 ·
And one More 1971 Bryar TA Program

And one More 1971 Bryar TA Program. Kwech by the Mustang ride and Harry T on #4 GTA 1970 TA
 

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#920 ·
1972 Riverside TA Program and entry list

Well with 72 pages and a Can Am race involved there was precious little on the Trans Am 2.5 Challenge race, which was to be the last of that era. Note Ed Wachs is listyed on GTV but this should be GTA.

Ken
 

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#921 ·
1972 Watkins Glen TA Program and Entry List

1972 Watkins Glen TA Program and Entry List

Ken
 

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#922 ·
More 1972 Watkins Glen TA Program and Entry List

More 1972 Watkins Glen TA Program and Entry List
 

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#923 ·
1970 Mid Ohio TA Report from CP&A

1970 Mid Ohio TA Report from CP&A 062770 and a follow up Alfa Ad also from a later CP&A
 

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#924 ·
I don't know if this link has been posted before, but the Camaro forum contains some topics on Trans/Am races with lots of pictures and a few entry lists and results.

Trans-Am Camaros

Here are a few pics:
Copyright: Ron Lathrop
 

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#925 ·
Hi Ronny, Yes It has, see pg 61 post #906. And following that a post or 2 from one of their contributor/moderators.

Ciao

Ken
 
#926 · (Edited)
We recently took delivery of a GTV race car with log books going back to 1972. The car has a lot of B Sedan history and the book shows one Trans Am race as well. The Trans Am raced listed shows Ed Wachs driving the car at Donnybrooke in 1972. I looked up info on that race. He started 8th and finishing 4th. Attached is the log book entry and pictures of the car in the log book. Not sure if it was painted in that livery at that time or not. Can anyone shed some light on this? Was anyone there? Does anyone have pictures? Any help would be appreciated!
 
#927 ·
Hi Anthony, Great find, we need to know more. What year is the chassis? Is it carrying a brass Tag from 1972? Who were other drivers?

I seem to have precious little on 1972 Donneybrook, But the SCCA result shows Wachs on GTA not GTV but similar errors have been found. I note he did not attend the 2 prior races (not shown in entry lists or results) and at Bryar was DNF with Mechanical problems. Maybe the GTA was being repaired with difficulties. The Race after Donneybrook I have him entered at Road America on #6 GTA red/yellow.

Regards

Ken
 
#933 ·
With 63 pages in this thread I suppose I run the risk of this having been posted before, BUT...the site linked below has some awesome Trans-Am Alfa photos I don't remember seeing before:

FotoPlayer

Click on marque and select Alfa.
Hi thanks for posting this. You are right with such a big thread it is impossible to keep track and avoid double post, Guilty of this myself.

Your link is to Pete Lyons' web site and somehow I have got there before whether through this thread or ????

Pete has many more Trans Am pics not posted on his site and was able to help me with B/W Pictures for 4 of the 5 years (69-72) my GTA ran the TA. I got one other from Roger Blanchard (1966) so now have a nice gallery of similar B/W action pics of 752507 from each year she ran the TA.


Ciao

Ken
 
#937 · (Edited)
Hi Tom, thanks for posting these pics. The #12 Alfa is Ed Wachs but where? I had a look and Wachs was not shown on grid or as a DNS at 1968 Riverside TA (Ref CP&A Sept 28, 1968) and #77 was listed as a Firebird not Porsche. Is the picture definately Riverside?


Ciao

Ken
 
#939 ·
1970 Trans Am at Watkins Glen Program and entry List

1970 Trans Am at Watkins Glen Program and entry List.

GTA #35 (usually #36) of Wilbur Pickett was entered but was DNA or DNS?

Roger Lewis TA #19 also ran the SCCA Nats earlier that weekend using #9, placing 2nd in BS.

Gaston Andrey is entered in a #2 GTV Orange but did not run. Was this the 3rd Wetson Alfa, a GTV that Kwech raced later in 1970?

Regards

Ken
 

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#940 ·
More 1970 Trans Am at Watkins Glen Program

More 1970 Trans Am at Watkins Glen Program
 

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#941 · (Edited)
1970 Watkins Glen TA Report from CP&A and a picture of start

1970 Watkins Glen TA Report from CP&A and a picture of start.

The number #4 1970 TA GTA normally driven by Harry T (but at the Glen by Andrey) is thought to have been a GTAj chassis as is the #3 1970 TA GTA of Kweck is known to be and as both were were new builds by Kwecks shop for the 1970 season. I therefore note the "Biscione" on the hood of the #4.

It appears that even though Andrey was entered for #2 GTV he ran the #4 GTA and there is a caption error in the CP&A picture but the text notes Andrey on GTA leading Don Pike as in the picture and place Andrey 4th in the result.

The colour picture likely shows the start grid positions as the pace car pulls aside.

1 #3 Kweck
2 #25 Everett
3 #?? BMW
4 #93 Midgley
5 #1 Wachs ? appears to be an orange RHD
6 #58 Norman

Regards

Ken
 

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#942 ·
Kengta..Sorry for not getting back to you:(I worked for Bobcor from the late 70's. I built his SCCA and IMSA cars back the early 80's. I met Bert severely times and what a nice guy. Most of the memorabilia of the GTA"s was lose in the fire in Bergenfield,NJ. They tried to save some Pics and stuff but it was smoke and water damaged. What a shame ,I wish I took some before they went into the dumpster
 
#943 ·
1970 Texas Trans Am Cancelled- The Story

Anthony sent me the dash plaque picture which got me to searching the I-net and I came up with The story below about this cancelled 1970 Trans Am Race at Dallas Texas. There must have been entry lists and Programs produced and I would like to find examples.

Enjoy

Ken

---------------------------------------------

Texas Trans Am April 26, 1970

THE SECOND Trans-Am of the season was scheduled for Dallas International Raceway. By the time its indefinite postponement was announced at 10:45 Sunday morning, one incontrovertible fact had emerged. If you work hard enough, you can build a new racing circuit and get it finished just barely in time. Or you can have a Texas-style spring shower that brings eight inches of rain in less than 12 hours. But you sure can't have both and still put on a race.

If there hadn't been any rain at all over the weekend, there would still have been plenty of problems with the new track - dirt and gravel from the loose shoulders, mainly, but also with the minimal distances an off-course car could go before either getting into a guard rail or going over a bank. The rain simply made it impossible.

The first storm came at about four o'clock Saturday morning with lots of rain and with tornadoes dipping to earth nearby. There were two more heavy storms during the day and at 2:45 Saturday afternoon the rest of the day's activities were cancelled with the promise that everything would resume on Sunday morning.

Even before this, however, things hadn't been going well. Course workers were sinking out of sight in the mud, emergency crews were wondering what they'd do if a competitor was to leave the circuit at speed in one of the flooded areas and the only spectator areas that could be used were in the paved and graveled sections at the tower end of the course.

Saturday Practice

The cars had gotten out for brief periods before this, the under-2-liter cars for two sessions, the 5-liters for one. The circuit was mostly dry while the big cars were out and Parnelli Jones and teammate George Follmer in their Bud Moore Mustangs were easily the fastest with Sam Posey's Challenger next. The Penske Javelins didn't get out at all as they arrived late, the same for Jerry Titus's Firebird.

But it didn't really matter, even though no more real rain fell after the afternoon storm on Saturday. The drainage took care of that, more water pouring into the property from upstream than could be drained off. By midnight, the water level was higher than it had been during the rains but it was hoped that dawn would find the waters at a lower level.

Sunday Cancellation

The next morning, however, it was even worse and the water had risen to within a few feet of the course in some places. The cars were ready in the pits, the Texas and San Jacinto SCCA Region workers manned their stations, loads of hay bales were dispatched to the critical areas to be used as temporary barriers and the sky lightened. Nine o'clock, the scheduled hour, came and went. Then ten o'clock and by this time everything was ominously quiet. Finally, at 10:35 the drivers and entrants were called to a meeting at the start-finish line and there they were informed by chief steward Merle Stanfield that the stewards of the meeting had decided that the races could not be held and that the event would be rescheduled later, if possible. There were no outcries, no remonstrances, not even more than one or two questions. Later there were grumbles because the decision was so long in coming but no one disagreed that the stewards' decision was the correct one.

Refunds

Entry fees were refunded to the competitors, as required by the SCCA rule book, and the Dallas International management offered cash refunds to spectators if they would mail their tickets in. It was an historic occasion, the first professional SCCA race not to have been run on the scheduled day, but no one was happy about it. As the competitors re-packed their gear, loaded their cars back onto the transporters and began to think about Lime Rock, the sun was coming through and it was soon steamy and hot. But it didn't do any good. The waters were still high, the high ground had been abandoned to the snakes and the Dallas Trans-Am was not to be.
 

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#944 ·
Dallas International Trans-Am 1970

Going to school at the University of Tulsa in '70, a friend and I were excited to drive to Dallas to see Bert Everett and the rest of the Trans-Am drivers---and the F5000 races same weekend.
We awoke to NOT find my car in the fraternity house parking lot...stolen the night before by joyriders! Not deterred, we filled out the police report and went off in my friend's Cougar to the Trans-Am.
I think we were 15 or 20 miles from the track when word came across the radio that the race had been cancelled!

Even with the disappointment of that day, thanks for bringing back this memory!

LD71 :D
Larry DuLude
 
#945 ·
Going to school at the University of Tulsa in '70, a friend and I were excited to drive to Dallas to see Bert Everett and the rest of the Trans-Am drivers---and the F5000 races same weekend.
We awoke to NOT find my car in the fraternity house parking lot...stolen the night before by joyriders! Not deterred, we filled out the police report and went off in my friend's Cougar to the Trans-Am.
I think we were 15 or 20 miles from the track when word came across the radio that the race had been cancelled!

Even with the disappointment of that day, thanks for bringing back this memory!

LD71 :D
Larry DuLude
Hi Larry thanks for your comment. Did you attend any othyer Trans Am Races in that era? And If so do you have any pictures of memorabilia or stories?

Ciao

Ken
 
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