Introduction...
In May of 2015, I "randomly" picked an auto repair shop in Racine, WI to have some repairs done on my car. It turned out to be a simple brake line problem and was fixed fairly quickly. A friend dropped me off at Pinkala's Auto Service to pick up the car and I thought I was just going to jump in my car and just head home.
I did jump in my car, but while pulling ahead, I turned to check out my right side and I noticed what looked like a early 70's Torino behind their shop. Upon a second glance, I noticed that it was not only a 1972 Gran Torino Sport (fastback) but it had a roll cage in it. My car only made it as far as the front door of the service station.
After being asked if something was wrong already, I said...no, I'm just wondering about the Torino out back. They had just hauled it in and listed it for sale. After chatting with Jared Pinkala a few minutes, I discovered that they were stock car racers and needed someone to letter their "new" race car. We decided to do a little trade, one hand-painted race car lettering job for one white and blue race car.
Some might ask, "why would you want to take on a vintage stock car project?" Well, that is a bit of a longer story and one that I thought I would expand on. Perhaps I am trying to figure out what drives my creative passion? Or maybe I just want to check some additional items off the bucket list?
The reason the 1972 Torino Sport caught my eye was that it reminded me of the Late Model Stock Car my late Cousin, Punky (Neil Jr.) Manor drove back around 1974.
I was about 12 or 13 years old when Punky was racing the Torino on the dirt tracks of Northwest Wisconsin, Minnesota and Canada. I have a lot of fond memories of going to many of those races and "helping" out on this car when I went to stay with his Family over in Altoona, WI.
I had thought many times over the years about building a tribute car replicating one of Punky's race cars. In 1973, Punky built a 1963 1/2 Ford Galaxie Fastback to race in the the Hobby Stock class for that season. The Galaxie won the best looking car award in the pre-season stock car show at the London Square Mall in Eau Claire, WI. I had been looking around for a '63 Galaxie, but hadn't found any that would work out.
Then I happened on to the 1972 Ford Torino and decided that it would be a great candidate for a tribute build. Below is a Picture of Punky's Torino and car hauler from early in the season I would guess. The Torino was Punky's first Late Model stock car and he had a good season of racing in it!
In the following months I will be documenting the process of restoring and rebuilding the car I found into a replica of an early 70's Late Model Dirt Tracker. Part of the motivation behind this project is to introduce my Grandson to the world of racing that I grew up in. When completed, I hope to show the car to other enthusiasts and perhaps run a race or two in the Vintage Series?
Most of all I want to keep the creative energies flowing and stay open to all the new things that a project like this tends to toss my way.
Stay tuned and let me know your thoughts and or post questions below....thank you.
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