txtom Posted May 3, 2012 Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 What car is this, and what is it's historical value? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted May 3, 2012 Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 Does this have anything whatsoever to do with Tom Williams? Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt5858 Posted May 3, 2012 Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 I would love to own this car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted May 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 Nick--Yes. Matt--You can't afford it! Now, who knows more about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacecar Posted May 3, 2012 Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 Tom Williams put it on the pole in a USAC event at Atlanta, qualifying ahead of Foyt, Rusty Wallace, Bobby Allison, Richard Childress, and some other famous names. It was a great feeling pushing the car to the head of the starting grid. Big block Chevy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted May 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 Figured you'd know something about it Larry! But,, was it Atlanta, opr somewhere else? Now, who else knows any more history about this car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacecar Posted May 3, 2012 Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 Are you trying to bring up the time that the car was ready for the race at Texas World Speedway, but waiting for the driver to show up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted May 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 Are you trying to bring up the time that the car was ready for the race at Texas World Speedway, but waiting for the driver to show up? LOL, No, not that. I know some old timers saw this car run, but do they really know anything about the car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacecar Posted May 3, 2012 Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 I only know about the technical ingenious things done to make the car go faster than the rest. Can you give us a clue what you are wanting to reveal about the car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted May 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 Where did this car come from, and where is it now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacecar Posted May 3, 2012 Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 Was it an ex-Benny Parsons car that Tex Powell obtained for Tom Williams? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oatey220 Posted May 3, 2012 Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 Is that the car that a lady, I think here name was Janet Guthrie, drove at Texas World Speedway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted May 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 Actually, I was wondering if anyone else knew what particular car this one was before Williams got it. Also where it is now. So, to start, this car came to Williams through his old friend Tex Powell. This particular chassis is the exact car that Benny Parsons won his 73 nascar championship in. History buffs will remember the story about Parson's car getting wrecked early on, and all manner of folks came over and replaced not a good chunk of the roll cage, which they cut out out of another competitor's car, but most of the suspension. An hour and a half or so later, Parsons was back out on the track, and gained enough positions to win the championship. This is that car. All the damage and temporary fixes were redone in the off season. Williams went on to run this car at USAC races, and also those open shows at Texas World Speedway. Now, after Williams quit racing, this car, it ended up in Cowboy Gonzales' yard. Cowboy never did anything with it, and it sat out there about 30 years. The car was retrieved last year by Williams and his old crew guy Len Smallwood, and taken to Tex Powell in North Carolina. How you see it above is what it looked like when they picked it up from Cowboy. You sharp-eyed guys should be able to pick out a few things on the body that would not have gotten past nascar tech. If any of you have heard about a Benny Parsons car restoration going on out there, this is it. Tex and a couple of the Bartz brothers, (who were involved in the original build of this car) are heading the restoration, and it is close to the paint shop. It will end up looking exactly like Benny's car before the racing wreck. I have talked about 5 hours in the past week with Tom, and he will be part of the unveiling of this car, to include a couple ceremonial pace laps in Benny's memory at an event at Rockingham. When ya'll watched Williams run this car at TWS, didn't know you were watching a piece of history, didya? Now, the next history question is--Who knows anything about Tom William's FIRST nascar racer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliottfan Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 ...You sharp-eyed guys should be able to pick out a few things on the body that would not have gotten past nascar tech.... My sharp eyes tell me: 1. A-posts and windshield are moved aft by 5-6 inches, effectively making the greenhouse smaller. 2. Windshield may be leaned back a bit more than stock template. 3. Is the body maybe moved rearward on the chassis? There sure is a long distance of the front fenders behind the front tire How'd I do? I know where Tom got the ideas to do all these changes (if he did) Remember the #51 Laguna that AJ raced at TWS in the mid 70s? That car had a smaller greenhouse than you can imagine. Not sure how AJ got in & out. Was the 70s equivalent to the Junior Johnson 3/4 scale Ford in the 60s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted May 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2012 Maybe Tom's first car is getting back a little far, but it is the same car that Bierschwale campaigned with Clarence Lovell. When Don quit in the mid 70's, Tom bought it. This car no longer exists; met it's demise at Milwaukee in a USAC race. So, maybe a little newer. Anyone remember this car of Tom's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacecar Posted May 7, 2012 Report Share Posted May 7, 2012 The outrageous 17 car won the pole at the TIDA Super Late Model race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course track in Mexico City. Unfortunately, the engine mechanic (me) didn't do a good enough job with the cork rocker cover gaskets and gorilla snout (before the days of magic silicone and rigid gaskets) after checking the valve clearances before the race. I think it only ran 8 laps in the lead before the leak became excessive on righthand turns and Tom had to park it. I felt bad for the team, and appreciated that they didn't give me too hard of a time on the long way home. Tex Powell built that special missle, with a really neat rear firewall that went all the way to the roof just behind the driver. Tom had a lot to do with the design of the hood scoop. And Tom had the rear spring mounts redone, as he felt that the lower spring perch needed to be as low as possible to provide exit bite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim41 Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Tom Williams put it on the pole in a USAC event at Atlanta, qualifying ahead of Foyt, Rusty Wallace, Bobby Allison, Richard Childress, and some other famous names. It was a great feeling pushing the car to the head of the starting grid. Big block Chevy. According to Ultimate Racing History.com there was only 1 USAC stock car event at Atlanta (7-23-78) Terry Ryan won it from the pole . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macpaul1 Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 What car is this, and what is it's historical value? His son has some additional pics, I'm still learning to attach with replies. Sure he'll post more info on his Dad. My kids are really getting a kick out of seeing their "Grandpa" Cowboy racing. Still working on the video's, as they are not formatted to upload after the 8mm-DVD conversion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolin45 Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 The outrageous 17 car won the pole at the TIDA Super Late Model race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course track in Mexico City. Unfortunately, the engine mechanic (me) didn't do a good enough job with the cork rocker cover gaskets and gorilla snout (before the days of magic silicone and rigid gaskets) after checking the valve clearances before the race. I think it only ran 8 laps in the lead before the leak became excessive on righthand turns and Tom had to park it. I felt bad for the team, and appreciated that they didn't give me too hard of a time on the long way home. Tex Powell built that special missle, with a really neat rear firewall that went all the way to the roof just behind the driver. Tom had a lot to do with the design of the hood scoop. And Tom had the rear spring mounts redone, as he felt that the lower spring perch needed to be as low as possible to provide exit bite. I was at that race and qualified right beside him and after he went out we then Had an an engine problem as well in the "Colt 45 Car". Lots of fun and a long trip, Tom ripped all the A/C units off his motor home going into the tunnel that weekend too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolin45 Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 Maybe Tom's first car is getting back a little far, but it is the same car that Bierschwale campaigned with Clarence Lovell. When Don quit in the mid 70's, Tom bought it. This car no longer exists; met it's demise at Milwaukee in a USAC race. So, maybe a little newer. Anyone remember this car of Tom's? Absolutely raced right beside it in Mexico, we were the two cars to beat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolin45 Posted October 14, 2013 Report Share Posted October 14, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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