Collector Car / Cars We Remember; More motorsports memories and a beautiful Buick Estate wagon

1970 Buick Estate Wagon

Q: Greg, I’ve only been in Bloomsburg, Pa. since December, but first I want you to know how much I enjoy your articles in the Press Enterprise. This past Sunday’s article took me back to 1970 when my parents purchased a ’70 Buick Estate Wagon, complete with vinyl wood trim. 

The car was truly a” boat” and had a 455 cubic-inch V8 engine with a 4-barrel carburetor under the hood. I remember my dad, who sold yearbooks to many area high schools, actually needed those big V8 horses as he used the Buick to haul his many yearbook orders in a large U-Haul trailer in the Buick’s tow. After he retired from yearbook sales he opened a bookstore and Buick hauled merchandise from the store to our house regularly. 

Our Buick Estate also made many college moving trips for me and my siblings over the years. Unfortunately our Buick also suffered the indignity of being crashed into the interior wall of our garage by yours truly. This happened while goofing off with my cousins and I hit the wall at a speed great enough to displace a cinder block wall by one foot. Still, the only damage sustained by the car was a small dent in the pointed hood. 

I know that many of Detroit’s 1970’s era cars were very unmemorable, but the Buick Estate served faithfully and strongly for 14 years before being replaced by a Chrysler minivan. I even did my driver’s license test in it and managed to maneuver the behemoth in a three-point turn. 

Anyway Greg, I just want to say thanks and maybe share our Buick story. Todd Layser, Bloomsburg, Pa.

A: Todd, your Buick story is indeed special as is your Buick Estate, in my opinion the most elegant wagon ever offered by the popular GM manufacturer. Thanks also for your very kind comments.

Wild and nationally famous Terenzio family Hemi Altered 

Q: Greg, I think you might be interested in a few photos and info on my father’s alcohol altered and funny car from the ‘70s and ‘80s. My family is originally from Stamford, Conn., which is where my father’s crew was based out of. My parents moved to Lake Ariel, Pa., and lived there for 40 years and are now retired in Florida. 

I’ve sent photos of our famous “The Italian Way” class BB/A that were taken at Englishtown, New Jersey’s Raceway Park. It was a National Record holder 8-times, from 1974-1976. 

I’ve also sent a “The Italian Stallion” Monza funny car photo with my mom, dad and uncle in the photo. This photo was taken in front of our Getty Gas station that my father owned.  

Thanks a lot, Dante Terenzio, Towanda, Pa.

A: Dante, I sure am interested as I remember seeing your dad’s famous Italian Way BB/Altered in action many times. I went to the races at Englishtown with Pete Shadinger and his U.S. Nationals winning D/Dragster in the 1970s.  

Whether on the track racing or sitting in the pits, your “The Italian Way” was an awesome looking race car.

Additionally, drivers who strapped into these wild, short wheelbase and big engine race cars were revered as some of the best drivers of all. To this day, fuel altereds like your dad’s attract record crowds when they compete in special multi-car match races.

Thanks for these great photos and I recall your dad and his altered being a featured cover car on the famous Drag Racing USA magazine, which along with Super Stock & Drag Illustrated were the monthly bibles of the sport.

Reader recalls his many drag racing cars – really many!

Q: Greg, I read your column in the Owego Pennysaver in Owego, N.Y. and it’s very interesting, informative, and nostalgic. Having graduated high school in 1959, I can relate to your youthful experiences.

My first racing experience was three days after I obtained my drivers permit, and as I was stopped by the police for drag racing my folks ’56 Chrysler St. Regis 2-door hardtop against a ’56 Chevy 265-V8 “Powerpak.” My first on-track, organized drag racing came with my dad’s ’51 Hudson.

After a stint in the military, my first real drag racing only vehicle was a ’56 Ford back in 1963. It was built by my best buddy who bought one of the first “K Code” ‘63 1/2 Ford Fairlanes (K-Code indicated the high performance, solid lifter 289 V8). I remember one night him running up against a 1963 Corvette and the Corvette didn’t have a chance. My ’56 Ford ran the quarter-mile in the 15.60s at 82-mph.

Then, in ’64 and ’65, I had a ‘62 Plymouth with the famous 413 and a 3-speed that I flat towed to the track with my ’53 Mercury. The 413 ran a best of 12.56 at 113.56, and at the end of 1965 I was supposed to buy one of the factory SS/A Hemi Plymouths (A990) campaigned by “Mr. 5 and 50” Jack Werst for $3,500. Sadly, I didn’t have the funds. (The 5 and 50 related to the Chrysler standard warranty at the time of 5 years or 50,000 miles.)

In 1966 I bought my first new car, a ‘66 Hemi Satellite. In 1967, my brother-in-law at the time, Jim Lacey, put the 426 Hemi engine into a ’47 Anglia and it ran in A/Gas. In1968 I was a mechanic on a ’65 Dodge SS/A National Record Holder in Florida.

Then in 1969-1970 I had a ’65 Dodge altered wheelbase car in partnership with Ed Miller that ran in C/Altered and held the NAAR record at 10.32 at 134.50. In 1970-1971 I ran a ’56 Chevy pickup with a complete driveline from 1970 440 Plymouth that ran 12.70s at 106. I was never beat on the street and bracket raced that truck at the area dragstrips. In 1971 I wrenched on Ed Miller’s “Hemi Scamp”, driven by Ricky Holloway.

In the mid-1970s, a friend and I bracket raced a 1967 Camaro with a 427 that ran 11.50s at 122-mph. Then life got in the way and I took almost a 40-year hiatus. At age 70 I started racing my old 1100 Kawasaki at our area 1/4 mile dragstrip and then I graduated to a ’92 Ninja 1100 that was setup for racing.

Finally, at age 75, I had to hang up my racing leathers to be a full-time caregiver for my wife. Since then I obtained a motorcycle that runs 8.70 at 155 and I’m hoping to get the chance to run it. Currently my daily grocery getter is a 2021 Dodge Durango 392 SRT Hemi.

That’s my story Greg and I know this is long winded. Thanks, Allyn Storm, Owego, N.Y.    

A: Allyn thanks so much for your two-page handwritten letter. You sure went through many great drag racing cars and your memories of them are awesome. I want to point out that Ed Miller is a famous MOPAR racer who won a world championship race back in the 1960s with his 4-speed 426 Hemi and the $10,000 that went with it. He’s still around and is on Facebook if readers want to check it out. Thanks again for your letter Allyn.

(Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist who welcomes reader interaction on collector cars, nostalgic memories and everything motorsport at greg@gregzyla.com. Snail mail is received at 303 Roosevelt St., Sayre Pa. 18840.)