d07.12.07_327_TAS_LAN_0060_1.jpg (127240 bytes)

Photo ID # d07.12.07_327_TAS_LAN_0060_1
Car #: #32  (327)
Driver (s) : Al Tasnady
Location: Langhorne, PA
Date: 1960's
Photographer: Bill Broennle
Photo provided by: Bill Broennle
Comments: Comment from Bill:  Al Tasnady's Langhorne car. I do not remember this car at other tracks during the year, it may have been built just for Langhorne. But it's been 40 years and i'm not too sure, perhaps some of the vault visitors can come up with the details on this car.
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Date: Visitor's  Name:

Comment:

07/12/07 Barry Miller I know that Tas ran this car at Reading on occasion in the 60's. It was owned by Walt Donald. I do not know where else this car ran as I was just a Reading guy.
07/13/07 Ned Stites III This car is Walt (Kinsley) Donald's #327. The year is 1964. This car was later purchased by the Piscopo's and ran at Langhorne as the #39.
07/13/07 Russ Dodge The 327 car driven by Al Tasnady was taken at Langhone in 1964. Al drove for owner Walter Donald, who was a driver himself.

When Al parted from the Big Donkey 707, he finished out the 1964 season in the Donald cars. There were two, the 327 and the 325. Al ran them at all his usual tracks and won features.

Walter Donald, whose last name was Kinsley, was the same Kinsley who had the famous South Jersey landfill in Depford, New Jersey. Walter Donald, raced using his first two names and not his last, to keep his family unaware of his early racing activities.

Walt retired from racing and went in to harness racing before his death several years ago. (Of note, I believe one of Walt's last cars was the early Piscopo 39? Could use yes or no verification on that.)

Thanks, Russ Dodge
07/13/07 Mike Shaub Tasnady drove this car several times as the #327 along with Walt Donald in the #325 at Reading. Won one feature at Reading in this car on Sept 25, 1964

Mike Shaub
President/Historian
Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society
07/13/07 goatwell This car also raced at Flemington and I believe Nazareth. The 325 was primarily an asphalt car that ran Vineland, Old Bridge and occasionally Wall. The driver sat on the right side. The 325 was sold to Ed Pratt.
07/14/07 Ned Stites III I think this is the car Ray Neary drove too. (The #32 which really was the #327, became a Piscopo #39, which later became a Menschner #21 with Ray Neary behind the wheel).
07/14/07 Russ Dodge Mike, thank you for the accurate information.

"Goatwell" you're on the money also.

I didn't know where the car ended up. The picture of the 325 taken at Reading, shows the seat set up in the 325. (see below)
d07.14.07_325_DON_REA_0060_1sm.jpg (49645 bytes)
I had to be awkward for Walt to drive because of his size.  I acquired the photo from Bruce Craig and would like to purchase a good copy of the 325, if someone could provide info on getting one. Thanks for the help and info on the cars. Thanks, Russ Dodge
07/14/07 3-Wide Thanks Ned - Here's the car that you mentioned:
b09.02_05_021_NEA_FLM_0068_1.jpg (66126 bytes)

...and I'm not sure how many #39's there really were, but is it possible that this is the same car - below - (as you mentioned) after it was the yellow #327, but before it became the #21?
d06.26.07_039_TAS_HAR_0066_1sm.jpg (73308 bytes)
07/14/07 George "Goatwell" Perkins The 327 may have become a Piscopo 39, but it's not the one pictured Joe. The Neary car sure looks like it though. The 327 had the doors filled as does the Neary car. The 39 doesn't. Also, notice the bars that are part of the roll cage that resemble "down tubes" the Neary car and the 327 look the same. The angle on the 39 is different, it's not part of the cage.

The 325 and 327 were always favorites of mine. The first time I saw the 325 at Old Bridge it was one of the wierdest things I had seen. The driver sitting on the right side, a hood that Walt said was made from a 52 Ford hood, that looked like a duckbill and the sign (not shown in the pics ) that ran across the roof from side to side right above the rear window. I believe it advertised for Tiona Petroleum.

The 327 was when I first started to really appreciate Tas. Prior to his driving this car, the only thing I saw him drive was the Big Donkey and I attributed a lot to the car. I was told by some veteran race watchers to sit in the turn four stands. Watching Tas toss that little yellow coupe sideways way, way earlier than anyone else and shooting off the corner like a rocket made me a fan for life. What car control.

I'm currently building a model of the 327 and if anybody has a shot of the rear of the car, I'd love to see it.
07/15/07 Russ Dodge George, I will look for a better shot of the back of the 327. I am sure it says: Kinsley Enterprises Racing Division 325 327 I have one of Walt's team pit crew member's winter coat and that is what is embroidered on it. Looking at the picture already posted supports the thought, I believe. Again, thanks for your input.
07/16/07 Bill Broennle George "Goatwell" Perkins, this is a rear shot of the 327 also from Langhorne 1964. Hope it is of some use to you.
d07.16.07_327_Rea_LAN_0060_1sm.jpg (74180 bytes)
07/16/07 Fred Menschner The yellow #327 did become the #39 and #21. This is what Dave Piscope told me.

He bought the #327 on Al Tasnady's advice to run the big tracks. Dave bought two Holmen & Moody Ford big blocks to run in this car, again because Al wanted them.  Dave said they blew both engines and he then built a big block Chevy being fed up with the Fords.

Dave said they raced at Langhorne,Trenton speedways (I believe they won the Trenton race but because of a scoring error did not get the credit) and area small tracks with this car, with much success. 

Ray Neary and myself bought this #39 (formerly the #327) and installed a Chevy small block and later a big block and raced it for one season . During the winter we built a new frame and reused the body and the rear. This 36 Chevy coupe body was used on all the silver #21's.

For Your Information
Fred Menschner
07/17/07 Russ Dodge My thought for today. I was wondering, in 40 years from now, there will be such an enjoyable discussion tracing the history of body panels from todays cars?

Thanks to all for the great photos and information on the history of the 327.
07/17/07 3-Wide I know we are all biased to the generation that we grew up with.... I'm working on a theory that we all are most interested in whatever cars were on the track from the time we were about 8 to 20.  For me, that covers the mid to late 60's... all the way through the 70's.. and then just touches the first few years of the 80's. 

I'm guessing that somebody out there who was born in 1940 might feel as strongly about the cars from the late 40's, through all of the 50's and then into the early 60's. 

Maybe somebody who was born in 1970 might feel the same way about cars from the late 70's and all of the 80's.

There are other things that factor in such as how old we were when we started going to the races, and whether we went every week or not, but to get back to Russ' thought, are there people now who are somewhere between the ages of 8 - 20 that are as passionate about the cookie cutter cars of the last 10 years?  Is there much to get excited about?  (Wow, did you see the way that guy ran his vinyl floresent orange stripe all the way down the side of his car...  It's so much coolet than the guy who only ran his vinyl stripe 1/2 down his door....)

My 11 year old hangs around with some kids at New Egypt on Saturdays and I really don't see any connection to one particular car over another.  Unfortunatley, I don't see a real connection with any particular driver either, but more of an overall awareness of a few different drivers.  (Hell, I could remember if Michalchuk wrecked or blew up in the heat race and his night was over, so was mine!)

I know its selfish to think that what I experienced is more important than what others of a different age than I experienced, but at least my stuff had bodies that you could still identify, and driver's who for the most part, also worked on and in many cases fabricated their own cars.  Same thing for you guys who might have a few years on me...   That's probably why I have an appreciation for stuff from the early 60's too...   (Even though I didn't see them race, the cars still have personality and from what I have read thanks to guys like Russ and others, so did the driver's!)
07/17/07 Ned I think that someday we'll all miss those boxy cookie cutter cars as well.  I think this because soon all of the tracks will be gone, sold to developers for their big money making adventures. All that will be left are the big corporate races like NASCAR, INDY CARS, and NHRA dragsters.

I don't think this trend is reversible. Greed is working against the small tracks of this country. Thus, even the cars of today will become more interesting once they are gone. I attended many races from 1960 till Flemington went asphalt/closed and Reading closed. After that the spirit to go seemed to fade away. I still attend a few races each year at various tracks. It was something I thought would last forever as a kid. My dad did tell me it wouldn't and he was correct.
07/20/07 Jim Murrow Just a couple quick notes:
I was pitted right next to Walt Kinsley one night at Vineland, when he wrecked pretty badly. I don't know if it was this particular # 325 or another. He rode in on the wrecker towing his wrecked car, My car was stabled next door , so I knew him, and liked him a lot. We all were sad that he had wrecked his car so badly, except, him. As he hopped off the running board of the wrecker, he said to us, (in a 4 year old almost crying way), "I broke my racer"! We all burst into laughter. That was Walt. great personality. Don't let those pictures fool you, he was a nice generous man who would give anybody the shirt off his back! - Jim Murrow
03/15/08 Mike Ferraro DOES ANYONE KNOW WHY THERE ARE DIECAST CARS THAT HAVE A # 44 ON THEM WITH A BLACK ROOF AND A POLECAT ON THE TRUNK? THANK YOU
03/16/08 3Wide I only remember the "polecat" being on the back of the Piscopo owned #39's (actual racecars) but I could be wrong...
08.01.10 Marilyn Snyder Piscopo There was only one diecast of the #39 Polecat made by Ertl in 1994. Only 5000 were produced under "Modified Legends".
Marilyn Snyder Piscopo, Dave's wife
02.12.12 Terry Ziegler Yes, there was a POLECAT on the Cozze #44 coupe. ERTL got it right!
06.23.13

fltlnjok

I put a comment elsewhere about Tas driving the 325 at Flemington and how he would wind it till it missed going into the first turn. I realize now that it was the 327. Anyhow it was amazing to watch and a joy to remember.

Enjoyment of cars is genetic. I have a 5 year old grandson who likes the races at Orange County  / Middletown, NY.

HOWEVER, he much prefers the vintage races they occasionally put on there. When they are on, I always make sure I take him with me. He’ll never forget.

12.04.13 Ron Turchi

Al also drove a car owned by mike Gagliardi  number 32 sedan. From Vineland New Jersey. Don Stives also drove this car for a short time.  Any records of this. ??

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