| Photo ID # | c04.08.06_111_DOD_VIN_0071_1 |
| Car #: | #111 |
| Driver (s) : | Russ Dodge |
| Location: | .... a driveway in Vineland, NJ |
| Date: | 1971 |
| Photographer: | Unknown |
| Photo provided by: | Russ Dodge |
| Comments: | Comment
from Russ: That Old Body Of Mine...... While a junior in high school in 1961, a buddy of mine bought a '36 Oldsmobile coupe from his aunt for $75.00 It was complete and mint. With a paint job you could have taken it to an ACCA event. He put and Olds V8 in it, changed the upholstery and painted it blue. After destroying the integrity of a mint car, tired of using it for a street rod, he sold it to me for $35.00 in the mid sixties. My brother bought the Flying V8 Hobby stock car which had been driven by Bunky Higbee, and took it to Vineland for two shows just as the track was closing. Having the fantasy of being a driver, knowing the old V8 was "out dated" and knowing no one in their right mind would give me a chance to drive, I built a car. Here's a picture that shows the body in my garage before the wheel well was moved back, the trunk dropped and the wheel flange reinstalled.  The motor was a 327 Chevy which was built by the Schwegel brothers who owned the 77 sportsman driven by Charlie Angerman. Phil Gemenden did the beautiful "Hugger" orange paint job. The number? What else. Jackie was hot in the 111 and besides that I could letter it myself very easily. (see top photo) I had a chance to try out the car at the last race of the season at Atlantic City Speedway on asphalt. They wouldn't let me compete that day because we hadn't raced there during the season and this was a special event. Over the winter Billy Wright brought Stan Ploski to my garage in Vineland to check out the car. Stan gave him the "thumbs up" and he bought it. Billy Spent several week changing the motor from a small block to a big block and numbered it his usual 311 (How lucky that worked out for changing the number) Billy took it to East Windsor. His second week in competition there, Billy went "sideways" coming out of the second turn and hit the open in the guard rail going into the pits. He hit the end of the guard rail at the opening sideways and was driven in the door by another car and totaled the chassis.  I lost exact track of the body shell at that time, but I believe the body made it to Jim Goedeke via Sonny Dornberger (Who helped Billy, I believe with his motors). I remember the body appearing on a Geodeke car. Needless to say when I saw the picture come up on this site (see photo below), I had to get out my old photos to check the original body trim marks.  It is the same 1936 Oldsmobile 3 window coupe!. Every picture has a story! Thanks, Russ Dodge |
| Visitor's Comments | To add your comments about THIS PHOTO - Click Here | |
| Date: | Visitor's Name: | Comment: |
| 05/07/06 | JAS | Hey Russ, thanks for the update, I saw your original creation when Billy had it and when I saw Von Geodeke with the car I thought it was the same, thanks for bringing us all up to date. Too bad most of the cars have been cut up or we could have some more updates. |
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