Speaking of Oscar's Car #54....1964 Weatherly history lesson

[Ron Mann]

WHERE WAS CAR 54? SETTING A NEW RECORD AT WEATHERLY, THAT’S WHERE!
By Jim (MGA) Davis
Top Gear; November/December 1964


Well, here we are at a good ol’ SCCA event, sure to be a well-run, well-timed, smooth rollin’ ball. Knock it if you like, knock about money-makin’ races and money losin’ rallies, about pompous officialdom, and the Westport Clique; but it’s a simple fact that the SCCA is the only outfit with the time/money/bodies/prestige to really organize a big event. In this cast the North East Pennsylvania Region ran the show on October 3&4, and a good one it was.

Weatherly Hill Climb is slated away in the hard coal mountains near Hazelton, PA, which is kind of in the Poconos too, and every year in October the foliage and the cars compete for the most colorful awards…A good place to use up some color film.

The course itself is the usual two-lane blacktop, but with some unusual configurations. A short drag-strip-type straight at the start with a fast right and a slow left a couple hundred yards down the road. This is followed by a series of switchbacks, one of which just cannot be taken in a neat manner. Halfway round you’re sure you’re climbing a wall and the car you brought with you isn’t sold with gears THAT low!

For those of you that mourn the passing of Springtown’s fabled bump, Weatherly has one of its own that I’m sure you will enjoy. Here the car is turning and flying at the same time, and unlike Springtown, you can’t see what’s on the other side until you’re down the downward arc. When you land, the road just kind of invites you to stomp the gas pedal as it curves gently to the left and out of sight. Bring wings, parachute, and a St. Christopher medal, and anything else you think might help!

Saturday’s practice didn’t prove much other that what most of us already knew—the big V8s go fast and Weatherly can be pretty tricky. Turning curley-cues in practice were Al Loquasto and myself, and judging by the number of twirly black marks on the road, a number of others. Little Al did some wood cutting with his fiberglass ax; but while the rest of us would have spent the week in a body shop, Al scurried home to his tube of Elmer’s glue and was back Sunday with a car (???). Ah, Fiberglass, it’s wonderful!

Meanwhile back at the hotel the great feed was taking place, with drivers and mechanics getting gassed and oiled for Sunday’s timed runs… Great things, these drivers’ meetings. Your correspondent attended a posh gala, held down the road from the tech inspection at the Rockport Tavern. A Miss Kristell Ames performed a dance recital, to the great delight of the local society. Unfortunately no one had a camera, thus missing the chance to bring back a visual record for a certain photo feature of this magazine. A pretty girl is like a melody…sha boom!

Oh yes, the hill climb results.

Well, Carl Mueller Jr., and his Volvo, lowered the Touring Improved record by 3.5 seconds. The rest of the sedans stayed within 4 seconds of each other, lifted wheels, made noise, and bored the spectators. Hmmm, maybe some NASCAR Fords?

Karen Snow, a regular winner at the Jersey field trials, crossed the Delaware to give the boys in Pennsy a driving lesson. Taking her Sprite Mk I (mit mags yet!) up the hill in 79.22 seconds she beat all but Hank Patterson’s superfast Sprite in HP, and showed a certain disrespect by beating the D.O.M. in GP, a third of the FP cars and some of the D & E fellers.

Joe Cam won GP with his Morgan and we’re not going to say how many cars HE beat in the higher class.

The usually close-knit FP saw a 2 second spread between each of the first four cars with Harry Schmalbach (TR3) emerging on top, 4 seconds under the old class record.

Alex Coles squeaked his Healy into the Porsche Benefit, sandwiched between Stuttgarters Jack Rabold and Gale Patton.

In DP, Puddy tat turned tiger, Dick Grime, again put his past behind him (four years without a trophy) and gobbled up the 2000 lb. Canary Porsche to win another first. Hurray for solid axle cars, Hurray for solid axle cars, hurray…

Dave Redmond picked up another CP win, but he’s getting lonely out there with so little company.

In the biggies, Steve Elfenbein’s smooth driving got him a first, and Harold Keck’s booming Cobra was it in A.

What happens when you put a SAAB in…time was when they said that about V8 engines? Anyhoo, George Taylor put a Saab in a Lotus 7A, and if you’ve been to the races lately, you know it works. At Weatherly, to the tune of 6 seconds faster than Ken Gee in the venerable Banshee.

Even more venerable is Oscar Kovaleski’s Ferrari-Chevy, ancient, fat, fast, hill record holder and winner of FTD honors again this year. You can’t beat cubic inches.

[Devil's Elbow Fan]

Nice to read some history of the event.

Keep the articles coming!! Thanks!!

BTW: Steve Elfenbien STILL has his Corvette!!

Thanks !

[crusaderchuck]

that car is being restored in south virginia near VIR! it still exists and to my suprise isstill saab powered!

chuck
93F #251

[svann]

Hey, is the Rockport Tavern still there? Sounds like a place I'd visit. I've found Al's in Reading. I enjoy studying the different social life of any area I visit.

[crusaderchuck]

steve still owns that corvette? he dated a friend of my aunt's when i was a kid. she passed away a number of years to cancer. but how can ya not remember his last name! smith, and other similar generic north american last names escape me . but i clearly remember names that are noteable!
i'd love to meet steve today and hear his memories of the "bad old days" of motorsports!

chuck.
i'd like to se his vette , too!
i'm heading to midlothian Va. tomorrow morning to deliver an elden 1972 PH-10 to it's rightful owner after 5 years of serious confusion over an engne rebuild! (not my project! just conveying the car to it's owner!)
here i go on anothewr 700 mile round trip in two days! i'm getting too old for these types of "rescue missions"! c.