When I go to the Laguna Seca Historic races and watch the Trans Am racing, I really enjoy the magnificent sights and sounds as they swoop out of the Corkscrew area and along the front straight. The Mustangs and Camaros get most of the attention but I think the 1970 Dodge Challenger # 77 fits in very well and it has some interesting history.
( John Adams photo.. Laguna Seca)
(a2zracer.com photo..Infineon Raceway )
(Ken Hyndman )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 03-25-2016 at 07:54 AM. Reason: Wrong tense !
Yeah, a great car Ken, its one of three that were constructed by Autodynamics in 1970. Dan Gurney's All American Racers did the initial fabrication work on them, including the rollcage and other race specific stuff, and they also ran them through the acid dipping process. AAR also built four Plymouth Cuda's for themselves, as they were the factory Plymouth team in the 1970 Trans-Am, while Autodynamics were the factory Dodge team.
Apparently the Challengers spent too long in the acid bath, or they weren't cleaned properly, because driver Sam Posey recalls how they fell apart as the races took place. The floors were especially bad, and he said after a while he could see the ground rushing past beneath as the body shell broke apart. They'd weld up all the cracks between races, then new cracks would appear.
Autodynamics only completed two of the three shells as race cars. Posey ran one car for much of the season, before they started running the second car late in the year, as Chrysler made it clear they'd only support one team in 1971, and it'd be the team that won the most races. So a second car was run, with the third shell never being completed. The third shell was finished for the first time only a few years ago, but its my understanding that as it wasn't raced in period, its not eligible to run with Historic Trans-Am.
Ken, this Dodge Challenger is one of my all time favourite race cars. I think its the combination of the colour and the large numbers.Originally Posted by khyndart in CA
When I have been to the Laguna Seca Historic races and watch the Trans Am racing, I really enjoy the magnificent sights and sounds as they swoop out of the Corkscrew area and along the front straight. The Mustangs and Camaros get most of the attention but I think the 1970 Dodge Challenger # 77 fits in very well and it has some interesting history.
( John Adams photo.. Laguna Seca)
(a2zracer.com photo..Infineon Raceway )
(Ken Hyndman )
Those numbers would not have been allowed in Australia at the time because CAMS were incredibly conservative.
They have really stood the test of time and still look incredible.
Ken I think you have access to Sports Car Graphic magazine of the time, judging by some of the extracts you have posted recently.
In the second half of 1970 each month they ran a detailed article on one of the six top Trans Am teams from knowledgeable journalists embedded with the teams. A great idea which I have never seen repeated anywhere. Must be the "if I tell you I'll have to kill you syndrome" so prevalent now.
Unfortunately the time they did the Jerry Titus Pontiac team at Elkhart Lake was the time Titus was killed.
Anyway if you can get hold of the November 1970 issue there is a great article on the Dodge Challenger, the Ray Caldwell Autodynamics team and driver Sam Posey. Really a great read, which I have re-read many times over the years.
As an aside in the October 1970 issue there is a great 8 page colour advertising insert on the high performance Dodges.
Thanks Steve,
You cover so much in such a concise way. I have heard stories of the acid-dipping days to reduce the body metal to a thinner gauge.
There was a strong rivalry between Sam Posey's Challenger team and Dan Gurney's Barracuda team and when Posey discovered Gurney was acid-dipping his cars to lighten their bodies Posey decided to do the same to # 77 and nearly got away with it. Unfortunately the Autodynamics team left the first Challenger body in the bath too long and weakened the roof so much that after the car had passed scrutineering at the first race meet they invited the chief technical technical inspector to come over for a beer. As he was talking to them he leaned on the roof and his arm almost went through the super thin metal ! The team had to scramble to replace the roof with one cut from a Challenger at the local Dodge dealership. Posey was so upset with the process that the second car # 76 did not get acid-dipped. # 77 Dodge Challenger became known as "the cheater car" mostly because it was the one that got caught out !
(Ken Hyndman )
Thanks Terry,
I appreciate your input and the choice of magazines. I hope I am not repeating too much but some of the Trans Am stories are so interesting and getting them out in this forum is good before they are forgotten after our generation moves on.
Take care,
Ken H
Even though it looked good the 1970 Trans Am Dodge Challenger certainly had some issues that made it difficult to drive throughout the season. The rear suspension setup with the live axle caused bad tramping under acceleration, it was unpredictable in turns and drivers complained the braking was horrible. Also the Chrysler four-speed gearbox which did well on NASCAR oval tracks would often jam when driven on road courses.
But the biggest problem was the reliability of the engines. The original 340 cid Dodge V-8 engine was "destroked" to 304 cid by well known engine builder, Keith Black. Chrysler did not want anyone to know their engine was a problem so when anything happened there were many alternate excuses made; 'suck throttle' ' differential failure' 'ignition failure' or 'pan failure' when a rod went through the oil pan ! (But never a Chrysler engine failure.)
Although other teams had engine problems also. Horst Kwech complained that his factory Mustang had 35 engine failures in one season !
Engine builder, Keith Black working with the Dodge Challenger engine on the dyno. (1970)
Sam Posey and "Autodynamics" owner, Ray Caldwell watch a mechanic help build the Dodge Challenger # 77 before the 1970 season.
Sam Posey trying the Dodge Challenger for size.
One of the first drives for Sam Posey in # 77 was at the Willow Springs circuit in California. 1970.
(Ken Hyndman )
I am a big fan of the Dodge Challenger cars too. I think as much as anything it was the sheer diversity of the cars making up the fields and the fact that the Manufacturers felt that they had to be there.
I have the book 'The Cars of Trans-Am Racing 1966 - 1972 and there are some great stories in there. I had read about Sam Posey's comments about the acid dipping and thought that it was amusing. Rule bending to the absolute limit.
We need one of those cars here in the HMC class done in the Sam Posey colours of course.
A trip to Laguna Seca to see these historic cars racing is certainly on my bucket list.
Mike,
When you read about Dodge Challenger driver Tony Adamowicz's struggles now, it makes you want to get out and check off that bucket list. I would enjoy getting the chance to meet up with you at Laguna Seca. I wish we had met when we lived at Papamoa on Evans Road in 2001 to 2003.
Cheers,
Ken
An original Keith Black Challenger 304 CID engine today in Challenger # 76.
# 77 Dodge Challenger looks good on any Trans Am grid.
At Laguna Seca in 2008.
(Ken Hyndman )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 03-25-2016 at 11:22 PM.
1970 Dodge Challenger Trans Am engine.
Sam Posey pit stop at Laguna Seca Trans Am race. 1970
(Peter Luongo photos )
(Ken Hyndman )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 03-25-2016 at 11:36 PM.
Tony Adamowicz.
While researching for this Challenger thread I was reminded of the condition of Tony who was one of the drivers in 1970 along with Sam Posey. Tony was very popular and talented driver but the hardest part was saying his name so his nickname was" Tony a2z."
I saw him at the last Laguna Seca historic races in August 2015 and did not realize his health issues which have deteriorated a great deal since December.
He had a great career and we can only hope and pray he does not suffer for too long.
His web site is very interesting about his whole career and it begins with a very moving message from his sisters.
Thanks Tony for getting all this wonderful material onto this site and our prayers are with you.
http://www.a2zracer.com/A2ZRacer.com/Welcome.html
https://www.gofundme.com/tonyadamowicz
(Ken Hyndman )
Was owned for along time by Ken Epsman out of the Bay Area but is now owned by Richard Goldsmith, Gilroy, CA a friend of Chad Raynal whom came down to NZ for a festival a few years back.
This year (2015) Rolex Classic La Guna Seca, a very neat car and loved the sound as it came down corkscrew and hit the loud peddle.
Hi Ken, Would certainly enjoy making your acquaintance at Laguna Seca real soon. I didn't make it over here until 2014 so we missed by quite some time.
Cheers Mike
Great photos everyone. Great to see the period shots and the current ones. That car, like all of them, is very well looked after.
Mike, you will enjoy Kens company, he is a good bugger. I unfortunately could not spend as much as I wanted to with Ken because of things going on. I will catch up again, hopefully 2017 or 18 which I believe is the 50 year celebration of F5000 at La Guna Seca.
Got to be there for that.
The 1970 Trans Am Series is considered by most to be the best series. There were 6 manufacturers involved with teams.
The series was run over 11 races on some of the best road racing tracks of the time. The races were generally over about 200 miles and ran for just over 2 hours. The prize money was not great, $3,500 for first, $2,500 for second etc. It was for the glory of the manufacturers. There was no drivers' championship in 1970.
The Dodge Challengers were entered by Ray Caldwell Autodynamics team. He was a very experienced campaigner in many types of racing. The Project Manager was the well known Carroll Smith. He had written several books on race car preparation, and is best known in Oz for managing Moffat's Falcon Hardtop team in 1976 to take the Touring Car Championship and the 1-2 at Bathurst.
The Chief Mechanic was the very experienced Jack McCormack, who went on to build F5000's. The driver was Sam Posey who had experience in many classes.
The team had two cars, #77 (used most) and #76. Number 76 was 150 lbs. lighter than #77, but lightness was mostly in the rear, making it more nose heavy. It was used when track suitable and Posey scored a third at St Jovite in it.
The year did not really go well for Posey. His highest qualifying was a 4th, but generally 5th or 6th.
Of the 11 races, he retired in 5. He scored four 3rd places, a 5th and a 6th.
Following is a great article by Posey on the season, and an article on the 77 car with some great detailed photos.
https://www.hagerty.com/articles-vid...ns-am-memories
http://www.streetlegaltv.com/feature...nuine-article/
Rod, for God sake keep me in the loop for this as I need to do such a trip. Love the 3 litre F1 cars. the Can-Ams, the Trans-Ams and the Le Mans Group 5 cars. I would be in pig heaven. I have memory cards that need to be filled with great images.
What started out with a photo that my friend John Adams took of # 77 at Laguna and an old 1970 magazine has been a really neat learning experience for me and thanks for all the comments and inputs.
(published about one month before Bruce McLaren died )
I will leave you with this Trans-Am site that does a wonderful coverage from the past to the present.
As Roger has said, I need to pay more attention to my work, talk to my wife and give you guys a break from khyndart in Ca. (It has been fun )
http://www.historictransam.com/Drive...llenger77.html
(Ken Hyndman )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 03-28-2016 at 08:26 AM.
That's a great piece on the Challenger Ken with some great photos. I had heard the story about the scrutineers elbow dimpling the roof and wagging his finger at the team and giving them the message.
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