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Where were you in '62?
Gordon Winan has his Emailed Confirmation Number for the Port Richey Rod Run and will have his American Graffiti Coupe parked next to registration at

Coast Buick GMC, located at 10133 US19 Port Richey Florida 34668.
You should bring your camera and get your picture taken with it.


I took this picture at the 50's Diner, A Florida Attraction.... where US19 and Alt19 meet, 1730 US-19, Holiday Fl 34691 and where the CHRA has dinner every Saturday.


Cruisers get 10% off the menu 5PM to 7PM. ..........See whose autograph is on the glove compartment door while you are at the Rod Run at Coast Buick GMC !


Yes it was the time of my life.
I watched the movie snugged up next to a girl I could not live without.
When WE were American Graffiti.

In the small,town I lived in as a teenager, we drove the "main drag" from the Dairy Queen on the North end of town to the South end which was the A&W. Downtown was alive with the sound of Rock and Roll music from car radios all tuned to the same WSAT station. Russ McIntyre was our local "Wolfman Jack". From my upstairs bedroom I could listen to Dick Biondi at WLS in Chicago. Stores were lit up or open and people went "window shopping" by walking around on the downtown sidewalks, saying hi to each other and looking at window displays.

If we didn't have a car, or not proud of what we had, we would find a parked one on the main drag across from the S&W cafeteria..........and lean against it as if it was ours and yell out greetings to the kids who drove by. Robert Myers had a light blue 55 Chevy with no front bumper. Mayfield drove a jacked up in the back 1940 black two door Ford and they also had after school jobs to pay for it. I don't recall what the rich kids living on Fulton street did.
------------------------
Al's Nighthawk was "Mel's Drive In" to us. It was in an old ice cream place on Highway 601 with a dirt parking lot, but he sold pizza. It was the same "Original Crispy Pizza" pre-fab crust that was sold at every drive in movie I ever went to. It was rumored that Al also sold beer without checking ID's.
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Years later I went to my high school reunion, and Friday night we gathered at THE NEW AL's NIGHTHAWK.
Al had sold out and moved a few blocks toward town. Al had not changed. The pizza had not changed. But the parking lot was paved.......

In high school, John Bulla had been a bit of a hero, since he had once driven a dirt track stock car, and people were talking about it and he was re-living his glory days in his own memory. John couldn't join us for Saturday at the Country Club Dinner since he was a truck driver and had to work the next day. He may not have had the money for the dinner.

Looking back, the kids who raised hell in high school had grown up, got married, had kids, bought a house and were now raising hell as partners for life.....and they were laughing about old times.....because Al really DID sell beer to teenagers!
I learned something about life from that........you never go back to your first reunion or even the first 5, 6, 7, 8 or so. You give time for life to level things out......and plenty of people have nothing left to brag about 10 or 20 years later. Nice guy that I am, I was not going to destroy the high school hero by mentioning what I had done since high school. Some people peak early.
I am still the nice guy and will not destroy the dreams of someone else.
-----------------------------------

They say that you cannot go back there again.
You cannot go back there, because "there" isn't "there" anymore.
Life is a strand of pearls, and once we move to another one, we cannot go back.
Let's remember the people and the memories the way they were back then.

We should never go back there again.....and destroy the memories of when WE were American Grafitti.
--------------------------------

Oh, and Wolfman Jack?
He was a real DJ before the movie American Grafitti.
After American Graffiti, he hosted the Midnight Special on TV for many years.
The blonde girl on the painted sign behind the stage at Old Town Kissimmee was "Little Darlin" named after a popular Rock and Roll song.


After the Midnight Special, Wolfman Jack opened the Rock and Roll Emporium at Old Town Kissimmee.
Two years later Wolfman Jack went to Rock and Roll Heaven.

The building is gone. Wolfman Jack is gone.
You can forever hear his recorded voice during the Old Town Saturday Night Cruise.
But only if you can go back there........

---------------------------------


And don't forget to get your picture taken with Gordon Winan's American Graffiti Coupe
on October 14 2023 at the Port Richey Rod Run at Coast Buick GMC.

-Bob

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Announcing The Grand Marshall for Port Richey's Fall Rod Run will be Rusty Gillis,
Famous Record holding Drag Racer and owner of the Rusty Gillis Performance Restoration Shop,

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Holder of multiple NHRA Drag Racing Records, Rusty Gillis Will Be Grand Marshall for Port Richey Fall Rod Run at Coast Buick GMC on October 14 2023.

Rusty Gillis will be on hand Conversing, Signing Autographs, and Available for Photos between the hours of 10AM and 2PM at Coast Buick GMC.

Stop by and say hello on October 14. 10133 US19 Port Richey Florida 34668.


His Multiple Record Holding car will be on display next to Registration. Bring your camera and something to be signed. Reproduce this at the library, at home or Fedex-Kinkos and bring it if you want it signed.

You could easily say gasoline-in particular, racing fuel......is in Rusty Gillis' blood. His father was an avid racer in upstate New York before moving the family to Florida. Growing up, Rusty became passionate about racing, accompanying his father to Sunshine Raceway in St. Petersburg, Florida. He did pit-crew duty to help his father, learning the ropes, getting to know racing. It wasn't until Rusty attended the 1966 U.S. Nationals that he became addicted to drag racing. He went to Daytona Beach Junior College, majoring in Automotive Technology, ironically on a scholarship from Ford.

In 1968, Rusty tried to buy one of the 50 '6811/42 Cobra Jet Mustang fastbacks Ford built for Super Stock competition, but they were all gone. He opted instead for a '69 428 Cobra Jet Fairlane Cobra, racing in the F/S class to get his feet wet. His first outing was at the NHRA Spring Nationals in Dallas that year. En route to Dallas, Rusty met and befriended NHRA Super Stock racer Randy Payne. Randy showed him kindness, offering to help where he could. Their friendship became especially significant when Rusty broke his Cobra's Detroit Locker at Dallas. He cracked a 12.87 at 102 mph and lost to a Corvette with a 12.66 at 112 mph timeslip. Jokingly, Rusty says, "That Detroit Locker was the only free part I ever got from Ford." Later that year, he would suffer the misfortune of engine failure at Gainesville, Florida.

Rusty's father was truck manager at Grant Ford in St. Petersburg, and he had the good fortune of knowing a lot of people in the car business. He asked Rusty if he would go to Boyertown, Pennsylvania, to pick up a van for Grant Ford and dead-head it back to Florida. Rusty took advantage of that request and drove to Concord, New Hampshire, to see Randy about an engine for his Fairlane Cobra, but Randy couldn't help him.

Later, he went to the U.S. Nationals at Indy with a buddy who was racing a 289 Comet. He met veteran Ford Super Stock racer Hubert Platt. He crewed for Hubert for two months, visiting racing venues in Chicago, Detroit, Davenport, Tulsa, Dallas, Toledo, the Northeast, and Atlanta, then back home to Florida. Hubert had Rusty pick up a new V-8 Maverick from Paul Harvey Ford in Indianapolis and drive it to Atlanta. Rusty also piloted Hubert's F-350 car hauler out of Dallas for a long trek to New Hampshire to witness history firsthand. Tasca Ford was bringing a '69 Boss 494 to Epping to lay down a challenge-any street car that could beat the Boss would win $1,000.

During one of their many road trips together, Hubert told Rusty about a '68 Super Stock Mustang for sale for $3,500. Rusty rushed home and borrowed the money from his uncle. His record was 11.70 in SS/FA competition. During Rusty's time on the road with Hubert, he learned a lot about professional drag racing.

In 1970, Rusty drove to Pomona, California, for his first NHRA Winternationals. He didn't do well; he was the slowest in class with his '68 fastback. The best news was beating a Camaro, which lost only because the guy redlighted. Rusty staged against Stacey Shields, who was driving a '68 fastback built by Holman/Moody/Stroppe in Long Beach and sponsored by Paul Harvey Ford out of Indy. Rusty received good advice from the head of Ford's drag-racing program at the time. He suggested Rusty shut down at the 1,000-foot mark to keep from going under record. Rusty clocked a 12.00 at 104 mph, getting a win over Stacey. News for Rusty only got better as he refined his technique and raced all over the southeast in NHRA Super Stock. He set the SS/FA record at Suffolk, Virginia, that year.

The following year, Rusty returned to Pomona, winning class and passing tech inspection. He went on to Phenix City, Alabama, and set the NHRA mph record at 120.64 mph. At West Palm Beach, Florida, he cracked the AHRA record at 11.46 mph at 119.84 mph.

Toward the end of the '70 season, Hubert told Rusty about a '69 Mustang SportsRoof body he found and wanted to know if Rusty wanted it. It was a 428 Super Cobra Jet fastback that had been one of Ford's Boss 302 test cars. It was a factory test mule that found its way into private ownership. The truth is, only factory teams had cars like this, and Paul Harvey Ford was one of those teams. Rusty bought the car and transferred everything from his '68 fastback over to the '69 SportsRoof. The '69 was a pinch heavier and ran in the SS/GA class. Once Rusty got the car in proper tune, he repainted it Pearl White, with a splash of Candyapple red and blue.

Rusty admits the car was disappointing until he installed 302 front springs and a better C6 transmission. Times improved dramatically-a 121.39 mph at Amarillo for a strong shot of self-esteem. Performance only got better with time and experience, with wins all over the country in NHRA Super Stock. Rusty won the '71 Miami National with an 11.24, beating an 11.45-second record. Another quarter-mile pass, this time for Firestone tire testing, netted Rusty an 11.50-second e.t. at Gainesville. He again won in class at Pomona that year.

During Rusty's racing career with this Boss 302 testbed, he accomplished a lot from coast to coast in racing venues both large and small. He ran consistent 11-second quarter-mile times, set records, and never forgot the people who helped him along the way. In 1974, Rusty decided it was time to hang up his helmet and park the Mustang. Much of that motivation came from what was going on at the time. Performance on the street was fading due to high insurance rates, governmental pressure, and gasoline prices. Rusty wouldn't drive this car again until 1990 when it was raced in C/SA competition. His best time was 11.13 seconds-which means he's not getting older, he's getting better !

In 2004, Rusty opened Classic Mustangs, which became Gillis Performance Restorations, a restoration and race shop where he practices his craft in the Tampa area. (www.gillisrestorations.com) His first order of business was to completely restore this Mustang Super Stocker to the as-raced condition of his glory days. Southern Polyurethanes (www.southernpolyurethanes.com), and his good friend Barry, made all of this glistening Candyapple possible.

When Rusty reflects on 37 years as a winner, he's inspired most by the people who helped him get there. He says it never would have been possible without the friends he has known for the better part of a lifetime.

Rusty, You are truly Best In Class!
We are proud to have you as Grand Marshall of The Port Richey Rod Run at Coast Buick GMC


Motortrend Magazine contributed to this Biography of Rusty Gillis

senor honda

Simple steps to get your classic running again

Thanks to Carl Heideman
Oct 23, 2023

To run, a car only needs fuel and spark–although that spark has to occur at roughly the right time. To repair most breakdowns, you just need some simple hand tools, a friend and a 12-volt test light.
Most breakdowns are caused by an ignition problem.Step 1: Try to park in a safe, dry place.

Step 2: Pull a spark plug and ground its threads on the block to see if you have spark. An assistant needs to crank the starter.

Step 3: If there is a spark, move to the fuel system. If no spark, check whether you’re getting spark from the coil to the distributor. Pull the coil wire from the distributor and hold it near a ground. Again, have your assistant crank the starter. Look for spark from the coil lead. Note: Coils are blamed for most ignition problems but seldom are the culprit.

Step 4: If you have spark at the coil lead, you likely have a problem with your distributor rotor or cap. Carry replacements. In recent years, rotor problems have been much more common than car problems, so start with a rotor.

If you don’t have spark from the coil lead, then you’ll need your test light. Attach the ground clip of the light to a good ground, then touch the point to the positive side of the coil while the ignition switch is turned on. (This is assuming a negative-ground car.)

The light should glow. If not, trace this part of the ignition circuit to determine why the coil isn’t getting power. Notes: For positive-ground cars, switch the polar- ity on this test procedure. The coil is marked with a + and – on either side where the wires attach.

Step 5: Does the ignition switching mechanism work? Assuming you have power to the coil, hold the pointer of your light to the negative side of the coil while your assistant cranks the engine. Your light should flash on and off as the engine spins over, telling you that the switching mechanism in the distributor is working. (This is true whether the car has points or an electronic ignition.)

If the light glows steady or not at all, it’s time to get into the distributor. If working with a positive-ground car, don’t forget to switch the polarity on this test procedure as well.

To determine why your distributor isn’t providing the switching for the coil, you’ll need to get out the manual for your car (or your ignition system if it’s aftermarket) to go through the testing procedure for your points or electronic switching mechanism.

If it’s not an ignition problem, then it’s likely a fuel delivery issue

Step 1: Make sure that the throttle linkage hasn’t become disconnect- ed or fouled up.

Step 2: If you have an electric fuel pump, determine if it’s working or not. Note: Mechanical fuel pumps seldom fail while en route. If the fuel pump is working, proceed to Step 4.

Step 3: If the fuel pump is not working, then make sure its fuse is good and check that neither the positive nor negative wires have become disconnected, pinched or pulled off.

Step 4: Check that fuel is getting to the carburetor or fuel injection. Fuel is pressurized to 3-5 psi on a carbureted car and upward of 35-40 psi on a fuel-injected car. DO NOT ALLOW FUEL TO SPRAY ON A HOT ENGINE OR ANY OTHER HOT COMPONENTS. Carefully pull the fuel line off the carburetor or injection. Aim the line at a suitable catch can. Have an assistant crank the engine. If fuel comes out of the line, then you have a carburetor or fuel injection issue and should proceed to Step 6.

Step 5: Check your fuel filter. If you can blow through the filter, then you might have a clog elsewhere in the delivery system. Follow the fuel system back to a possible second fil- ter and finally the tank. Sometimes the tank’s pickup can get clogged, and you can remove the blockage by either blowing back through the outlet tube or running a rod or piece of wire through the tube. Be prepared to reattach the line very quickly, and remember that fuel and its vapors are very flammable. Do not work with fuel around hot engines, hot exhaust systems or other hot components.

Step 6: Some carburetors, like Webers, pass the incoming fuel through a screen. These screens can get clogged but are easily cleaned.

Step 7: Car still not running? Now that you’ve ruled out all of usual culprits, you have to delve deeper. On a carbureted engine, it could be a sunk float or a clogged jet. On an injected car, you might have a disconnected crank angle sensor, clogged fuel injector or another failed or disconnected electrical component. Check all grounds, too.

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For more pictures a lot better than mine, visit Photographer Mark Deutsch's facebook at
email to Bobfixesitup@yahoo.com to get the link and overcome the facebook blocking



Another...groan...detailing video.... lol
https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/p...ml#post9452787

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How detailing can make a mediocre paint job look better

Sponsored by

Update by Tim Suddard to the Ford Mustang Fastback project car
Jun 7, 2023 | Ford, Mustang, Vintage Racing, Ford Mustang, Detailing, Vintage Race Car, Grand Prix Concours

After working on our Mustang for the better part of a year, it was truly a mess: grease, dirt and overspray.

We asked our detailing wiz, Tim McNair of Grand Prix Concours to come down after The Amelia to help with our Mustang.

[Don’t miss any of the pageantry from Amelia Island | Live thread: The Amelia 2023]

What he found made him cringe. The mediocre paint job had received little care over its lifespan and was now filthy.



He shook his head in disappointment and went to work.

The first step in any detailing is to wipe the whole car with quick detailer. In this case, he used Griot’s Garage Best of Show detailer and, as he stresses, work with the lines of the car.

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Now he could see what further work was needed–and, in this case, it was a lot.

Tim then took a Griot’s Garage a Brilliant Finish synthetic clay bar and rubbed down the entire car. Using quick detailer as a lubricant, this clay bar will lift most of the dust, dirt, bugs and overspray from the paint.



We were surprised how quickly our Mustang was shaping up.

But it got even better when McNair started up his Griot’s Garage orbital buffer. He set the buffer to 5 and fit a course orange pad. He applied some Griot’s Garage Correcting Cream. It was looking better.

Then, using a fine black pad, he applied a final coat of Griot’s Garage ceramic coating on our Mustang to keep the look for months to come.

One final step was to deal with our scratched and yellowed plastic R-Model rear window. Using a combination of Meguiar’s PlastX and Plexus, Tim managed to buff out most of the scratches and make the window clear again.



We were impressed. We didn’t think this marginal paint job could look this good, and we won’t be an embarrassment when we unload for that first event.

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How to help a friend restart a stalled project

By David S. Wallens
Aug 13, 2023

When you see someone struggling with a project car, what’s the usual response? Make them feel even worse about their predicament? Give ’em a little kick when they’re down–you know, just a little good-natured public ribbing? Or how about waiting them out so you can scoop up the unfinished hulk for pennies on the dollar?

I couldn’t do that to Chris, our video editor.

A few years back, he got the hots for a VW Beetle, so he bought one: a 1971 Super Beetle, some assembly required.

He’s made progress on the car, getting it repainted and largely back together. The engine is in, and I’m told it even runs.


Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

But then, with the finish line in sight, the Beetle project stalled, unceremoniously pushed to one side of the garage.

All too often, the focus is on the person telling the story: How will this improve my experience?

What about turning that around a bit: How can we improve someone else’s experience?

Could we, meaning part of the Classic Motorsports editorial team, get this project back on track? It would at least be fun to try.
Step 1: Assemble a posse.We’re in the middle of our summer travel schedule and, let’s be honest, a two-car garage only fits so many bodies. So we kept this work detail a little on the trim side with just four people joining Chris. We had J.G. Pasterjak, production manager; Tom Suddard, director of marketing and events; Colin Wood, associate editor; and me, the editorial director.


Photography Credit: David S. Wallens

Step 2: Simply pick a date.

It’s easy to keep kicking that can down the road. In fact, we had to reschedule once, but J.G. had a good reason. (Stupid kidney stones.)


Photography Credit: David S. Wallens

Step 3: Form a plan.

Tom had been helping Chris with the car before work stalled, but the rest of us hadn’t seen it. That first day would be mostly for recon and developing a full plan of attack, but we did write down some clear goals for our first work day: Assemble a shopping list, detail a plan for completion, and attack a few easy tasks so we could celebrate our achievements.


Photography Credit: David S. Wallens

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Step 4: Just show up.

Tom arrived with tools, donuts and a giant fan–it’s been very hot here in Florida, and we’d be working in a garage not blessed with climate control. We didn’t even have a lift.

Colin brought his film camera and a smile. J.G., a former Beetle owner, brought more than three decades of experience–and, like everyone else, a smile.


Photography Credit: David S. Wallens

The longest journey starts with the first step–in this case, getting the car in the center of the garage and up on jack stands with the wheels removed. (Chris had already removed the surrounding clutter.)

The actual work started very soon after, and don’t worry, there’s much more to come about this car. As the photos show, we made progress–more than expected, to be honest.

We completed several items on our task list: door seals installed, running boards fitted, wheel bearings adjusted, leaking wheel cylinder replaced, and the dash wiring nearly all sorted.

We still have some more work to do, and we left Chris’s garage with a list of parts we need to procure. Fresh tires are very much on the list.


Photography Credit: David S. Wallens

We have some big travel coming right up–Monterey as well as the SCCA Solo Nationals–but we’ll all be back in Chris’s garage soon. We need to send him on that all-important victory lap.

Have a friend with a stalled project? Have you thought about how you can help get them back into the garage?

senor honda

What car sparked your interest in the car scene?

Dammit, do we have to let them sit until it costs us money and time?

Or until the city hauls it away under threat of fines forfeitures or imprisonment?

By J.A. Ackley
Oct 29, 2023

We all lead busy lives. Work. Family. Projects. We’re bound to forget something or someone along the way. I’m guilty of both. Consider this confession time–and it involves the vehicle that started my lifelong obsession with cars.

Sure, we all played with toy cars as kids. And we had our favorites, of course. But what was the car that you saw, in-person, that forever cemented your interest in this hobby?

Mine dates back to some of my earliest memories. In my grandmother’s garage sat this large, red car, with chrome bumpers and a black top. All I could see was its rear as the crowded garage prevented me from seeing any more of it. This just made the car even more mysterious and more intriguing.

Back then we didn’t have the internet, so instead us kids relied on our imagination–and mine went wild. Did it have circular headlights or square headlights? What was its engine like? Did it roar or purr?

I desperately wanted to know these answers.

“Mom, can you take the car out?” I’d ask.

She would smile and answer, “No, not today.”

My mom bought the 1974 Cadillac Eldorado convertible new. She worked hard, saved up and bought it for $10,000. That may not seem like a lot today, but when adjusted for inflation, that’s more than $60K in today’s money, quite the feat for a twentysomething single lady during the time.

Then, my mom got married and I came along. The Caddy got parked and my mom went with a more economical car for a family of five, a 1984 Chevy Celebrity station wagon.

Meanwhile, the Caddy sat.

And sat.

And sat.

I asked for my mom to take it out.

And I asked.

And I asked.

After years of this, my mom finally agreed with me.

Wait, what?! Was I dreaming?

The moment it got pulled out of the garage was like a huge revelation. The car was even more spectacular than I had imagined.



As the flatbed tow truck took it to our mechanic, the handyman at my grandmother’s house questioned our decision.

“Send it to a junkyard. It’s not worth it.” He probably wanted it free so he could own it.....

Screw him.

With some minor work, the car ran again. The first ride in it put me in a state of awe that probably still exists to some extent today. Sure, it may not be a svelte sports car, but it turned my head and many others in my neighborhood, too.

The one time my mom picked me up from school in it, it drew some jealous ire from my schoolmates.

“It’s a rental car,” they accused.

Screw them, too.

As I grew older, I moved away for college, and then for work. I would still come back regularly to visit my family and friends, and, of course, the Caddy. I took it out whenever I could. That included the hottest days in summer, when the black interior burned you, and the coldest days in winter, when I’d ride with the top down and icicles would form on my face (mild exaggeration).

A little more than 10 years ago, I moved even farther away from my parents, to the tune of 750-plus miles.

I visited less frequently.

My mom got older. I got older.

Meanwhile, the car sat.

And sat.

And sat.

I began to ask again, “Can we take it out?” However, this time that wasn’t directed at my mom.

It was at me.

My mom had a recent health scare. She’s okay now, but it made me think that maybe it’s time to get the Caddy going again. We’re not getting any younger.

So, I ask myself another question: What would three-year-old me say?

I know the answer.


My first car may be in the background, but there's no question which car first captured my attention.

senor honda

On November 11, we salute all veterans and active duty military, remembering their p
On Veterans Day, we recognize the service of America’s Heroes like you…

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