Super Car Reunion
Written by Keith Fudge

Recently, Dennis Gage and the crew from My Classic Car had the opportunity to attend Super Car Reunion 8 at the Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis, Missouri.  This event featured some of the finest muscle cars ever produced and in attendance were owners of Yenkos, Motions, and other historic examples of American muscle at its finest!

After he arrived, Dennis found Tom Clary, the organizer of the event, who told him a bit about the reunion.  Tom told Dennis that this gathering started as a “Yenko Club,” but after one year they opened it up to include all makes and models of cars.  As a matter of fact, it was wide open as we saw Chevelles, Novas, Corvettes, Impalas, GTOs, and many other models, all with mega-horsepower in common!  Tom told Dennis that there were plenty of things to do at the reunion including a banquet and a car show for all participants to be held at the fantastic indoor facility here at the track, but the biggest attraction was watching these prime examples of vintage American muscle take to the strip to show what still makes them famous and desirable.  Finally, Tom said that this year’s event wouldn’t reach the record of 61 registered cars, but he did note that there were more than 50 classic cars on hand that day.  At that point, Dennis and Tom decided to take a look at some of these classic beasts of the streets and the strip!

First, Dennis found Ken Boje and his ultra-rare 1967 Camaro Z-28.  Even though it sported a 1968 license plate, Ken claimed that this car was the “real deal” 1967 and that it was one of only 602 ever built!  He stated that the car was bought as a racer from the factory, and what a racer it was!  Owned and driven by Fred Gibbs, this car held several AHRA records as it dominated the track at the end of the 1960s including setting two world records here at the Gateway International Raceway in 1968!  Ken said that the car was originally a plum color and that he has put it back to the condition when Fred Gibbs drove the car.  He also noted that he has owned the car for eleven years and found it in Odessa, Texas.  He said there have been some modifications such as a fiberglass hood and other fiberglass parts to lighten the car, but under the hood it is all how it came from the factory featuring a 302 cubic-inch engine equipped with a cross-ram intake manifold and dual four-barrel carburetors.  Next, Dennis chatted with Marlin Spotts, the proud owner of a rare 1970 Yenko Deuce Nova!  One of only six cars painted in this shade of tan, Marlin found this car located in Kentucky.  Featuring a “no-frills” interior that Marlin referred to as a “taxi cab,” this bad boy was all business on the inside right down to the bench seat, factory Hurst shifter, and the rubber floor mats.  On the outside, Marlin said that as far as he knows, this car is the only one that had this particular design of stripes that were put on at the Yenko dealership.  Under the hood, this bad boy was all business featuring a Z-28 LT1 engine that delivered its power through a Muncie M-21 four-speed tranny to a posi-track 12-bolt rear end.  Dennis noted the absence of the horsepower decal on the air cleaner, and Marlin told him that it was left off intentionally to not tip insurance agents that this was a high-performance car.  The next car that caught Dennis’s attention was a 1968 Motion Corvette.  Owned by Jamie Jarvis, this red rocket was sure to turn heads wherever it went!  Jamie told Dennis a bit about the car and how he rescued it!  Jamie said that he bought the car in Pennsylvania and that it had been sitting outside in a driveway for 25 years.  There was very little paint left on the car and the motor and transmission had been removed and were sitting beside it.  Concerning its earlier history, Jamie said that the car had been purchased as a stock 1968 Corvette and had been driven until 1973 at which time it was converted to a Motion Corvette.  As Jamie and Dennis walked around the car, Dennis noted the stock rear window that was a bit unusual, and then they looked at the rather spartan interior.  However, this car was all about the unusual front end and what was underneath the hood.  The front-end clip that Motion used on its Corvettes really set them apart from the crowd, and this car was no exception.  Featuring exposed headlights, this car looked a lot like a European sports car; however, it was what was under the hood that left no doubt that it was all-American!  Powered by a 427 cubic-inch, 435 horsepower engine, Jamie told Dennis that these cars carried a unique guarantee: a time of an 11.50-second quarter-mile or your money back!  Jamie laughed and said that he would put the Vette on the strip today but that “guaranteed” time was not in his sights!

Finally, Dennis spoke again with Tom Clary about one of the cars that he brought to this event.  Another historic racer was what Tom showed us in the form of Dick Harrell’s 1968 Camaro Funny Car!  This flip-top funny car has been restored to its former racing glory and is powered by a 454 big block engine that features an 871 blower.  Tom said that he runs the car on an alcohol fuel mixture and that it makes approximately 1,400 horsepower!  Tom said that when Dick Harrell ran the car, race times were in the 7-second range with speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour.  When he drives the car at these events, Tom said he is limited to 1/8 mile and he usually runs in the high five-second range.  Don Hardy built the chassis of this legendary racer.  Tom said that when he began to restore the car, he bought magazines and pictures featuring the original car to help in the process.  In addition, he also found two people who worked on the original and they guided him in his efforts.  Looking just like it must have looked more than 30 years ago, this car is a stunning example of one of the legends of racing!

We had a great time at Super Car Reunion 8 near St. Louis, Missouri.  If you would like to learn more about this event, you can find it at http://www.yenko.net/reunion/2006reunion.htm.  That’s it from the Midwest, so until our next trip, “Honor the timeless classics.  Happy Motoring!”