Dick Guldstrand passed away

[Michael H.]

Re: Dick Guldstrand

Great Guy indeed.
Where is the roller skate on the roll bar?
It was indeed a privilege to know him and spend time
with him here in So Cal.
Will miss him.

I was looking for that upside down roller skate as well. He was well knowen for having that skate as a joke from his fellow racers.

I remember meeting him when I was 14 at Bahr Chevrolet as my dad had just bought a 1964 Impala SS as our new family car. My dad was big into racing back then so the salesman took us to the back of the garages and introduced us to Dick and his race car, what a memory I will never forget it. RIP Dick...........

Mike

[James G.]

Re: Dick Guldstrand

The story Mike, was everyone went to dinner in Monterey. They were staying at the now HYATT where Mecum has his annual August Auction. The dinner attendees were BONDURANT, GULDSTAND, AUGGIE PABST, PENSKE and a few others. Penske was driving a Ford rental 4 door, and still had his luggage in the trunk. After a great meal, PENSKE said ''Last man back, buys the nightcaps'' Everyone ran to their rental car and the race was on. When Bondurant and Guldstrand arrived in the hotel bar, Roger and Auggie were sitting at the bar soaking wet. Appaently the Ford 4 door was at the bottom of the pool in the morning and ''no one'' was talking about the wild ride thru town.

[James G.]

Re: Dick Guldstrand

I GAVE THIS SPEECH IN 2009 at the FABULOUS 50'S CLUB ANNUAL DINNER when Dick was the recipient of the Lindley Bothwell Lifetime Achievement Award.


I met Dick in the late 60’s racing a Corvette. I was a spectator that day, and was impressed that Dick was so natural……normal……friendly……and a fun guy that made you laugh. And a pretty good race car driver also.
Dick Guldstrand is a person made from a mold that no longer exists. He is a very “fun” person to be around………He is a hard worker………..He loves his family………..He shares himself and knowledge with everyone, and gives back…….He is a mentor to many in the automotive and racing world. He has character and integrity………..He is a ‘real man’
Most of us here tonight know of his accomplishments in automotive racing, which include:
Many Cal Club events from 1958 thru 62 in his little 1956 Corvette.


In 1963, 64, and 65 Dick won three SCCA Pacific Coast Championships including the 1964 Cal Club Driver of the year honors. All in his 63 and 64 Corvette Stingray
In 1966, Corvette chief engineer Zora Duntov was so impressed, he recommended Dick to Roger Penske. It is a long story. Dick was Roger’s first hired driver, and he and others drove Roger’s Corvette in the 24 hours of Daytona to 1^st in GT, 9^th OA.

On March 26, 1966 Guldstrand teamed up with the “Flying Dentist” Dr. Dick Thompson and they co-drove the Penske Grand Sport at Sebring. The 530hp engine pulled the front wheels up in the air on the 1900 pound car and created ''underwear stains'' that were never recorded in any history books.

In 1967, “Goldie”, as his friends called him, joined owners Payton Kramer and Bob Dembroski at DANA Chevrolet in South Gate, California as their road race performance manager and race driver.
DANA sent Guldstrand with Bob Bondurant to LeMans with the only Stingray Corvette to ever race LeMans on June 10-11, 1967. That same year Dan Gurney taught the world how to spray champagne on the victory podium.

Later that year, Dick drove the 1967 DANA Camaro Trans - Am car to three victories. It was the first win for a Trans- Am Camaro.

In 1968, Guldstrand Engineering was founded on Jefferson Blvd in Culver City. It was here on “Thunder Alley” that All American Racing with movie star Jim Garner was Dick’s first account. At the February 12, 1968 Daytona 24 hour race, Scooter Patrick and Davey Jordan shared driving duties in the AIR Corvette car #45 and Dick teamed up with Ed Leslie in the #44 car.
Dick’s engineering background and car control knowledge from his racing experience led him to become the premier Corvette suspension and high performance shop in the country. Between 1968 and the late 1970’s, about 70% of the Corvette winning race cars in the country were prepared at Guldstrand Engineering. And consumers could buy parts that Dick made for their Corvettes and Camaros suspensions from his catalog thru his parts department.
That tradition carries on today in his shop in Burbank. And what has Dick been doing all these years ?
He will tell you, “just taking a new car apart, and putting it back together”.

In 1984, New Corvette chief engineer, Dave Mc Lellan asked Dick to help with suspension development, as Dick had helped Dave with the new 3^rd Generation Camaro team back in 1982. So they took new cars apart and put them back together,…… and won 24 hours Nelson Ledges.

In the late 80’s and into the 90’s Dick continued taking new cars apart and created his own Corvette Grand Sport 80, and Grand Sport 90 models. These were HOT ROD Corvettes of the era, and one of them even ran on Natural Gas, 20 years ahead of the special “GREEN CAR” movement of today.
In June 2003, it was hard to believe, but America’s Sports Car, the Corvette celebrated it’s 50^th year of production.
You would think “Mr Corvette” Dick Guldstrand now in his mid 70’s would retire like most normal people,….. after all he was inducted into the CORVETTE HALL OF FAME at the Corvette Museum in 2000.
Nope…… He still wanted to take a new car apart and fix it and put it back together. He worked for over two years with Chevrolet and offered us all his special Guldstrand Signature Edition 50^th Anniversary Corvette powered by a 427/500hp engine built by KATECH that developed all the new C5R Corvette race engines of the last 10 years. When you go for a ride in that car and look over at Dick driving, he will give you that little grin and eye twinkle.

Dick is a very Generous Man. In 1996, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and fell on bad times. I had run my own garage and service businesses for 27 years, but could not continue with these health issues changing my life.
So what does Dick do ? Insist I move to Los Angeles and help him in his shop to “take cars apart and put them back together”. He gave me a full time job as shop manager at Guldstrand Engineering in Culver City. See what I mean about a mold. They don’t make um like they use to.
Dick is a great friend. My Dad always said “You are lucky if when you die you can count your friends on one hand”. Dick is my first finger up.
I am a way better person because I know him. And tonight, you all are better people also because you are here to honor him and now you know him a little better

[Duke W.]

Re: Dick Guldstrand

The last time I talked to Dick was at a Corvette ride and drive at Hollywood Park where Chevrolet introduced the vehicle stability system. That must have been in the late nineties. I saw Dick and said: "Hey, you learned how to drive in a solid axle Corvette and I learned on a "rubber axle" both with drum brakes. We don't need no stinkin' computer to second guess us."

Dick cocked his head, looked me right in the eye and said: "Oh, yes you do!"

The man has passed, but the legend will live on.

Duke

[Ken A.]

Re: Dick Guldstrand passed away

I think Dick made it every year (except last year) to the Corvette Corral and ALMS race at Laguna Seca since 2004 when I started volunteering at the Corral. As head of the volunteers, I made it my duty to park all the dignitaries in the special area we reserved for them. Dick always drove up from So. Cal., often times by himself. I was one of the first to greet him every time and he always made me feel like a long lost friend. I'd drive him to the pits in my golf cart and we'd talk, or he would just stick around the Corral and talk with his many fans. So friendly and warm, couldn't ask for a nicer guy. One of my favorite memories is the year he brought his C6 convertible that he had turned into a Z06. Tadge was all over it, and under it, and Dick was explaining what he did. Here was the head of Corvette being schooled by the old master. As they say, priceless. RIP my friend. I miss you already.
Ken

[Bert L.]

Re: Dick Guldstrand passed away

In Dick's own words, "It's better to be seen than viewed"...*link below
Iconic Corvette devotee that will be genuinely missed and long-remembered, RIP

http://www.petrolicious.com/this-corvette-and-dick-guldstrand-are-of-another-era

[Duke W.]

Re: Dick Guldstrand

Enjoyed watching Dick race at the 24 hour at Daytona in 1966, he had a 'mystery' motor in his 66 Coupe, and was in 'Prototype' class, which he won. I found my old racing schedule from that race and gave it to him 3 years ago, he hadn't kept one himself. Still have my pit pass from that race, cost $5 to be parked in the infield zone. RIP Dick!

That was Penske's '66 427 Corvette Coupe. Guldstrand picked it up at the plant in January and drove it back to Penske's Pennsylvania shop for race prep. The Coupe was equipped with the newly released F-41 and J-56 and also heater delete. Preparation included a racing exhaust system and installation of prototype cold air induction parts supplied by Chevrolet including a hood that was different than the '67 production cold air induction hood that was included with the L-88 option. (The prototype hood lacked the front "scoop", but for production Chevrolet was able to adapt the cold air induction parts to a production big block hood, which saved the cost of tooling up a new hood panel. The blocked off front scoop remained and cold are was taken from the back of the hood as on the prototype because the base of the windshield is a high pressure area at speed.)

According to a contemporaneous article in Corvette News it practiced with the "stock" engine, then a Traco-built 427 was installed for qualifyilng and the race. It's reasonable to assume that the Traco engine had protorype L-88 parts. For Daytona the Coupe was wearing it's original Rally Red paint. (With a racing exhaust system a "stock" L-72 will make close to 500 GHP versus the L-88's reputed 560 with racing exhaust, so the "stock" engine with the racing exhaust system was certainly adequate to sort out the car during practice.)

The parts were homologated with the FIA so the car was classified GT and won the class despite suffering significant front end damage. The '66 427 Coupe was also raced at Sebring the following month, repainted Sunoco Blue, and Penske added a Grand Sport roadster with a big block to the stable that Dick co-drove in the prototype class. He was forced off-course by a backmarker, which damaged the car sufficiently to knock it out of the race. I forgot how the GT Coupe faired, but I recall it did well.

I've seen a number of published photo captions from the '66 Sebring race that refer to the GT Coupe as a Grand Sport, which are obviously errors. I think most of the photos were by Dave Friedman, but I doubt if he wrote the captions.

Duke

[Joe R.]

Re: Dick Guldstrand passed away

In Dick's own words, "It's better to be seen than viewed"...*link below
Iconic Corvette devotee that will be genuinely missed and long-remembered, RIP

http://www.petrolicious.com/this-cor...of-another-era

Bert,

What a wonderful article!!!! Thank you for that nostalgic trip in the California hills!

Dick Guldstrand would be proud!

JR

[Tim G.]

Re: Dick Guldstrand passed away

I didn't know Dick, but I always said hi to him whenever I saw him. I also have his signature on a book about Corvette racing.
I'm sorry to hear he's gone.

[Jack M.]

Re: Dick Guldstrand passed away

Many outstanding tributes to a wonderful gentleman. Even though I only knew 'Mr Corvette' for a week, I was still very saddened to hear of his passing. My story dates back nearly 25-years, but I remember it as if it was yesterday. One evening, I get a phone call at my house... some guy is claiming to be Dick Guldstrand and he wanted help getting two truckloads of new Corvettes serviced, and many volunteers to assist driving them. Yeah, right... I figured it was somebody trying to prank me.

Turns out, Chevrolet decided to expand the original 'Corvette Dream & Drive Tour' and Boston was the next stop. Over the course of the week, we worked side-by-side, talked extensively and shared many meals. For a living legend, Mr Guldstrand was as down to earth as possible. He was filled with enthusiasm, told unbelievable racing stories... in a word, he was captivating.

Though we were together just a short time, he made me feel as if we were best friends. When he was inducted into the NCM Hall of Fame, I was their volunteer webmaster and was delighted to place his bio online. I always got a chuckle out of seeing Dick reusing that bio image in various locations/forums... it was as if he was still in touch.

Totally carefree and fun loving, he always had a grand smile and that twinkle in his eye. With that in mind, I hope nobody is offended if I post a most unusual picture of 'Mr Corvette'... it was part of a photo shoot done several years ago (CLICK HERE). My HERO... rock on and drive like HELL!

Guldstrand - Heavy Metal-01.jpg

[Russ T.]

Re: Dick Guldstrand passed away

Dick Guldstrand had a knack for public speaking, and one obituary said that he was a USO singer during the Korean War.
I have a video of one of his speeches where he claims that after some particularly harrowing racing down the Mulsanne Straight
(at Le Mans) he would always have to check his underwear for any signs of "The Mulsanne Stain" (his term.)


Russ Trotter
NCRS #15044

[James G.]

Re: Dick Guldstrand passed away

A beautiful TRIBUTE BURT. Church services are Saturaday Sept 26 at 1 PM. Efforts are being made for a CELEBRATION of Life at the RIVERSIDE RACEWAY MUSEUM in Riverside, CA in the near future.