Pizza Pie and a ride in the Grand Sport

[Joseph T.]

[Jim L.]

Re: Pizza Pie and a ride in the Grand Sport

More pictures from the same show as the above, just a little later in the day.

Note the lady holding her ears in this one. Can you guess why?




And after the engine was thoroughly warm, Bob Paterson simply drove away:





Who says Grand Sports aren't streetable?

Jim

[Joseph T.]

Re: Pizza Pie and a ride in the Grand Sport

Hard to believe that was 20 years ago...Joe

[John N.]

Re: Pizza Pie and a ride in the Grand Sport

Joe & Jim, Great pictures. What was the location and event? GS #3, is it still back in the bay area?
Regards

[Jim L.]

Re: Pizza Pie and a ride in the Grand Sport

Joe & Jim, Great pictures. What was the location and event? GS #3, is it still back in the bay area?
Regards

John,

That was the "Pizza and Pipes" show put on by the Northern California Chapter in 1988. My bride was the main organizer of that event. Pizza and Pipes was a small chain of Pizza restaurants owned at the time by Bob Paterson, who was always generous with the availability of the Grand Sport.

Yes, that car is back in the Bay Area, now owned by a gentleman named Larry Bowman, who coincidentally, lives somewhat close to Bob. The car itself resides at a race preparation shop at Sears Point.

I've heard rumours that the car is for sale.

Jim

[Alan S.]

Re: Pizza Pie and a ride in the Grand Sport

Thanks Joe and Jim.
What great pictures, especially the one of the car waiting at the stop light. I wonder how many pictures there are of those 5 cars being driven on the street?
Happy New Year!
Regards,
Alan

[Dick W.]

Re: Pizza Pie and a ride in the Grand Sport

002 is for sale and will be at R M Auctions in January

[Jim L.]

Re: Pizza Pie and a ride in the Grand Sport

Joe,

Were you present at the Pizza and Pipes show? If so, I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you. If not, how did you acquire the photo from that event?


When the traffic light turned green, Bob sedately motored away. The cyclist appears to be taking no notice of the loud, rumbling machine beside him:



Enjoy.

Jim

[James G.]

Re: Pizza Pie and a ride in the Grand Sport

Reminds me of the So. Cal Chapter meet in October 1989 in Solvang north of Santa Barbara. Bob Hoxie and Chevrolet gave the first showing of the new ZR-1.....and Rich Mason showed the SR-2.

Then we all hit the back roads and raced up to buy lunch at Mattie's Tavern. OPEN PIPES, and only GM MFG. plates on a 1989 ZR-1 Pilot line #003 car.

The good old days

[Steven B.]

Re: Pizza Pie and a ride in the Grand Sport

Great pictures! I remember writing Bob Patterson when he was restoring the GS sending a couple of pictures I had of the GS's before flares, etc. and he was kind enough to send me a couple of pictures of the GS in his drive. Years later I spoke with him at Waterford Hills during the "big tour" and he told us which corner to stand to see him bring a front wheel off the ground while in the turn. He did it, too! Later, after sale of the GS to Armstrong I got to see Bob's '57 at Monterey. More great fun! I would love to have seen it on the street go through an intersection, though!!!

Steve

[Joseph T.]

Re: Pizza Pie and a ride in the Grand Sport

Joe,

Were you present at the Pizza and Pipes show? If so, I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you. If not, how did you acquire the photo from that event?


When the traffic light turned green, Bob sedately motored away. The cyclist appears to be taking no notice of the loud, rumbling machine beside him:



Enjoy.

Jim

Jim..I took the photo.

I was in San Fancisco on a business trip when I got a call from Noland asking if I would come to the Pizza and Pipes meet and give a hand. I did and volunteered as a judges helper! I am pretty sure we met. I remember someone telling me that day that they needed a certain special intake clip for their 427/435 car. Was that you?

Also received a nice thank you letter from the a very nice lady who seemed to be running things at the meet. I still have that letter somewhere.

I really enjoyed the people and the cars and was happy to be there. Micky Swezey's 57 race car sounded and looked good too. I have a great picture of his car from that day somewhere.

Can't believe 20 years have gone by. Never thought I would own the 57 Nassau/Daytona/Sebring car either. Just goes to show you anything can happen.

PS.. I reached for the camera when Patterson drove off in the GS late that afternoon..but I didn't move fast enough. I may have some pictures of the GS that day with the hood open.

I also just remembered that I was talking to someone at that meet who had just bought as I recall a 1965 396 Coupe from a California dealer..for $60K..sound familiar?

Small world!

Regards,

Joe

[Jim L.]

Re: Pizza Pie and a ride in the Grand Sport

I was in San Fancisco on a business trip when I got a call from Noland asking if I would come to the Pizza and Pipes meet and give a hand. I did and volunteered as a judges helper! I am pretty sure we met.

I was the chief judge at that event and I have a dim memory of someone showing up at Noland's request. Looks like we did meet, and I'm sorry I don't have a more clear memory of having done so. Blame it on just a touch of overload the day of the meet and, more recently, senior moments.

I remember someone telling me that day that they needed a certain special intake clip for their 427/435 car. Was that you?

Ah, no. My Corvettes have engines that range in size from 235 to 377. Nothing larger.

Also received a nice thank you letter from the a very nice lady who seemed to be running things at the meet. I still have that letter somewhere.

That would have been my then-future bride, Diane. Chapter chair made the serious mistake of telling her she couldn't possibly pull off a chapter meet in the time that was available to her. That did it. She became a woman like whose fury hell hath no....

I really enjoyed the people and the cars and was happy to be there. Micky Swezey's 57 race car sounded and looked good too. I have a great picture of his car from that day somewhere.

Mickey's car is seriously under-appreciated and he doesn't do much promoting of the car to correct that situation. I've seen no other C1 vintage racer that is still in possession of so much of its original racing hardware. Did you know that, in the 46 years he's had that car, he hasn't yet changed the brake shoes? Definitely a neat car.

Can't believe 20 years have gone by. Never thought I would own the 57 Nassau/Daytona/Sebring car either. Just goes to show you anything can happen.

And speaking of a neat car!

I may have some pictures of the GS that day with the hood open.

To bring this back on track, I hope you can find and post them. I would imagine that the engine was comprised of an aluminum bow tie block, aluminum bow tie heads, and a honkin' big Holley.

Did you go inside the restaurant that day? Up on the TV monitor, Bob was playing the in-car video from his race at the '87 Historics against #004, driven by Jamey Mazotta.

In car racing videos aren't for everyone, but I was mesmerized by that one.

Small world!

Definitely.

Jim

[Rick G.]

Re: Pizza Pie and a ride in the Grand Sport

Like so many of the Northern California Chapter meets, this meet was great. The cars are the reason we attend but the people are the reason we come back show after show. You will never find any nicer people than Bob, Mickey, Jim and Diane. They, along with so many others in our chapter continue year after year to give so much of their time to promote our hobby.