65 replies to this topic

[Gator Bob]

I (we) Won !!! 

 

Well not really .... but it sure was good to go back in time and finish about where I would of back in 1966.... last? 

Thanks for putting this proxy race on and of course the BadA$$ award to "Team Cresskill' was way cool!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tex]

ROWR!

[dc-65x]

It's a great car Bob and thanks for entering it!

[Jairus]

It is a very pretty car.  Well done Bob!

[Gator Bob]

Thanks !

 

Coming from two of the best at this ....well... that's big.

[Pablo]

I highly value Mrs. Thigpen's reaction also

[dc-65x]

 

I highly value Mrs. Thigpen's reaction also

 

In case anyone missed what Pablo is referring to from the R&C Proxy results thread:
 

Lastly I was struck by Gator Bob's entry so I get to give an award too! I was trying to think of what to call his car....."baddest", "meanest", "most aggressive looking" but I just couldn't come up with the right title.
 
Then my wife walks by the table with the dozens of different cars laid out and points to Bob's car and says, "WOW! What's that?" I blurted out without thinking, "that's the most BADA$$ car of the event" and she replied, "It sure is!"
 
So congratulations Gator Bob!

[Horsepower]

Beautiful car , Bob! Prettiest Cheetah I have ever seen. Never thought in 1966 that a model could look so damn good, although it isn't exactly 1966 now! It's also great to see our tax dollars so well spent by our great law enforcement, chasing a toy car halfway across the U.S. That's another thing I thought I would never see in this country.

[Gator Bob]

 

Flashback....

 

OK .. so...it's 1966.

Team Cresskill was made up of Richey Genes and a little Gator named Bob.  Home track Closter NJ.

We didn't make in to the slot magazines but our noses were in them when we should have been on our paper routes.

 

Our FAST cars were built around mostly Dynamic, a Champion chassis or two and a Cuc thrown in. Richey had a Weller Gun neither of us could solder worth a damn, the face made when scorching an endbell was all the proof we needed.

That ruby red hot and smoking Cox controller made it all seem so real while never letting go no matter how hot my hand got.

 

We were in awe watching the Pros compete.

An 'old guy' came up to me once and said "hey kid, it's bad to keep your cars in a metal fish and tackle box, it kills the magnets." 

 

So .. this is the thread where I will start with my questions and build up.

 

 

 

Stories have a beginning a middle and an end.....

 

The beginning is above, the middle is missing as I lost touch with Richey when I moved from Cresskill in 67, ... for no good reason ... it could have been great all along. Turns out we were both in the same industry.

 

 

To close out this tale ...

I was thinking "What should I do with the BadAss one?

Keep him in a box and take him out for a smile drive now and then.

Put it on ebay.

THAT's IT ... I'll use the "internet" to find Richey he was a badass and give it to him and 'hey' get re-acquainted. .... PERFECT !!! 

How could he NOT like this gift.

 

Found him.....

 

Richard Lamme, 59, of Cresskill, NJ,  Tuesday, September 3, 2013. Beloved husband of Jeanne Lamme. Devoted son of Peggy Sutlovich. Mr. Lamme was the CEO of Client Instant Access, LLC in Fairfield since 1997. Service Friday at Ippolito-Stellato Funeral Home, 7 Two Bridges Road, Fairfield. Family and friends will be received Friday 4-8 PM.

 

Well Gentlemen ....  The saying goes there is no ME in TEAM.

To wrap up and turn out the lights of "Team Cresskill" ...

 

It is heart warming to know it sounds like he kept on having fun in the fast lane... as a friend wrote:

 

Sending my deepest condolences to his wife Jeanne, mother Peggy, and all those who loved and knew Rich.
Rich was one of a kind! I've never met anyone like him and never will. I will always remember him driving fast cars with the top down, rock n roll playing, laughing and smiling.
You were a big part of my life and I will never forget you.

 

 

R.I.P.

[tonyp]

That Sucks...

[Gator Bob]

Ain't it the truth Tony .. A missed opportunity.

 

Do you believe that that I remember this song ... a 'Team' favorite ... was playing on the radio while we worked on cars after school. 

 

It always played when at the 'dances' too.

 

Kickin out the jams, building slot cars, talking lil bit o soul about girls and well ... just being Jr. Greaser punks with a pack of Lucky's .... life was good!

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=IdWp-QCLfWw

[SlotStox#53]

That Sucks...

Tony got it bang on

[Gator Bob]

Not much left to do so ..... I took it to Bill's Friday night.

 

Friday is Drag Night and I went to hook up with drivers for the "Rods and Rails" proxy. Guys are pumped.

 

 

With the oval empty and safe from the dreaded 'Rentals' ... I got to try the car out for the first time. The car was sent to the R&C proxy track untested. I was very impressed with the punch and straightaway speed. As fast as an FCR on the chute, cournering was not too damn bad for a car that is so high and the 1966 Dynamic rear rubber. The 5:1 gearset was good considering the total weight,

The Gator Built motor was way more than I expected with a Mabuchi com home rewind, small brushes and no spring post protectors.

 

It was a little celebration, Richey would have thought it was cool.

 

I did !!!

 

 

 

 

 

[SlotStox#53]

Very cool thing to do Bob !

Sounds like it ran very well indeed & glad went round the Oval and you got to finally try it out

Shows that although times and equipment change, performance doesn't always suffer. Even with 1966 rubber tires!!

Reminds me I will have to get round to
finally trying the Porsche & BRM out

The Proxy drivers should be in for a treat this year Bob !

[dc-65x]

Bob's Team Cresskill entry really stood out amongst all the entries. Our event driver Rodney really liked the power and "the way it tails out at the limit just like a real Cheetah!"
 
I should add that the 2 undercover Detectives and the Postal Inspector that delivered the Team Cresskill entry to my door really like the car too.
 

Lastly I was struck by Gator Bob's entry so I get to give an award too! I was trying to think of what to call his car....."baddest", "meanest", "most aggressive looking" but I just couldn't come up with the right title.

Then my wife walks by the table with the dozens of different cars laid out and points to Bob's car and says, "WOW! What's that?" I blurted out without thinking, "that's the most BADA$$ car of the event" and she replied, "It sure is!"

So congratulations Gator Bob!

[Gator Bob]

That's right ... without Rick coming up with this proxy concept I probably wouldn't have ever built the car.

 

Thanks Rick