How many of you remember this guy?

[bobtile]

I was sitting here thinking about what got me into Mopars and drag racing in the first place. When I was a kid, my neighbor was a welder. He was one of the only ones around at the time that welded aluminum. He did a lot of work for racers, so he would always be going to Englishtown on weekends. He was a great guy and would take his kids and about 4 or 5 of the neighborhood kids with him. Because of him, we got into the pits and were actually hanging out with a lot of the racers. Anyway, the one guy that got my attention was Bob Glidden. I know that he was a Fjord guy, but he made the move to Plymouth. I remember him telling my neighbor that Chrysler didn't get the respect that they deserved, so he wanted to prove that they could be competitive in the pro stock class. At the time, I had no allegiance to any brand but I knew that I loved the speed. For some reason, Bob Glidden just seemed like a nice guy so therefore I started paying attention. I have been addicted to the sport and the brand ever since. Anyway, just wanted to put that out there and see what may have gotten you guys hooked.

 

[Durandal25]

......great thread sir!

 

[bobtile]

Thank you.

 

[conv67bdere]

My Uncle was a drag racer and I spent many a day at his house working on his dragster and traveling to the tracks to race all Summer long. I was actually walking around in the pits at the same time that Bob Glidden was racing - I remember him very well . . . but it was my Uncle that got me hooked on cars. He ALWAYS ran a Hemi - didn't matter what car he was running. Later on my cousin and Uncle stepped it up into Alcohol Funny Cars . . . and I've been at the track with them and wrenching in the pits on it as well. They sold off the Alcohol Funny Car last year and I think they've had enough of the racing scene ( as owner of the car ). They still love to travel to the track and help other with their car.

I've spent many a Summer at the race track with my Uncle . . . and it was many years of very fond memories ! ! !

And some pretty funny stories too ! ! !

 

[lewtot184]

i live in whiteland indiana and there used to be a sign that said "whiteland indiana, home of bob glidden". i don't think he lives here anymore and i thought that he was in poor health but may be mistaken. met him a couple of times but never new him personally. my painter was buddies with him for a long time. they were both big ford guys.

 

[bobtile]

Love to hear the old drag racing stories. Makes me feel like a kid again!

 

[mrkinger]

I remember Bob ,didnt he retire from pro stock racing a Ford T bird

 

[Photon440]

He did seem to win no matter what he drove. He knew how to do it. Even when he was 66 (in 2010) he climbed in Jim Cunningham's Mustang and knocked off 6.703 seconds/205.91 with a .003 reaction time. Not too shabby.

 

[snakeoil24]

Bob Glidden beating Grumpy Jenkins in the early days at Englishtown was always good. Chrysler got more recognition then Ford or Chevrolet, since Chrysler had the best Engineers. When Ronnie Sox showed up and raced against Dyno Don, Bob Glidden was always a very tuff competitor to beat! Glidden did it with anything he touched.

 

[alleyoopmgv]

My Dad started drag racing before I was born. I grew up at dragstrips on the weekends, and all over the United States and Canada.

 

[bobtile]

Loved it that he worked on his own stuff.

 

[tallhair]

Thanks for sharing those memories alley!

 

[Budnicks]

I was sitting here thinking about what got me into Mopars and drag racing in the first place. When I was a kid, my neighbor was a welder. He was one of the only ones around at the time that welded aluminum. He did a lot of work for racers, so he would always be going to Englishtown on weekends. He was a great guy and would take his kids and about 4 or 5 of the neighborhood kids with him. Because of him, we got into the pits and were actually hanging out with a lot of the racers. Anyway, the one guy that got my attention was Bob Glidden. I know that he was a Fjord guy, but he made the move to Plymouth. I remember him telling my neighbor that Chrysler didn't get the respect that they deserved, so he wanted to prove that they could be competitive in the pro stock class. At the time, I had no allegiance to any brand but I knew that I loved the speed. For some reason, Bob Glidden just seemed like a nice guy so therefore I started paying attention. I have been addicted to the sport and the brand ever since. Anyway, just wanted to put that out there and see what may have gotten you guys hooked.

I remember Bob Glidden very well, he was working for a couple Mopar teams recently too, great engine & chassis set up guy, been crew chief too, but mainly because all them years dominant in the 1980's as a NHRA Pro-Stock owner/driver, very secretive back then too, won allot, some actually say unfairly so, he was the reason the NHRA instated the newer gas rules & causing inspections/checked between each round in P/S because he was "allegedly" using extremely light oxygenated fuels/gas blends/additives that would be illegal today in P/S... his kid Rusty did really well in Pro-5.0 too, never did really make it in NHRA thou... Bob was an innovator, it took allot of teams a long time to figure it out...

I started racing all over the US in 1981 -2007 NHRA IHRA NDRA SCTA etc., in many different classes, from door slammers, Calif. outlaw Pro-Stock Assn., Pro-Gas to AA/A, before that 1975-80 just mostly west coast as far east as Denver mostly 9.90 S/G & 8.90 S/C & later 7.90 S/E div. 7 bracket's or Comp eliminator, from 1966-74 traveling & possibly helping some, probably getting the way more than helping, with my step father Bob {he was a Pontiac & Mopar guy really, raced up & down the west coast}

 

[dvw]

You can still see that work ethic today. Watch his son Billy and wife Shannon.
Doug