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Pics from Back in the Day

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16 year old punk-*** me on my 425 powered '66 98 circa 1984/85.
Fast and torquey with "anti-spin" limited slip.
In front is my "other car" at the time '55 buick.
Yes, I had a "car problem" even back then.
Less than a year and I'd get my Coronet, and forever change my life.

FYI the olds cost a whopping $100 in daily driver condition.
The buick was $25, running with gas poured in the carb, but not driveable.
 
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World of Wheels Oshawa, April 1990. 3rd kid is asleep in the back of the Bee, at about the same age her Daughter is now!
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Gratiot Auto Supply is where a lot of us gearheads from St. Thomas, Ontario would head on a Saturday morning to get our stash of hot rod parts. It was about 125 miles away, at Gratiot and Nine Mile Road in Detroit. We would take the tunnel under the river from Windsor to Detroit, where it would exit near the hub of the wheel at Cadillac Square, and find Gratiot Ave., and take it out to Nine Mile Road. Some parts of Detroit looked like Ukraine in those days, so nobody wanted to get lost in Detroit. We would return to Canada using the same route, stopping for lunch at a fantastic rib joint near the Canadian entrance to the tunnel.
Back then, around 1970, our Canadian $ was at par with U.S. $, so, Gratiot Speed would take our Canadian money with no exchange. We had to be careful to declare our goods at the border and pay the taxes. Those that tried to hide their booty and not declare it usually did not make out so well, and had their stuff confiscated. We always figured the shop ratted out anybody paying in Canadian $ to the border in the chance of getting their confiscated parts returned to be resold. Could have been an urban myth.
Interesting that Ron Mancini was sponsored by Gratiot Speed for many years in drag racing. Now the Mancini family has its own Mopar speed shop, and Gratiot Speed is long gone. I still have a 1971 Gratiot Speed catalogue, and the prices are hilarious. Should have bought two of everything! My memories of these clandestine trips are over 50 years old now.
 
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Gratiot Auto Supply is where a lot of us gearheads from St. Thomas, Ontario would head on a Saturday morning to get our stash of hot rod parts. It was about 125 miles away, at Gratiot and Nine Mile Road in Detroit. We would take the tunnel under the river from Windsor to Detroit, where it would exit near the hub of the wheel at Cadillac Square, and find Gratiot Ave., and take it out to Nine Mile Road. Some parts of Detroit looked like Ukraine in those days, so nobody wanted to get lost in Detroit. We would return to Canada using the same route, stopping for lunch at a fantastic rib joint near the Canadian entrance to the tunnel.
Back then, around 1970, our Canadian $ was at par with U.S. $, so, Gratiot Speed would take our Canadian money with no exchange. We had to be careful to declare our goods at the border and pay the taxes. Those that tried to hide their booty and not declare it usually did not make out so well, and had their stuff confiscated. We always figured the shop ratted out anybody paying in Canadian $ to the border in the chance of getting their confiscated parts returned to be resold. Could have been an urban myth.
Interesting that Ron Mancini was sponsored by Gratiot Speed for many years in drag racing. Now the Mancini family has its own Mopar speed shop, and Gratiot Speed is long gone. I still have a 1971 Gratiot Speed catalogue, and the prices are hilarious. Should have bought two of everything! My memories of these clandestine trips are over 50 years old now.
Remember a close out sale ad Gratiot or Mancini in early 70's Hemi short blocks $695 +/- $100.
 
I dug out my 1971 or so Gratiot Auto Supply catalogue. Some of the deals inside:

BB Chrysler high rise intake with Holley 950 cfm. 3-bbl $134.95
750 cfm. Carter AFB $39.95
850 cfm. Holley double pumper $79.95
1000 cfm. ThermoQuad $72.00
Six Pack Mopar intake $45.00
413 11:1 pistons, set of 8 $25.00
426 WDG flat top, set of 8 w/pins $35.00
Hemi Hi-stall torque converter $69.95
Mopar 4-speed for 383 $150.00
Mopar 8 3/4 SureGrip unit $50.00
Mopar 8 3/4 ring and pinions $40.00

More deals for Ford guys:

Dual Quad w/ Holley and intake for Ford FE $125.00
Tunnel Port 302 450 h.p., w/ 2x4 and flywheel $895.00
Boss 302 4-bolt mains, complete engine $1095.00
Ford 427 SOHC heads $300.00/pr.
Ford new Boss 429 $1400.00
Ford 427 SOHC $1500.00

Gotta go now; climbing into my Waay-Bak machine! LOL
 
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The dollar was worth more back then. You got more for less money.
 
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