Grumpy Jenkins
 

I've always been a fan of his. Wish I could have met him. I thought this was a great video. He just brutalizes a 4 speed.:seasix:

I met him few times, the last was at Corvettes at Carlisle a few years back. (he was at the Kerbeck tent!)

My buddy had a NHRA record holding car and when I was free I helped him at big races. Met Grumpy and about 10 other's of the big names of the late 60s early 70s. As I was a Mopar person I got to know Dick Landy the best.

That is awesome.:seasix:

I was also a fan of his. Real shifting, real racing. No electronics and air shifters.

And didn't even bother to put the cigar down when he was racing. Grumpy was damn cool.:seasix:

I have talked with him a couple of times, nice guy and definitely knew how to build a Chevy...…..Supposedly he got the name because he was so focused on his work in the pits, he would never talk to anyone. I have seen a few smoke and shift down the 1/4:seasix:

Is that a vertigate shifter?

Bob Hamilton was a good friend and neighbor of mine in the '90s. He still had boxes of old home movies of the drag racing days. I wish I had gotten him to sign a bunch of the model kits or diecast they made of his famous Chevelle. He passed away after moving back to FL.

https://www.chevyhardcore.com/news/s...evelle-ss-454/

https://www.modelroundup.com/v/vspfi...-T-415mp-2.jpg




One of my favs Jerry MacNeish in his 1967 Z28.

[QUOTE=Grey Ghost;1669931]Is that a vertigate shifter?

I believe that is an off the shelf Hurst Competition Plus. State of the art in that time.

Been in person to see him in action both at national meets and when they showed up at our local drag track. (Lebanon Valley Speedway) Back then all the big names got paid rather decently to go to local tracks. If the weather was good the local track would just about double its attendance

I would have to say Mr Jenkins was dam good in the shifting department, but not quite up to the level of who I considered the best Ronnie Sox.

Believe it or not another in the very fast shifting club was Shirley Cha Cha Muldowney I knew her when she used to street race, before she went pro and left the area!.

I have always been a fan of Bill Jenkins. :cert:

He was actually puffing on that thing as he was bang shifting the car. That took a real concerted effort. Totally non-challant about it too! :Jeff '79:

I met a lot of the old drag racing great ones in my teens, but never met Jenkins. I always wanted to meet him, because for some reason I suspected he was a real nice guy despite his nickname. Most of those guys back then were real nice and loved the fans. There were a few exceptions.