BG] Back in the early days, none of us had a lot of fnancial support. See all 8 photos Glidden improved his engine building and race craft and that helped . We worked hard at it and we had a lot of good luck. Bob Glidden's '78 Fairmont. Drag racing fans saw the engine used in all sorts of applications. Whatever our best-running engine was would be our base engine, and we wouldn't change anything on it until we found something better. I think a book of that nature should be written about Pro Stock drag racing. As it turns out, this question is often overthought. Mickey Thompson phased them into his Mustang Funny Cars, and the Boss 429 is the engine that he experimented with his compressed-air supercharger. In 2001, the NHRA honored him with the No. Prior to that year, our Ford had to weigh about 300 pounds more than a GM with the same size engine. Well, we could win the race because we were the fastest car, but we needed to set one end of the record, and before the fnal, the Santa Ana wind turned around and we had a tailwind, and we won the race and set the record. Check out Februarys shop tips and tricks. Really, the championship was over before the World Finals, and we went to the World Finals with really no chance to win. MESSAGES. Then came the end of the season and the last hurrah for the Fairmont, was Glidden bummed? I didnt wonder about it because we were lucky with that car, Glidden said. The video has myself asking Bob questions, and him answering them. When we went to [race with] the Plymouth in 1979, we had the same weight breaks as the Chevrolet, and we just dominated. MCE Engines, Los Angeles, California. Sweet, Rootstock Selection for Short Season Tomatoes: What to Consider and Recommended Varieties, Rootstock selection is an important part of successful tomato production, especially in short seasons. He was really just being an asshole. Gliddens career spanned over 25 years and in addition to running Pro Stock, Glidden made a few appearances at World Ford Challenge events behind the wheel of his son Billys popular Fox-Body Mustang. Even today, only John Force (134) and Warren Johnson (97) have more event wins, and no Pro Stock driver has yet to claim more cham-pionships (Glidden won 10, including five in a row from 19851989). You can come to your own conclusion. Glidden won three more titles in the 1970s before relinquishing his stranglehold on the class to Lee Shepherd briefly in the early 80s. It was very much the same to what Pro Stock cars are today, Glidden confirmed. They put weight on me and took weight of the Chevrolets. NHRA Hall of Fame driver Bob Glidden dead at age 73 And the Pro Stock quandary still grows, out of proportion for some. Glidden ran Ford engines displacing as few as 332 inches and as large as 340. We promise not to use your email address for anything but exclusive updates from the Power Automedia Network. They barely have full felds in Pro Stock today because people can't aford it. HRM] Did you dislike it just because it was ugly, or was it an ill-handling car as well? He didn't like me and I didn't like him. And he completed the season with five straight wins and his eighth Pro Stock championship. It was kind of like the Plymouth Arrow when we came out with it. In 1983, even the NHRA dumped factoring. On the port floor about 3/4" in from int. But today, his condition took a turn for the worse. Back in the early 1980s, we really dominated with the small-block, There was a lot to look forward to for the next season, but that Fairmont sure did make racing fun in 1978. The paint now, if it is the same car, is Killer Candy Red. 2023 Power Automedia. by Torquemonster Fri Feb 04, 2005 4:38 pm, Post Encore: Glidden'S Fairmont - Nothing Like Undefeated Glidden had a handle on the longer-wheelbase Thunderbird, and the 500-inch Shotgun engine and that allowed him dominate the 1985 season. In fact, he had the wherewithal to remove his fire jacket and place it over the carburetors and manifold to hide any secrets. Takes the place of Clevor. BG] You know, I was pulling all year for Erica [Enders] to win the 2014 championship, which she did. in 78 he won everything on the calender with a ford fairmont , cleveland powered . Not only has technology advanced in leaps and bounds, but so has the cost. head gurus that could maybe answer for me. The next 4 races were, Sanair Super Speedway,(8/6/78), Indianapolis Raceway Park, The Coveted US Nationals, (9/4/78), Pacific Raceways (9/24/78), and The World Finals, at Ontario Motor Speedway( 10/8/1978). by BRENT FAY Fri Feb 04, 2005 4:24 pm, Post The following season, he and Ford teammate Rickie Smith debuted new Thunderbirds at the 1983 season opening Winternationals at Pomona. Ford racing icon and 10-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Bob Glidden passed away December 17 at the age of 73. For at least 15 years, most all Pro Stock racers local regional, circuit, and even racers in the big three sanctions (NHRA, AHRA and IHRA) were hands-on racers. Bob Glidden's pro stock C heads - Cleveland's Forever When Pro Stock racer Bob Glidden retired in 1997 with 85 event victories, he was the winningest driver in NHRA history. A Pinto. The Boss 429 engine was designed to beat Chevy and Dodge and put Fords in the winner circle, but to make them legal for NASCAR, Dearborn had to offer them in street cars. Everyone in the NHRA community is saddened to learn the news of Bobs passing, said NHRA President Peter Clifford said in a statement. Ordinarily, that time of the day at Ontario, the wind was a headwind and it just wasn't very likely we could win. I think Dave Williams mentions 351X as a designation either he or someone else coined. Most of it I didn't have any control over. Racing bearings are different from those recommended for street use, and theres a lot to consider. In 1998, he returned to drive a Pontiac for friend Steve Schmidt at the U.S. Nationals and climbed behind the wheel again in 2010 for Ford runner Jim Cunningham. But these arent much different than then. BG] Well, we thought they were all very fortunate. After the Worlds Finals, I had to make a decision [to race full time], so I quit Ed Martin Ford and I bought equipment on timeyou know, I made paymentsand I started my own shop and that's how we continued on in Pro Stock. The entire venture went away after we sold Bob Glidden several engines in the winter of 1984. So I'd like to understand why he would run a de-stroked small block? Don had the car rebuilt into a Mustang II not long after the Winternationals in Pomona. Located in: Cleveland, Ohio, United States. I know that I have to hustle to win and that I have to go all out to afford to race. The shame of it is that Ford pulled the backing from him after all those years of hard work and the love he has for racing and Ford. Boss 302 ought to qualify since the heads are more or less shared. Ask Away with Jeff Smith: Choosing Cylinder Heads for Bottom-End Power To keep the Mustangs livable on the street, the Boss 429 was configured to make a rather disappointing 375 hp, while the NASCAR race engine was thought to put out closer to 550 hp. We had a three- year contract, but the following year, when Chrysler went bankrupt, my contract got voided. Credit for pics goes to Petersen Museum, all pics found on the net. 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BG] Oh, diferent deal, you know, after I quit racing, my hat was of to him because for years and years he stayed competitive. We'll send you the most interesting Dragzine articles, news, car features, and videos every week. Glidden's penchant for secrecy, notable even in the notoriously tight-lipped Pro Stock class, meant his innovations remained his own, but it also led to rumors and suspicions amongst his com-petitors. It reacted like a broken axle would. Behind the Scenes with the winners of the 2023 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, Tuner Jimmy Prock on analyzing mistakes made with Robert Hight's Funny Car, Two-decade journey leads Nate VanWassenhove to the KB Titan braintrust, Weekend Rewind: 2023 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, J.R. Todd: 'If you knew a weekend like this was coming, youd rather stay home', Fans love the all new In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, 4/29: Its Boss 429 dayCelebrate Ford's big-bore semi-hemi engine. Glidden had seven national victories that season, tying Don The Snake Prudhomme. BG] I was the son of a sharecropper. While many gardeners prefer the reliable production and compact size of determinates, others are drawn to the larger fruits and greater yields of indeterminates. BG] I guess it would have been the, oh what was it, I called it the frog, it was so uglyI can't even remember what the car was called. In the end, only the combination of all factors will yield the answer to the question of bearings. Eventually, in 1972, Glidden sold a pair of Super Stock Mustangs and purchased a Pro Stock Pinto from Jack Roush and Wayne Gapp. I bought a car from [Wayne] Gapp and [Jack] Roush. BG] All the engines are the same. This video is about the two week wonder, as Bob Glidden called it. Our rst Pro Stock race was at Ontario Motor Speedway, and we lost to [Grumpy] Bill Jenkins [in the nals]. I wanted to make it a week with Bob Glidden, Seeing the Pinto race, coming back to the shop, and get torn down. Bob Glidden's Pro Stock 351 Cleveland Heads:His Secret Revealed It was just a big old boxcar. The lightest and strongest components available were needed to crank those engines that hard. He began racing on the streets in the 1960s, then took his skills to the track first in Super Stock and later in the recently formed Pro Stock class in a used car purchased from Wayne Gapp and Jack Roush. Related Articles What Goes Into Steve. For 1982 NHRA went from a power-to-weight formula to a new 500ci displacement limit for Pro Stock. Bob Glidden - Wikipedia For a 339, the car had to be 2,475 lbs. These cars had stock frames with some fiberglass body parts available. . Glidden got his start while working as a line mechanic at Ed Martin Ford in Indiana before making racing his full time career. I made this video to document, a week with Bob Glidden, with his early cars, initially, and then just the '76 Pinto. Along the way there have been myriad rule changes. Warren was one, Johnson. That was one I did not walk away from, but I healed quickly. Gliddens Don Hardy Fairmont debuted at the 1978 NHRA Summernationals in Englishtown, N.J., and from that point everyone in the Pro Stock field was racing for second place, whether it was qualifying or eliminations. In this racing thing more than anything else when you get on a roll good things can happen because people are afraid theyre going to lose to you. Related Articles MAHLE Aftermarket Kicks-Off Inaugural Powered, A Hearse isnt your typical drag car, but that didnt stop Jason Pickett from outfitting his 1993 Buick Roadmaster Hearse with all the necessities for the track and the street, including a twin-turbo LS3 engine. Glidden retired after just two events in the 1997 season. Some recruited their wives or did it alone at times. by Guest Sat Feb 05, 2005 2:44 pm, Post Glidden commissioned chassis builder Don Hardy to build a new Ford EXP for the season and was planning on running a 351 Cleveland engine in the car. See inside the Ford 351 Cleveland he raced, check out his shop inside, I narrated it to give more insight, and detail on things you might know, if it was not pointed out. When Pro Stock racer Bob Glidden retired in 1997 with 85 event victories, he was the winningest driver in NHRA history. In ihra the fastest about this time (87) was a 6xx ci (BOSS) engine. Bodies had to be 67 or newer and for US 30 and Oswego, Pro Stock weight was 2700 lbs. The exhaust side of the heads had been cut off and a about 11/2" plate attached to the side and level with valve cover rail. His potent and competitive Ford combination had been hit yet another time by the pounds-per-cubic inch parity regulators. Glidden returned to the next race with a new mount, though his first victory of the season came in July at the Mile-High Nationals. History in the making at Four-Wide Nationals, Josh Hart looks to finish the job and pick up first four-wide win in Charlotte, Five unforgettable moments from the Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, After Pomona wreck, Force team had their hands full getting a new car ready, It's been a long road, but Matt Hartford is breaking new ground in Pro Stock, Adapting and adjusting are secrets to Justin Ashley's early-season success. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the lot at the auction site prior to the auction. He won three more champion-ships in the 1970s, despite losing factory sponsorship twice during that decade and having to build a completely new program with a totally different manufacturer in 1979. In the world of tomatoes, there are countless varieties that offer unique flavors, textures, and growth habits. We made all of our manifold runners by hand. The Arrow was as good as the Fairmont because it weighed as much as the small-block Chevrolet, Glidden admitted. Most of the early Pro Stocks were made from real cars. When freshened I would watch for shiny spots on gap ends, and adjust if necessary. Bob Glidden is inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in April, 2005. F.A.S.T. Ford Engine Buildup | Hemmings The quest for an edge for those with mega deep pockets had gotten out of hand, spending with ridiculous amounts for composite engine parts like rods, valves, pushrods, and titanium valve springs, which now are also illegal and dangerous. He was a true competitor who left a lasting legacy of excellence both on and off the track. Engine Machine Shop | Steve Schmidt Racing Engines The red and white Thunderbird. It got to the point where our competitors protested us at all of the races and it got to be such a hassle tearing engines apart we nally just decided to try Pro Stock. But perhaps most famously, the Boss 429 was the engine architecture that Bob Glidden dominated Pro Stock with. A group that it seems most people have forgotten was Reher and Morrison, from back in the old days. 7 posts Bob Glidden's pro stock C heads Bob Glidden's pro stock C heads. Post Mar 01, 2007 #2 2007-03-01T14:39. We went into that with NHRA's word that they would not change the weight breaks, but after the frst race, they did. HRM] Throughout your career, you primarily raced Fords. This was his last pass in IHRA TRIM. In 1968 he changed to a 428 Cobra Jet Mustang. Its not so much the connecting rod length that matters as much as it is the correct piston pin height. Back in early Chicagoland Pro Stock, you could make any mods to the engine you wanted. In the 1980s, Glidden added six more championships to his name, including a 1980 win over Lee Shepherd that remains one of the most dramatic last-minute turnarounds in drag-racing his-tory. Tomato enthusiasts have long debated the merits of determinate versus indeterminate varieties. Pro Stock Quandary - Engine Builder Magazine I had actually bought the car before they did that, so I got a car kind of in a basket. Straight axles were accepted. He won his first U.S. Nationals in 1973, and his first NHRA championship one year later, beating the Gapp and Roush team with their own car. BG] None of those. Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from Dragzine, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE! Bob Gliddens FE - 332-428 Ford FE Engine Forum Offering top notch Aluminum Cylinder Head Porting and Cylinder Block Machining Services for High Performance Racing Engines by Race Engine Builder Steve Schmidt. The UDRA had no weight or cubic inch rules. Despite the additions and subtractions and various avenues of combinations, the racers welcomed the switch, although not immediately. The new rules for 2016 became even more radical when injection induction was mandated. -I had heard that Larry Widmar (theoldone.com) was THE reason for Gliddens big Ford head success. And those handsome bookings are what helped me afford to run on a professional level with decent equipment. 1972 was our rst year. Some say the short field problem is due to the cost to conform to the new 2016 mandated rules. Along the way, he acquired the nickname Mad Dog for his relentless work ethic and dedication to giving it all. He says the Cleveland is 200 pounds lighter than an FE block, and a Mustang coupe is 200 pounds lighter than a fastback or convertible. If that race had turned out dif-ferently, I probably wouldn't have been able to continue on nancially. But maximum horsepower was still the main ingredient. One of his favorite adversaries was none other than Bill Jenkins, who Glidden alleges made disparaging comments about the Fairmont in its 1978 debut. 205 likes. The car featured a chassis with quite a few similarities to today's current design. In what is unquestionably one of the greatest losses the sport has ever endured, drag racing legend and 10-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Bob Glidden passed away today at the age of 73 following a brief illness. The Chicago 1975 season was coming to an end, but I got to run once at US 30 and the last day at Oswego. Over the years, he has photographed several major auto racing events, sports, news journalism, portraiture, and everything in between. Not really, the Fairmont served its purpose, Glidden said. Pro Stock Mania: Bob Gliddens Undefeated 78 Fairmount 351 Cleveland And Chrysler came along and ofered me, it wasn't much money, but it was a lot more than nothing, plus all of the parts I needed. By Andrew Wolf December 17, 2017. So as soon as I got out of Still, in a build-ing over here at my shop, I'm sure there are probably 50 or 60 manifolds that we experimented with, all of which we made by hand. At the time I had no access to a flow bench. Any perceived advantage when it was debuted was quickly dissolved by the end of the season. The "Bob Rydey" 584; 582 Air Camando EFI; 618 "Super Air Commando" 632 "Air Enforcer" Pro Street Engines. This video documents the 1978 pro Stock Tour, and all the NHRA Pro Stock races that the Fairmont was undefeated in. This car was a serious player in UDRA and the Chicagoland Pro Stock class. NHRA. Now NHRA should just call the class PRO PONTIAC instead of PRO STOCK. It wasnt really ahead of its time because the chassis hasnt changed that much over time. I know that I have to hustle to win and that I have to go all out to afford to race. HRM] What do you think of today's Pro Stock class? Despite running a new car and engine, he won the season-opening Winternationals and did not lose a round until mid-season. Offered as a "believed to be" all original GT with 351 cid (5.8L) V8, four-speed manual transmission, and the engine-mounted "shaker" hood scoop. We were in a situation where we either won or we couldn't continue. After working with the Power Automedia staff for some time on a freelance basis, Andrew joined the team in 2010. Engine stand - Don Terrill's Speed-Talk Actually, later we ran the same engine because they had a weight break for 500 ci versus the bigger engine. Forum for the discussion of the US Ford 351 Cleveland, 351M (MODIFIED), 400 and Aussie 302C and 351C engines. The tour started with Bob racing his 78 Ford Pinto, at the start of the season. No one really knew how quick that car was. (9/24/78), and The World Finals, at Ontario Motor Speedway( 10/8/1978). Glidden rode the train of good fortunes as long as he could without question. BG] I don't know if we were so good. It's neat to see he once raced an FE. HRM] But was there a method to building winning cars? BG] Well, I'm a lucky old fart! My first attempt at Pro Stock was in June 1975. Our thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences are with the Glidden family at this difficult time.. But measuring is just as critical. BG] We won every race that year but two with the Plymouth. Von Ahn chose a 1970 block with correct casting numbers, as per F.A.S.T. There's Jeg [Coughlin] and [Dave] Connolly. Neither of which are perfect (not bad though) parts to build off of. That car got a little bit of a weight break. Jan 17, 2014. I get much less oil in the spray washer this way. Glidden was victorious in 1987 eight times, which included his 60th NHRA national win. ENCORE - THE ORIGINAL PRO NITROUS: THE AHRA PRO STOCKERS - Competition Plus When Bob Glidden was inducted as number four on the NHRA's Top 50 Drivers list, panelist Bob Frey said of Glidden's talent, "There never was, and probably never will be, a more dominant driver in our sport." On Sunday, December 17, Glidden died at age 73 . Ignition was still mostly points though some captive discharge boxes, like the long gone XPI, showed for a while. Bob Glidden didn't have one iota of 500-inch engine technology when the edict was handed down. Bob drove Fords almost exclusively throughout his career, at times carrying the banner virtually on his own. Hajek's current engine came in a roundabout way after Bob Glidden sold off his Cleveland parts to John Healy when Glidden switched to Boss 429s. Ford hadnt offered Glidden any factory backing in his years prior. I found an article on Mr. Glidden's Arrow from Sep 79 Popular Hot Rodding. But that is why I got many well-paid match exhibition bookings and my critics did not. Rings were top: .043 moly, second ring 1/16 ductile and 1/8 low tension oil ring. How about any sub 400 cid Ford with canted valve heads? It was the first of his three straight victories. Glidden claimed his first national win in 1973 at his hometown race, the coveted NHRA U.S. Nationals. There were no trick parts to it, Glidden added. Post Dec 06, 2007 #1 2007-12-06T20:00. note where the casting number is - on top of a runner. Gliddens accomplishments didnt end at the 1,320 either, he is listed 4th on NHRA Top 50 drivers (1951-2000), he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2005 and he received an induction to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1994. Bob Glidden was forced to drop his winning Cleveland engine program in 1982 when NHRA mandated 500ci and start a new R&D effort with the Boss 429 platform. Frank I. ran those a few times ,But the Boss was best. 4,531. My hands were our CNC. EngineLabs Tries to Pry Secrets out of Bob Glidden 4,531. All rights reserved. Bob Glidden will certainly never be forgotten. Bob Glidden, one of the greatest champions in the history of NHRA drag racing, announced his retirement Tuesday to devote his time to developing engines for NASCAR Winston Cup stock cars. I have heard that they are going to get Pro Stock back to more stock parts, and if they do that, that could help. Plus, I loved doing those big burnouts for my fans. He would use the next national event, the prestigious 1976 NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis as Only a few dragstrips hosted a local level Pro Stock program and logistically, I was in decent shape. He led the chase from start to finish, winning five national events and securing his sixth Pro Stock championship. Glidden scored victories in 1983 at the NHRA Springnationals, Mile High Nationals, Northstar Nationals and at the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis where he ran a track record of 7.68. "When we started hiring outside people, it was really our downfall," admits Glidden. I don't know if this is true or measurable of an old wives tail. In 1972, he turned professional driving a Pro Stock Pinto previously campaigned by Wayne Gapp and Jack Roush. Things just happened that way. The Chicagoland Pro Stock rules allowed racers to race at US 30 in Gary, Oswego and even the UDRA circuit. The story of Blair's Speed Shop is excerpted from Bob McClurg's latest book The American Speed Shop published by . Dealer Locator. Vintage Drag Car Garage - This Guy's Garage - MotorTrend
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