For me, the street race season of 1979 started again halfway into the summer. It also brought several new experiences including some heavier opponents. The engine had been disassembled and several details were updated including a new, slightly-milder and more drivable camshaft.
The first race was a second run against my friend Lasse with -69 Hemi Road Runner in Norrtull. The race ended with the same result as before, and we were satisfied after 300 meters and turned off already at the first exit. This was followed by another winning race against a -70 `Cuda with 440. The slightly-tuned engine used an automatic with a hi-speed 3.000 rpm converter that wasn’t common on the street back then. It is estimated that this was a 14.0 second car.
Janne “big hair” was a different guy in Norrtull. He drove a -64 Nova with tuned 331 and manual gearbox. What particularly set him apart was his interest in surfing life in Australia. He told with great empathy about ending up in the “washing machine” when the waves break against the shore in the land Downunder.
The race towards Janne was the first time I probably hit the start too fast. Not because it was needed, but rather because The Silver Gray was quite superior. But, on the strip, it had probably been a red flag. In any case, no one commented on that race and Janne was most worried that he had shifting problems.
An earlier acquaintance, Rolle, was now back in Norrtull with a -73 Corvette that got a strong L88 under the hood. The details of this run are forgotten except that it was counted as another win.
A short time later, I was challenged again by a Corvette and this time a -70 with an LS6. The car seemed ambitiously tuned and Tony who was driving was confident. It was backed up by a 12.6 / 182 from Mantorp Race Park and according to information would have been done in full street trim. We raced in Norrtull and The Silver Gray won by a clear margin. Afterwards, Tony said that he missed shifting second gear and wanted another race, but immediately accepted my position on “another time“.
The next race was against something that deviated from the usual namely the automatic transmission of genius Jacki’s –58 Dodge Coronet. Under the hood sat a tuned 392 hemi and 5.13 in the rear axle – one could think this load out to be considered a bit extreme. How did this turnaround go? Well, thankfully, another win to The Silver Gray.
A somewhat funny episode occurred on another occasion when Jacki and I were on our way to the city on Söderleden. At the light signal that existed just before the Central Bridge, a –63 Impala stopped and the lane beside was vacant for The Silver Gray. When it turned around, I deliberately pulled away a fraction before the Impalan who of course was provoked and, naturally, he hit the gas. After a second, it was time to open the exhaust and literally jump past. The central bridge diverged at this point into three lanes and Jacki, of course, also stepped on the accelerator and rounded on the other side. A real blowing of the doors on both sides!
A few days later when arriving at Norrtull, the place was almost empty, which meant that many went to Kista. When I got there, the car barely had stopped before Tony with the Corvette turned up in the crowd and wanted his second chance. That time, everything was right for him except for the result. The victory was possibly the second fastest race in history of The Silver Gray. Afterwards, Tony graciously stated that he had lost and congratulated me.
The next opponent was former Pro Stock driver (Brooklyn Heavy) Lasse Svensson who, at this time, drove a -77 Porsche Turbo. It was the same model year as the car test driven by American Road & Track magazine to attain a formidable 13.5. This particular car, however, probably did not go as fast because there was no major match for The Silver Gray. Much later, Lasse told me that at some point we were pushing in a curve and he was really humiliated being over-taken on the outside! I don’t remember that episode, but it sounds a little unbelievable.
I feel a bit ashamed when talking about the next race. It was about the second time in my racing career that bellied-up with a jump start and this time against a girl. Cissi drove a -70 Camaro Z28. We competed on Magelungsleden after standing for a long time nearby in an industrial area next to another frequently-used highway. Why we did not drive there may have been due to police presence. Anyway, I was a little too fast-footed and admitted to the mistake by turning off until the Camaro passed by. It actually happened twice during that trip and, afterwards, Cissi’s boyfriend commented on the race with the words, “You did slow down, right?“
After that, something much quicker awaited: a car that clocked 11.5 at Mantorp Race Park. It was Ove Nordlund’s well-developed –63 Dodge Lancer with 340, manual gearbox and 4.11 rear end. When we drove in Norrtull, the car had street tires and was, I guess, at least a whole second slower. The result was a new win to me anyway.
The gathering point was again Norrtull and we were a bunch who would stand about and discuss any manner of subject until late into the evening without any race. Some interest concerned former Hemi owner Ove Nilsson’s new acquisition: a -78 Honda 1000 CBX. It was the first time we saw the six-cylinder superbike that an American test jockey rode at an astonishing 11.2 in factory condition. When it was time to go home, Ove and I were going the same way and we talked about a showdown with a rolling start along Essingeleden – the main highway through Stockholm. Back then, the traffic at night was sparse and we stepped on the gas around 30 kmh. Up to 120, we drove side-by-side. Then the bike pulled away and I was well-and-truly beaten.
Many years later, I have thought about this and wondered how The Silver Gray could have kept up the pace in the beginning at all. Motor cycle enthusiasts in the know say that the six-cylinder CBX sold in Sweden never went as fast as those sold in USA.
The next performance was something that could be described as the spectator’s dream race. It was against Janne Lundin’s turbo and nitrous oxide tuned Volvo Amazon “Midnight Blower“: perhaps the most rewritten car in magazines of its time that has become a legend among Volvo enthusiasts. Janne, who has always been the born optimist, was happy to talk about the car’s amazing horsepower, speed and acceleration. As I remember it, the race itself was not a big deal and Janne said afterwards that he had problems after I had taken the victory. Maybe the Amazon never went that fast even though he did run away from more than one muscle car. Undoubtedly, however, the car was a real showstopper.
The final race of the season, the 49th in my career, was again a win. It was against a –70 AAR `Cuda that did not leave a lasting memory.
