Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins past away last Thursday March 29. I grew up in Malvern Pa. were his shop was on Pennsylvania ave.. Bill did work for my dad on his Mopars when he drag raced in the 60's. One of my best memories of Bill is the advice he gave my pop and I to rebuilt my 440 for my roadrunner. Take a 69 440 build it to A-12 M code 6 barrel spec, put a 390 rear in it break it in for 5000 miles and bring it in to me. One of his guys re jetted my 650 DP holly, re curved the distributor and put it back together. Bill him self came out told me to start the car and get out, at this point he pulled it to full throttle and timed the car by ear, no light cracked the throttle a few more times and said take it out now. Through stock intake and exhaust manifolds I turned consistent 13.10 smoking the tires at the track, on the street with a rolling start I was untouchable. I remember seeing one of the first ZR1 vettes in 1987-88. Bill would fuel up his cars at a gas station were we hung out at. One night he pulled up in a Brand new Vette that had GM test car on the tag, we said what are you working on and he popped the hood showed us, had paint pen part # written all over each part but couldn't go into detail about it. When he pulled out of the station he lit them up in 3 gears down rt. 30. He carried the name Grumpy but we new was cool and gave out advice to many on how to set up their cars. Bill showed many that you didn't have to run to the speed shop and spend thousands and dig into your motor, the right combo of tuning and gears could put a smile on your face.
I did hear about this on the news last Friday, I grew up and still live in Villanova pa.. I live and breath Chevy and followed Bill ever since I started driving. One of the guys I use to hang with back in the day finished tech machine shop, and worked for Jenkins in Malvern for like 10 years. Do some research on him and you will see he looked out of the box, and should of patten some of the things he came up with that many of the car makers around the world use to this very day. Hero's are forgotten but Legends never die...
Dialed was your roadrunner Richard Petty blue and have a black hood scoop that popped up? Did you ever race on 476 around 1986 before it opened up to the public?
I did hear about this on the news last Friday, I grew up and still live in Villanova pa.. I live and breath Chevy and followed Bill ever since I started driving. One of the guys I use to hang with back in the day finished tech machine shop, and worked for Jenkins in Malvern for like 10 years. Do some research on him and you will see he looked out of the box, and should of patten some of the things he came up with that many of the car makers around the world use to this very day. Hero's are forgotten but Legends never die...
Dialed was your roadrunner Richard Petty blue and have a black hood scoop that popped up? Did you ever race on 476 around 1986 before it opened up to the public?
Pretty sure that was me, cause the only other car that looked like mine was from the Allentown area. The color of the car was called Basin Street Blue, and the hood was a Air Grabber controlled from inside the car. I did run down on 476 one night after a run in at a Roy Rodgers with some kid from I think the Wayne area. The only reason why I was there is because I was seeing a girl from the Villanova area.
DAVE H
Not sure how many toy's there were but here is a video of some clips. I know some have been restored and copied. I remember seeing many of the cars doing burnouts and dry hops at the Malvern shop in the parking lot.
I do it was grey and had a roll bar and everyone called it a GT. Was that your car or a friends? I went there to run against a 69 chevelle originally best out of 3, we never made the third race because the 2nd. was a repeat of the first and beat him by 1/2 a car or more. I remember hearing that blower wine when we launched and thought for sure he was going to run me down. Pretty sure it was not set up right but that car was straight and very clean. His buddy said I was spraying, but I am all throttle and no bottle, and all about NA motors.
Thats the one and no it was my buddies car. The guy that owned that chevelle was cool but daddy paid for everything and K&G did all the work. You remember Poke? The kid that was with you that night told me you had your intake and exhaust manifolds worked on. plus I could tell from the valve train sound that was a mechanical cam too. Do you still own it?
Intake inside was polished like a mirror and that was a solid cam too, good call. 2 1/2" pipes to custom built mufflers I sold the car in 2000. I wanted that Capri your buddy had it was different and done right.
Drag racing legend passes away
plus I could tell from the valve train sound that was a mechanical cam too. Do you still own it?
