Arriving at Chris Evans Shop near the Portland Airport, we met Pat MacElreath (right) and Doug McGriff (left). The get together of them with Dick Pierson (middle) was quite something. Tons of racing memories came up, as well as some funny stories about the "cheater Dodge" as Pat called it, at the wheels of which Douglas McGriff won the Oregon State Championship twice in the early seventies. Pat McElreap was Herschel McGriff's crew chief in those days and also took care of setting up Doug's Charger for the 1976 24 hours of Le Mans. Dick was one of the pit crew and had trucked the Charger cross-country from Portland to Virginia, in order for it to be shipped to Le Mans.
We went on setting up the project in order to get the re-build started. Pat's shop mechanics checked out the Charger. Their eyes got bigger, as he told them that this would be clad over a stock car chassis soon! Pat McElreap, who maintained the original Mc Griff Charger as a crew chief, drew up a plan on how to make is as exact a re-build of the original one. We will keep you posted!
Was the LeMans Dodge ever run at Riverside? I have some close-up color pics I shot there in June 1973. They show a blue-green '71 Charger, wearing a white #14 and sponsored by "McCollister Heating & Air Conditioning". It had "yellow-tail" rookie paint on the rear bumper and "Doug McGriff" painted on the roof.
Just wondering if it was the car that went to LeMans in '76.
Good luck on your project!
Posted by: Mac Horst | September 29, 2005 at 08:27 AM
Mac,
that sounds very interesting! I'll ask Doug about that. Can you e-mail me that picture that you are talking about ?
Cheers,
Christophe
Posted by: Christophe | September 29, 2005 at 09:47 AM
Mac,
That #14 Dodge likely ran at Riverside '73. That was the original color scheme when Doug first bought the car from a midwest car builder, Nichols Engineering?
I worked in the McGriff shop(s) in that timeframe as an after school part-timer.
The car then morphed into a black #14 Late Model running at tracks throughout the Pacific Northwest. The black car ran with a 429 cu. in. wedge engine.
Memorable race was Hershel and Doug finishing 1 and 2 at Victoria, BC. Hershel in his '69 Chevelle Oly Express.
Earliest McGriff family foray into endurance racing was with Hershel's '71 Chevy Nova Oly car running the 24 Hours of Daytona.
The #14 Dodge morphed into the 'Le Monster' utilizing the Olympia Beer gold on white scheme. I believe they switched to Hemi power for LeMans. Low octane fuel, high compression and ensuing detonation cut short their track time.
Don "Duck" Collins, R.I.P
Pat "MacElreap" is actually "McElreath." Brilliant, cunning mechanic.
After running across this website I will certainly try to catch up with my past.
Bruce
Posted by: Bruce Pederson | January 27, 2006 at 07:41 AM
Bruce,
thanks for your comments. I corrected Pat's name. He should be with us at the pits in Le Mans in July.
Posted by: Christophe | February 01, 2006 at 11:42 AM
Would you like photo of charger at langley speedway?
Posted by: bud bussiere | February 16, 2006 at 06:03 AM
Bud,
yes please send me a picture of the Charger at Langley! I'll feature it here.
Cheers,
Christophe
Posted by: Christophe | February 16, 2006 at 05:23 PM
A friend of mine owns Herschel's Nova and we are in the process of restoreing it back to the way it was when it ran the 24 Hrs. of Daytona and we are looking for any pictures and any information on this car. If anybody out there has anything please e-mail me and help us do a accurate job with this great car. Thanks, Dave Brandenburg
Posted by: Dave Brandenburg | March 08, 2006 at 10:02 PM
Dave,
That is great! If you can send me a few photos of the NOVA as it is now, I'll be happy to feature them here on Olympia Charger dot com along with your friends name and a few lines about his restoration project.
Cheers,
Christophe
Posted by: Christophe | March 09, 2006 at 07:21 PM
This is awesome to see.My dad helped Herschel way back than. I remember going to the races and it always seemed that he would win no matter where he would run. I will see if I can dig up some of those old photos. My dad also went to LeMans in 76.
Richard Nolan
son of Doctor Don Nolan(gas man)
Posted by: Richard Nolan | May 27, 2006 at 10:22 PM
Richard,
I'd love to see some pictures of your Dad at the track with Hershel! If you send me some scans, I can publish them here on the Olympia Charger website.
Posted by: Christophe | May 28, 2006 at 03:09 PM