el
paso nostalgia drag racing page Joe Ortega Photo Album
UNCLE
SAM AMX SS
1 of 51 Production race cars
- 390 4 speed
Joe Ortega 1969 AMX SS
Original Drivers: Tom Shelton & Dennis Kincaid
Owned by Mack Massey
Pictures
thanks to Joe Ortega
Bob Nichols & Rick Bennett for the history
Forgotten Racers from El Paso Texas...
This is just one of the super stock and stock racers to come out of
El Paso in the 70's. "Uncle Sam" was a factory ordered 1969
SS AMX race car powered by a big block AMC 390 and a 4 Speed. Since
it was a factory racer, it had no street accessories to weigh it down.
No heater, radio delete,etc.
Uncle Sam was ordered
by Mack Massey Jr and is 1 of only 51 AMX SS's produced.
Because of production rules of the NHRA at the time manufactures had
to produce at least 50 units to be legal for competition. Mack Massey
in the classic car salesman jacket standing next to Joe Ortega. Joe
was a mechanic at Mack’s dealership & chief wrench on Uncle
Sam along with Shelton.
The car's oringinal driver was Tom Shelton (left picture). The right
pic is Dennis Kincaid second driver of the car (still with Joe Ortega
tuning) who ran the car from 1969 thru 1971.
Bonnie
Shelton (Tom’s wife) also drag raced AMC factory racers. First,
an orange & black AMC Rebel & later a red, white, & blue
Rebel (both factory cars bought by them from Mack Massey).
- I might have a line on some pice of these
cars RM
At
the old AHRA national in Tucson in 1969 they were the speed record
holder.
Joe
Ortega and his sons in this 1971 photo with Tom Sheltons
big inch AMC front engine dragster.
Tom
Shelton left in 70 to race gas dragster with a big injected cubic
inch amc motor. (that motor went on to be owned by Rick Bennet now
Ray griffin has)
uncle sam received a 1970 make over ..( check out www.ssamx.com
for production updates) to run in super stockas a 1970. They changed
the hood, grill, dash, emblems, and taillights. But that year there
were so few of them, only 7at that time. So they had to run a/gas
for a while.
They
continued to race in Tucson, Phoenix, Pomona, Carlbad, Sunland Park,
Penwell, Amarillo and around the area.
This
pic is said to be taken while Ray Griffin owned and raced it-
Notice the "UNCLE SAM" lettering is smaller -
In 1971 it was purchased by Ray Griffin who raced it and later sold...it's
rumored to be in canada now.
If you have any info on the where abouts of this car contact screaminmadjd@yahoo.com
For
more on AMX SS race cars go to www.SSAMX.com
More
photos from the album
Dennis
Jenkins' white Javelin,
was service manager at Mack Massey at the time
Steve
Faskins, this Vette was later sold to Mike Griffin
to become the blue vette in the following pics.
Mike
Griffin
Mike
Griffin El Paso Dragway late 1968 or 1969
Don Farnsworth in the yellow Vette.
Mike Griffin where??
CASA
Ford sposored Ford AFX Falcon of Tim Coltharp against a
wheelstanding Anglia of Pelo at El Paso Dragway
"Cheater"
Bella -
CLICK
HERE
Amarillo Funny car pics from Joe's album
