Drag racing in Germany c1965

[Fastbrit]

Ramstein airbase – US servicemen, complete with V8-motored split-window Bug!
Pictures from my rediscovered early drag racing files…





 
And another Bug v Ghia match up

[Udo]

Hi Keith

Are you shure this is Ramstein? I did not know they did some racing in those early years .

Udo

[Fastbrit]

I have other photos captioned "Ramstein Airbase drag races", too. 

[Ole]

Great shots! In the early 60s the American Forces in Germany allowed their soldiers some dragracing at some air bases, the first were Ramstein and Sembach (close to Ramstein). They called it "Moral Support"...

Later (about 1968) they moved on to Hanau near Frankfurt.



Saludos,

Ole

[Chuck Fryer]

Cool, looks like an old nailhead buick, and I was born at that air base!

[Black Sheep]

Blimy that guy must have had short legs driving that split , as it looks like the drivers seat is in the standard position .

[Bengt W]

Hi There!
Im a Swede, that joined your dragrace strip in Ramstein, with my Hot Rod in 1966. We where 2 swedes that stayed at Mr Jones at the airbase for a week. We where very well treated.   I drow my rod to the final against a chassie of Renault, or something. He started "half away"  at the track, and I couldn't overtake him. The crowd where screaming "sandbagging". Anyway I got a nice Classwinner price, an we became members in Ramstein auto Club. I have a lots of pictures from that event, converted to digital pictures. Are You intrested in this let me know. Bye!
 
Bengt Wennergren@telia.com

[Bengt W]

Bengt.Wennergren@telia.com is the right e-mailadress. There was a dot missing between my names/Bengt

[Ole]

...Are You intrested in this let me know. Bye!

Are you kidding?? Sure we are!

Would be cool if you can post some shots here.

Saludos,
Ole

[Bengt W]

OK Ole!
 Give me an email address. Then I will send You a bunch of pics. Then You can desired what to publish.
I am turning 70 years next year, and I'm taking it easy. Nowadays I only ride my -05 Low Rider Harley. (concerning vehicle).
Bye for now, locking forward to her from You/ Bengt

My right email address again: Bengt.Wennergren@telia.com
 

[Bengt W]

Hi I will try with one picture...so you will se whats it's  all about/Bengt

[Black Sheep]

Very cool 
We need more of these pic's posted on here please .

[Frallan]

Hi Bengt,

Did you do Hot Rod Parade in mid and the late 70's on Mantorp?
If so, I have several pictures on your car hidden in boxes somewere.
Really cool to have you on this forum!
Thanks for sharing.

By the way, I have also been drag racing in Hanau and Mainz Finthen with the Pank dragster but that was far later than you. 1979-1982.
Also partnered with Kent Trenneman and Onkel Willy. We stayed a couple of times in the Haberman "mansion" with all three generations of Habermans.
Good memories.

Fredrik Frallan Reichel

[Bengt W]

Hi Frallan!
My Hot Rod/Dragracing years ended i -72. I was Prizejudge, the from the early dragracing start. That meant that the inspection people begged me for letting vehicles trough, that was without safety things, to run anyway. Then in the end I was the one to take the legal responsibility. It happend some minor accidents, but it was too risky to continue, for my sake. After that a had a "black era", with only healthy project like badminton, and a lots of other healthy  activities. But ones a Hot Rodder, the interest is still there. And most of my old friends is dealing with hot cars and veterans. The day before yesterday I was interviewed about my knowing in" The first Go" we arranged i 1967. That was the spark that made Ramstien came into my memory. I have send the hole story of my Hot Rod building/Monaco via Ramstein vacation to Ole.
/Bengt

[Frallan]

Good stuff!

Have you sene the DVD "Svensk Dragracing". It covers a lot of Swedish Dragracing and just the "First Go" on Anderstorp.
Then it has the TV program that was broadcast in 1980 on the same topics of how Swdish drag racing has evolved.
I am even in the program with a few seconds of Pank fame.
If you have not seen it, either I can find out were to buy it, or you write to me with your postal address and I can borrow it to you.
fredrik.reichel@tetrapak.com

[Bengt W]

Hi Again!
Yes I have the DVD,  "Svensk Dragracing". It was presented to me when I went to a boat trip to Finland, just the other year, sponsored by a Swedish magazine "Wheels". There where about 1000 stoned teenagers "with motorinterest" , and me and my friend. (he's is building an outstanding 32 roadster, old school). About the film at The First Go in Anderstorp, the first car you will see there is my "li'l Red Roadster", upon a trailer.  The last thing I have heard about this car, was that it had been for sale at Boyd's in US. I don't know where it went though, since Boyd died about the same time. Anyway there are people in Sweden that seems interested to make someting out in print from these days. So maybe I have to take another contact with You.
Keep up the good memories!
Bengt

[Ole]

OK, time for a blast from the past!

First a big thank you to Bengt for sending me these cool shots! Remember, these were taken in 1966!!!

Not only Bengt and his friend drove all the way from Sweden to Ramstein/Germany, they continued their way over the Alps to Monaco...

Here are a few of his pics, some are even VW-related...

I hope Bengt will chime in and share a story or another, especially regarding the last picture...

[Frallan]

That is so cool!
What a blast from the past!
Two favorites, last picture and the one in the suburbs with two VW's.

[Bengt W]

  Happy Easter to You all!
Comments to this Hot Rod pic's...1) I'm the handsome guy standing beside "Walle", sitting in the "car". (a Ford 31 Roadster bought in Denmark for 10 dollar). 2) On the trip via Denmark, we met a famous speedway driver, who had lost his leg in a race. 3) Passing the German border, the customs just said : Aah Allies grommet! (my rod was not legal even in Sweden).4) Waller on a skateboard, first time we saw such. We had crew-cuts made at the Force. This is outside the officers building, where we stayed. 4) The P1800 was owned by the heavy guy in red Skirt and hayhat. The Volvo had an Chevy V8.
The 200km/h picture...We went 200km/h for 10 hours on the autobahn, that was a little to hard, so we blow a piston. We had to rent a car to go and get set of oversized pistonrings, i Switzerland, that we couldn't find in Germany.

After the week in Ramstein we went to Monaco, witch was our goal. There was a boatrace and two German guys gave us pit-passes, so we joined them at the race. The boat here belonged to a fat millionare? who was very old, when he arrived in his RR, he didn't brake he just let it to stop against a big pale of sand. They lifted him aboard that boat, and then he drove like hell. (we hadn't seen the engine before, it was 1½ Chrysler Hemi). Finally the trip took five weeks, and  luckily we had only 5 minutes of rain. That was was we very happy for, with no top at all on the rod.
Take care!
Bengt

[vwcab]

Whaw,I like that story.Bengt,so nice that you have sent the pics to Ole,and Ole thanks for posting them.
These pics are so great.I really love that pic from the hotrod in Monaco.I would look cool now cruizin with THIS ride between the RR's,Ferrari's and other high dollar stuff now.

Peter