This is not the first time that Ron "The Brock's" ’65 has been the subject of an article in our newsletter. A couple of years ago (FEB 2001), we did a side article on "Brock’s Bodacious Adventure." He had just returned from a January trip to Buffalo, NY to pick up his prized Pumpkin Panzer and drive it back to Memphis. He was the runner-up on an Ebay auction where the winner was a "dead beat bidder." So, the seller made Ron and offer he couldn’t refuse. The "Adventure" part comes into play because the list of accessories did NOT include HEAT!

Ron’s racer bug is powered by a 2165cc stroker motor, running dual Weber 48 IDAs. To compliment the 9.5:1 compression heads, it also uses extractor headers, which foregoes heat exchanger J-tubes. Perhaps the lack of heat also is a result of its home of origin; Hawaii, USA!! Thank goodness Ron has promised us that he has no plans of wearing Speedos when he drives it. Okay, wipe that vision and get back to bugs.

This weekend cruiser is painted Alpha Romeo Tangerine (& Cream?). One of Ron’s additions is also an inside joke to some of the insiders. It is what we call his "black cardboard" rear area cover. Since the back seat has been removed, Ron stuck a piece of some sort of wood or cardboard over the battery area and gave it a new coat of black paint; just before the Corvettes of Memphis show. Since then, we all blame the fact that WE don’t have black cardboard for our not winning a "best of" trophy. Ron joins right in on the humor, though.

He would like to make more improvements, including some dropped spindles. However, during his off times from his job at the Commercial Appeal, Ron is also working on his second home in Cheifland, FL, where he hopes to retire someday. He has another set of buddies down there that have gotten him hooked (pun intended) on offshore fishing.

But, speaking of that, this sleeper buzz bomb is no dead fish. Running a radical cam, a full built tranny and race axles, he has embarrassed more than one Z28.

That is probably the real reason he has not yet implemented step two; a full Cal-look makeover. Besides, we LOVE his black cardboard!