Photo ID # e12.14.08_021_BUT_MOR_0070U_3
Car #: #21
Driver (s) : Oliver Butler
Location: Trenton, NJ
Date: 1972 or 73?
Photographer: Michael Clissold
Photo provided by: Michael Clissold
Comments: While this is the "Under Construction" Section of The Vault, we had to add these great photos of what is probably more along the lines of a "Reconstruction".  This is the Fred Menschner owned #21 looking like it was getting "freshened" for the upcoming season outside of the shop in Morrisville, Pa where the car was keep.

Hopefully Fred can provide the details, but I think the body on this car started its racing career as a #39 Piscopo coupe driven by Al Tasnady in the late 60's.  The car had a winning history with Ray Neary behind the wheel, where Ray wasted no time getting an early start by winning the opening event at Harmony Speedway in 1970. 

The following year, the team switched to a sedan, and for whatever reason, it just didn't have the same feel as the coupe.  I'm told that car was sold to Sportsman racer Harry Machet.

After the sedan, the team returned to the coupe in what was probably the 72 or 73 season.  Ray Neary stepped away from racing right around this time and Fred teamed up with proven winner Oliver Butler.  As you can see above, it looks like the #21 was just about ready (fresh paint and all) for a return to the track with Oliver's name above the window. 

Always liked the looks of this car.
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12/26/08 Walter Onora That is one good looking coupe!!! Always like the "downtubes", extending from the front windshield to the frontend, radiator section.
12/30/08 Fred Menschner Built this car in 1972 with a new frame and roll cage. Used the body and drive train from #21 coupe ray and I built in 1970 that had the square tubing roll cage. Ray drove the car in a few races that year.

Then in the winter of 1972 through a good friend Oliver Butler contacted me about driving this car. I refurbished the car and these pictures were taken in the spring of 1973 just before the start of the racing season.

This was the first car I built that had power steering, Ollie loved it.  The 1936 Chevy coupe body was on the #327 car Dave Piscopo bought from Walt Donald. He converted the car into the #39 that Tas drove, so called big track car, and later bought by Ray and myself that became the first silver #21.
12/30/08 3-Wide Fred, if I understand you correctly, this same coupe body was first a #327, then a #39, then the #21 coupe that Ray did real well in (Harmony, etc), and then became the body that was re-lettered for Ollie to drive in 1973.

If that's the case, we need to apologize to Ray as he must have been a better driver than we gave him credit for to have not wadded it up to the point that it couldn't be used in '73!  (I still remember the time a few years ago that we let him drive us up to the Reading Reunion... I don't think he went over 55 mph the whole way.")

I may be partial Fred, but this is one car I'd love to see someone take on as a vintage project...  And I know I'm not alone in thinking that.  What happened to this car when you guys were done with it?
12/31/08 Fred Menschner Ray was an outstanding driver, builder, designer and partner in the # 21 racing team.

Joe that is correct.  That same body was used on all those cars and more.

That car was sold to fellow , can't remember his name or car number, that ran it at East Windsor as a sportsman. Do remember the car flipping down the home stretch . Don't know what became of the car after that.
01/16/09 Augie Falcone I remember the car flipping, it was me. It was my 2nd or 3rd time driving a racecar, I was wrenching with Bobby Calhoune and Bob Harker on Bob Wrights #37 and decided it was time to drive. 

The car was primered black and had stick-on plastic #'s but we were racing, real low budget racing back then. I know we made front page of AARN that week but I don't remember the date.

The car should have been scrapped then but we worked all winter and raced it in 1974? season Augie Falcone #37 East Windsor and Bob Wright #37 at Flemington.
01.18.09 3Wide Here you go Augie.  This has got to be it.

After you guys were done with it, did it get junked?
01.20.09 Augie WoW! that brings back some memories (Buggy springs, Drum Brakes). I think we just scrapped it at the end of the following season it was so twisted and beat up. That was way back when you bought parts at the scrap yards. I'd like to find out the date of the AARN paper that had the flip, I think it was the only time I made front page and my copy is long gone.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

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