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When I worked for Tiger

 
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Bobby The Cabdriver



Joined: 19 Oct 2018
Posts: 388
Location: " Keep Austin Weird?"ugh...

PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2018 11:59 pm    Post subject: When I worked for Tiger Reply with quote

In 1998 I was living in New York City writing for an underground newspaper with an insane girlfriend and a job I hated. I made the mistake moving to East Charlotte with about $2,000 to my name and a suspended driver's license. Within my first 3 weeks, I went through a nice chunk of the money and found myself taking buses. On a job hunt I found myself on Highway 29 about a mile or two from Tiger Tom pistone shop on Old Concord Road. I decided to go through just because I was done with my interviews for that day and went in like a tourist. After meeting tiger and talkin to him for a little bit he seemed like a really cool guy and when he asked me what I was doing in the area I told him I was up here on a job interview and then I walked a couple of Miles because I just moved here from Manhattan and didn't have a car. He then offered me a job. And the opportunity to live in an RV on his property. I looked on the side of the building and there was a nice late model Winnebago or something and I told him I would think about it.... and I started walking South down Old Concord and there I was in front of Buck Baker's Driving School.I turned around and walked immediately back to Tiger and said I'll do it. Without asking about pay. Without clarifying where I was going to be sleeping. Without questioning what I was going to be doing. On the plus side, Tigers place at that time looks like a museum with weeds growing through it. There was a trashed short track 59 or 60 Plymouth Sedan laying in the weeds in the back then he claimed belonged to the Petty's. It had neither blue nor white paint on it. There was a beat-up blue 77 Olds 442 in a shed that he said he got from Billy Harvey and it was the original gray ghost. There was two stripped chassis one a 57 Chevy and one a mid 70s Camaro that he said belong to Bobby Allison. They was the blue Dodge crew cab ramp truck that I talked about in the hauler post. There was a shed in the back. Inside that shed was it at least 15 Ford front clips that he said that he gotten from Holman & Moody, all brand new. I often wonder where all this stuff went. I also wonder who wound up with it. More importantly, after the way tiger treated me and his reputation and the actions of his immediate family members( that are laughed about While others involved went to prison) what truth was there
in that junk laying in his yard and in his sheds and how much of that stuff 20 years later is being misrepresented to the public.In museums as well as literature. I find it very unfortunate that the history of the sport has become so muddy that every car that gets discovered has become questionable and every story that's told has a know-it-all trying to poke holes in it.
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DaveVan



Joined: 27 Jan 2018
Posts: 1571

PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 7:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I lived just down the road from Tiger 1970 - 1977. My buddys and I often would go up to Tiger's and he's allow us to wonder the property. About 1974 at the back of the side lot was stacked like cord wood was a bunch of Daytona, Superbird and Talledega front clips removed when NASCAR made them illegal. Tiger was asking $50 each...... a huge amount for a high school kid!

All the guys there were nice folks and always allowed us to look around.....like you said a museum in the weeds. Around 75 there were still tons of 60's era cars including a Lorenzen Ford. If only I had known....and not been poor!!
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Bobby The Cabdriver



Joined: 19 Oct 2018
Posts: 388
Location: " Keep Austin Weird?"ugh...

PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 7:29 am    Post subject: When I work for Tiger Reply with quote

My experience was Far different. As many of you know tiger was forced out of NASCAR because of the actions of his son Pete. At the time I was there most of the work I done was on Legends cars owned by Rich Kids who couldn't even change their own oil.
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Tom M.
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Joined: 01 Feb 2018
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 3:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Billie had his Olds when the Gray Ghost was still racing. Buddy totaled that chassis in a Big One at Talladega if I recall correctly.
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Bobby The Cabdriver



Joined: 19 Oct 2018
Posts: 388
Location: " Keep Austin Weird?"ugh...

PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 6:00 pm    Post subject: When I work for Tiger Reply with quote

Thank you Tom that's what I was thinking you're talking about when he cut the tire in front of the pack in the tri-oval and Yarborough almost lost his legs in the aftermath right?
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DaveVan



Joined: 27 Jan 2018
Posts: 1571

PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 6:44 pm    Post subject: Re: When I work for Tiger Reply with quote

Bobby The Cabdriver wrote:
My experience was Far different. As many of you know tiger was forced out of NASCAR because of the actions of his son Pete. At the time I was there most of the work I done was on Legends cars owned by Rich Kids who couldn't even change their own oil.

A LOT changed from the 70's to the 80's so I can see it......
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Bobby The Cabdriver



Joined: 19 Oct 2018
Posts: 388
Location: " Keep Austin Weird?"ugh...

PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 10:34 pm    Post subject: When I worked for Tiger Reply with quote

Dave Van! I love your work! Please PM me!
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