FRANK PKNY
Well-known member
Back in 1960 I ran a Model A and had a job after school changing tires and doing grease jobs and oil changes in an old gas station . I worked for an old man named Joe Purcella he was in his 80's. One day I got to work late because I had to hitch hike there. Joe asked me where the Model A was. I told him I blew the engine while road racing to school. He did not say much just told me what had to be done and left me to do it while he pumped gas and talked to customers. At near closing time he came up to me and said if your going to road race you can't do it with a stock Model A engine. You should have a hoped up engine at the least. I said mr. Purcella I can't even afford to get a used stock 4 banger for the car not allone a hoped up one! [Well as it turned out old Joe was a retired dirt track racer.] He said come with me. We went to the back stock room and he put on a single old light bulb that barely lit the place up. I followed him to the back corner and under a army surplus tarp lay a full dressed offenhouser 4 banger twin side drafts Rhiley OHV conversion Mallery Ing. Joe told me it was test run years earlier and put away as a spare that he never got to use before he retired. Of course I was in aw! seeing this fine pice of machinery. Joe said your a good kid and a good worker, you can have it , tomorrow is saturday after work will put in the A. Of course I was on the top of the world. It bolted right in and in four or five hours myself Joes daytime helper and I were out on the street putting the old gail through testing runs. I ran this car for several years and almost got in trouble several times going way to fast for the old supension. Joe loved it when I came to work and down shifted to second with the straight pipe bellowing as she pulled into the parking lot. I think he enjoyed it as much as I did.
