The History of
a T/A Mustang born in 1965- now owned by Greg Meindl
Very early shot of this car. Note the roll bar and the
screws under the drivers floorpan.
Hermann Schlenker was one of the first owners
Karl Bergmann wrote this to previous owner Bob Aliberto
"This Mustang was introduced
in late 1965 with a special rallye package, which consisted of a blue on white
racing stripe, 3-speed transmission and a Hi-Performance 289. The car
performed very well driven by Rally Driver Herman Schlenker and Ghymkanna
driver Gary Young. The owner /sponsor were pleased by the obvious
publicity and showroomed the car during the whole winter.
In the spring of 1966 Maroone Ford agreed to limited participation and allowed
a roll bar to be installed for the Western New York Regional Race, May 30th
1966. The car was equipped with some type of Tiger Paw tires and impossible to
drive at speed. We borrowed a set of rock hard Dunlops which proved to be the
best tire for the light end Mustang. The car finished well in front of a dozen
or so entries and a delighted sponsor gave us permission to enter the Glen
National. The stock Mustang was competition for some warm Camaros, Barracudas
and of course Shelby prepared Mustangs.
In fact a fender and door were pranged and the sponsor was ill. Do you believe
he sought insurance for the damage? We returned to regional racing again and
naturally won most of the events at Nelson, Ledges, Mid-Ohio and Lime Rock. As
part of this tour we ran the "Glen" in fall 1966 for the Finger
Lakes race and managed to put the car on the roof at the course old right
turn, before the pit straight. ...That was it for Al Maroone Ford and their
support.
Al Maroone Ford sponsored the car
in 1966
The wreck was purchased by Gary
Young of Grand Island/N.Y. and I arranged for full sponsorship from
the Glenwood Acres Ski Area. We retained the services of Dick David, an
outstanding Ford mechanic, who blueprinted the engine and a backup. The car
was stripped and painted fire engine red. It did attract attention.
Regulations were eased in the sedan category and full factory participation
was indicated for the 1967 season. The Glenwood Mustang was prepared to legal
limits and did well at all regional/national races.
The highlight of the 1967 season was the inaugural Trans Am race for A & B
sedans, which was held at Watkins Glen. I believe this was a 100 laps race,
complete with pits, fuel, tires.etc. Unfortunately it trained half way through
and we placed 10th because of altrition. Brock Yates may remember this race
since he lost his engine in the first lap. We were now pros since we picked up
a cheqk for three hundred dollars!
Karl Bergmann
Watkins
Glen 1967 - #77 driven by Karl Bergmann, the
Aldermann #74 car in starting position 13
Bob Aliberto (taken from MM):
I
purchased the worn out race car in 1970 from a drag racer, who knew litle
about its history. I converted it back to street trim. Over the years I began
investigating the Mustangs past and realized the car saw early Trans Am road
racing action. With its history documented I was able to restore the car to
its original racing configuration.
Current owner Greg
Meindl tells us:
"I had always wanted a
red 65 mustang from when I was a kid. I was instructing for friends who had a
driving school at Watkins Glen and they told me of a red 65 mustang owned by
Bob Aliberto that would be at the 1998 Lime Rock Vintage Festival. Bob is a
mustang expert writing for many magazines over the years.
Labor Day weekend was a few short weeks away and I counted the days.
I had been searching for a vintage histories mustang for a long time so
I was excited at the possibility. When I got to the track I searched the
paddock but the car was not there. I asked around and heard he had lost
oil pressure in Friday’s practice and he went home. They joked that
the car would be cheaper now. Later that Saturday morning Bob arrived with the
car in tow, went out and qualified. They told me to go up to the owner and
tell him that I had heard the car was for sale. Well it wasn’t but as the
day progressed I found myself sitting in it !. We made a deal and he said “
you do know I am going to race the car Monday “. Then Monday came and he
said he wasn’t going to race it. One week later I drove up to his
house and became the proud new owner.
You could
read the letter from Karl Bergmann to Bob Aliberto in 1988 above already.
The interesting part was that the car had a crash in the final corner (
now turn 1 ) of Watkins Glen ( old course layout ) and flipped on its roof.
Brock Yates was in that race. I was at Barrett Jackson in Scottsdale Arizona
1999 and met him. He remembered my car and told me of how he came around
the corner to find Karl standing on the floor of the upside down car with his
hands in the air ! I have heard there are pictures of this and hope to
find them someday.
Most probably Gary Young ? on left, Karl Bergmann in the middle and Dick David
on right
I have now ( as of 2009) owned the car for 11 years and have raced it at
Daytona , Watkins Glen, Pocono, Oceana Military base Virginia and Lime Rock of
course. I have been searching on and off for the original driver Karl Bergmann
all these years. Brion Tompkins of Montgomery New York painted the car for Bob
Aliberto some 22 years ago called me this past June and asked “ where have
you been ?” I have had the car parked since the 2004 Lime Rock Vintage
Festival and haven’t raced it since. It had a blown clutch and some other
issue’s. I was entered for the 2005 Fall Festival however my son was due
that weekend and I didn’t go. He was born on Labor Day Weekend Saturday
9/4/05 , a true vintage baby !
I had Brion get the car back together and ready for this year’s Festival. I
decided to give the search one last try. I got lucky and not only found Karl,
but found him living just 15 minutes away from Lime Rock !! I gave him a call
and invited him to be my guest for the race weekend. He brought many pictures
that I had never seen before and gave them to me to add to my documentation of
the car. It was amazing to see the look on his face when he was reunited with
the car. I raced around the track that weekend and was on top of the world
just knowing he was there cheering his old ride on ! The stories he told of
racing back then are priceless.
It turns out that he was a ski instructor for Glenwood Acres Ski Area ( now
Kissingbridge ) up near Buffalo. He said that he had always thought when he
came to Lime Rock that some day he would like to live nearby. Well he
eventually did just that and now teaches at Butternut Ski Area in
Massachusetts just across the Connecticut border. This winter ( we will go to
Butternut skiing and he will hopefully give my son his first ski lesson.
(Picture Lime Rock
Festival 2009 - edited by Editor)
This was my sons 4th birthday at the 2009 Fall Festival and it was
the best yet."
Greg Meindl
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