Freaking legend. "Grumpy" died a few years ago now but I've been thinking about him since someone on a BAT auction thread mentioned him last week. The auction listing was for a Top-flight NCRS '62 Fuelly 4-speed, (that no-saled @ $93k). Those Corvette threads over there are amazing w the level of expertise and experience, the stories are priceless. A guy was telling about his buddy in the mid-'60s who owned a '62 FI 'vette that was previously owned by Grumpy Jenkins...can you freaking imagine?
I was hooked on Hot Rod magazine as a boy in the 1960s and read the engine building stories by Jenkins and Keith Black like they were contraband. This was a few years before I discovered Porsches and other sports cars. The thread about Ford vs. Ferrari and thinking about Charlie Agapiou made me remember how in awe I am of great mechanics and engineers. Jenkins says in this video that he got more satisfaction out of getting the most out of the cars than winning races. And he won a LOT.
There is an awesome in-car video of him racing @ about 6:00. Little guy but "back when men were men."
