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Californian Don Edmunds turned the supermodified world upside down in the late 1960’s with his fiberglass bodied beauty which used much of the sprint car technology of the day. Fire-breathing small block Chevies were set back in the single tube chassis to sprint car specs and state of the art 4-bar torsion or rear torsion – spring front suspensions allowed the customer to make chassis adjustments for virtually any type of race track. As with all Edmunds cars, the fiberglass body gave the car a sleek, yet all-business, personality which allowed fans across the nation to easily recognize Edmunds supermodifieds, regardless of the size of the local field.
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| Don Edmunds at Wembley Stadium, Johannesburg, South Aftrica |
The new supermodifieds became so popular Edmunds began producing a supermodified chassis kit in addition to complete turn-key cars. When supermodified owner, Bob Snapp, a transplanted Texan racing in New England, made the decision to acquire an Edmunds chassis for the 1972 season, long-time USAC sprint car owner, ‘Boston’ Louie Seymour, offered to pick up the kit at Edmunds’ Anaheim, CA Autoresearch, Inc. shop while on the west coast competing with the USAC national sprint car series in November of 1971.
On the way home Seymour delivered the chassis kit to Indianapolis fabricator Steve Stapp, who heli-arc welded the chassis on his frame jig and shipped it along to Bob Snapp for final assembly.
The Snapp Edmunds became a fixture on the New England supermodified scene with top drivers, including USAC regular, Buzz Gregory, and local stars, Jim Martel, Jeff Stevens, and others turning the wheel.
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| Jim Martel at the helm of the Snapp #6 at Monadnock, NH |
As supermodified racing in New England changed to an all-asphalt circuit, the Snapp crew made changes in an attempt to keep up with the longer wheelbase, offset driveline, asphalt-only, new generation of cars. The wheelbase was lengthened in 1974 and suspension points were changed, but the versatility of the Edmunds design was eventually no match for the special asphalt-only cars introduced in New England. The Edmunds chassis was sold to a class ‘B’ competitor, who installed an inline Ford 6-cylinder and added an A-frame front suspension. The whole deal eventually would up at a flea market where it was rescued by a MA racer, Ed Sicotte, who restored much of the chassis, suspension, and front axle assembly. A new Edmunds body was also fitted to the chassis before the entire project was sold to Paul Weisel in the mid-1990s.
Surrounded by other projects, the former Snapp #6 was stored until 2005 when Bill Stoner expressed an interest in working on the car as a winter project for his racing team in Enola, PA. Stoner replaced the splined rear axle with a period correct 3” tapered axle, made all new birdcages, and installed an in-and-out gearbox and motor plate in addition to fabricating and correcting all the ‘little things’ that drive restorers crazy and go un-noticed by most admirers.
Raceworld of Marysville, PA assembled the injected Chevy small block, Terry Secord applied the gloss black paint to the vintage body, and Teia Strong recreated the Snapp #6 livery from 1972.
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| The Stoner Racing Team members from Enola, PA pose with the restored Bob Snapp Edmunds supermodified #6 in 2009. |
The Bob Snapp Edmunds super #6 is on display at the showroom of the Eastern Auto Racing Historical Society in Orefield, PA.
EARHS Corporate Level Sponsors
Please support our sponsors
Weisel Racing Equipment, Inc. Orefield, PA
Plunkett & Graver, P.C. Allentown, PA
The Gang at Stoner Racing Enola, PA
High Speed Graphics Orefield, PA
Father & Son Spl. #33 Junie & Bing Metz
Reliable Auto Body Allentown, PA
John Schneider Allentown, PA
Leigh Earnshaw Ent. Morgantown, PA
Pocono Raceway Mattioli Foundation Long Pond, PA
Antonini Radiator Pottsville, PA
Midnight Machine Works Eddie Gittens Mountaintop, PA
Jim & Donna Hontz Bethlehem, PA
Freddy Adam - The Kutztown Komet From Freddy's family, friends, and fans
Bob and Carole Wilkey Hollsopple, PA & COLORADO
Your monetary sponsorship in any denomination or donations of historically significant items, photos, documents, etc. toward projects undertaken by the EARHS are welcomed and encouraged. EARHS is recognized as a federally tax exempt charity by the IRS under Section 501c(3).
EARHS "wants and needs"
Wanted: Racing photo collections – share and preserve programs. If you have vintage racing photos, EARHS would like to be able to scan and copy these items. All items will be returned intact and we can provide you with a computer disc of those items from significant collections. We are especially interested in Dorney Park items from the 1940’s, 1950’s, and 1960’s and all Allentown Fair items, including indoor racing events, but all items are welcome.
Wanted: Showcases and display cases. Often cases of unusual configuration can be used for displays of trophies and memorabilia. Also, race programs from the '55 & '58 Allentown Fair.
We continue to fill our showroom - all members are invited to visit and check our progress. Please call Pete (610 398-2188) or Paul (610 395-5303) to arrange a time to visit.
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