Ron Kirby joins the Midlife Motorheads to talk about his Camaro race car. It had humble beginnings but saw action is several series in the US as well as an appearance in Europe. The car now resides in a car collection in Texas (Who’s Next?). Listen as Ron describes how a call to a line supervisor in the Chevrolet plant produced one of the least optioned Z/28 Camaros ever. A special car and very special friend of the show.
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Hey Gene & Trotty…
I need to learn how to turn off the speaker phone on this D*$N Apple phone so I can talk plainer so you can here me better on these podcasts. You guys have the best Podcasts on the Internet. I absolutely love what you guys have done with that old Police Car… NASCAR Tracks you’ll better look out cause Gene & Trotty are coming at you again, this time with a 160-170 MPH Car!!!!
Good Luck u guys. Gene can’t wait to see that Turbo 968 u built on the road again.
Thanks for everything,
Ron…
Ron Kirby – WOW!!! been searching for you, on and off, for several years now. nothing special – just curious on what happened to you. my name is joe ciechanowski – we used to work together back at GE in evandale (Cincinnati) ohio. I ran across your old trans-am racer – 70 camaro that sold at auction. still remember your partner and side-kick rick hughes, and “candles by bonnie” – always wanted to know what happened to you and other guys from GE test. anyway, would like to get in touch – email – just to catch up on some old times. present – 12 years retired, and living in florida.
Hey Joe,
Really good hearing from u, thank God we are still alive.
Never heard from most of the group at GE after the big lay off in the mid – late 70’s as I ended up in Field Service at Edwards, Lockheed, North Island and Boston.
Rick, just lived down the road from us in FT. Thomas, KY, we stayed pretty close throughout the years, he ended up as a consultant design draftsman for GE and retired at 62 1/2.
I went back to GE (Evendale) in the early 80’s as a (High Altitude Test Spec.) for the B1 & B2 engines + some Advanced NG Power Plant Combustors over in Bld. 302 where my dad had retired from. From there I ended up as a Military and Commercial Production Test Engineer in Bld. B (Test cell #34 & #35) and the old PUT Cell . Jim Kelly, went into Management of the Bld. 500 Test Group and Dave Shacker went into HR over in Bld. 700.
When GE moved all their testing to Peebles in 1999, I was out of work again and took a 3 year stint in Lean Manufacturing, working with the Shinjustsui / Kaizen in Japan and had 9 Plants that I was responsible for, alas along came Six-Sigma, and I was happy to retire.
Had a super life at GE and retired in 2003 at 55 1/2 + 25 Years and got the same bonus retirement plans (Early Out) as the Union (UAW) got that same year. I got retirement pay for each month at the same salary until I reached 62 1/2 years old.
Now I just spend my days just rebuilding old Porsches and having a ball at just still breathing and having a loving wife and tons of grandchildren. I have been really lucky and have met some most outstanding people and friends over the years and currently trying to avoid… MR. Covid-19 and… “Staying Alive”…at 74 this September.
Happy Trails Joe, be safe and enjoy the ride!
Ron & Bonnie Kirby / 5 Children + 23 Grandchildren!
Hi Joe
Call me or text me and we can talk, really good to hear from u.
Ron K – 859-653-8477
Hey Joe, great hearing from u, we got a lot to catch up on.
Call / Text me on my cell phone 859-653-8477
We need to talk old times and new.
Ron Kirby
Ron – good to FINALLY hear from someone from GE. Will try to call in the next several days.
Had some lean years after the layoff in the mid 70’s. I took a job at Borden Chemical as a lab tech – spent a few years there when I got a job as a test engineer at Wight-Patterson AFB in Dayton Ohio. Had several assignments – mostly re-entry simulation and aircraft vulnerability and survivability, and worked my way into aircraft simulation and training. During all the time at WPAFB, went back to school and got a BS degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Dayton – graduated in 84. I was working on a hydraulics system maintenance trainer for the CH-47 helicopter during my last semester and had an on campus interview with Goodyear Aerospace where I got an offer as a development engineer working on weapons system trainers for the F-15E tactical fighter aircraft. Loral Defense Systems bought Goodyear, and Locked-Martin bought Loral, so worked for three companies from the same desk. Several assignments at Lockheed – besides the F15, program hardware configuration manager, project engineer and design supervisor for the JAS-39 Gripen for SAAB aircraft, development engineer for the F-16 multi-mission trainer, and project engineer for F-35/JSF, aircraft systems maintenance trainer when I retired at 60. I HAS ENOUGH FUN!!!
During my working years, got into the Corvette hobby – did one, four year, frame-off restoration on a 69 small block – had nine cars over the years, and still driving number 2 – an 85 Z51 car – I’ve owned it some 25 years now, 167K miles on the clock and just can’t part with it. Still riding motorcycles – right now, a 74 Norton commando 850 – on any day, I’m one kick away from a knee replacement, so it’s time for that electric starter.
Don’t know if you remember my wife Nan – married 52 years now, two kids, 5 grandkids and 3 great grand kids. The only other person I know of from GE is Carl Elsbernd – seems he past away in 2005 at the age of 59. I was really sorry to hear that – he was one of my best friends, and fellow motorcycle rider back in the day.
Anyway, will have to get in touch – again, will call soon. I moved to Florida in 2013 – here in Palm Coast, so anytime your down this way – maybe at the Speedway, we will DEFINETELY have to get together. We’ll have to reminisce about the old times – remember when we went to Watkins-Glen to the Gran Prix race – that was one crazy weekend. Anyway, stay safe and healthy and looking forward to a phone chat. my contact info – 386-263-7517 — crvt85@hotmail.com