wing car people any one remember John Pointer ( send him a letter) please

[moparstuart]

Can you send this out to people on your email list that may know John Pointer.

  John Pointer is in a Retirement Community and is not doing will. he is using a walked to get around and it times  he needs help using the walker. He is feeling really bad right now and I thank that if we can send him a card it my help cheer him up a little. He still talks about the wing cars and says thanks of them as his kids, so if you can send a picture of your car and a note about it that may help also. I'm going to try and get more information on what is wrong which him to put in the news letter. His mind is good but the body is getting bad.

   John ( Jack ) Pointer
Hillside Terrace
1939 Jackson Avenue
Ann Arbor, Mich.
     48103



Thank You
Milt
=

[Aero426]

John is a good man, and is truly one of the fathers of the Daytona.   His background is in aerospace from the Chrysler rocket program.  When he came to the race program in 1963, his job was to develop an aerodynamic development program for race cars.  Trouble was, there was no information readily available on measuring aerodynamic forces belowMach 3!   John had to start from scratch. 

John drew the pencil sketch that is acknowledged as the first Daytona.   He is responsible for the first Daytona mule car created at the Proving Grounds.    He has been a friend of the aero cars since we first met him 33 years ago.   If you can send him a note that you are thinking of him, it would be appreciated.

[moparstuart]

John is a good man, and is truly one of the fathers of the Daytona.   His background is in aerospace from the Chrysler rocket program.  When he came to the race program in 1963, his job was to develop an aerodynamic development program for race cars.  Trouble was, there was no information readily available on measuring aerodynamic forces belowMach 3!   John had to start from scratch. 

John drew the pencil sketch that is acknowledged as the first Daytona.   He is responsible for the first Daytona mule car created at the Proving Grounds.    He has been a friend of the aero cars since we first met him 33 years ago.   If you can send him a note that you are thinking of him, it would be appreciated.

Awesome info doug , milt said he would love to see pictures of everyones cars also if at all possible .  I would hate to be a shut-in like this personally. If we could take a small moment out of our day and send him a note this would really make his day .

 

[Aero426]

I had to really lighten the photo up, but here is John at the wheel of my Superbird at the 1996 meet at the proving grounds.    They took us on the handling course, and John really put the wood to the Bird sliding it through a couple of corners.    It is something I will not forget.

[moparstuart]

very cool i bet he would love to see that pictures 

[nascarxx29]

  To John Pointer.wasnt he the guy who sketched the daytona on paper

When Bob MC Curry saw this and said if it will win races build it

[moparstuart]

Milt went to see him again and says he's not doing well



     Jerry Wenk and I stopped by to see John Pointer today and he is not doing very good. He sits in his chair and sleeps must of the time. He woke up and knew who we were but did not still awake to do much talking.

Milt

[Aero426]

I would encourage any of you wing car lovers to take just a few moments TODAY and drop one of the Godfathers of the Charger Daytona a short note and maybe a photo of your car,  while you have the opportunity to do so.    As you can see by the above post, time is of the essence.   John's body may be failing, but he is still mentally aware - and he enjoys it when he gets a note from a Daytona or Superbird lover.  

John ( Jack ) Pointer
Hillside Terrace
1939 Jackson Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI  48103

[wingcar]

Any updated status on John's condition?  I sent him a letter and some pictures that hopefully will brighten up his day.  I hope other members will take a few minutes and drop him a letter....   It only takes a few minutes on your part to perhaps give him hours of enjoyment........

[hemiviper588]

I had the honor of working with both John Pointer, Bob Hubbach and Larry Rathgeb on the Viper project.We did the early Aero development @ Lockheed for the Viper, many changes were made to reduce rear lift...John wanted to install a rear wing but was told by Francois Castaing if any further mention of a wing was ever brought up,he would promptly fired! John was not one to back down from an internal fight, he had strong opinions backed up with facts.
Many of you may not know of Larry's involvement with the Viper's suspension and chassis, he had a big hand in making the Viper a big success on the track as well as the street. Bill Adams

[Aero426]

I never knew of either John or Larry's involvement on Viper.    Can you tell us more?

[Troy]

I never knew of either John or Larry's involvement on Viper.    Can you tell us more?

Here's some reference to Larry Rathgeb's involvement in the Viper suspension design.
http://books.google.com/books?id=cOBOP50pJvwC&pg=PT196&lpg=PT196&dq=viper+%22Larry+Rathgeb%22&source=bl&ots=yHNsuEvTPP&sig=HFuXgo44AecfUx0_Nzsy_ZAz9-o&hl=en&ei=6ddOTcbvLozAgQeBn4gE&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CBYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=viper%20%22Larry%20Rathgeb%22&f=false

Troy

[hemiviper588]

Like it states in the book, Larry patented his Viper Alignment machine. We had one at the Viper development lab (450K each) and also at the production plant. It was simply the best piece of alignment equipment ever conceived! It was so good Ray Evernham (he was so impressed) he ordered one for his Nascar shop! Larry is a true suspension genius that left his mark on Nascar and Petty Enterprises. He was truly the brains behind much of Richard Pettys success, he is a brilliant engineer that managed to keep the Level Cross boys from beating themselves on raceday.

[Aero426]

I just received word from John (Jack) Pointer's wife Donna that he passed away peacefully on January 13th.     Jack was a great friend to the Daytona and Superbird community through the last thirty years.   He was a major player in the development of Chrysler racing cars, and having drawn the concept sketch, we can consider him the father of the Charger Daytona.    Jack was a wonderful guy and always full of stories about the old days. 

[A383Wing]

Sorry to hear that Doug, our thoughts are with the family

Bryan

[Aero426]

In November of 2000,  Jack and George Wallace both gave presentations on the development of the Aero Cars at the SAE Motorsports Convention in Detroit.    It was a magic evening.  When it was all over, and the hall emptied, we sat down in a very informal and unplanned roundtable and spent about an hour just shooting the breeze about the old days.  

[moparstuart]

very sorry to hear   

[Highbanked Hauler]

  Peace man,

[WINGIN IT]

To John Pointer.wasnt he the guy who sketched the daytona on paper

When Bob MC Curry saw this and said if it will win races build it

RIP  At least he passed peacefully.

Question regarding the quote and the sketch, when did this occur, in early 69, late 68?

[Aero426]

This is a recent photo of the ORIGINAL sketch itself, dated 12/10/68, prior to the Charger 500 ever competing on the race track.  

[WINGIN IT]

Thanks "Old Timer" 
Was the previous pic of the original sketch from a magazine or newsletter?
If it's available with the date and his initials that would be great.