Hello my name is Jeffrey Mentzer, I'm the son of Donald J. Mentzer also known as Jack.
I live in Plainwell, Michigan just north of Kalamazoo.
My father passed away on May 11th, 2005 and I miss him every day.
He had a brief history with Bonneville being a crew member for Art Arfons back in 1961 which they ran a 313 MPH for the top time of the meet.
He and 4 other men from Kalamazoo attempted to build a streamliner back in 1960-1961 with an Allison V-3420 - B - 10.
This was a W engine with 24 cylinders.
It was an experimental engine built for the government during the war.
It had a 5 1/2 inch bore, 6 inch stroke, 3420 C.I. with a compression ratio of 6.5:1.
Two crankshafts, counter rotating and weighed 2750 pounds dry.
6000 Horsepower.
The men involved were my father Donald Mentzer, the engine owner Berney Moulton, David Richer, Donald Jones and James Lyon.
The project was never completed due to lack of funding.
I have the Kalamazoo Gazette newspaper article and a stack of prints, drawings, letters and articles about the project.
The engine was in my fathers garage at the time of the photo in the Gazette.
My Dad always wanted to take a trip out to B-Ville as he called it so he could let me experience what it is like to witness speed.
He passed away from cancer and we never did make it out.
I have been reading on here a lot and I'm puzzled that there isn't much written about the old days at B-Ville.
I had the pleasure to meet Art Arfons back when he was running the tractor pull circuit.
I wish I had a camera at the time to preserve the image of Art and my Dad making eye contact with huge smiles and big hugs.
They shared some great stories and many laughs that day.
I had a great teacher as my Dad taught me to wrench as I built my 1st. engine when I was 16.
I'm 48 now and I'm into Wrenching of course and riding my Harley and I'm currently building a street / strip 1974 Pontiac Ventura with a 69 Ram Air III 400 motor - TH-400 setup.
I had the pleasure to wrench on Jeff Bozell's Super Late model for many years wiring every car he ran.
His brother Andy is the 12 time track champion of the Kalamazoo Speedway (Fastest 3/8 mile) in the world.
What a great family, my ears are always wide open around them as there's always so much to learn!
I have dreams of building an LSR car someday, it's in everyone's dreams isn't it?
I enjoy life with my awesome wife Judi and she knows it's in my blood.
I'm hoping someone chimes in to tell some old stories, maybe about Art and my Dad back in 61?
I will see what I can do to get some of this stuff scanned and posted, that way I can share the stories and history that the old B-Ville so deserves.