Our own P. A. Schilke's Name in Road & Track!

[Msfitoy]

What great history Phil! I in my second year at Ford Design then and recall hearing about this

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[y2krtaf]

Phil,do you happen to have any more cool pictures or videos you could share from those days?

I really dig some of the vintage racing,and would actually love to see some of those trucks pop up for some vintage events!!

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Phil,do you happen to have any more cool pictures or videos you could share from those days?

I really dig some of the vintage racing,and would actually love to see some of those trucks pop up for some vintage events!!

Hi Gary,

Yes, I have a ton of 8x10s from Ford Public Affairs....be a long time to scan them, but here are a few.

Got a few more in the archives but too big so have to edit down in size...

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Phil,do you happen to have any more cool pictures or videos you could share from those days?

I really dig some of the vintage racing,and would actually love to see some of those trucks pop up for some vintage events!!

Hi Gary,

A few more....

Steve Saleen in 2nd

Steve Saleen Pass for the lead and the Win!

Testing at Sears Point California.
Steve Saleen in the Mustang and me in the Truck... I was faster in the turns than the Mustang!

Middle picture...Crew Chief Howard Comstock, Me and George Follmer

Lime Rock Connecticut. Me to the far right in the directors chair... I was taking a break from fixing an electrical problem on the 19 truck... Chis Economacki photo and joining us for lunch!

Okay....Enough for tonight.....

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[Glocker]

@P. A. Schilke
That is some cool stuff!!!!

 

[cb4017]

@P. A. Schilke
That is some cool stuff!!!!

Just what I was thinking. Great stuff!

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Phil,do you happen to have any more cool pictures or videos you could share from those days?

I really dig some of the vintage racing,and would actually love to see some of those trucks pop up for some vintage events!!

Hi Gary,

Ok...busy day but had some time to scrounge a few more of the Race Trucks.


Ed Dunne with my first test mule of two test mules..Lake Geneva Wi Oval

Las Vegas Oval. The winning Ford Ranger is tucked behind the 2nd truck in the picture. Steve Saleen behind the wheel of the Livernois Scorcher Ranger. I was there with my 2nd test mule giving rides to the top brass from Ford that were there for the Race....Must have done 100 laps for the Ford Brass. Fun Time, but talk about a sore neck...Ovals are tough on the neck!

Livernoise Ford Ranger Wins the Des Monies Iowa street race with Steve Saleen driving

Paddock pre race

Misc Pix... 55 is Craig Wiedner private entry Ford Ranger

Okay....Enough bandwidth

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[y2krtaf]

WOW!
SO very cool Phil! Huge thanks for sharing some of that!

Had to be a blast for sure since that was really breaking some very new ground.Racing a truck on an acual road course was not what the typical person thought they were for at the time.
But in doing it really brought a whole new vision to the whole truck market and scene.

Truly some legendary folks involved as well,man that’s really good stuff!!

 

[P. A. Schilke]

 

[Bsenecal]

Thanks for sharing Phil, I appreciate all of your posts in this forum.
Brian

 

[Forrest Pennington]

Cool article, I would love to get my hands on an old Ranger in good shape, but there aren't many left.

 

[peterson1604]

Very cool article, thanks for sharing!

 

[FX4inDE]

I'm enjoying this thread as well. It's a real plus to have Phil contributing to the forum. Thanks Phil.

My first Ranger was a 1991 regular cab Sport 6 cylinder 5 speed. My first new vehicle off the lot. I wish I had the sticker...I think it was $10,600. I paid for it from making a quick buck from Blockbuster Video stock and an insurance settlement for when someone rear ended me in on I-95 in my 1968 1/2 Cougar GT 428 Ram Air Cobra Jet. I wish I had that car now.

 

[DrPerez007]

Phil, all great stories and certainly add to the Ford legend. Even today, your efforts are still widely felt and appreciated.

Thanks for having been there, for the stories, and for being part of Ranger5g. Your contributions here are both informative and interesting. It is certainly an honor to have you onboard.

BTW, this conversation from the article is great:

“I was subscribed to Road & Track,” he says. “John Dinkel had a column called Miscellaneous Ramblings, and he indicated there was a deal at Lime Rock held every year called The Manufacturer’s Challenge. We got a hold of John and proposed that we’d bring two Ranger pickups to his event. You could have probably dropped a turd in a punch bowl and got a more positive response.”

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Phil, all great stories and certainly add to the Ford legend. Even today, your efforts are still widely felt and appreciated.

Thanks for having been there, for the stories, and for being part of Ranger5g. Your contributions here are both informative and interesting. It is certainly an honor to have you onboard.

BTW, this conversation from the article is great:

“I was subscribed to Road & Track,” he says. “John Dinkel had a column called Miscellaneous Ramblings, and he indicated there was a deal at Lime Rock held every year called The Manufacturer’s Challenge. We got a hold of John and proposed that we’d bring two Ranger pickups to his event. You could have probably dropped a turd in a punch bowl and got a more positive response.”

Hi Steve,

Yeah...I use this analogy once in a while. I can tell you John Dinkle was not amused based on recent contact.... Oh well, It was the way we felt on the Ford end of the phone conversation. This was in the day when R&T was the bible as they say. The head of Truck Public affairs said I was toast....never going to happen. I was pretty dejected. However, clutching to any ray of optimism we were invited. The rest is history as they say.

Another Back Story...I maybe shared this before. Most of the participants were staying at the Wake Robin Inn and there was a pre race dinner party the eveing prior to the race. We attended decked out in our Ford Truck Engineering Red shirts. Cocktail reception followed by a very nice dinner. Afterwards, having shown the trucks competitive lap times earlier in the day, Mr. Corvette, John Runkle made his way to our table, infuriated as we Ford Truckers were about to steal his thunder and he let us know angrily. Our table was agast, but me. I laughed at him and said...well John, please be kind to our trucks when we come upon you to lap you. Beat red from anger...he turned away and stomped off. High 5's from all of us at our table. John was bound and determined to lap us, but you know, he never did....we held our own and did not finish all that far behind he and John Heinrichy (sp?) Yeah...he won the event, but we captrued so much more Ink!, so in reality, Andy Gordon and I in 5th place won the Ink war! We got the press...

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

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