Don Schleich

Don next to Jack Schleich's 1932 Ford 3-Window coupe. Don helped his brother build the coupe in the late 1950s. Photo courtesy of Don Schleich.

In April of 1965 Don bought himself a 1964 Pontiac GTO. Photo courtesy of Don Schleich.

Don Schleich's 1937 Ford Coupe. Photo courtesy of Don Schleich.

Photo courtesy of Don Schleich.

Photo courtesy of Don Schleich.

Photo courtesy of Don Schleich.

Photo courtesy of Don Schleich.

Photo courtesy of Don Schleich.

Don Schleich of Oceanside, New York. Don helped his brother Jack Schleich build a chopped and channeled 1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe in the late 1950s. When Don became old enough to drive, Jack let him use the monster of a coupe. Don swapped the two McCullouch superchargers that Jack had installed on the coupe, for a GMC 4-71 blower with two AFB carbs. After breaking six of the eight cast pistons on his first test run, Don had to rebuild the engine. During the rebuild, Don installed lower compression forged pistons. Don remembers that the fastest set of wheels on the street at the time was the Chevrolet Biscaynes with the 409-425 HP engine. They were heavy though, and Don had no trouble taking them out. Don drove and street raced the coupe until he went into the service in November of 1963. While he was in the service, he bought his first car, a 1964 Pontiac GTO 389 with Tri-power. The car had been a bank repossession, and he only paid $1700 for it in April of 1965. It was still a problem to afford when Don only got $78 a month from Uncle Sam! Once he was out of the service, he promptly put a big block Chevy in the car with 5.13:1 gears and a Chevy 12 bolt rear. The car ran 11.80 @ 121 with an M-21 4 speed trans. Don's wife used to drive it to work. It was their only car and as Don lived close to his work, he had to walk. Later on Don bought a 1937 Ford coupe hot rod. Don bought the Ford already modified, but after he got it he has changed just about everything on it. Don's coupe is powered by a 454 Chevrolet LS6 big block engine. The engine is balanced, blueprinted and ported. Fit with a Weiand 6-71 blower it produces 760 horsepowers at 6000 RPM. Don has won many awards with the car, and he was the winner of the inaugural Street Rodder Magazine Top 10 National Competition. It also earned a Pigeon Forge Top 25 pick. The car is very streetable, and in 2012 Don had owned it for 15 years, driving it around locally.

Don Schleich's Cars

Don Schleich's 1937 Ford Coupe
Don Schleich's 1964 Pontiac GTO