Tweet
Just got word Sunday (08/20) that local legend "Fast Freddy Bieger" past in July at 87.
Fred raced Martins and Hot-Rods in the 50's-80's. Marchetties were his boats of choice.
I met Fred when I first got into kneel-downs around 1999. My first hydro was a Marchettie A-B that Fred had raced. I also had a Swift "Super B" that still has his 100N numbers on it a couple years ago...The Swift is now used in car shows behind a 1948 Chrysler Town+Country "Woodie" convertible that a fella has at Chautauqua Lake, Ny. It has a 40's OMC PR race motor on it that the current owner raced himself on Chautauqua.............
Fred and I would talk for hours about "Iron-fist", Charlie Strang, Mr. Martin, Marchetti, and many others that Freddy knew in his years of racing.
He told me about a guy who stopped by his house once selling gold and green race motors (20H's) out of an old panel/bread van around 1956.......Had a funny last name that started with a K.........
I had never heard of a "poppet-valve" two-stroke till he showed me a Martin race motor he was restoring............
His house in Dunkirk, NY. was literally packed with racing memories.
Two garages out back you could hardly walk through for all the Martin and Champion fish'n motors and others that kept him busy trade'n parts and conversation. I purchased every green tank Merc and Mark-15/20/25/30 he would find over the few years I've known him.
In one garage, was a 1965-66 T-Bird that has been there since his wife passed in the early 80's.........
This was one of those individuals with a wealth of info that if you would sit and listen to, could amaze you with his life exsperiences and knowledge of local industry that has come and gone in Western NY........
Fred served in the Navy in WW2 in the Pacific.
Fred often spoke of his racing family That includes his Son Bill and two Grandsons Billy and Pete. You may know Bill and Billy and their partner Tim Graminski 116N from days dominating B and 15ss with their Hot-Rods...............
He always asked how the "Brewster bunch" were running.............
I last talked to Fred in May when I picked up a Merc-400 he found me for a D-Classic project.
Coming back from the Waterford race in June, I drove past his house near Dunkirk harbor, but didn't stop. I was kinda beat-up from the weekend races.....I regret not stopping now.......
Fred is still a member of APBA-100N. He always had a well worn copy of the latest "Propeller" magazine on his kitchen table...........
I've never met Bill or "The Boys", but will take a trip this week to Dunkirk to meet Bill at "Bill's Hook Shop" (fishing outfitter).
If you want to share memories of the Bieger race team, post here and I will copy and mail/deliver in a few days.
Race on Freddy!.................
19P
Fred raced Martins and Hot-Rods in the 50's-80's. Marchetties were his boats of choice.
I met Fred when I first got into kneel-downs around 1999. My first hydro was a Marchettie A-B that Fred had raced. I also had a Swift "Super B" that still has his 100N numbers on it a couple years ago...The Swift is now used in car shows behind a 1948 Chrysler Town+Country "Woodie" convertible that a fella has at Chautauqua Lake, Ny. It has a 40's OMC PR race motor on it that the current owner raced himself on Chautauqua.............
Fred and I would talk for hours about "Iron-fist", Charlie Strang, Mr. Martin, Marchetti, and many others that Freddy knew in his years of racing.
He told me about a guy who stopped by his house once selling gold and green race motors (20H's) out of an old panel/bread van around 1956.......Had a funny last name that started with a K.........
I had never heard of a "poppet-valve" two-stroke till he showed me a Martin race motor he was restoring............
His house in Dunkirk, NY. was literally packed with racing memories.
Two garages out back you could hardly walk through for all the Martin and Champion fish'n motors and others that kept him busy trade'n parts and conversation. I purchased every green tank Merc and Mark-15/20/25/30 he would find over the few years I've known him.
In one garage, was a 1965-66 T-Bird that has been there since his wife passed in the early 80's.........
This was one of those individuals with a wealth of info that if you would sit and listen to, could amaze you with his life exsperiences and knowledge of local industry that has come and gone in Western NY........
Fred served in the Navy in WW2 in the Pacific.
Fred often spoke of his racing family That includes his Son Bill and two Grandsons Billy and Pete. You may know Bill and Billy and their partner Tim Graminski 116N from days dominating B and 15ss with their Hot-Rods...............
He always asked how the "Brewster bunch" were running.............
I last talked to Fred in May when I picked up a Merc-400 he found me for a D-Classic project.
Coming back from the Waterford race in June, I drove past his house near Dunkirk harbor, but didn't stop. I was kinda beat-up from the weekend races.....I regret not stopping now.......
Fred is still a member of APBA-100N. He always had a well worn copy of the latest "Propeller" magazine on his kitchen table...........
I've never met Bill or "The Boys", but will take a trip this week to Dunkirk to meet Bill at "Bill's Hook Shop" (fishing outfitter).
If you want to share memories of the Bieger race team, post here and I will copy and mail/deliver in a few days.
Race on Freddy!.................
19P
)
....(Up hill for a couple miles....... 
) But the adrenaline does taste soooo much sweeter!
Comment