Saved Another One

[guitardude081]

As I have developed my friendship with Al Garin, he started telling me more about this buddy of his with a 295/S in his barn. From the sounds of it, the guy just wanted it to have it to have it and it was in pretty rough shape. I have been hunting for a motor, pipe, air box and carbs for my spare 295 for awhile so I thought this might be the sled I need. The only issue with the whole thing was that the guy wasn’t interest in selling. Al finally convinced him to sell. After meeting “Aussie” and BS’ing for awhile, he got to telling stories about the race history. As it turns out, the sled was raced by a local guy, ICCSF #15, Bob Baniecke. The fan bearing blew on day 2 of the I-500, effectively taking the sled out of the race.

After posting on the FB page, a bunch of my buddies contacted me and told me all sorts of great things about Bob and his wife Midge, as well as things about the powersports store they operated. One friend had the pleasure of working for Bob and Midge as a high school kid in the 80’s. Originally, I had planned to transplant parts onto a future grass drag build but it looks like I added another 295/S restoration to my list. I look forward to meeting the driver and starting to tear into this sled after I finish Al Garin’s ERX 340/S. I now own one of each 295 suspension option.

~Jack

[sledz]

Great story Jack, I hope you chronicle this restoration just as you did with Al's.

Steve

[JoeRainville]

Awesome find and good save Jack! A bogie-slide 295/s is one sled I would make room for, even though I keep saying "I don't need anymore sleds". They are just too cool, especially with I-500 history.

See you at ERX!
-JDJR