Topic: Looking for Historical Information!

[Mike Bauman]

Hi Guys!
My name is Mike Bauman and I own a 1970 Boss 302 that I purchased in 1986.  The car was originally sold through Sanderson Ford of Petaluma California in 1971.  When I purchased the car (in New Jersey) it became obvious to me that this car had been "lettered" at some point in it's life and the lettering had been removed by wet sanding and buffing.  I could see the outline of the graphic when I looked down the quarter panels on an angle.  On each quarter it read "SANDERSON FORD MERCURY PERFORMANCE" and "Driver RICK EDMONDS".  Over the years I have tried to locate the driver and find out what I could from the original selling dealership with not much luck.  The dealerships original owner has passed away and now the dealership carries a different name.

I guess what I am looking for is if any Forum readers / members from that area of California ever remember seeing this car campaigned in any capacity at any local Drag strips or raceways.....or if they know the driver Rick Edmonds......The car was not strictly a race car and I think it may have been used as a promotional car but I am not sure.  The car was built in late October 1969 (sold in Jan 1971) and is Grabber orange, non shaker, 430 gear and oil cooler, deluxe interior and with many other options.  This car has undergone a complete rotisserie restoration to Thoroughbred standards and was supposed to be shown in Indy this year but unfortunately I was un able to attend.

In closing, If any one can shed ANY light on this car or it's driver it would be greatly appreciated!

Looking forward to your responses!......Mike

[priceless]

I tell you where I'd start.....Google anything and everything you can think of. Also, Facebook, you'd be surprised what you can find out. JMO

UPDATE: I just Googled Sanderson Ford, Petaluma,CA. And a dealership only 32 miles away from Petaluma by the dealership name of WC Sanderson ford in Healdsburg,CA came up.

You might be able to call them and see if they know anything about the old Sanderson Ford. I bet they do.

address: 453 Healdsburg Ave. Healdsburg,CA 95448
phone: 707-433-3318

[J_Speegle]

Don't recall ever hearing of the dealership nor the driver or seeing the car. Spent most of my younger years at drag strips in the area, dad ran one for many years and I worked there in high school and raced there in college. Attended Fremont on a fairly regular basis, it and Sacramento would have been the larger two strips in the area.

I also have a Boss 302 that was originally drag raced (further south in Bakersfield area) but never found any records in magazines nor racing news. If the car did any good you might search out local drag racing news magazines (B&W newspaper type magazines ) that were given out at local speed shops. They often have listings of weekly winners at local strips in the area. Cars like these would not have normally made their way into national publications.

If you knew what NHRA class it ran it it might help or at least make the search easier - but these cars didn't fair well in any of the stock classes from what I've seen and the number of modifications you find on the car might lead you to figure out what class your car ran in ( example Stock and Super Stock in that period didn't allow allot of modifications so to speak)

Raised and still live within a couple of hours of Petaluma


Good luck with your search

[Twilight65]

In 1970 there was a Dealer "Sanderson Ford-Merc Sales" located at 13 Petaluma Blvd, Petaluma, CA 94952

[somethingspecial]

Hi Guys!
My name is Mike Bauman and I own a 1970 Boss 302 that I purchased in 1986.  The car was originally sold through Sanderson Ford of Petaluma California in 1971.  When I purchased the car (in New Jersey) it became obvious to me that this car had been "lettered" at some point in it's life and the lettering had been removed by wet sanding and buffing.  I could see the outline of the graphic when I looked down the quarter panels on an angle.  On each quarter it read "SANDERSON FORD MERCURY PERFORMANCE" and "Driver RICK EDMONDS".  Over the years I have tried to locate the driver and find out what I could from the original selling dealership with not much luck.  The dealerships original owner has passed away and now the dealership carries a different name.

I guess what I am looking for is if any Forum readers / members from that area of California ever remember seeing this car campaigned in any capacity at any local Drag strips or raceways.....or if they know the driver Rick Edmonds......The car was not strictly a race car and I think it may have been used as a promotional car but I am not sure.  The car was built in late October 1969 (sold in Jan 1971) and is Grabber orange, non shaker, 430 gear and oil cooler, deluxe interior and with many other options.  This car has undergone a complete rotisserie restoration to Thoroughbred standards and was supposed to be shown in Indy this year but unfortunately I was un able to attend.

In closing, If any one can shed ANY light on this car or it's driver it would be greatly appreciated!

Looking forward to your responses!......Mike

Fremont Drag Strip has a Facebook page.  You might try them and/or see if any Drag strip near Petaluma, which I think was Santa Rosa and/or San Mateo have any Facebook page.  Post a pic there and see if anyone knows the car or driver.