hello ryan, i am honored to have everyone see these videos. i took them with a borrowed (from my dad's desk) camera. as teenagers, we did not have much. but, i loved drag racing and we lived only a mile or two away from lions. the sounds drifting toward our house, schools, playground must have gotten into my brain. enjoy the films...it is my contribution and give back to something i loved from way back then...levis, blue jacket, flat top buzz cut desert boots, the whole package for the times...and drag racing...what more could you ask for then? thanks, junji nakamura
hello, i believe that orange rear engine roadster was a creation by george cerny from compton, ca... if memory serves me correctly. it was a beautiful car...
That's just plain awesome. What a gem! Thanks for sharing Gentlemen. I was surprised at how many dual engined jobs there were. The film running on a loop on a large screen would make for a great backdrop at a place such as Garlit's museum in Ocala.
That is beyond cool. Hard fact, historical documentation, period. THAT is the way it was. Many thanks jnaki for sharing with Ryan, and in turn to us & the rest of the motorhead community.
Excellent time capsule. Thanks, gentlemen. That clip puts to rest a lot of bullshit associated with the "old days".
The short wheelbase dragsters are just so cool! It really dates it. And what about that two engine dragster with one blown Chrysler and one carbureted small block. That has to be the most bazaar thing I've ever seen. Thanks!
@jnaki - Fantastic footage! ... Thanks so much for allowing @Ryan to share it on The Jalopy Journal / H.A.M.B.
One thing that struck me just shortly into the film.......OHV engines were the King of the day............. I spent many a Friday night at that place during the early to mid 60's!
"I resisted the urge to edit the shit out of this stuff – giving it fancy transitions and up-beat music in the interest of… well, making it more interesting. For some reason, it just feels right to watch it as it was provided." Good call! It needs nothing else. And edit? Where the hell would you edit? Even the flutter frames are good! Editing this piece might be a little like trimming the Mona Lisa down to get it to fit into a fancy frame.... Junji, very nice camera work too. Thanks for putting this into the hands of someone like Ryan who knows what a treasure it is and treats it as such.
That was the best footage ever!!!!! So many different cars that definitely made marks on the strip and history. Very Kool!!!!!!
Love it. Thanks much for sharing. Love the aluminum body, rear engine job with sideways engine and chain ( ? ) drive on outside of wheel. Would love to know more about that one.
wonderful!!! was around back then--how it was--at 3.04 kinda looks like an early version of the Reath/Grist 40 willys
I kept looking to see If I was standing anywhere. My memory is shot I remember the green monster, and I think the stude sedan was a guy that is long gone that I knew. I didn't race there til latter. Also had a friend that flipped burgers there but he is gone also
Thanks for this! It's a great look at some of the early days and diversity of the cars. Would have loved to have witnessed it first hand,but born a little to late and on the wrong coast. Could the 37 Chevy gasser belong to Doug "Cookie" Cook? Recognized a few of the bigger names, great to see them in action.
Really awesome. Talk about diversity, EVERYTHING was tried back then. I'm digging the chain drive transverse engine dragster. And everything else. This was, "the good old days".
Pretty cool footage-Then the delectable coupe at 24:46-A standout then and would be today-hope it survived. Thanks for sharing!
I remember the Howard Cams dragster with the side by side Chevys flying down the track with a piece of plywood running at a slope from the front end to the engines. Very scary looking but maybe it did something.
Nice - thanks JNAKI and Ryan for sharing.....maybe the only one - but those 50's full body cars running down the strip man-o-man.....and that Chrysler 300 push car...jezzus Louise.....
Jnaki, you were at the right place and time to witness true greatness! I am grateful for your sharing this amazing bit of history with the rest of us. Thank you.
The only part of this i would edit out is between 18:45 and about 18:54 ,if you were to save room putting this on a disk, because that's really nothing.
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