It takes to little guys to give the big guys someone to race. I live in SW Iowa and there is a popular dirt track at Corning Iowa. A guy that raced at the track in the sixties, Dusty Whitehead (RIP) built race motors for the local guys for years. My father in law asked him if the big guys (out of Omaha, NE) were just playing with them, his response was "we make 'em earn their money" A friend of mine, when he was still in high school (or maybe just starting college) (1960 or so) had graduated from a Model A Roadster gasser with a Chevy motor to a Renault using the same motor as it was a little lighter. He got to race Pete Robinson at a track in Macon GA near his home. I guess he made Pete "earn his money" too My friend said it wasn't much of a race I've got a high school friend that is my age (73) that tries to race in the open class in the aforementioned Corning Iowa track. He has no sponsors that I know of. I asked him if he was going to keep racing and he said "yep, I love going into turn one" He makes 'em earn their money too and has fun doing it!
It was several years ago that I had a GMC powered coupe. Still some at Bonneville and El Mirage. Maybe the mile airport trials also.
I've got a street going Buzzin Half Dozen! 1940 Chevrolet Coupe w/ built 270 and dual Zeniths. Saginaw 4 speed, 55-62 Chevy 1/2 ton rear with 3.38s and 750 tires, cruises at 75 all day. Driven across the USA 3 times now!
Great story! It reminded me of my cousin's 270 powered '49 Chev 2-dr. It ran a big cam, hot ignition, dual carbs. Man that thing was fun to ride in. There really wasn't anything in our town that could keep up with it - even an Olds-powered coupe. This was before the '55 Chevy's came out, and then you could buy a car right off the showroom floor that was as fast, or faster than anything you could build. Kinda ruined the hot-rod scene for the home builder.
@Ebbspeed has a 1950 Chevy with a GMC 302, and has another one sitting on the engine stand. He just had some hardware removed from his leg and will be off his feet for a while so maybe he'll respond by posting a picture or two for us. Note that me (Ebbsspeed) and Brian (Ebbspeed) are two different people. Ebb's is an acronym for Ed, Bob and Brian. We all used to live in Newton, IA and played with lot's of hot rods.
Remembered seeing that car at Indy. I was always impressed with the no nonsense, clean construction of that coupe.
Wow, wouldn't that be Fun to recreate! Great body style, throw ' em a curve with a Big six and kick some butt. Quain (SEGA) has a class for cars like this and there are some built or being built to run this season. So, now you have No excuse. Keep diggin', Joey. Thanks,Carp.
We just reconstructed a 32 Bantam altered that I first built in the mid 60s. The car runs a 261 inline 6 with a McGurk roller cam, Fenton headers and a triple Offy intake. We are experimenting with different carb set ups like 97s, Carters and Rochesters. We are also in the midst of doing a new head which we hope will flow better. Still looking for a set of Barker high ratio rockers. If accepted, we will be at Byron in July. Warren
Thanks guys. Also, here's a color photo of it that I shamelessly ripped off eBay. Too bad the auction ended a long time ago, or else I would have bought it for sure! Note the super cool tow rig.
I wonder if that's the one my dad has told me about. My dad raced all around Michigan, down to Indiana, Illinois and Ohio, and even over into Ontario, in the early 60's. He's referred to an early coupe, with a straight six, running G/gas, that sounded like someone shook up a jar full of pissed off bumble bee's!
From: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/who-remembers-n-a-s-c-a-r-drags.1016959/#post-12139803 A buddy of mine from Ohio, Dave Ehrmann, just gave me a recent copy of Gasser Wars that has a neat article inside on his H/Gas car from the 60s. They did win one NASCAR drag event. They are looking for his old car, if anyone knows where it might be. Thanx, Gary
Parker Bohn (The Grandfather of bowler Parker Bohn the third) was a hardcore six follower as well 302 GMC bored out to 323 cubic inches with a Wayne head. Won races well into the 60's
I think this is posted elsewhere here but always worth a second look. By the way, does anybody have a Wayne 12 port hidden in their basement that they would like to get rid of? Warren
Here is a picture of the engine bay on my '50 Bob mentioned. I don't have any pics of the one on the engine stand. It is built the same, pistons, cam, balanced, single 4bbl, fenton headers. It will be installed in a '51 Belair. Thanks for the shout out Bob.
Have a friend that lives in Washington with a 32' Chevy coupe all steel. has a built 250, dual 4V's on it. Car runs mid 13's and street legal.
Built this in 1999 to prove to a lot of people it could. Won bowling hotrod reunion in 05 and did a runner up in 06. All built in-house. Car and engine. Enjoy.
There was a guy, Willy Richter, who went to Edison High in the very early '60s. I don't remember what powered it, but he drove a Canary yellow '33 (I believe) Plymouth coupe to school. If I'm not further mistaken, he also rode a Triumph Tiger Cub. He was as cool as anyone at Edison. I wonder where he is today ?
Maybe this is a good place to post this picture Joey. Thanks to Pat Ganahal for the Restore! Too Tall had her just gleaming in the CHRR Bakersfield sun shine 2016. Your Rodders Journal feature in Bare Metal and than completed was an informative eyefull.
The Pork'n'Beaners were or are the mainstay of racing. They seldom get many accolades except from people who know them and they are always present. Little known was a man from Santa Rosa who ran a flathead powered Willys out of his service station. I probably could not find pic of his car and for the life of me I cannot tell you his name. No fame other then the fact that he was still running a flathead in the '60s and winning. He was known as "A leaver", he probably had the best hole shot in the Bay Area, he would be crossing the 60 ft line when most guys were just getting out of the gate. every track in the US had at least one of those guys. Good read Mr Ukrop
Porknbeaner, the guy you mentioned was Ed Binggeli. He was a local legend, known as the flathead king. Ed died in January, 2014 at age 91, but he was an active hot rodder right up to the time he died. He's still much missed around here. I'm not good with the tech stuff, so unable to include it here, but there's a great article in the March 1962 issue of hot rod magazine on Ed and his Willys coupe, or you can do an internet search for Ed Binggeli, and that'll turn up some interesting reading.
Thanks I remember the car was fenderless and he was one that we would walk to the staging lanes to watch. Funny the things you remember isn't it. Here's the station Here's the car seems like I remember it running fenderless but we are talking 55+ years. LOL
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