Sunday, "Dirty D'' 59/60. Sidewinders lined up. Check the iron out in the background. Remember those that we lost so we have the freedom to do what we enjoy.
May 1959 Hello, During our early drag racing adventures, we had choices as to which class and build we could do for our next race car, after finishing a nice run with the 58 Impala. Could we modify the Impala to run in the street legal Gas Coupe/Sedan Classes? Or use the 58 Impala as a reliable street cruiser/tow vehicle for the next build of a Modified Roadster or short wheel base Roadster Pickup? My brother really wanted to race and drive in a front engine dragster-FED, but that build skill was a little beyond our abilities at the time. So, he liked the Altered Coupes/Sedans, the Altered Roadsters, and the Gas Coupe/Sedan classes. Those would all fit into the experience and abilities of both of us. So, as we were thinking of the next step beyond stock car drag racing, we went to the huge, 1959 Riverside Raceway drag meet. There, we saw the "best of the best" from all over the USA, fighting it out to become the top eliminator and the winners in their respective classes. The competition was fierce. The Riverside Raceway was perfect for the event as it could hold plenty of people and racers with their race cars. Plus, it was located so far away from the general population that the noise created by the racers would not bother anyone, except for the field mice colonies. We had seen the advertisement of the Higginbotham Farms Modified Roadster in the Drag News weekly paper. But were surprised to see it in its lifted form in the pits of Riverside Raceway. Dec. 1959 Riverside Raceway Higgenbotham Farms Modified Roadster Jnaki You meet the nicest builds, people and racing action at the dragstrip. This adventure was a long way from our Westside of Long Beach home court of Lion’s Dragstrip. But, the same competitors gave it their all against the invaders from all over the USA, battling it out in cold to hot weather all day in Riverside, CA. 1959 Riverside Racceway Pits film
The modern narrative is that Don is the " living legend " of the early Chrysler. The reality is that it is an engine that he used long ago and his real success came with the 426. I did see an interview that confirms this , he says that after a big win his contact at Mopar congratulated him and then reminded him that the company didn't make 392's anymore. I have the perfect reply to that statement ( if it was me back in 1964 or whenever ). Interesting observation ... a vid on utube about his development of the rear engine ( 70-71 ? ) , he is using a rear distributer engine. I have also seen some reproductions of his early cars that he has built and run and man they seem strong . He may be more sentimental or have different feelings than the " company line " will allow him to state. He always seems to be a part of the old rear distributer engine in some way throughout the years ( he DEFINATLY has not separated himself from it as most in his position would have done I suppose ). I think I'm changing my own opinion in typing this out , but tomorrow you might read that he has a 3 wheeled car with a Donovan to break 400 , lol.
Hello, Junji, I believe that 222 is a coupe that John Grimas ran, out of Blair's in Pasadena. After he moved on, the coupe sat in Blair's parking lot for a long time, its paint fading. Best, Dave
The Jalopy Journal
