History Drag cars in motion.......picture thread.

Yep! It came in for a landing....

 

Ratican, Jackson, Stearns




Hello,

When we first filmed the dark blue A/Altered Fiat Coupe of the Ratican, Jackson, Stearns at Lion’s Dragstrip, we knew it was from Reath Automotive in Long Beach. It’s dark blue paint and darkened windows gave it some attitude and the results proved good on the eliminations races.
Lion's Dragstrip Class Lanes
As their success grew in the Altered Class, there was a chassis change to a shorter frame set up.
1959-60
The Ratican, Jackson, Stearns Fiat A/Altered went through some changes before their winning ways at the 1960 U.S. Nationals in Detroit.

The final shortened wheelbase, changed to 96”, was the right combination for ruling the Altered Coupe class. Ratican, Jackson, Stearns: National Champions...
old Friday Art

early Ratican Jackson Stearns/Reath Automotive Altered Coupe

Jnaki

The history of the team of Don Ratican, Bill Jackson and Ron Stearns is well documented in drag racing history.

An early history of this racing team: photos WDIFL


“Then we had a new, Joe Itow chassis made which was 98 inches. This is the original car, shortened, it is in my garage."

1961 shortened wheelbase
The young team of Ratican, Jackson and Stearns winning the Nationals at Indy in 1961.

Restoration:


"And, we still do car shows, as well as cackle it.”
Ron Stearns

June 2017 Lions Dragstrip Museum Cacklefest


June 24, 2017 Price Transfer Lions Dragstrip Museum grand opening event,
"The big second cackle."

 

Bakersfield, 1962

 

El Tigre-Shadoff Special Dave Zueschel...

 

"frozen" in motion (N.H.R.A. Museum)

 

It hard to believe that many of the Thunderbolts ran with painted steel wheels.

 

The rear steel wheels for the Thunderbolts were made specifically for them by Kelsey Hayes. They were 9 inches wide - one inch wider that their widest standard 15" wheel. I once had a set that came on a car I owned and sold them on the internet.

 

Rules from 64

 

Modern day Jr Stocker match race.Fall of 2021. The 57 wagon 283 270 hp beat up on my1955 265 8.10 to my 8.33. Had fun though.

 

The Chizler...

 

Niagara...Dean Johnson photo.

 

[QUOTE="65pacecar, post: 14373205, member: 125097 View attachment 5306907 [/QUOTE]

Don Enriquez in the seat of the Adams & Enriquez Jr. Fuel car and that’s Adams in the shot too. Gene built a 305” DeSoto for the class and they were always a Jr. Fuel threat.

 

If this actually the real "High and Mighty" was this before or after the wild megaphone exhaust pipes?

 

Nope! Just a wannabe....

 

Hello,
If this were the original, then the background would not have a 562 area code for a phone number. It would have started with letters, like HE-mlock or GA-rfield, etc.

It is a reproduction based on a current nostalgia drag race event.

Jnaki

So, the orange one is a strange version of the original.

 

John Wenderski...

 

The only thing that's the same is the name.

 

Thanx all. I figured that IF there had ever been an orange version without the megaphone pipes I surely would have seen pix of it before now.

So now back to your regularly scheduled programming and please forgive me for derailing this most excellent thread.

 

Love this thread, but especially love @jnaki input to put it into perspective for us that weren't there cheers