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

At least he wouldn't have to worry about losing his sack if the rear end blew! That looks scary just sitting still.

 

Here's a list of cars that Pat drove over the years...I am good friends with his son Cole who lives locally and the proud caretaker of Pat's last build, the Billy Lynch fueler.

 

Man…what I wouldn’t have given to go to “The Beach” bitd…must have been quite the show

 

That's quite a list. He told me about one of his early T/F rides, the current driver couldn't hold it wide open very far down the track, due to vibration. So, Pat climbed in the car, thinking if he could hold it on the pin, further down the track, it would establish him as a driver. He said it shook like hell, but he hung on, it turned out to have a broken crankshaft ! Oh, he had so many stories to tell ! Cole, has to be one of best accomplishments in life.

 

That is Tom Willford with his arms closed sitting in his wheelchair.

 

Yes, with 2 ll's in his name. One of the nicest men to walk and roll on this planet ! I restored the Coleman for him for the price of parts only !

 

I have had the honor of meeting and racing against one of the men that raced at that event.

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1950-drag-race-at-mcaf-santa-ana-tustin-pics.1077636/



Hello,

It is a sad note to showcase a historic part of So Cal that has been destroyed by fire. Half of the hangar structure that is in the above drag racing photo from @HEMI32 is gone. It will be hard to decide whether it will be rebuilt or torn down. The matching other hangar near the main cross street is still standing. The wooden structure burned and some of the rest is still standing. The old drag strip surface can still be seen on the photo...right side road.

For anyone interested in history of So Cal drags, @HEMI32 has posted a great thread. I happen to be driving on the main cross street going through the whole complex dividing the industrial tract and the historic hangars.


Jnaki





NOTE:

 

As I have posted before, I walked guard duty in the South Hangar when I returned from RVN. I was inside and both doors were closed making it a scary four hours. The hangars are about 18 stories tall, 1000' in length, and 300' wide.
Even though the hangars are National Monuments, it would be impossible to rebuild because of the monumental cost. The wooden structure and cat walks (over 80 years old) would not pass any codes mandated by the city, state, and federal governments.
Sadly, it will just go down in history.

 

I spotted this car for sale as a roller back in the early eighties, I think he wanted like $3500 for it, which at the time seemed like a small fortune, so of course I passed on it. I wonder where it is now and how much it would bring today?

 

It was for sale in the swap meet area at the CHRR in Bakersfield many years ago. I was amazed that it was still in good condition and mostly complete minus the engine and transmission.

 

"Flaming Frank Pedregon".

 

Most likely a 413cu.in. max wedge with short ram intake and dual quads. Also a blocked off modified TorqueFlite automatic transmission that no human could out shift. They were bad news for 409 Chevy’s and 406 Ford’s when that Plymouth or Dodge combination hit the drag strips.

 

In ‘62 the National S/S Record was set by Dick Ladeen from Portland, Oregon at 12.71. He ran locally at McMinnville Dragstrip, I never saw him win a race. There was a big S/S race, with 21 cars entered, 409 Chevys, 406 Fords, 421 Pontiacs, and numerous Plymouths and Dodges. The final round was Jim Price’s 62-406 and the Potter Bros 61 - 401 HP 390 Starliner with a 3 speed. Potter had it until he missed a shift, and Price won.
Edit, I forgot to mention Dick Ladeen drove a '62 Dodge, 2 dr sedan.

 

Those are '64 Dodges, aren't they? Kennedy was killed Nov. '63.

 

Malise & Lipori AA/GD at Indy 1968-69...

 

Deaf yet ?

 

The rear of this is sexy

 

Absolutely correct, but I think there is something wrong with me . I keep looking at the construction of the
trailer .