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

Yes, most times it was just another casual drive for 1320 feet.

 

The AMT Piranha.

 

Tommy Ivo in near lane.

 

Dragster Loyd Scott Bustle Bomb Coupe Jazzy Nelson .

 

I can see why the Bustle Bomb was late off the line -- wasn't the front engine now starting the back one? Olds and Cad?

 

Early Freight Train near lane and Zane Shubert.

 

Edgewater near Cincinnati

 

Before things really got crazy!

 

Well, this was our entry in 1961 or so. Kinda a high boy. You could work on it without jack stands. 283 with 6 cross-row 97s, 39 Ford box, V-8 rear, lots of fun, not very fast, but ET'ed better. Blew the clutch one time, it took out the foamy aluminum 180-degree adapter, dropped the headers down on the steering, got a ride in the toolies, no harm.

This is the car I learned politeness on. I've always let the other guy go first. Needless to say, I didn't drive much. Maybe that's why I found Bonneville so nice with someone to politely push you to get started.

 

Looks like all 4 wheels are airborne !!!!
Yep........the 60's match racers ruined a lot of us......Man that's STILL cool !
6sally6

 

Gotta hold on till the bell rings!

 

I had the same problem, but it was the left rear tire.

 

Piranha huh? Sounds like a fish story to me. Hehe.

 

I bought this 8X10 glossy from Dick for 1 dollar in 1965 @Woodburn,Or Dragstrip.

 

My old friend Earl Floyd, wheeling the Albrich, Coonrod, Floyd, Fueler, august 1962.

 

Saw that run in '63 at Puyallup Wa, Garlits and Ivo were there as well. 20 plus years later, Gene and Larry were doing my blower work, and the 554 was back in action. Like our @Dean Lowe , you never forget the sound of that car.

 

Two other cars had that sound. The Speed Sport roadster and Belmont Sanchez's Stude flying through the 5 mile with Clark Cagle's blown fuel hemi at full song. Right Marty, never forget!

 

Harold Hungerford did fly the Sanchez Stude, or least that's what he told me !

 

He did Marty. He's not lying. I saw him do it. It wasn't long after my aerobatics in our Stude. Scared the shit out of me. Harold came through it far better than I did.

 

These ads started showing up in the early Drag News weekly drag racing papers. The Modified Roadster was appearing and winning plenty of races with a 6 Stromberg powered motor, but built like no other race car at the time.

Then, the 671 motor was functioning at a record setting pace and soon, there was no going back.

Hello,

Hearing that powerful sound at the drags is impressive for sure. We were fortunate in attending two big time drag racing events in So Cal during the late 59 season and early 1960 season. Both times, the performances were enhanced with the distinct sound of the Speed Sport Roadster blasting down the drag strip.

The first race in 1959 was highlighted by the runs going down a dragstrip with two tall cliffs on either side accentuating the sound multiple levels. As it zipped by, it was a wall of sound coming an going…

The performances were filmed from the walls and at the starting line. but, we could not get so close as to damaging our ears for the loud distinct sounds during the staging and start of each race.


1959-60 Speed Sport Roadster

Jnaki


Then, several months later, we were in Bakersfield for the 2nd annual Smokers March Meet. The same performance was shown again, with the distinct sound blasting by my filming position on the fence.


Note:

At this same, Smokers Club sponsored meet, a Lakewood, CA favorite from So Cal was in attendance and also, blasted our ears with its distinct sound. All coming from a modified silver Ford coupe.



Many different versions were popular throughout the following years and most people know of it as the blue Ford, 5 window 554 Coupe. Yet, it had its record breaking runs without the 554 number a year or two earlier.


Thanks to @Dean Lowe for creating an outstanding drawing of the later 1963 version of the 554 Mooneyham/Sharp Coupe.
Timeless
It is one of the best on the HAMB threads. The drawing should definitely be on the Friday Art Thread for the best artwork. IMHO It definitely tripped my trigger back then in the 1959-60 era and now.

No, that is not my Flathead, 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery in the background. When we visited a friend that lived around the corner in the new master planned community, Lakewood, in So Cal , we saw the coupe and were in my 1958 Black Impala at the time.

It was a surprise to drive around the corner and see the Ford coupe sitting in the driveway and on another time, in the garage. Lakewood was one of the first “planned” communities in So Cal. It was the start of the abundance of “Tract Home” building throughout all of California and the rest of the USA.

My brother and I saw the Mooneyham Sharp Coupe at the 2nd Bakersfield Smokers March Meet. 64 years ago as memory and films depict.

 

Saw this on the Pontiac site, can't remember if it has been posted here.
https://www.houstonfreewaydragstrip.com/kent-chatagnier-first-200-mph.htm

 

Joe Pisano was one of the early gas coupe racer/builders. His involvement has gone a long ways…

Hello,

Ever since December of 1959, my brother and I had second thoughts about selling our first hot rod Model A project that we started. The Model A coupe that we bought was in good shape, a little worn and dirty, but a thorough power wash at our neighborhood spray wash place, was all it took to make it look ready for the projected hot rod build.

Once cleaned out, it was all there, as we spent days getting it to start. I liked that my brother saw that I worked hard in getting the motor clean and running, so he allowed me to take the Model A around the block after he drove us over to several friend’s houses.

Although we were young teenagers, we noticed there was not much room for two teenagers in the stock seats. (Elbow room as well as head/shoulder room.) At the time, my brother was 5’8” and I was slightly taller. Yes, smaller bucket seat and lowered attachments would have solved the head room, but side to side, that was still a tight fit for two teenagers. YRMV

Jnaki
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/joe-pisano-model-a-pics-info.1271472/#post-14577385

Here is one Model A coupe that we always liked and was the goal of our Model A starting build.

1959 Joe Pisano Model A Coupe A/G class

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz0HCoqluzc Riverside Raceway 1959

We went to Riverside Raceway to see a huge Westcoast drag race meet. The race cars in attendance were one for the books. As we walked around the early morning, we saw a Red 1929 Model A coupe sitting in the pits. It was the end results of what ours would have looked like back a few years.

My brother was awed at the sight of the Model A Gas Coupe Class racer. Then ideas started moving around his mind as to resuming the “build” from the past. So, for the rest of the time, Joe Pisano’s Red Model A Gas Coupe was a forerunner of what ours would have been, if we had stayed true. SBC motor, Paxton Supercharger, etc. etc…

How about the suspension? Joe Pisano’s Model A was extremely low to the ground. If he got measured by the local police or CHP in Bixby Knolls, he definitely would have been given a “fix-it” ticket or immediately impounded. The body parts were lower than the bottom of the rims. Not legal as far as safety in hot rods. The local gendarmes always let us know by pulling us over. Why? Lowering to legal specs was ok, but put in several teenage boys for a cruise or a double date scene and the car gets lower or as low as the bottom edge of the rim.

1961 Winternationals VS. Grist Brothers/Reath Automotive Willys Coupe



Note:

In the fall of 1957, my brother was told that if he wanted the 315 hp 348 motor in his black 58 Impala, he would have to wait at least 6 months or longer. Those were special order units or a rare one could be found somewhere in the USA. But, that dealer (where ever it would have been) would not be willing to trade for something in stock from the local Long Beach Chevy dealers’s stock or factory daily orders. For such a rare model, the local dealer was not moving an inch to see where they actually were located.

So, after we had the 348 /280hp motor in the black 58 Impala, it was a terror in the factory build. Power we had never seen before. More power than the fuel injected 57 Chevy Bel Air Hardtops and other 57 stock models. It was a satisfying moment and we were surprised that there were so many 280 hp versions of the Impala in the A/Stock class at Lion’s Dragstrip.

Several months into the new year brought on plenty of races in the A/Stock class, leading up to winning our first trophy in the class. But, as our experiences grew, so did other drag racers and it became quite competitive. Watching the few S/S stock classes with the 315 h.p. 348 motors made us wonder where they were coming from in the USA.

As the year rolled into summer, the factory was now in full gear to ramp up the popular 315 hp 348 Impala motors and some got put into the Biscaynes models, too. Then we saw an advertisement that surprised us to no end…

Guess who was advertising and selling 315 hp Chevy Impalas in So Cal? Joe Pisano in Los Angeles.

Those rare 315 hp 348 motors in Bel Airs, Biscaynes, and Impalas that were 6 months or more for most Chevy dealers at the introduction days… No, one could not get fuel injection on a 348 motor at any cost… but… now available, so it seems:

Advertising at any cost to get drag racers to come in and buy a new 1958 Impala or Biscayne with a once “rare” motor. No, one could not get a factory fuel injection system on a 348 motor for the A/Stock class or the S/S class... unless you owned Chevrolet. ha!

Note 2:

That was fine for the factory, but the racers that wanted one (315 hp model) could now get one off of the showroom floor. The time limit was fast approaching the new introduction that was rumored for the 1959 model. A 335 hp 348 motor with a new 4 speed transmission added to the factory stock accessory order forms. Yowza!!!

A new S/S stock car champion was in the works. The most popular model, a two door black 59 Impala with a 335 hp motor, 4 speed, and a 4:56 Positraction gearing, ruled the roost for most of the following year into the 1960 introductions for the fall season. YRMV