Three legends of drag racing in So Cal history... Hello, Nice find of a classic hot rod used to drive daily and to scour the weekend dragstrips in So Cal during the early days in the mid-late 50s. the tahitian red 37 Chevy coupe was well known to all street class racers, as it won almost weekly at Lion’s Dragstrip. Here is one of the earliest photos for the typical early competition in the street gas coupe/sedan classes at Lion's Dragstrip near our old Westside of Long Beach house(s). Sometime during the 1957-59 season at Lion's Dragstrip. Doug Cook's custom Tahitian Red 37 Chevy Coupe holding court in the Gas Coupe and Sedan Classes. Look at the wide array of competition, 1952 Chevy/Olds sedan, lowered 50 Chevy sedan, Doug Cook C/Gas and behind Cook, Charlie Ettien’s “The Painter’s Truck” Supercharged Hemi Ford Truck in this screen shot. Street legal and weekend hot rod/drag racing at the local dragstrip was a common thing to do from opening day in 1955 Until it was phased out in the late 60s due to the popularity of FED and funny cars. A compilation of timed runs and elimination runs in silent mode as was the norm back then. Jnaki 1959 From street to strip to trophy lane, was the norm on weekends at Lion's Dragstrip. So, what does a guy like Doug Cook do? Besides everything??? Changes the rear axle gears to get a better ratio for the drags, test drive it on the daily street trips and then show up at Lions Dragstrip to race in C/Gas or without added weight, B/Gas on Saturdays. YRMV Ahhh…the good old days of hot rod/drag racing in So Cal…
The Jalopy Journal
