CRAGAR-I scored a nice 4X2 bbl (inline 3 bolt carbs-97-94) for my early Chrysler hemi. Now I might change my mind and go back to single 4bbl. (The picture in my head looked good when I bought it.) overspray
the chev 409 with the crager valve covers, blower manifold, blower drive and a cragar dual quad carb adapter is here at the goodguys show. what a neat piece of history. overlooked by alot of spectators. jerry
The 409 was for sale for $12,500, was still there when I left this afternoon. Owner said the valve covers were the only set Crager ever made. I have a NOS Crager 471 intake for a 49-62 Caddy I using with my 471 on a 390. <font color="red"> </font>
I have a couple of pix from a 60's era magazine of what have to be pretty rare Cragar parts. The first one, I think I saw on a show car in the mid late 60s (actually if I remember right, the guy had 2 of them running on opposite sides of the blower in a roadster). I have to think that it probably did not work that well (with the gas air mix having to travel up that narrow, essentially air cooled, channel). I have never seen one at a swap meet, and would guess that very few were actually made: <img src=http://www.erols.com/j.decourcey/CRGI.jpg> The next pic is of a Cragar setup to put a 3-71 Blower on a 60's era SBC....has to be pretty rare and they probably only made a handful of them: <img src=http://www.erols.com/j.decourcey/CRGB.jpg>
[ QUOTE ] The first one, I think I saw on a show car in the mid late 60s (actually if I remember right, the guy had 2 of them running on opposite sides of the blower in a roadster). I have to think that it probably did not work that well (with the gas air mix having to travel up that narrow, essentially air cooled, channel). <img src=http://www.erols.com/j.decourcey/CRGI.jpg> [/ QUOTE ] You thinking of the BAR's Crazy Tony Coco's brown FE powered brown T-bucket? That car sure works well!!
Dennis: I think that's the car I remember. With no preheating of the gas/air mix, I'm thinking that in cold temps puddling of the gas in that tube may have been a problem (but now that I think of it, I don't remember seeing many roadsters driving around in blizzards or sub 32 degree temps around here.) <br. Am I right in thinking that might be a somewhat difficult item to cast in aluminum?
The flaw in your theory may be that you're think normally aspired. I think these were only for blown engines in this shape to get rid of hood clearance problems. Tony's T being blown may be just sucking those puddles dry. Mopars with the cross rams on the 413 were normally aspired and they got around the problem by plumbing exhaust into the manifolds under the carbs. Cragar (or someine else?) made these in a flat design (as opposed to these droopy ones). Not sure what problem they were trying to solve with those. As far as casting them goes it wouldn't be hard at all - once you spent several thousand bucks on a matchplate and core box.
[ QUOTE ] The 409 was for sale for $12,500, was still there when I left this afternoon. Owner said the valve covers were the only set Crager ever made. [/ QUOTE ] Wow a little over priced or I would have had this! You could have had a set of Ardun heads this week end for only $4,000 more! Unless I was looking at this same set of valve covers I have seen a pair before. Thought they were on a car but it might have had this engine in it. Maybe it was at the LA Roadster show? I have the same drive snout and covers as on this engine.
Hey scoob, you didn't happen to be the one to snatch this one up? I knew it would bring stupid money, but not $859 worth! Defenitely a very unique and nice piece though.
I have a Cragar catalog posted on my web page....if you can find it, you can use it....bandwidth is in short supply this month with the robotics competition, though!
There's an article about Cragar's history and early products on http://www.roadsters.com/wheels/ Dave Mann (602) 233-8400 weekdays http://www.roadsters.com/
I have a Cragar OHV conversion head on my Model A, four banger. I also have for a small block Chevy, a Cragar intake and drive for a 4-71 blower.
Very interesting read. Thanks Dave The links you have there are good reads too. Dennis You learn something every day. I'll never take a piss in another Crane urinal without thinking of Cragar
I know this guy who has a cragar blower sitting under his work bench that i've been trying to get off him for years but he wont part with it...... While i was at an open house last week i happend to notice a cragar blower manifold in the old ladies closet so i had my realitor contact her afterwards to get more info on it plus to see if she will part with it...I still waiting for her call! BigChief has a mint cragar bellhousing he is trying to sell if anyone is looking for one...
I was supposed to list some Cragar parts for the early 60s Chevy II engine on ebay for a friend, but another guy got wind of it and bought them from him. I think it was a 2 carb intake, a valve cover and maybe an engine side cover. I was told they were kind of rare. They may have been developed for marine performance use.
I have a cragar 4x2 for early caddy a NOS Cragar adapter that adapts the caddy to a ford stick- its in the catalog #302 on page 2. had a NOS cragar olds intake too- that I gave to bleed. Cragar RULES. Tuck
I know this is an old thread but.... Does anyone have a late 60's Cragar or Bell catalog with this brake set-up in it? I have them on my 32 and can't figure out what calipers they used. The Cragar rotor mounts to the back of a Ford hub so it goes right on the Ford spindle. Anyone recognize the calipers?? They must be rears as there is only one piston and the pads are tiny.
If you want to do some "real" reading, pick up one of my favorite books, "Roy Richter - Striving for Excellence." It's big like a text book, but it explains all that Roy and Cragar achieved in his lifetime. He was an amazing human being, and Cragar (and Bell) was founded and successful for all the right reasons.
The Jalopy Journal
