Chrysler Corporation's performance ads were some of coolest ever printed! Pete P.S. I didn't know that Cotton Owens had a drag car!
Had me fooled! Just goes to show how faaaaaaaaaaaaaar NASCAR (it'll always be NASCAR to me) has allowed its cars to deviate from their original roots! Heck, slap some drag slicks on that baby and reinstall its interior, wiring, etc. it should fit in S/S. If still too modified for S/S rules, it should make it in A/FX; if not, there's always Modified Production! Pete
Sorry Dean, I didn't have my team take the pics, they were taken and sent to me buy Ron Sanders of Lumley/Sanders I/SA. Lou
QUOTE]P.S. I didn't know that Cotton Owens had a drag car![/QUOTE] Cotton Owens did have a drag car! It was a little Dart wagon with the engine mounted in the back. They raced it during NASCAR's Hemi ban just like Petty. It was called the "Cotton Picker". I've got some articles on it, but has nothing to do with stock. I think it was driven by David Pearson. Take a look here....third post down rt side pic... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=361566&highlight=cotton+owens Cap
Yup, David Pearson drove it. The car ended up with Bud Faubel who owned it briefly before passing it off to Smokey Yunick. Smokey apparently wanted it to do some turbo testing with.
Back in the day there was no bigger status than having that Hurst stick on your floor either street or drag car. It said I put in the best and got rid of that factory wiggle stick. If I recall corectly there was a slogan attached to Hurst shifters that goes "shift as hard as you want...just don't break your arm!"
And when I broke my factory installed Hurst shifter in my 383/4 spd '64 Plymouth Belvedere I referenced that ad when I sent it back to the Hurst factory. By that time the car was four years old. They rebuilt it and sent it back - no charge. Lee
Just a Little corrective FYI -- The Drag-N-Wagon owner/driver was DAVE Duell, not "BOB". Arlen Vanke prepped dodge 343, out of Mansfield Ohio. Anyway - he was always a very tuff competitor whereever he showed up!!
Seeing all the Hurst ad's had me wondering... when did the company move from Eastern PA? Was it before the Mr. Gasket acquisition or??
It's important to consider the fact that today's "Stock" eliminator retains only a shadowy connection to the playing field on which we all began to play this game. There have been so many "adjustments," "clarifications," and "accommodations" over the years that it's really difficult to place yesterday's car in today's line-up. Things such as unlimited camshaft duration, unlimited valve spring pressures, after-market pistons and transmissions, and replacement parts have altered the basis for comparison. In the final analysis, today's competitive "Stocker" is much more a matter of how a particular engine is "factored" horsepower-wise than ever before. Combinations are made and broken by the stroke of a pen or by a case of "creeping liberalization." My '68 Camaro small-block car was rendered obsolete over a period of time, not entirely by new combinations but by the relaxing of formerly hard and fast rules that permitted previously mediocre combinations to gain substantial performance advantages. My frequently-used description of how things are today is: "There is no such thing as a killer car in Stock Eliminator. It's just a car that's in the wrong class." Accordingly, a '57 Chevy, 283, 220 hp Stocker would be super-competitive if it was assigned a favorable rating or it would be instantly obsolete if it was over-rated. c
JUNIOR STOCKERS And all readers of this site I know I have talked of the upcoming york Show a number of times. I haven't mentioned NNDRA-National Nostalgia Drag Racing Association -PO Box 3675 York Pa 17402-0136 This is an association that recognizes racers that made a contribution to the early years of drag racing in general. Every year a number of individuals, teams, or factory supporters etc. are nominated for the "Legion of of Honor" an award that is presented at the York Nostalgia show. www.yorknostalgia.com For $ 20.00 you can become a member of the association for a year. This membership is what supports the awards given out at the show. The deficit is made up by the show which is why we could use more members. Why not sign up and have a voice in who is nominated. Dom
The car was called "Mr.Violent" and driven by George Weiler after it left Cotton Owens. It still survives and is in Maryland unrestored. It was being bracket raced up until about 6 years ago. I've never heard the Yunick turbo story.
This was the story as told by Bud. Whether Smokey actually did any turbo testing with it, I don't know but this is susposedly what he wanted it for.
Cotton Owens had drag cars also I took this shot as a teenager outside of his garage notice the slightly altered wheelbase, scoop, lights, wipers, slicks and absence of any roll bars. <O <O</O <O If you look closely into the garage door behind the car, (past the chained NO ADMITTANCE sign) the car inside looks as it may have the NASCAR decal package on the front fender. The front wheel also sits properly in the wheel well.<O</O <O</O <O</O <O</O <O</O <O
Sanderson Brothers 57 Chevrolet Wagon Division 6 Scott Bros. 55 Chevrolet Wagon Division 6 Ronnie Broadhead 60 Pontiac Division 7
Touched up the original wheels and mounted up the tires, which are all original NOS from the late 60's. The Stahl/Moroso stickers are impossible to find so I had a pair made using one original Stahl/Associates I had. Picked up a better condition front bumper center section to replace ours which is rusty, I'll bolt that in this weekend and finish touching up the paint on the chassis. -Dean
I remember it as Stahl Moroso, maybe with a "-" in the middle. I'll see what I can find. Mark PS: Stahl & Associates is correct.
The Jalopy Journal
