So, when I say the name Allan Patterson, these cars probably come to mind, but did you know he once ran a very successful AHRA Junior Stocker?.........
Glad to be aboard. Did not know that this NHRA Junior Stock thread was around. I guess I have been to busy to stop and look back at all the fun I, we use to have. I restored my 50 Olds and hope to have it at the Winternationals next Feb. I did put a little suds in the motor in case I ever get a chance to run it down the strip. HI Tony, Chuck and the Valley Boys, Sorry to hear about Joe Allread, I always thought he was one of the best engine builders around and a nice guy.
Just wanted to wish you a great Thanksgiving and to say thank you for starting this site. Hope we see another 240+ pages on a great era of Jr. Stockers.
I don't know how many made it to the track, but they were readily available from the dealer. Two went out of our local dealer and ran on the streets in San Jose and Santa Cruz. I was running a 64 Valiant home built at the time and they were always beating up on me. Partly due to gear. I could not find that gear combo without going to the factory parts bin - too expensive for a high school kid just starting JC.
The Valiant was OK, but I had grown up on Fords and that 15 year rule put my 56 Ford Ranch Wagon out to pasture. It was my "old" car, but had many useful jobs including hauling spares, jack and air tank if I was backing up some up my buds at night out on the coast highway. If the mopar was broke (and it did), I might be driving the wagon and I never shied away from a run for fun. Wasn't fast enough to run for money or Pinks, but it would surprise quite a few average street cars Not that I was winning, but I was running and all of a sudden I was NOT. Yeah I did go back for a a while with the Valiant and kept at it for a few years, but the world was spinning away from the comfort zone, so I dropped out and just spent time on the streets. That's when I mostly turned completely away from NHRA and have only occasionally gone to the "show" to see some "drama" ever since. It stopped being a grass roots racer fun time, parts swapping thing that kept you working on your car, and became what it is - entertainment
Originally Posted by 56 Pontiac I/SA Thanks for sharing that front suspension trick Henry ... it did eventually become a pretty common mod for the 'thinking man's' Junior stocker! Here's a very-small modification I 'stumbled' into, that I never really did 'expand' on. During the first rebuild (mostly to 'plate hone' the cylinders) of my '56 Pontiac's 227/317 I was getting ready to install new (.10 under) bearing inserts -- I think they were Federal Mongul. I realized that they, like many I had installed over the years, were only 'grooved' on one half of the 2-piece insert. Well, the 'groove' equals slightly less surface-contact area ... equals less friction -- right? So I got another identical set and installed both 'grooved' halfs -- 'tossed' the ungrooved half. The car picked up about .15 - .20 after that rebuild. I'm not really sure if it picked up any ET at all due to that bearing-insert issue specifically, but the notion of taking that engine-friction reducing feature to the extreme has always fascinated me. As you guys know, it was standard practice to machine the crank .010 under, so why not take an additional .010 (or .030!) from the (for example) the 'mid' third of each (rod and main journal). OK ... I realize that would be a real 'no no' for 'street' and 'round 'd round' cars, but for 12-14 second drag cars, the crank could very well 'hold up.' If it did, that 30% reduction in crankshaft surface-contact area (friction) could potentially mean a huge (2-3 tenths?) gain. Alas, as far as I know, that (or a variation of) crank 'modification' could have very-well been 'standard practice' for some of the really tech-savvy guys, like 'Archie,' 'Little George,' and the 'others' in the Jenkins 'group,' and of course, Duffy's infamous take-no-prisoners 'posse.' ... Watta you guys think? This was fairly common practice for Ford Y block builders except for the Paxton blown motors. We would groove the mains and the rod journals to reduce surface area. There were secret formulas, but the word got around. Usually .125 wide by .030 deep. It oiled better and reduced bearing contact area. I only built one motor that way, but it ran well on the street and lasted years with regular trips to 5800. Getting the next 1000 out of a Y block was way to hard due to port size, so short shift it and use the torque. In order to make that work the motor/cam had to be happiest coming on full at 4000. Isky was the brand of choice and their parts got used in all the Y blocks that lasted - springs, retainers, locks - you name it. Other guys stuff broke - Isky did not We also grooved the cam journals same way. Any number of Ford motors lube the valve train from dual oil ports through the cam journals. Why not just groove the rest for reduced friction? So we did
The special "D" Darts were produced in 1966. Chrysler made 75 of them that ran F stock. They really would not cut it against the 283 chevy combos. I had one brand new from Knoblock Dodge in South River NJ. I built a forged true motor for it because it wouldn't run faster than a 13.70/97.01 in the 1/4 . The forged true motor ran a best of 13.59/98.67!! If I remember correctly you had to be in the 13.20"s to be competitive. As some of you know I am not exactly what you would call a "jockey size" driver. Now you are weighed with the car, back then it was car weight and whatever the driver weighed was your problem. This car would not fall out of a tree. If you tried to drop it down a mine shaft it probably would have gone up. It came from the factory with 273 cubic in/235 HP and had a Holley 4BBL, 4.89 gears ,Hooker headers, 4 speed with Hurst shifter. You could get any color you wanted as long as it was white with a red interior. Cost me $ 3600.00 If I can ever get my scanner to work I have many pictures to post of this car and others I took at various tracks. I am really computer illiterate when it comes to doing anything other than typing. Dom
That is either a '62 Dodge Lancer or a '62 Valiant. They were both available with a 145 Horsepower slant 6 aluminun motor. Block and heads were both aluminum. Dom
It's my pleasure Vette! Here's a Happy Thanksgiving to you and everyone here as well. Every minute of this thread has been been a total blast. The fact that we've made it this far sure is amazing!!
What's the story on this one Dennis? Every photo I've seen of Garey's 69 is red & off white. I've never seen a blue version (or is that grey primer) but who's to say? The lettering looks dead-on correct to me. The decals all seem to be in the right place. Did Ron have more than one F85?
These are the Valiants that Brocluno and Dom are referring to. Check-out Dom's classified from National Dragster back in the day! Anyone interested in the 66 D/Darts, there is a very good thread going currently over at classracer.com. Loads of good info.
I think the Chesrown Olds is the wrong color for it to be original. The lettering and decals sure look correct though. Maybe someone on here will have more info.
is this the real car ? or a "tribute? The original car was sold after the 69 season and I never saw or heard of it again -- Until today and these pics??? Tell me more of what you about it. As i recall, the car was returned to Olds and was sold out of Mich, but i couild be wrong ( been wrong before- LOL). Anyway you slice it, I never saw or heard of the car again. It was indeed an F-85 post car (W-31 4speed). The lettering job isnt quite same and colors are definitely different?? Love to hear history if it is the original Ron Garey Chesrown Smothers car! Tweed
Dom, Just joined the H.A.M.B. site after getting a PM over on Classracer. I was told that you had a D/Dart back in the day. Is it possible to get some pictures of it so we could post it on the D/Dart web site? The D/Dart that I currently own was campaigned by Ted Spehar and Ralph Costa in the Detroit area -- The Politician. It's best times were 12.92 and 105 MPH. Just a side note....Ted did a 273 Jr Stocker build up article that's in the CarCraft Magazine that colesy has displayed. The 65 Cuda shown in the article won at Indy that year. Alan
Old Action before and after restoration. All the running gear was updated. Ie NOS Schiefer clutch & P/P, new drive shaft an bigger U joints. Used the same Henry's axles with a 3:64 R/P. Original trans and Hurst shifter can be installed but I have not done it yet. Would like to take it out to the Antique drags next summer just to see what it will do. No electric fuel pump and it is 6 volt. Might run out of fuel on the top end. Bought a 1953 88 convertible gasser that had been in storage since 1976. Pretty wild looking, Red metal flake with a 1962 Olds 394 cu. in. B&M stick hydro 2 750 cfm Competition Carter's on a Dual Quad cross ram manifold. I have it running but it has just a little to much caburetion. I have been friends with Bill Ehrsam out of Sylvania, Ohio 1951 Sudebaker THE COMMANDER. I guess the car is around but he does not own it. I think he has Sam Stockwells 50 Olds wagen. I am going to get him to join up. Does anyone know what happened or where Keith Hodges is, ran a 1952 Olds I think he was from Georgia. Never met him in person but use to talk to him for hrs. He worked for the phone Co. /Users/kbe/Users/kberg/Desktop/berg_287727_5.tifrg/Desktop/berg_287727_5.ti/Users/kberg/Desktop/IMG_3233.JPG/Users/kberg/Desktop/IMG_3239.JPG
Car is owned by the owner of In-Line Tube in Michigan. A tribute car, but quite unique! www.wingsautoart.com
i met and talked with the INLINE TUBE guys at Columbus OH Olds show last year and again at 2009 Olds Nationals last summer. I guess I will get in touch with him for some more info. He also owns the 70 W31 All-Aluminum motor (prototype car). Its ablsoutly magnificant if you have never seen it!! I'll be 442 Mike has some pics of it? How bout it Mike?? Lets see em!!! Thanks Tweed Chesrown 67 W30
Keith- "Hodgepodge" is still around and i believe in Alabama?? Someone else was talking about him in some earlier posts on here. There are some pics of his car(s) on here too. Some pics of the Smeltneiks(sp) brothers(Racing Head Service) old Olds racecars too!! regards, Tweed
keith - Your pics didnt post up. Please see if you can "resend" them so they can be seen. I am sure there are many out here anxious to see em!! Tweed
I know the pics of the Olds did not come out. It's me and I have to figure out how to get them from point A to point B with out breaking out if you know what I mean. Keith
The Jalopy Journal
