LOL.....I just read this as Im RE reading all 400+ pages to get my Jr. Stock "Fix". Love the idea of all open trailers or flat towing....LOL. I guess we can consider the Beaver Springs Penn. race in July as the "INDY" of Jr. stock today for us old farts. Hope to be there this year. I sure wished we could have some Jr. stock look alike "clone" races local and around the country.
I agree....still trying to finish my "clone" Junior Stock '66 Bel Air. I am still looking for a standard offset (not reverse) 15" X 7" and 15" X 8" Cragar S/S rims, old style, direct bolt pattern for Chevy (5 X 4.75"). I need one pair (7") to mount the M&H cheater 7" slicks, and a pair (8") to mouny my street rubber or 9" goodyear slicks. Any help locating a pair for the rear would be most appreciated, as I already have a mint set of 15" X 4" Cragars for my front runners. The period correct decals and relocating my MSD box (hidden) are about all I need to finish it up. I'm toying with the idea of "Junior Stock" stripes on the roof like the old Candymatic cars and a bunch of NED cars had.
Some recent finds from the archives. This car bugged me for months trying to remember who owned it. Last week when I was having dinner with the Hampps celebrating Charlie Sr.'s 92 birthday, I asked Charlie Jr. if he remembered Dick Jarrell ( Alex's son) owning a '55. He said yes "I think it was his street car." Last night Dick confirmed it was his. This '57 belonged to Jeff Kane, a neighbor of the Jarrell's and warehouse manager for John Burkholder's B&B Performance East. This shot of Hamburger's car was on a negative strip and was a surprise find.
Sounds like a neat ride. You could always use a set of white painted steel wheels while your hunting for the cragars !
Colesy, I just want to offer a sincere THANK YOU for starting this wonderful thread. I am more of a reader than a poster, but I have been reading this thread for a long time - trying not to go thru it too fast. I told my wife this thread is like the greatest and thickest 1960's car magazine with no last page. So many of the folks on this thread have been so helpful and courteous to those with questions. Steve(56 Pontiac I/SA) is so passionate about the Jr Stockers you can feel it in his words. Thank you also Bob Rice,TMcCrea,X-TECH MAN, biscaynes,markyac,67 W-30, Gary Glover, Skip Asay, P426 and so many more. I don't know if you guys realize how enjoyable you have made this with your pictures, insight, knowledge and especially with your time. To those of you that participated in Junior Stock, you are our boyhood and adult hero's. Colesy, Thank You again. Eddie
I thought about a pair of argent/silver Corvette rally wheels or painting them Tropical Turquoise, like the body color.....but the Cragars are really what I want ..... I always loved the look of the Paranoia '66 Biscayne of Billy Izykowski.
Anyone sitting on pics of the Hatfield Ford cobra jet of Steve Dillman? Maybe from Indy or Edgewater Sports Park.
Colesy, it was simply a wonderful time...period! Eddie, I concur with your sentiments. Every visit to the HAMB includes a visit to this thread...without exception... Now back to the Jr. Stockers. Keep up the good work, folks!
I don't want to dream ... I want to make it happen....I've attended the NMCA races and ran a Nostalgia Super Stock class, although mine is more like a Nostalgia Junior Stocker. They had that class some time ago, but at that time there wasn't enough interest. From what I've seen at York I think we could do a NED Nostalgia Junior Stock racing class. Not so pure that the cost would be prohibitive, more lax on rules, and more about a look. Small slicks for sure, old style wheels, correct look engines, etc. Have the paint and lettering, decals, etc be period correct. That IS possible to do.
It would be great but as Mark Y. mentioned in a long ago post on this foeum the ones that show up usually look like rejects from a bracket race with large non factory hood scoops, no interior, modern wheels, etc. I feel that it should be an appearence rule and be strict. Other wise whats the point. Go for the look and make it a eek: OMG !) a dial in or index type (1/4 second indexes per class) of race like the NMCA had. Max ET allowed around 11:50 so we wouldnt be forced to install a roll bar and have current dated harness assemblys every 2 years unless the car is a convert or if you just would feel safer having one. Most of us are to old to be tearing down engines and fixing broken rears with the use of current race slicks. My Vette stayed together for 2 years but as soon as NHRA dumped Jr. stock on 7 inch tires and I used 8 and 9 inch tires I broke everything except the steering wheel. Slowest class around 15.00 seconds to cover something like a 6 cylinder car or an old Olds, etc. Well its nice to dream but I have my doubts it would happen. Most have restored some of the old neat cars and use them to cruise and go to car shows. They are not interested in racing anymore. It sounds like your stuff is a nice one and would fit the appearence rules. Wish someone would invent a time machine.....LOL.
I have thought about white painted steel wheels for the rear of my 57 if I can't come up with a pair of chrome reverse. I currently have black steel wheels in the rear with 28' tall Hurst cheaters - which leads me to a question. Was the common Junior Stock cheater slick size on 55-57 Chevys 28" tall? If they ran 29" tall tires were they allowed to trim the front of wheel-opening for clearance?.......or did they have some method of moving the rear end rearward? .....probably not legal? Eddie
I remember seeing a lot of 8:00/8:50 X 14 inch slicks back in the early days and mid 60's. M&H brand and Caslers early on. Even on higher HP cars. Then later the 9:00X15's were popular because the larger diameter gave a larger contact area on the track. When the Firestone 29.5 X 15's came out I imagine they trimmed the wheel wells on the cars with smaller wheel wells. I wasnt into tech back then so only remember what I saw. I used the 8:00 X 14's on my 65 Plymouth 426 street wedge and the new Firestones on my 69 Vette. Moving the rear back wouldnt be an option I wouldnt think.
Thanks for sharing these really cool pix. I never had the pleasure of seeing Norm's "007" Biscayne but did see his SS/D 1969 Camaro a few times in the early 1970s, first time being the very first drag race I went to on a Saturday, in May of 1971, and lucky for me, it was a WCS race! Never have I seen that many 1955-56-57 Chevys in once place at one time, most of them being Junior Stockers. I sure wish I had thought to borrow my mom's Kodak Instamatic camera to take pictures, albeit from the spectator side, since they still had that (dumb) NJ State Police* rule that no one under 18 allowed in the pits. Pete *NJSP are in charge of automotive racing in New Jersey.
Junior Stock, Thanks for pics - a little minor trimming is what I thought might be necessary for a tire with aprox. 29" or more diameter on a 57. Wasn't sure if it was legal back then......your car proves it was. BTW, those are great pics of the 57 in your album......awesome car! Eddie
If you look at the leading edge of the rear wheel well on this 57 wagon the trimming looks a little more pronounced
Sure does, but it looks like they did a good job of retaining most of the original wheel well shape. Suppose tech wouldn't object if didn't go over-board! Thanks Islandworker! Eddie
Boy, that tire looks close to the front! Great close-up shot....I could zoom right in on it! Thank you too 32v! Geez! ask a question here and so many people help you! ....this is great! Eddie
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