Hey i did a search and didnt really find anything and was wondering if anyone on here did any road racing or had any vintage track cars? I have 2, a o/t 68 oldsmobile and a 1954 triumph special, i really would like to find more info on. I got it from morro bay, ca, in 2010. Supercharged tr-2
I have been active in vintage road racing in the California area since the late 1970s and don't remember your car. I wonder if it was an autocross car rather than a road racer. Here is my Jag Special. http://www.britishracecar.com/TerryBuffum-Jaguar-ParkinsonSpecial.htm</pre>
Is the Max Balchowsky '32 Roadster still around? Love it or hate it the grille modification was unique.
Unfortunately this has been my poison ! Absolutely wonderful "like a high maintenance blonde" that can cost you a marriage Haha! But when you "apex" on the absolute limit of adhesion or "late brake" to poke the nose underneath another car the enjoyment is so great it's worse than heroin to kick ! I've owned a few Camaro's, a Lotus Cortina, English Capri and a 70 Big Block Corvette [ all race cars ]. All good fun and I would recommend everybody to try it once before they die [ oops! did I mention that "D" word ]
Yes it is! Those things have a lot of road race history from the golden TransAm era! Don't let the "HAMB friendly police" intimidate you Better to be a racer for a moment instead of a spectator for life!!!
There were quite a few 'junkyard specials' running in high brow US roadraces back in the 50's and 60's. Old Yeller, etc.
In the early 60's my friend Jerry Castro raced a 59 Sprite. No one would call it a Hot Rod, but if you saw the modifcations that we did to that car, you would have agree that it was. In 62-63 he set a record at Laguna Seca for "G" Production at 1:30 Flat. the same day Dave Mcdonald (RIP) in "A" Production Corvette set a record at 1:24. All of those cars were Hot Rods in the truest since of the word.
I raced H & G Production, and Mini-Stocks, "tiddlers" ,I guess,,,,but they were of traditional vintage,,,,
Road racing specials were one of the features at the Historic Races at Laguna Seca in 2008. The link below is to an album I ***embled from that event. Not all the pics are hot-rod specials but 'ya might like them anyhow https://picasaweb.google.com/115797200714766300936/RoadRacingHotRodSpecials#
I really like the road racing specials that were based on vintage American cars. But the more they are "m***aged" the more they seem to turn into the ******* cousins of MGs, Morgans and Jags. As long as they aren't TOO fancy, eh? I hope to build something along those lines one day, but it will also have a lot of American oval track stuff on it. More of a car akin to a Watson, Curtis, Tobias or Nance creations than those little 'ferrin cars with spindley legs. And I want a coupe, just to make it harder, I guess. Think of a road racing / dirt tracking special 29 Sport Coupe! Time will tell, Gary
I crewed the Charlie Kemp/RC Cola McLaren M8C in part of my mis-spent youth, that was when the CamAm cars ruled the planet. That were a wicked ****er, a manly kind of machine.
Road raced for many years, 58 Bug eye, 81 Mustang, Citation formula Ford, GT3 Pinto. Before wheel to wheel I Auto X ed many cars, and before that I ran road rallys.
Wow... I got in on the crew chief thing for a "vintage" Lola T163 for a few years. At Elkhart Lake in 2006, we did the first engine change ever in the vintage series; even had Alec Greaves and a couple other "real" Can-Am mechanics come over and hang out for awhile.
Do you run the Rockin' Road hillclimb with your TR Special? Its just about in your backyard and is sort of the replacement for the old Chimney Rock hillclimb. This stuff is a bit O/T for the HAMB, as is that *****in' road race Mustang coupe, but there is another JJ forum for this stuff. Later, *****6
Yep - road raced a Corvette GT-1 car throughout the late 80s and 90s in SCCA, then vintage raced a E-Type Jag, Corvette L88 , and my GT-1 Vette throughout the next ten years. but, recently retired - all race cars are gone.........
You missed this in the search then... Roadrace cars... vintage, nostalgia, historic lots and lots of road race cars that are mostly HAMB friendly
Here is one of my old threads. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164502 And another. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44146
Wow, Didnt expect this many replies... I havent raced the triumph yet, Got it running and messed around at my shop, and found out the head gasket wasnt any good... When that judson warms up it throws some power to that little 4 banger and gets a little squirlly. Have the motor tore apart and the judson sitting on my shelf... I dont think the car weighs 1000 pounds...
I always Liked Charlie ~ Especially when he flew in the face of the GM guys and the DeKon Monza with the KEMP Cobra II - he made the Mustang II totally Cool!
The Morgensen Spl is waiting its turn. And I'm still collectig parts and Info for it... Last thing that was done on it, was me and my buddy Fred sonic tested the tubes. To make sure there was no rust from the inside that would weaken the tubes. They are in good shape...
Canadian Doug Duncan whose claim to fame with the oval track folks was building a series of front and rear engine Pavement Supermodifieds that were very successful. Duncan is credited with building the first tube ch***is supermodified in Canada in the late 1950's for the great Ted Hogan. Duncan was also into road racing and he along with Bill Sadler built the Sadler MK 5. It is recognized as the first Chevrolet powered mid engined road race car built in North America. It preceded the Can-Am or USRRC by at least five years. Duncan also built Trans Am racers for Craig Fisher, one Camaro eventually went to Penske for Mark Donohue to drive. While they went around corners they were undoubtedly the Hot Rod equivalent of the 50's and early 60's. Perhaps someone could post some pictures of these cars on this thread. Interesting reading.
Very cool car. By any chance are you related to John Buffam, SCCA racer of Ford ******s, etc. in the 70's TransAM? Gary
"Stuffem Buffum" Road Raced both a Mini and an ****** in the early 70's but really made his claim to racing fame when he started Rallying in 1975. He ended up winning 11 National Championships in Pro Rally (a record) and won 117 events (also a record). I think he is still the only American to have ever won a WRC Event overall! I raced against him for years and not only was he tough to beat to one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet.
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