Great Oregon Racers

All are welcome as far as I'm concerned!
I haven't lived in Oregon for 25 years, I'm just posting guys I remember from my mispent youth!

 

Bill's AFX Mustang had been Gas Ronda's the prior year. Tom Willford(Vintagegasser) on here, owned that car in about 1988. Great thread, I can't help with pictures, but I have plenty of names to add!

 

Great thread! As a transplant from Eugene I am a sucker for Oregon's sometimes lost history of racing and hot rodding in general. Does anybody have any pictures from the Balboa drag strip in Eugene?

 

Is this the same car that Loren wade had? I know he traded it off to a guy in Washington for a couple mopars was that tom?

 

Does anybody have any pictures of the Orange Crate running any races?

 

Don Ringer, Portland Fireman, Part time "head porter" owned one of the first flow benches in Oregon. This dragster, powered by (2) Pontiac Tempest fours was called "8 the hard way" was preceded by another dragster with straight 8 Buick power. Sharp guy!

 

Yes, It was the same car, but Tom bought it outright, complete with a Cammer and some parts.

 

Thanks every one that posted about doc. Everytime my dad took me to the drags i always went strait to where Doc was and spend hrs talking to him. If Judy still has his car I would be happy to help her in any way i can.

 

Maybe we should start a thread about Doc I would really like to learn as much as i can about him.

 

Ok maybe I got the story wrong,remember Loren telling me he had that car. I miss that guy he was very nice to me. Neat car where is it now?

 

A friend of the family has a photo album full of pictures he took at woodburn 1965-67 .

 

Here you are! The Orange Crate at ( I think) mcMinnville).

 

You MUST get those pics scanned! Pictures from that era are REALLY hard to find!
PLEASE scan them!

 

I grew up in Portland and would go down to Woodburn and run my stock '53 Merc sedan...that was in 1956-57. The track was pretty basic. All my pictures got lost in my parents move to Salem, so I just have the stories (or the best versions I can make up.) My brother and I would go up to Scapoose and watch the '55/'56 chevys run against the Buick Specials. The best story out of that was a '55 or '56 Packard that would come up to the line and drop his rear suspension right on the axle (it was a long torsion bar set up called an automatic leveling system.) When he left the line the car didn't squat down it just left quick...and usually beat the Chevs and the Buicks....

 

The Packard you are referring to had to Everett Hatch, he was quite the engine builder, however you must be thinking of Aurora Dragstrip, as Woodburn opened in 1961 as an eighth mile. The picture of "The Orange Crate" was McMinnville. I watched it run there a few times. I have a VHS movie of it running with and without the body in about 1961!

 

It lives and is open every friday and most sat

 

Last year I was doing a service call at Silverton High school and the "Severly Disabled Chicken Coupe" was sitting in there new auto shop

 

I have heard a little about this from a shirt tail uncle that ran there story I got was you guys were running mixed fuel in a gas only class.

 

http://silverfalls.k12.or.us/schools/high_school/autoshop/chicken_coupe.htm

here it is

 

Looks just like it did when I used to see it run when I was racing my Chevys. Wonder why!!! LOL

 

That was Everett Hatch with his 56 Packard, ran out of the Salem Speed Shop.

 

Steve Moe of Glenwood has a ton of pics from those days, prob has the most pics of the KLAN Racing Team and other locals than anyone.

 

wow, glad I found this thread.

I raced Woodburn '73-4 but just a punk ass 18yo kid in a 64 Chevelle. I was running fast but not quick. There was an old guy that used to always come over and talk to me. He'd tell me how to go quicker. A good coach, just wish I could remember his name.

The following year I bought a 427 powered '68 Camaro from Bob Tindle.

Anybody remember a black Hemi powered 49?-51? Chevy coupe from mid 70's Woodburn? Car was a junkyard special but usually beat me.

 

I have a picture taken at McMinnville in 1960, it's of the Orange Crate, before the rebuild by Keith Randoll. Keith was one hell of a fabricator of open wheel oval track, Midgets, Sprints and Champ Cars. This shot shows the "circle track" influence, note the "dead Perch on the front spring.

 

Some great stuff, Scotty, great info in your offering, thanx. ~sololobo~

 

If you have any pictures please scan them and post! I've been trying for years to document 60's Oregon racing online with little luck! I know there are pics out there, if they aren't posted they will be lost forever! Please keep this thread alive with your stories and pics!

 

I remember a guy in NW Portland on Vaughn St., down the hill from 'monkey wards' name was Kilcup it think, had a little machine shop, tiny sign on the door. Seems he drag raced a limey roadster maybe a healy, ran some comp class. I was 18, way over my head at the time, comp still is way over my head particularly since CIC. This was in '66.

 

Sorry, I don't have any photos..only memories. I went to high school in central Oregon in the early 60s...once say Bill Ireland shear off all the lug studs on the left rear, coming off the line in his T-bolt...it was at the Madras airpor...er, dragstrip.
Another "famous" guy was the Blue Max running that day too.
Back in the early-EARLY 60s [60 ir 61..maybe 62] before I got my driver's license I'd walk up to visit my car-crazy buddy in The Dalles..my home town. ON the way up to his place I had to walk past Twig Zigler's place...he had his 33 willys coupe body sitting in the gravel driveway on 55 gallon barrels or big sawhorses..can't remember for sure. We were always gona go BS with him but never did..hell, we were just 14-15 year old kids.
In the late 60s or '70 I went to work for marine engine builder in Portland..one day a big ol 427 ford side oiler engine came in for work...boss said it belonged to Bill Ireland...can't remember what I had to do to it tho..too long ago. Wish I had photos.

 

In 61-62 time frame, there was a white Austin Healy that ran a 301 SBC/4spd in M/SP. I think it was M/SP. Very quick Car. Also a couple 57 T Birds with 389 Pontiac Tri Powers that were quick. McMinnville, Madras, Woodburn, Port Orford and so on. Also a white 56/57 Vette running SBC 4spd that had "GO FOR ISKYS SAKE" painted on it and claimed to turn 10,000 grand!! All out of the Portland area if I remember correctly.
Another one out of Portland area was Richard Farakawa (sp), ran a black 59 Imp convert. Protested me 3 different times, never found anything, he was positive I was running a 409 short block, nope a .060 over 348.

 

I realise the big dogs get all the notoriety, but there were some others who were National record holders in lower classes. Back in the mid to late 60's Dick Ott was a machinist for Lee's Auto Parts in Portland, and ran a black '65 Dodge dart Gt with a 273 and 2 barrel. It was the national record holder in F/S and also F/S champion. Dick passed away a few years ago, but was an inspiration to me, and gave me a lot of free advice when I started drag racing in the late 60's. After Lee's closed up, Dick opened his own shop on 82nd Ave. near Baxter's Auto Parts.
I don't recall the Sotty's Drive In rail, but I do remember their little Anglia gasser! Loved to watch the wheels up launch it made every time! Scotty's was one of the places to hang out on weekends if you wanted a street race!