History Mean, Lean, Green...Number 13

Wow. Looks like a wild ride. The pic reminds me of Wild Willy.

 

I was living in Las Cruces NM in the 60's, if I remember right the interstate "ran out" north of Las Cruces and on some Sundays there were drag races out there away from people and the law. I don't remember a lot but I do remember two Bug Eyed Sprites lining up, by engine sound it was obvious this wasn't going to be a race, one was stone stock, the other had a W motor (assumed to be a 409 I guess just like all SBC's trace their lineage to Corvettes), the race was over before it started

 

Rick and I met in the Army, in Germany and we were both total gear heads. We were given a 61 Austin Healey roadster project when the owner went back to "the world". We promptly blew up the dual carb'd 6 banger and went looking for a small block chevy and transmission in the local German junkyards. Couldn't find one so we ended up with a '59 chevy 348, 3 speed with Hurst shifter. It took a BUNCH of cutting and moving stuff to get it in including moving the steering box over 4". Then he had to lengthen the steering arm 4" which made the steering really s l o w. No room underneath for any exhaust so we just ran it out the manifolds. That thing was so light it'd get loose and with the ultra slow steering, we couldn't "keep up" with it. We never did take it off base.
I left it with Rick when I came home in '69...Got a photo someplace.

Modified sports was a class I loved because you could pick a really light body to begin your car.....even a small V/8 would make it fly. It's all about power to weight ratio and a little sports car with a V/8 was cheap fun!

 

That car is AWESOME !

 

Yes, a very nice build. Where did this car run out of?

 

I do like the post, but...
there's something sacrilegious about that car. Unlike most everything else on the road (then and now) it was designed for a singular purpose - to handle well and go fast through the turns (sort of the polar opposite of a rail dragster). This is like taking the dragster and trying to make it run the Nurburgring...

 

Not much "Austin" or "Healey" left in this one, but very cool none the less!

 

Here is one of my favorites the 'Hemi Healy' (that is the way they lettered the car 50 years ago) - was taken at the 'Ohio Mile' with my good friend Bob Ida. His son Rob had found his dad's old race car (without the engine, but fairly complete) - they built it exactly like it was in the 60's.

The story goes that the last Bob saw of it was back in the 60's just after he pulled a mighty wheelstand, it came down hard and bent the frame (he couldn't get the doors open), so he pulled the engine and sold the car . . . onto the 'next one'.

I love that about Bob & Rob - they wanted the car as it was - with as many of the same parts and associated imperfections as possible. Hell - he even used the same galvanized water pipe fittings in the cooling system and a cut-down wheelbarrow to make the blower area cover in the hood (not shown).



Here is a link to a video I posted of him starting it that day. In the car is one of Bob's absolute best friends 'Cousin Vinny' - who passed away last year (unexpectedly). We miss yah Cousin Vinny - you were quite the dude!