Customs FED?

Well, I know what an FED is. I just didn't know where to put this? I was over a friends house today and he was showing me a couple of his new cars, a 1913, 1926 T, and a T Roadster pick up. Then he said he sold his 69 Fastback Formula S Cuda, and his 68 383 Sport Satellite. Said he was listing his 2, 66 Chargers and his 66 Coronet. I didn't want to sound too excited, so I calmly said, what about the dragster? He said, you want the engine? Nope. My pulse is still at about 280. He said give me 2 grand for it. It's NHRA certified, currently has a Dodge 413, into an Ultra Bell/Power Glide and an 8 3/4 rear. Said, I'll take it! I took one of my wood splitters over his house to put a new engine on and rebuild the cylinder. We were both running late, and he didn't mention selling off a lot of his collection till I was in my truck. When I go get the splitter I'll try and get pics of the dragster and the other Mopars. He said pretty much every thing was for sale. He has some neat stuff. He has a pretty nice 46 Ford tow truck. I'll ask him if he wants me to put the cars on here? They will get a better exposure here than the local CL.

Where should I have put this, I didn't see a column for FED or dragsters in general?

 

Might help if you at least post the general area where you're located.

 

Pic's man... Pic's.. $

 

Sorry, thought it was in my Avatar, it's not. I'm in Western MD. If my friend wants me to post the cars here, Ill make sure all info and pics are there.

I'll get lots of pics when I go back to pick up my wood splitter. My friend is also my small engine guy. I don't want to sound rude, but I don't want to post specific locations till the dragster is in my garage. I've done that before and I don't know how, but someone found the person I was dealing with, and started an auction I couldn't compete with. I know my friend wouldn't do that, but I don't want people finding him until I'm sure that's what he wants. Should only be a couple days.

I'm sorry for keeping every one in the dark for a few days. I was just so excited I had to tell someone. Most of my friends now are gun guys. If it was made after WWI they aren't interested.

 

Darn!

 

That's not a FED. That's a federal conviction for car theft - awesome price.

We needs picturs.

Cheers,
Harv

 

A little up date. Sorry no pics yet. I'm still recovering from Covid and when I got down to his shop, I was too tired to go back and get my cell. Next time, I promise. We had to dig and weave around several T's, the C cab Huckster and a 23 Roadster. Big vertical fuel pumps, all kind of cool stuff. Way back in the corner I could just see the Powder Blue of the roll cage sticking up. He talked quite a bit about the build. It's based on a set of S&W 225" plans His goal was to build it, and the next year or so, they closed 75-80 Raceway, so he just moved on to other projects.

 

Oh, I did get a pic of his 46 Tow Truck and he said another one goes with it. When I get good pics of the individual cars and trucks I'll post them in the cl***ified.

 

Well, it's been a couple months. I had to climb up on the frame of my friends Model T Hucksters Truck to get a shot of the Dragster. It was still hard to get a pic, and he said I could get a better shot from behind it, but my ***anium knees would not bend enough to climb over the stuff to get back there. It's hard to see, but, behind the right tire is the body that covers the engine and radiator.

 

Well, nothing like a good friend to pop the bubble. As soon as I saw the car in the barn I knew it hadn't been certified in a while, like 2002. Sent a pic to my friend and he said the Ch***is Cert is only good for 3 years. Those brand new shiny Blue seat belts are only certified for 2 years, back in 2002. All new rubber, which I was expecting. I'm sure the Chute is out of Cert. For $2000 I think I will still buy it and take it to local drive in car shows, get the body back on it, put a 70's style paint job on it. Pretend it has a Hemi and blower on it and treat it like a cackle car? Let kids sit in it, start it up now and then? The only time I got to drive my old dragster we ran it down Georgia Avenue. When I reached up over my shoulder to pop the chute, the bottom of my bare arm hit the slick and burned a giant welp on it. Sometimes wanna be racers have funny stories too.

 

Mopar wedges that aren't specific "collector " versions are usually fairly inexpensive in good running condition. I'm thinking a decent running mild 383 would push that car faster than you would ever want to go in it.

 

I've been into Mopars since the early 70's. I have several big blocks and a 270 Dodge Hemi. I only have 1, 383 and that's the numbers matching engine for my O/T Plymouth Convertible. The 413 on it does run well, and the friend I'm getting the car from has 3 more 413's. I haven't started looking for things to tackle first. But, with the Ultra Bell trans, I think I can just contact Ultra Bell and get a bell housing for the 270 Hemi and it will bolt up. I think the 270 would be the way I go if I switch engines. Like Mr48 said, it's not going to take a lot of HP to scare my sox off.

 

The cage looks about right for that era. There have been some changes in the last 20 years, but not m***ive amounts. You may be able to get it recertified as is, or with very minor bar work. Not sure about the US, but here the IHRA ch***is cert is relatively cheap (2-3 cartons of beer). Belts and chute are easy bolt on replacements, and the cost of going racing.

If you don't get it back on the track, then your plan for local car shows is cool. Not enough kids get to see dragsters (let alone FEDs)... it's the reason I built an open trailer for mine

Cheers,
Harv

Cheers,
Harv

 

I remember when I first got into drag racing there were a few FED's left that were compe***ive. I also remember going to the races and a TF'er had an enclosed trailer with both sides clear. He had giant tufts of some kind of spun white fiber that looked like he was doing a burnout. They were still doing fire burnouts back then.

 

For $2000 I think I will still buy it and take it to local drive in car shows, get the body back on it, put a 70's style paint job on it. Pretend it has a Hemi and blower on it and treat it like a cackle car? Let kids sit in it, start it up now and then? "LET KIDS SIT IN IT, START IT UP NOW AND THEN"

Hello,
We are no that naive to think a child sitting in a FED with a motor running is not a recipe for disaster. The real museum displays of real race cars from all years have to have inspections to make sure they are safe.

But, the key thing is that in order to safely display an old race car, the drive shaft has to be taken out, so no forward motion is allowed or accidently started. Safety for safety's sake.

Jnaki
In the visits to pre set up days at our local Lion's Dragstrip Museum, the crew had taken out the driveshaft of one of the most powerful race cars in history. Just to display it in the area of drag racing displays. the prep crew told me that is the ruling for all of their displays. taking no chances for accidental happenings is a good thing.

Borsch Roadster getting ready for a show.

Borsch Roadster at rest, hanging out with friends…at the
Lions Dragstrip Museum June, 2017.


So, be safe and sane...

 

I don’t think he was talking about starting it up with an actual kid behind the wheel. Just letting them sit in it to take a picture.

 

Looks like potential for a lot of fun. Your friend is very generous. Is there something wrong with the 413? Also, if The friend is willing, show more pics, I'd like to see the huckster truck!

 

I would willingly queue up in the sun with the kids, then clean my sticky fingers and promise to behave if I can sit in the Express. Promise to brag to the other kids if I get to hear it fired up.

Cheers,
Harv

 

413 is in good running condition. I'm sure he wouldn't mind pics. He has 5 T's. Two are tagged runners, the 1913 Speedster and a 23 Roadster, I think? I get T overload when I visit. He has cargo containers with cars in them, I can't remember them all? He sold one before it was finished that really surprised me, and left me a little disappointed, a WWII Studebaker Weasel. I think in one of the containers is a 40's Dodge 4 door sedan. Last I saw it, it was in good driving condition. I think he may have started taking it apart to restore, and the guy he bought it from said he lost the ***le and disappeared. So, I don't know what state of repair it's in now. He's a purist and won't hot rod anything. He even bought a Model A two door sedan that had been chopped, with the stock doors, with the plan to un chop it. I didn't see that one so it may be in a container. I'm also sure, that anyone in the MD area that wanted to spend a day looking at potential cars, he would allow it. Send me a private message and I will arrange it.

 

Sorry for the confusion. Just tossing out ideas to like minded guys and gals. Didn't think it was time to start printing disclaimers and likability waivers. As you highlighted, I said "Let kids sit in it COMMA start it up". The comma between kids and start, automatically denotes two separate acts. Safety, as always.

The Borsch Roadster is one beautiful car. When I got into racing my absolute favorites were the AA's, then Sox and Martin because I was big into second generation Cuda's, still am.

 

Hey Harv, I bought this one in 1976 with 14,000 miles for $100, drove it up to 50,000, and something in the trans broke and ran through a syncro. I really wanted to put my Dodge 270 Super Red Ram Hemi in it, but my wife's uncle saw it and talked me into trading for a 58 Lyman boat. 30 years later he gave it back. A British guy living in California saw pics of it and made me an offer, so out to Cali it went.

 

True enuff, but if a 66 vehicle looks nearly the same as it's 65 sibling it gets a p***. He may be ok with the 66 Coronet...?

 

Thanks for getting my back, but I have no problem with the rules. The 66 and 67 Coronets look the same. The 65 Coronet's, Belvedere's, and Fury's look different. They were the coolest of the AFX'ers. I've had enough 30's cars to talk about. I'm looking for the 0ne pic I have of my Olds powered 37 Cord 810 right now.

 

Thanks for correcting my senior moment.

 

i have a blown buick powered fed. we race it, not enough, but we also do car shows with it. there not many around in the n/e. but anybody that wants to get it in can. body is count is over 900. also have a front spoiler on it with white shelf paper. have people sign it when they get out of the fed.
started to put dogs in the fed and take pictures of them. 'car's gone to the dogs'. but i'm planning on doing a fed dog racer calendar. profits will go to the dog rescues around here.

 

That is a super cool idea!

 

pic of a bulldog i had in the car. he did not care at all. lol