Well this one is only a flip front. It will be 409 dual quad 4 speed when done. It is a 36 Pontiac with a willys glass flip front end
Love how the roll bar doubles as a prop for the body by shoving a couple rods in the end of the roll bar cross piece. Andy
This is a neat racer, I’d just like to add what I see after staring at this photo for some time. The front axle is a 32-34, not the heavy 32 axle, but the late one. The spring perches are also 32-34 and have what looks Like a dog bone attached to a side mounted shock. The frame is straight channel iron. The engine is 58 or later with the side mount, the harmonic balancer Is early Chevy. It looks like the drivers door is functional and the right inner cowl has been reinforced. The rear wheel looks like what Joey said, some steel with a reverse mount welded in. It also looks like some over spray on the tire along with over spray on the wish bone and frame. Probably painted the night before the meet, something we are all guilty of. This was built back in the day when you could still afford to go racing and I love it
Looks like San Gabriel Mt in the background. Irwindale Raceway. ran there in the late 60s early 70s. Dont forget Jack Ditmars 34 ford Little Screamer.
You’re probably right bushwaker, when I saw those mountains I was thinking San Fernando. They had a name for what I did back then, it was called, Tire Wiper……Ha!
Thanks J. Ukrop Yesiree,,, Tho,,, I had thought it was a single rod shoved through. Simpler. Just made me realize the A is also 'flip front' Also digging the the way the exhaust sweeps modestly down and out. The minimal firewall is interesting, plus the 'window'. Looks like, I guess, that the butterfly steering needed strengthening. One more obvious sight, We're tending to the points.
I thought surely someone would have posted the Orange Crate by now. Built the model as a kid and still impressive after seeing it at 3 Dog Garage.
This A is sick. There are so many details to pour over like the visor-less windshield header, the drag brake and so on.
Hello, The AHRA Winternationals were at the slow but methodical ending of all classes for the normal hot rod fanatic builds. The ordinary joe, classes were dissolving to FED race cars,funny cars and match race cars, what ever class they represented. But, soon, the classes were gone and the funny cars + FED racers were the only ones left. We were lucky to have lived in the time period that allowed some backyard creativity and modifying our own daily drivers. plus, the classes at the drags were usually home built hot rods and race cars towed in place. Of course, some did have some advertising, but about 80-90% had none, just ordinary folks building their own hot rods to see how fast they could go. Some innovative ideas still popped up in the all competition classes and that included lift off bodies for access for the driver and maintenance if needed. As early as 1959, we saw the Higgenbotham Farms Modified Roadster in the pits getting some service done between rounds. It was the first one to have a full hinge on the rear to lift the whole body + grill up, for easy access and driver seating. 1959 Riverside Raceway Jnaki The team of Ratican, Jackson, Stearns was a very popular Altered Class racecar from the Reath Automotive group in Long Beach. From the early days, to the present cackefests, the unusal altered coupe has its own looks and functionality. “This was the first one we built with a 112” Chassis…" Ron Stearns early Lion's Dragstrip 1959-60 The engine was a 1957 Olds 394 CI, built up to about 420 CI. Even though, they were Lions Dragstrip and So Cal locals, we saw them race at the 2nd annual, Bakersfield Smokers March Meet in 1960. elimination rounds Bakersfield Smokers March Meet 1960 Note: “Then we had a new, Joe Itow, chassis made which was 98 inches. This is the original car, shortened, it is in my garage." 1961 shortened wheelbase The young team of Ratican, Jackson and Stearns winning the Nationals at Indy in 1961. These days, the team is well represented in all of the local So Cal Cacklefests and historic race car gatherings. Yes! Lion’s Dragstrip Museum inaugural grand opening Cacklefest in the afternoon. YRMV
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