Anybody on here know any old dirt track tricks? Im lookin for late 40's early 50's tech and tips Thanks
two rims welded together with the tire mounted on the outer rim on right rear wedge bolts on either side of spring mount to adjust preload small left frt tire
the only trick I've heard of was told to me by grandfather. He told me of old straight 6 chevs with 4.11 rear gears they would weld a hook to the dash to hold the shifter in 2nd gear. I thought that was interesting, while it might not be a trick it's cool to hear that they didn't bother shifting (although with the non syncipated gears probably made it next to impossible to shift).
I've seen fabricated aluminum gaurds screwd to the top of the float bowls of Stromberg 97 carbs that cover the accelerator pump lever to keep dirt and rocks from lodging the lever open and preventing the linkage from sticking open.
Pavement trick... true story. My family is from Indy and they went to the Speedrome on the east side for the figure 8 races a lot. My uncle said that there was some guy in the 50's with a big, heavy Merc or Hudson or something similar that was unbeatable. Once he got rolling, he just bull dozed his way thru the pack. Until one day he wrecked and all the water came out of his tires. Gary
in the 50's the best trick I've heard of was taking a flathead and running it against offy's to get the bonus money they paid if you beat them. trick was to run some new fangled fuel called nitro-something-or-other lol. smelled kinda funny though
One of the best ones i heard was boring the side of the motor that didnt get teched bigger than the one that did get teched.
My Dad raced Dirt cars in the 60's and he had the first direct drive (read: clutchless) setup at his track that was built in a safe manner. He had a 54 Stude, with 394 Olds. He took a bad 394 crank and machined the lip off the rear flange, then cut the rear main section off at a right angle from the crank centerline. They gun drilled and splined the inside of the "hub" to fit the trans he ran and there you have it. Bolt it to the crank flange of the engine and slip the front input in place. The racers at the track said it was a "nice piece". He was also first at his track that had a full cage that was inside the body of the car. Most of that era were built at right angles and his was actually tubing that had been bent by the sand/heat/tree method. They held a drivers meeting around his car the first evening he brought it to the track.
No. 1 spark plug wire undone to help ease the power into the rear tires coming off a turn. The water trick is dangerous as hell at high speeds on an oval. Try it, you'll never forget!LOL
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