If anyone sees, or remembers seeing this car anywhere on the east coast from 1968 or after please contact me. I built this car, raced it in 1966-68. It had: 1) Altered Wheel Base 2) CAE tube front Axle, 40 Ford Spindles, no frt brakes 3) 26" motor set back 4) Aluminum Interior 5) Full Roll Cage 6) Fibergl*** Frt Fender, Hood, Bumper, Doors and DeckLid 7) Plexigl*** front Windshield 8) TorqueFlite Trans 9) 5.12 Ring and Pinion 10) Parachute 11) "Spray-On" simulated Vinyl roof I sold it to a guy from Burlington Vermont in the spring of 1969. It had "MIKE GAINES SPEED SPORT" on the doors and "Goldfinger II" above the rear wheel wells. It had a 426 Ramcharger Wedge motor in it when I sold it. I had taken off the Hilborns and put the cross ram and carbs back on before I sold it. mikegaines@hotmail.com
bet you wish you never sold it looks like it was lots of fun to drive what were the ET's hope you find it Tom
At its best, on a 50% load of Nitromethane it ran 9.90's at 140mph....but remember, that was in 1968...those times arent so hot now...but it was quite a ride back then. I never could outrun most Hemi's as I was fighting an uphill battle all the time running a 426 Wedge against the Hemi's....but I think I might be the grandaddy of all big block wedge efforts as I might have been the very first guy to campaign a strong wedge on Hilborns, in a genuine altered wheel base race car against the Hemi's. The Hemi altered wheel base cars were EVERYWHERE....but I was probably the only guy running a wedge in a 65 Altered Wheel Base car.
Mike I remember you and your car! If I'm not mistaken your Wife's name is Karen. I remember seeing the car at Fairfield Illinois Dragstrip in the late 60's to match race the Hustlin Hilbilly if my memory serves me correctly. I knew (know) Gibby Andrews that owned the track and always thought there was a connection between you and him. I saw an unrestored Altered Wheelbase 65 sell recently and noticed that it had coil over front springs instead of leaf's, any chance yours did?
Man...you got a good memory...I had a few Match Races at the Fairfield Drag Strip as well as a little further south down at Harrisburg and Marion, Illinois Drag Strips. Karen was my brother's wifes name. I am not any relation to Gib Andrews who owned the track. My car had a CAE Tube straight front axle with leaf springs. Thanks for the response...Mike Gaines
Is your Brothers name Jeff? I remember Karen specifically because again, if my memory serves me correctly she worked the consession stand. This when I was 11 years old!
Yep, My brothers name is Jeff. During the 1968 and 1969 Season he ran a 1963 Plymouth Savoy Lightweight Ramcharger also. Here is a pix of that car. It was called "The Teacher's Pet"
Mike is that a vinyl top in the color photo?That could be a good clue.I posted this in a couple of other groups I'm in.
Yep....but it was a "spray on" vinly top.... not a real canvas type...thanks for your continuing help in the possible location of this old race car. Mike
Yep, If this is the Larry Seay from up around Decatur...I think he had a Mopar after this car ??? Update..... Nope, I just talked to my brother, Jeff,...he said the guy from Decatur, Illinois with a 65 hemi was Larry Shay (not Saey)...
This is a real brain teaser.....I didnt know this guy....(Larry Seay)..and the Hustlin Hillbilly car. I was talking to my brother Jeff (Gaines) tonite, and he told me that this is the car he actually bought., minus engine and trans (sometime in 1967 or 1968). He immediately had the car painted all red...with no lettering. He showed up at my shop and said..."you gotta see the car I just bought....for $500.00" I even remember the chrome wheels it had on it. Since it had 40 Ford Spindles I took the 12 Spoke Spindle Mount Halibrands off my car and put them onto the front straight axle of this Chevy. The car did have a big block Chev in it and at Chryler 8 3/4" rear end with a traction bar system almost identical to the 65 Ford 427 Thunderbolt setup We welded up some motor mounts that very weekend and put the motor out of my AWB 65 Plymouth into this Chevy and raced it that the very next weekend. Wow...small world.... I have a picture... I will find it and post it soon.
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