Has anyone read this article? It's a very good write up on him and the car. The man is the master of the 289 Studebaker.If you haven't read it yet ,I suggest you do........Amazing!
Just got my issue today. The ChickenHawk sure beats seeing another camero. I use to think that pre 53 Studebakers were ugly. Have changed my mind. Pete
Ted Harbit was a buddies shop teacher in the late 60s. He told me Mr. Harbit was racing the Chickenhawk back then. It had a 6 cyl. and was bad*** then too. The shop cl*** used gutter pipe to make part of the exhaust. Saw him again last year at GG in Indy tearing up the track with both of his Studes. Hope i can play that long.
studies are cool. i live the next town up the river from myer's studebaker and was down there today. got to see an R3 engine on a stand that was sealed in a crate and had never had a fire in it... haven't sat down to read that new hot rod, but i've flipped thru it... cool stuff...
Ted Harbit Rules! The Chicken Hawk Kicks ***! The world finally re-discovers Studebaker (this month's Hemmings Cl***ic Cars has 26 pages of Studes) and declares them cool. 12,000 Studebaker Drivers Club members have known that for a long time. (Sorry - just had to crow a little bit)
Yes, this was a very good article-good photos and a quality write-up. The guy just sounds cool. I am impressed that HotRod is making some efforts to get out of the main stream. On the other hand, the article about the lode of muscle car parts found near Green Bay, Wisc. was just sad. It's been previously discussed here, but the guy had 21 semi trailers lined up so they couldn't be opened and flattened tires so they couldn't be moved-absolutely filled with valuable parts. What possible enjoyment could he have had? One sick dude,if you ask me.
Very old thread, but still worth reading article, if you can find it. FWIW: The '51 ChickenHawk never had a six in it. Was always a Commander v8. 1st one was a 232, in a convertible. Ted figured during the 1st race, that a coupe would be quicker, 'cause it's lighter. So he went w/a Starlight. & from there went faster & faster... IIRC, Teds' cl*** eventually was removed by NHRA, so Ted got bumped up. So he just won that years' Nat eliminator. When his car got un-qualified to race by NHRA - can't remember due to loss of cl***es, or age - Ted went to one paxton, soon two, & eventually to twin turbos. Using a homemade street-ram by **** Datson (or at least the pattern), blow-thru-carbs, + intercooler, Ted became wicked-quick, always staying w/a full steel bodied, full interior. One good story is when he got D.Q.'d at a Nats. On engine insp, was found to be over-size by .001. Much "discussion", although politely, followed. Eventually, it was found that the only thing wrong, was Teds' mic was out of calibration by that .001, compared to the "official" NHRA tech set. Proved Ted wasn't cheating, but in fact, was following the rules to the extreme. Ted, always the true gentleman, accepted the verdict. After that deal, Ted always built .001 under, just in case. Got new mics, too, IIRC, + had them verified... . I don't think that you can find a nicer guy than Ted, nor are there many folks that know as much, much less more, about Stude v8s than Ted. & won't toot his own horn. But will bend over to help out anyone interested in Studes. He's been busy w/his Pure Stock, showing everyone his taillights. Hoping he gets going on his drag Avanti. Marcus...
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