Maybe it's a little off topic, but I thought someone might be interested. I bought this '40 Chevy several years ago and am just now getting around to working on it. As far as I know it was sponsored by Harpel Chevrolet out of Glencoe, Minnesota. Probably was raced in the twin cities or Rochester area back in the 50's or early 60's. It's going to need just about everything. I have a decent 235 that will go into it. It's interesting to see the workmanship of that era. Check out the picture of the front shock. Notice the big square nut holding it on. Before you ask, that green stuff in the picture is mold. It had to come right off of the farm. Should be a fun project. I probably won't vintage race it, but instead just show it. Any of you Minnesota guys know of tracks in that area? Thanks, Tom
Ok then, good. Here are a couple of pictures of the primitive roll cage. Heavy well pipe of course. It must have worked because the car is showing some rollover damage. It has the famous Chevy "knee action" suspension. I wish it was a straight axle Tom
Cool car , I just bought a 1941 Pontiac 5 window cp, going to make a 1950's dirt track car. Looking for Cadilliac 331 V-8 to run in it. Like to see pics as you get in to the build. Thanks Denny
Not "knee action" rather standard a arm system using upper a arm as the shock also.Typical 38-48 Chevy IFS.
looks well done, i have seen some real ugly builds that looked like they cut things out with a hammer. cool car!
I'd put one in if I had one, but I don't. I do have one out of a '55 or '56, but it doesen't look like it will work without a different set of springs. One of the problems is that my favorite junkyard is now gone and it's hard to find parts around here. While we're on the subject, here are a couple of pictures of what I used to race back in the day. The blue one is a "55 Ford. I paid $25.00 for it and drove it home from the junkyard. The red #14 wasn't mine but I drove it a few times. That car won a lot of races. Tom
Hi Perry, I was wondering if that was you. Yeah, I've had it over 5 years I guess. I think I almost bid on one of your cars, but thought it was too far away. They are scarce around here. If anyone knows of one , let me know. Tom
I love your stock car ! As a kid growing up in the late 1950's, I loved the coupes and sedans on the dirt oval. What a symphony of engine sounds.....flathead Ford V/8's......overhead GMC/Chev 6cyls........straight 8 Buicks.......flathead Hudsons.......sure beats anything today where all the engines sound (and are) exactly the same. There is a very active group of vintage stock cars in E. Iowa and north of Milwaukee. Would love to hear her bark. Keep us posted.
Your coupe is so period perfect I am speechless......did my wayback machine suddenly take me back to the late 1950's sitting on the wooden planks with my parents watching thirty cars just like yours lining up for the feature at the Sports Bowl dirt oval in Dubuque Iowa.
My Dad has dealt with Harpel Chev for years, and we still do today...... I showed him the picture and he didnt remember the car from the tracks out by us, thought he would of reconized it since he even owned a track from 58-60.... but I didnt get lucky...... cool car !!!!!
Thanks for asking anyway. I know almost nothing of the car, only that the guy that I bought it from, bought it out that way somewhere. Of course in those days, it was on skinnier tires. The other sponsor that I can make out on there is Francis Jeno Trucking. Maybe that rings a bell. Tom
What a cool car! That will be a fun project, even if just to hear it come to life again, it really is a time capsule , I like your plans for the resto, I would love to build a "tribute " car from the era with some of the rusty relics down here!
you should make it street legal and drive the heck outta it. there is a 40 ford vintage jalopy and a winged sprint car the are driven all the time on the streets around here. l am in the process of putting a 1948 dodge body on a late model dirt modified ch***is to make a street legal race car. the white car is crown car made street legal. Later
My plans may be changing a little. I'm having quite an issue with the u-joint not being compatible with the trans and driveshaft. I have a rear end and transmission out of a 56 Chevy pickup. (3-spd) Will that trans work with the 54 engine or will I have to change the bellhousing and clutch? Any thoughts? Tom
My brother in law used to race hobby stocks at the Dodge County Fairgrounds in K***on, MN in the late 1960s/early 1970s - it's about 15 miles west of Rochester. They raced their all summer; I don't recall there being regular races at the fairground in Rochester, other than during the county fair. I think there may have been a regular race series at the Mower County fairgrounds in Austin, MN but I can't remember for sure on that one. There's another track called Deer Creek in Spring Valley (about 30 miles south of Rochester) but I think they've only been in business for ten years or so.
Been doing some rethinking on this project. Through a swap, I have aquired a 1957 235 six. I also have a complete frame and running gear from a 1956 Chevy half ton. This has an open driveline and straight axle instead of the funky 40 independant suspension. Since all the original brakes and backing plates have been butchered by a previous owner, I considering swapping complete frames. This would give me the suspension I want as well as the motor and transmission mounts I need. Body mounts would be fairly simple. Any thoughts? Tom
No updates. Been working on the 52 Olds, so I put it on the back burner. Don't have a garage to work in this winter, so it will have to wait until next spring. Tom
As straight and dent free that the body on your car is .. I would guess that it never raced for many reasons.................................................. Maybe the rules were changed and the car became obsolite .................................................. They may have ran out of funds. maybe other things got in the way. ........................Like marrage/kids/getting called up for the draft / job or maybe the driver was moved up a cl***........................................ It could have been a spare car waiting its turn................... Decades ago I would have a car hulled with the top sawed off and holes in the floor board to transfer the roll cage and other parts. Back then cars were simple and some what easy to build. Keep us informed..
Yes, I agree. The car shows evidence of having been rolled over. The water pipe roll cage did it's job and the car wasn't damaged much. Maybe the driver got scared and didn't race again after the rollover. I guess we will never know. I haven't been able to find much history on it. Wish I knew. Tom
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