History When Stock Cars Were Still Sorta Stock

A few of the local guys have been pulling cars out of barns and fields and reviving them. THere are 7 total now. I can only find pics of one right now. All are 40's / 50's. One '55 chev that only is known as that by the dash.
I'll see if I can get other pics soon.

 

A couple of my favorite photos from the feature...the first is Banjo Matthews' '62 Pontiac (ex-Yunick)...lot going on here, check it out the remote cable. The other is a relatively rare body style in NASCAR, '62 Dodge, has a great look.



Photo Essay: Early NASCAR Tech | Mac's Motor City Garage

 

You can't see what the cable operates, but I will guess RF tire inspection door.

 

All new gallery of vintage stock cars here:

http://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/2013/04/07/more-early-nascar-the-cars/


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http://www.google.com/search?q=nasc...hl=en&client=safari#biv=i|2;d|DwfeiQuYXIiHnM:

Hudson Hornet

 

The Hudsons are kind of mind-boggling, especially when you consider they got it all done with a 308 CID flathead six!

 

Pat Ganahl wrote that Smokey equipped the Hudsons with N.O.S., after a paper he read on how the German Luftwaffe attained high ceilings with Messerschmidts...

(Smokey was reputed to be the first to ever experiment with N.O.S., having to mfr all the components in 1949...)

 

If it's the cable to the left of the driver, it's for the Shoulder Harness inertia reel. They came off aircraft and allowed the driver to me mobile when not balls out racing. Hit the lever and the reel would lock up the inertia device.

I don't see a RF tire inspection door cable in the pic.

 

Yeah, I miss those days too, I just can't get into Nascar any more.

 

yes, there are many Smokey stories. He's genuine folklore now, safe to say.

 

This is when I watched NASCAR on TV.

 

Heres a car that was actually salvaged AFTER its life as a dirt car. It was raced at our local dirt track "riverside speedway" in West Memphis,AR in the 50s . It was made into a street car in the late 60s/early 70s (a very rough one mind you) Anyway it was parked in the early 80s and there it sat until about 5 years ago when my dad and a few other buddies convinced MR.Grant who owns the car to drag it out and put it back on the street. They decided it should be painted esactly like Mr. Grants last race car and so it is. It turned out amazing for the condition it was in. It is really awsome to see this piece of history back on the street!

 

That is great! It's a good look.

 

Thanks, I see that now.

 

I do not watch nascar....for a couple of reasons....one being it is very boring....all the cars are identical as to speed, engines, etc.

I might watch...if they pulled cars straight off the showroom, equiped them with safety items....and then run them...no other mods.

I do watch road course races....loved going to Road Atlanta...and watching such greats as Paul Newman, etc race with the Nissans, Corvettes, Mustangs, Camaros, etc getting it on going down hills, around curves, long straight a ways, S curves, etc.

PS....Banjo Matthews shop here in Asheville balanced the engine in my corvette...a 60's/70's big name in nascar.

 

I'm not a NASCAR fan but my buddy and I got a personal after hours tour last Friday of a major race team facility and it was astonishing. For any car builder this would have been a very enjoyable tour. The amount of technology and craftsmanship is unbelievable. The money involved is astronomical. Well worth the trip to Charlotte

 

I Love the early Stock Cars .. Why not build one ?
This thread is full o cars that are prime candidates ( too exspensive to restore , But excellent retro Stock-car material

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=330573

Klaz

 

Oh yes, the NASCAR shops are amazing places. When you think of the volume at Hendrick or Roush, they're like factories.

 

My sentiments exactly.
I really had no interest in spending a fortune in money and time searching out bits and pieces just to have another shiny Pontiac. My 62 is perfect for it. Original paint with very little body work needed. Gotta love Iowa...
Picked up the steel today for the cage.
Once that's in I may have to stare at it for a year.

 

Great idea, easy builds.

 

BTW, both photos above are of the same car. Banjo Matthews/Fireball Roberts '62 Catalina.