Hot Rods Iconic cars Then & Now

@Moriarity I was wondering that to I switched the "Then" picture to an older one.

 

Oties Automotive fiat. This one is technically a re creation because the owner says the body was to far gone.

Then

Now



Link to the re creation.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...automotive-b-a-fiat-topolino-tribute.1003256/

 

Then

Hello,

We were fortunate in living so near Lion’s Dragstrip. So, since we were there almost weekly from late Fall 1957 to late Summer 1960,we had a lot of time identifying the race cars and the owners. Being in the pits was like going through a who’s who of drag racing,now, but back then, we only had fun doing what we liked doing… being at the drags racing and checking out other cars.

There were all sorts of classes and different race cars. That was our introduction to drag racing from our early times. We had our favorites, being so close to the hot rod/drag race speed shops, just a block or three away. Sure our favorite was Reath Automotive all the way across town, past our high school, but we always said hello, to Big Joe Reath at Lion’s Dragstrip weekly. If we weren’t at his shop buying the next necessary part for our builds.

Jnaki

So at the time, we filmed as much as our pocket books would allow for film costs and developing was taken care of by our dad. Mainly due to me being the editor of our dad’s filming of his communitiy and friends films. I spent hours looking at a 2 inch screen winding the 16mm films until it was “cut” and “paste” time. The salary was understood. I did the editing and I got access to his camera anytime and what film I had in the camera became Lion’s Dragstrip recording.

After each week of filming and developing a few days later, our friends came over to see the last weeks drag race activities, courtesy of our 16mm movie projector showing the films on a giant movie screen in our living room. The teens had a gathering of sorts, comments and plenty of identification of racers names were shouted out across the room. But, it was a gathering, not a documentary information process.


So, all of these years later, I came across the only early racing film of Ike Iacono’s Original Dragster at Lion’s Dragstrip. My own film of an elimination race in 1959-60 before it disappeared from the scene.

Then:


Now:
The late Pat Gahnal’s last ride.

 

The Magic Muffler Machine Fiat
then

Now

 

Mickey Thompsom's Challenger 1
Then

Now

 

Purple People Eater Dragster
Then

'57-'59

Now

Build thread. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-original-purple-people-eater-dragster-1957.1139209/

 

Greer Black Prudhomme
Then

Now

 

Jack Merkel's '39 Willys
Then

Now

 

Jack Merkel's '34 Willys
Then

Now

 

SO-CAL Belly Tank
Then

Now

 

SO-CAL SPEED SHOP '34
Then

Now

I know the car had a different owner or two in between but between the SO-CAL coupe and the Pierson Bros. coupe I can't keep them straight.

 

Capital Speed Shop Willys
Then

Now

 

Man, how'd I miss this thread all this time...

Harry's Trojan T, then and now. A few hambers know I have a soft spot for this car.

 

Then

Now

 

I have the Revell model kit of it....

 

That^^^^^looks like the gmp dicast....

 

Could be. I found the picture online.

 

Moonlighter
Then

Now

 

THEN



Hello,

We knew about the history of the SWC Swindler II and what it meant to the Gas Coupe and Sedan class.
It was one outstanding build and with the quick reaction at the start with Doug Cook driving, it was almost unbeatable in the Gas Coupe Classes.

How famous was it? Well, there was a Revell 1/25 plastic kit that was pretty accurate, a 1/25 scale die cast model, and a 1/18th scale model. Rumors about where it was after the old days of drag racing came about. In 2017, it showed up on the main floor of the Price Transfer Lions Dragstrip, newly created museum.

When I was contacted to participate in the 2017 initial set up of the Lion’s Dragstrip Museum, it was an honor. They liked my films from the 1958-64 era. A lot of the history in this inaugural group of displays came from that time period. So, there was a long version of my films looped together to showcase the dragstrip history from back then. It was shown on a super large monitor on a wall of the warehouse display area. I called it the Hunter/Hill Acala red roadster corner.

real patina...

Then, as the set up was going on, the next day had some move in race cars in the empty building.

The museum display staff told me that the silver blue 1941 SWC Willys coupe was going to be on permanent display at the newly created Lions Dragstrip Museum in the huge wing of the sprawling trucking/container complex. (That got my blood flowing.) Seeing the actual SWC Olds powered coupe up close and personal…I could not wait.

empty to partial set up days photos...

I was amazed at the interior of the Willys Coupe. Pristine and ready for any encounters on the So Cal dragstrips…


On opening day/night, the 1941 Willys Coupe was joined by a friend and the display was neatly a part of Gas Coupe and Sedan history.

Thanks to Mike Cook’s family and his company. I was at the Price Transfer Lions Museum Grand Opening in June 24, 2017, I was able to talk to Mike Cook for some time. The Swindler 2 was there on the previous weeks getting ready for the opening displays. I was able to get some great shot in the prelim set up days. No one there to muddle up the background, etc.

Mike Cook was very informative. His information on the Willys and other builds was enlightening. The whole museum event was awesome, from the live Cacklefest outside to the multiple car displays inside the Lions Dragstrip Wing of the whole Price Transfer Automobilia complex. One topic came up was the 1937 Tahitian Red/Candy Apple Gas Coupe that ruled the Westcoast Gas Coupe/Sedan Classes.
June 24, 2017 opening night
Opening Night June 24, 2017 A Surprise At The End...


Price Transfer Lions Dragstrip Museum set up days: June 20, 2017…The Swindler 2


NOW:

2019 Lions Museum Photo by B. Brennan

 

Tennessee Bo-weevil
Then

Now

 

Hello,

Thanks for using my film storyline creation. The Bo-Weevil was an unusual name and back when we were in drag racing, the name always popped up in the results. Big news coming from the Midwest portion of the USA in the local weekly drag news paper was impressive.

Jnaki

The sound is actual Bo-Weevil sound from my own LP album digitally transferred to my files. The motor sound is also nice and had to be nice to see the race car sound in action. Yes, it is from 1959 in Detroit, at the U.S. Nationals.

Found on You Tube J NAKI Channel. Recently, I watched the video on the You Tube channel on my large screen TV. After seeing it created on my 17 inch laptop, the much larger TV screen and sound was almost as good as being there in person. With all with the comforts of being at home. Turn it up !!!

 

This is believed to be Barris`s very first custom car done for a paying customer. Owned by Kury McCormick from Missouri. bump

 

Lyle Fisher at the ATAA World Series in 1957. Ron Johnson Photo



Hello,

The top photo is the 1957-59 Speed Sport II Modified Roadster with a 671 Hemi motor… The bottom photo is the newer version of the Original Speed Sport Roadster with a non supercharged motor.

Both modified roadsters were/are impressive in person. In 1959, we saw the Speed Sport Roadster II in person at Riverside Raceway in all of its 671 powered glory. It just made everyone’s day with the loud runs down the track. If one was standing on top of the cliff when the Speed Sport Roadster came blasting by, it sounded extra loud, due to the cave effect of the tall cliffs and where we were all standing.

These ads started showing up in the early Drag News weekly drag racing papers. The Modified Roadster was appearing and winning plenty of races with a 6 Stromberg powered motor, but built like no other race car at the time.

On the other hand, the immaculate Orange Speed Sport Modified Roadster was also, “one for the books.” Being from another state, prevented us from seeing it up close. So, we just stepped back and kept reading the outstanding results that popped up in the weekly publications. A rear engine or for those that want to be specific, mid engine modified roadster was setting records left and right all over the Midwest drag strips.

But, in 1959, it was up close and personal for us... in So Cal. Adding a 671 supercharger and a custom scoop just made the Modified Roadster almost unreachable...

speed sport 1959-60

1959 Riverside Raceway

Jnaki



But without a doubt, either version is one for the books. Impressive and showing attitude all the way down the track years ago. (or even sitting in a line up of Cackle Cars at one of the Nitro Revival events in more recent days…)

Once anyone sees either version, it will be one that will last for a long time.

Then, a few months later in March of 1960, the 2nd annual Bakersfield March Meet took place and we had to go there to see the most anticipated drag race event.
March 1960 Bakersfield, from the pits to the staging area...
two brothers

And, a much anticipated meeting of the two top T roadsters was going to happen...
This record led to this result several months later in 1960



for most competitors, this is/was the view through the quarter mile.

 

Pure Heaven II was run by R.T. Reed, Leon Fitzgerald, and Richard Rockman. in the mid to late sixties and into the mid-seventies. Later it was found and purchased by Bob Nylander. I say restored because between Leon and Bob, they found all of the original parts, including the engine, and with the help of Specialty Cars in Artesia, California reassembled the car back to its glory. Even the paint job was done by the original painter. Rod Hynes drove the car for a while and Howard Haight drove the car for years. Now it is retired and sits in museums.

 

. . . just bitchin'

 

The glass slipper.
Then.
Now.

One of my favorites!

 

Paul Aldrich
Then

Now

I didn't even know this car had been recreated until I say a YouTube video about his passing.

 

I always admired this great machine.

 

Thanks, that's another car I car research for this thread.

 

This has always been one of my favorite front engine dragsters, with a cool G.M.C. 6 banger.
"Too Tall" Pat Gahnal, and this machine, were both very unique!