Don't think OP @nickam82 will mind me reposting these snapshots from his great collection here . . . he hasn't been on the HAMB since 2017. Can't help myself. Plus, this thread should stay at the top anyway. Hoodlums And their cars
Hello, Nice array of photos from that collection. Your friend must have traveled all over the USA to get these photographs. Some of the early Willys Coupe photos should be dated from 1958-59 of K. S. Pittman 41 coupe. Then jump up to the 1963-64 era for the newer lighter 33 red Willys Coupe. It is too general to label them all 60s era. The films were taken by me at Lion’s Dragstrip during those times, when K.S. Pittman teamed with John Edwards as a unstoppable team in the B/Gas cl***. ( :29 in the 41 Willys film) K.S. Pittman 41 red Willys from 1958-60 Then, prior to the whole West Coast exploding with the popularity of the Gas Coupes and Sedans, K.S. Pittman had a 33 Willys Coupe built for the new attack on the A/Gas cl*** records. The film was from the All Gas Coupe and Sedan Cl*** event that took place at Lion’s Dragstrip in 1964. K. S. Pittman 33 red Willys Coupe 1963-64 Then, as the history has shown, he moved to the Midwest for further Willys Gas Coupe adventures. By 65-66, the gas coupe cl***es were beginning to wane and were not covered as much locally in the West. So, they started to fade out all over the USA drag racing coverage. Match racing was the popular event. Jnaki The ***ociation of the ordinary fans with the street legal coupes and sedans started to waver. No longer were the coupes and sedans what anyone could afford or build. When the rules changed to make the street legal cl*** into another hot coupe cl***, changing things like individual headers, no license for the street, lack of street legal items, etc. They were now, full on race prepped cars that one would not drive to high school or after school jobs on a daily basis.
Nothing short of incredible!! Even Peterson would love to have some of these in their archives. Super Cool. The 3 Ramchargers lined up, is extraordinaire ! Truth be told, most of these high quality shots are. As an armature photographer, I can truly appreciate his level of expertise. Yes, this thread is 6 years old, but thanks so much for posting, if you're still around. JT
Send Mac a hello,,, I have not seen him in a few years. I was the lucky one Mac entrusted years ago to get these slides transferred to dvd format with help from Peter Murphy to get access to slide collection which Mac was understandably a bit leary letting slides out of his possession. It’s great to be able to share/preserve this history
Hi everybody. Yes it's true I haven't been on here in awhile. I myself don't own a pre '64 hotrod so I'm not really active on here, but every once in a blue moon I check this thread. I have a '70 Skylark so I'm more active on V8Buick.com than here (different user name over there). I have not talked to Mac since the pre pandemic days of February 2019 when the company we worked for got sold and our office moved. He decided to retire rather than deal with the new commute. I have not heard from him since unfortunately. Im hoping I'll run into him at one of the shows now that the pandemic is loosening it's grip on everybody.
@nickam82 , hopefully you see him soon. Thanks to him and you for sharing the pictures. They are really spectacular
Hi folks, Sadly I have to announce that Mac p***ed away yesterday after what the obit said was a short period of declining health. He was 85. I last spoke with him a month or so ago at his wife's funeral after she had been sick for quite awhile. I hadn't seen him in the three plus years previous to then so we caught up for a few minutes. He described no longer being able to drive due to macular degeneration in his right eye. He did regale me again the story of one of the final races at Indy with the Wapid Wabbit, when someone lent him a magneto to use due to the supercharger blowing out the spark of the 283 at a high RPM. The results with the magneto were much better, but because they couldn't or didn't know how to get the magneto to work with the tach, he was shifting by ear, and so he over-revved, which is how he floated the valves and lost. I first met him in the real early days of my own career where he was able to provide some much appreciated guidance to get me going in the field. He was quite the character, and will not be forgotten.
RIP Mac. Thanks again for bringing these awesome photos to us Nick! What a golden era and a golden photo collection.
Always sad to hear of another p***ing on the HAMB. His photos were a wonderful trip back in time, some pictures were personal to me, being raised in New England and attending races at Orange and Connecticut Dragway. RIP Mac.
His mark in time was recorded. History won this battle. The adventures lives on through each of us. Thank you.
Somehow, I missed this thread, but I saved many photos from it today. Mr. McKinstry had a great eye for photos, and we are fortunate he shot slides to preserve a great era of Drag Racing. I particularly like the pit shots as you can ***ociate the people with their cars. Many photos of cars I heard of but never was able to see until now. Many thanks to ALL of the people responsible for bringing this to the HAMB. Condolences to Mr. McKinstry's family and friends. He certainly lived and participated during the best years of Drag Racing and preserved some of it for us.
I Just rediscovered this Thread. Mind Blow'n Pictures! Thankyou Mr. McKinstry. Rip sir..... How do I go about saving this thread or where can I always find it? I see it says History at the top of this thread? Hokey *** Message Board, Traditional, Customs, Antiquated but I don't see History listed on the opening page?
The Jalopy Journal
