The Junior Stock thread was something I looked forward to reading every time I opened the HAMB There was a great deal of engineering that went into each one of these cars to make them run the numbers they did and I really admire people who are creative thinkers.
Still here and monitoring..I don't get an email for every post, for some reason, but I do check in. Playing with a modern day Jr. Stocker that's unmentionable here. Trying to do some local S/SS Combo racing when the tracks and scheduling allow. Keep it going !
Sure can direct you to the thread BUT good luck looking back 2 YEARS worth of posts to try and find that specific post. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/vintage-shots-from-days-gone-by-part-2.1154030/page-2371
@Chuck Norton I'm building a 62 Biscayne Jr Stocker for the street so I'm here often. This is my go-to reference thread.
During my life-after-Junior Stock racing days I put together a '64 Impala to run in Stock Eliminator using a 250 hp, 327 with Powerglide. That car was surprisingly successful in spite of my lack of familiarity with the "X" frame and coil-sprung suspension. The car eventually wound up winning a Division 7 points meet and became a worthwhile endeavor. Even under the more restrictive rules interpretations of those days, the 327 managed to push nearly 3700# of shipping weight (plus driver) into the 12-second zone on a good day at a good track.
My 62 is going to be built to look like a period correct Jr Stocker but it will be Legal for K/SA. I am using the 327/300. It will be interesting to see how close I can get to the index.
Tom, as noted above, NHRA has never changed the cylinder head spec for the 1964 250 hp combination. I had bought a set of Racing Head Service heads for the '66 Nova that I ran before switching to the Impala. I was able to use the heads, carburetor, PG trans from the Nova on the '64. Among the interesting challenges connected with the '64 was the fact that the '64 was designed for a short tailshaft PG so I had to shorten the front segment of the two-piece drive shaft to accommodate the 'glide that I had. Also, the available headers for "X" frame cars left something to be desired so I used a set of small-tube fenderwell headers that were laying around "The Ranch," Tony Janes' residence in South Whittier. Between Tony and my own stash, we discovered that we had enough positraction "pumpkins" in our possession to last for about three years so we rounded up a Henry's axle (right side only), set up several different ratios, stuck one in, and went racing. The Impala won class at Pomona in '76, qualified for the non-class contested '77 event, and in '78 lasted until the final day of the longest Winternationals ever contested. I remember being in the scale line after a round win on the first Sunday afternoon when an attack of rain/sleet/snow set in and we didn't finish the race until Tuesday, nine days later. The '64 didn't win any Best-in-Show awards but she did her job right up until the day I took her to the Crusher. The '64 ran the carburetor, camshaft, heads, ignition, fuel pump and PG from my previous car, a '66 Nova 283. The only '64 cars that fit M/SA were the 4-doors and an Impala SS. The SS was very popular with the low-riders in this area so the price on those cars was comparatively sky-high. I think that I paid $100 for the running car so a 4-door was a no-brainer.
I believe using the Glide prevented that stock left side axle from breakage. With a stick shift I don't believe you would have been so fortunate.
I at one time owned the Brock and Nelson '55 Chevy 4 door wagon. A friend of mine bought the car as a roller and converted the car to run E/MP. The car still said rear end by Kronenbitter on the lower rear doors. It also still had O/SA or SS/OA designation on it. I bought it from my friend complete while on leave when I was in the Army in '78. Long story short, I stupidly sold the car. My uncle eventually ended up with it and painted it red. It was metallic blue with an off-white roof with metallic blue cob-webbing. The car was sold by my uncle to someone in Florida 2 or 3 years ago. The man who purchased the car bought it to build for his wife to drive on the street. This car was in Western NY since the 70's. I a few times offered to buy it back form my uncle. He wanted stupid money for it with parts I had no use for so I passed on it.
I would definitely agree. When I ran the Corvette in I/S, it had Henry's on both sides as in addition to the billet bearing housing. I had broken the left axle in that car during an earlier "learning curve" experience. Somewhat later on, with a different car (not H.A.M.B.-approved), I broke both Summers Bros axles on the starting line at Pomona even with a 'Glide. One side was crystalized in the spline area. When that one let go, the other one sheared cleanly. In all fairness, that combination (axles/spool) had been down the track a jillion times in another car before I got my hands on them. c
I broke the stock left axle in the Hoosier a couple of years ago with the glide…of course it did have over 200 passes on it that I can account for.
Joe Sr. spent the money upfront on this one , per Bob Duffy ..Henry's axles, Pepe diff with Chrysler side gears, strapped left cap. Originally J/Stick @245 hp...it never broke a thing!
I also loved the video and the history of this great old drag racer. When I looked at all the Class Winner decals on the windows it reminded me of the fun times I had at all of those same drag strips. I understand that time marches on, but I really miss the old Junior Stock days and the Modified Production days because in my opinion those were the best days the N.H.R.A. ever had and when they got rid of those classes something died for me and the N.H.R.A. became a lot less interesting for me. Why would you do away with the two most popular classes you ever had? It still makes zero senses to me what they did, and I don't think it ever will. Just my opinion. Jim Hill
Yes, I stil have a couple of boxes full of trophies from those Jr stock days. (All that's left...no cars or parts) Never made sense to destroy the most popular classes. One of the big reasons we quit ultimately...just killed the interest..and lost the investments in cars, engines, etc. Had friends in those classes that were in the same sinking boat.
Just thinking out loud if what the Southern Gassers Association did for the gasser guys would work for Junior Stock and Modified Production classes. There are a lot of guys who ran those classes for years who became disenfranchised after the N.H.R.A. pulled the plug on them. I know many said they would never to run an N.H.R.A. event again. Just a thought. Jim Hill
The Road Runner Pontiac sat in the Pontiac Oakland car museum here in my hometown of Pontiac,il. for a while. The curator of the museum would start it up for people interested in hearing it run. I think it was also sold on ebay at one time.
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