Not at Lion’s Dragstrip, but the photo shows the C&O Stick Hydro Company Willys Truck that had its runs during the 63-65 time line. Hello, Since I was still living in the Westside of Long Beach, but had not gone to the Lion’s Dragstrip since 1960. This film and other shot of the huge drag race in 1964 started the big time gatherings of the Gas Coupes and Sedans/Trucks I was invited to go to the dragstrip to film the debut of my friend and 2nd mentor, Atts Ono. He and I played basketball together on a local team. He was the best point guard and I was the center. He had coaches looking at his skills and although he could have been a high school/division one college player, he chose machining and hot rods/drag racing. So, I was there to support him and his immaculate red 40 Willys Coupe. It was a long road ahead to make a debut with all of the top racers on the West Coast in attendance. Jnaki One of the earliest C&O Stick Hydro transmissions installed in a stick shift 3 speed 1958 Impala, in So Cal. From 1960 at their original compound in the Torrance/Gardena area, the Impala was the only C&O installation on the Impala until I sold it to go away for college. Thanks to @themoose for his rendition of the 58 impala with Buick Skylark Wire Wheels installed in 1963 to 64, then it was all black steel Buick wheels and blackwall tires until sold. Originally, I had large yellow C&O stick hydro stickers on the rear side windows. As I drove around, it must have intimidated most hot rodders as no one offered to have a full throttle race at the Cherry Avenue Drags Street location or anywhere else at the time. As a stock car, it was fast. But with a few modifications, cam/lifters, ported polished heads, 4:56 Positraciton gears, plus the C&O, no one could get as fast a start across the intersection. By the time they started, the race was over. So, later photos had no sticker and there were many surprised takers as one was out in front all of the time… YRMV But, while I was at Lion’s Dragstrip in 1964 and had some ties to the C&O Stick Hydro Company, (first installation of a C&O stick hydro in a 1958 Impala) I have the only color drag racing films of the C&O Willys Truck in action. Note: In the rapidly changing drag racing world, name changes come and go as new/different opportunities abound. YRMV Nothing was going to stop the C&O Hydro Willys truck from winning the race and eventually the whole B/Gas Coupe Class.
The Jalopy Journal
