Vintage shots from days gone by!

In 1950, when the Berardini Bros. (Pat, born on August 31st, 1927, and Tony), took Pat’s’32 (#404) Ford, and Tony’s ’29 (#7) Ford, to the Santa Ana Drag Strip. Both cars had very hopped up engines. When the last flag came down in 1955 for the Berardini Bros. Racing Team, both cars had won hundreds of races and had set many drag strip records.
They were top in their respective classes and they were the very first, over–all points champions, including the gas AND fuel classes, at the Drag Racers, Inc. Awards Banquet, in 1954. They achieved recognition from racers and fans alike. Not only were the ’32 and ’29 fast, but they caught the eyes of fans, as two beautiful racing hot rods.

 

At the age of 16, Ray Brown began the construction of a 32 roadster that would become as legendary as the man himself. While still in high school Ray got a job with Eddie Meyer in West Hollywood. Along side Eddie’s son Bud and flathead legend Tom Sparks, Ray acquired the engineering skills that would see him amass 11 timing tags with this roaster known as 99C.
At the age of 21 Ray opened his own Speed Shop. He was a pioneer in the use of the Chrysler Hemi and in 1953 his sleek fiberglass sports car, the Mabee Drilling Co., set the Class D record with a 353-ci fuel injected Chrysler at Bonneville. At the same time, Ray had built another Hemi for the famed Shadoff Special. The engine was a destroked from 331 (factory standard) to a 302-ci. The Shadoff went an astounding 236.36 and broke the International record, much to the consternation of “professional” land speed racers.

 

In The Early 30‚s Julian Doty spent weekends at Grandma‚s with uncle George DuVall, who became famous for his roadster windshields. They would cruise around in his Cragar powered 29 A roadster tricked out with fender skirts. In 34, Julian and uncle George made their first trip to Muroc together. Julian bought his first car off Jack Bartz’s used car lot at La Brea and Santa Monica with money earned from odd jobs and Pop bottles. It was a 29 Model A roadster with an Olds 3-port mill in it. In his spare time, the adventurous Julian pulled the 3-port from his 29 and then bought a Miller-Schoefeld from Curley Grandall, who had raced it at Ascot for $120. His payments were $5. per week. He next ran it at the lakes but it was not fast enough, so in 1940 Julian built up a 31 model A roadster and bettered 101MPH at Muroc.