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Old drag race trivia, nostalgia

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by AnotherDunneDeal, Aug 2, 2009.

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  1. SMS

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    #101 SMS, Aug 27, 2009
    Good memory!

    Thanks for the photo. I need to find mine as a bracket racer/super gas car.
     
  2. SMS

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    #102 SMS, Aug 27, 2009
    Tell us about that black 63 Corvette...
     
  3. SMS

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    #103 SMS, Aug 27, 2009
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  4. SMS

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    #104 SMS, Aug 27, 2009
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  5. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #105 AnotherDunneDeal, Aug 27, 2009
    The black '63 Vette is owned by Gene Hector out of Big Spring, Texas. The team is known as the "Small Block Mafia" It generally runs the 1/8 mile tracks around Texas and New Mexico but has ventured out a little further a couple of times. It really is a small block engine running a supercharger and racing gas. It was running Pro Mod until the class changed to Pro Extreme..........He generally runs very low 4's and high 3's in the high 189 mph's. Gene's clutch man is Gary Prater who used to be the bottom end man on Eddie Hills top fuel cars. Gary is related to me by marriage and is a really good guy.

    They started out last year running a red '63 Vette that was pretty quick. This year they came out with the new car which is slightly longer and runs about 2500 HP on racing gas, up about 500 hp from last years car. The new car has been suffering from wheelshake about 1/2 way down and has not performed up to the potential they believe it should. They expect 3.70's by the end of this season at about 190 mph.

    www.smallblockmafia.com
     
  6. AnotherDunneDeal

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    #106 AnotherDunneDeal, Aug 27, 2009
    The black '63 Vette is owned by Gene Hector out of Big Spring, Texas. The team is known as the "Small Block Mafia" It generally runs the 1/8 mile tracks around Texas and New Mexico but has ventured out a little further a couple of times. It really is a small block engine running a supercharger and racing gas. It was running Pro Mod until the class changed to Pro Extreme..........He generally runs very low 4's and high 3's in the high 189 mph's. Gene's clutch man is Gary Prater who used to be the bottom end man on Eddie Hills top fuel cars. Gary is related to me by marriage and is a really good guy.

    They started out last year running a red '63 Vette that was pretty quick. This year they came out with the new car which is slightly longer and runs about 2500 HP on racing gas, up about 500 hp from last years car. The new car has been suffering from wheelshake about 1/2 way down and has not performed up to the potential they believe it should. They expect 3.70's by the end of this season at about 190 mph.

    www.smallblockmafia.com
     
  7. AnotherDunneDeal

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    #107 AnotherDunneDeal, Aug 27, 2009
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  8. AnotherDunneDeal

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    #108 AnotherDunneDeal, Aug 27, 2009
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    I just had to put it in because it falls into the "nostalgic" category. I bought the car for $8k in 1978 and it was running a 2 speed powerglide with no high speed torque convertor. At that time it was running mid 9's around 160 mph. We installed a 3000 rpm stall speed convertor in 1979. Our best was 8.96 et with 168 mph top speed. I thought this was pretty good since we were running a close to stock 455 cube chevy with a single 750 cfm carb on racing gas. About the only thing we did to it was add a roller cam, pistons, ported and polished and blueprinted. Oh, and an Accel ignition.

    I have run a couple of supercharged cars earlier and decided to try this one just for fun. This car ate transmissions like candy. Every two race weekends we were rebuilding or installing a new one. Never did get it figured out. Sold it in 1980 for the same $8k that I bought it for. Could not come close to doing that now for four times the price.........The engine alone would be about $15k.

    Those short wheelbase altereds were a real handful. Just had to hope that after launching that the car would be pointed straight down the track when the wheels made contact with the strip surface. We generally carried the front wheels a few inches off the surface for about the first 100 feet on a good launch. Boy, if those wheels were pointed any direction but straight it could make for a fun ride. I have seen Wild Willy, Pure Hell, Pure Heaven and any other number of fuel altereds be perfectly sideways and still in it at the 300 foot mark. I may have been that way a few times too but it is different if you are behind the wheel.

    Just to give an example, photos below........
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  9. of2worlds

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    #109 of2worlds, Aug 28, 2009
    Sounds like fun times that would be much more difficult to duplicate at todays prices. That could be said for a lot of cars. Prices have gotten a bit crazy. Muscle cars were the prime example that were past due for a price 'correction' that seems to still be happening.
    Great shot of the torque twisting the chassis on launch in the second picture!
    CH
     
  10. AnotherDunneDeal

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    #110 AnotherDunneDeal, Aug 29, 2009
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    I like going to the Saturday night races at Texas Raceway as it is when a lot of the older style racers come out. Lots of diversity in the classes then. Friday nights are usually set aside for the Pro Extremes, True 10.50's etc. These are much more specialized classes and much higher technology than the old cars.

    You should be behind the wheel when one twists like that. Loads of fun but a real handful....
     
  11. of2worlds

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    #111 of2worlds, Aug 29, 2009
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    'The flip top funny car'.
    The Ford Motor Company commissioned Logghe Stamping Company to build four Mercury Comets for 1966. The four Comets, were raced by Don Nicholson, Ed Schartman, Jack Chrisman, and Kenz & Leslie. Dyno Don ran an injected motor and still beat the competition. His best time was in the high sevens at NJ.
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  12. of2worlds

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    #112 of2worlds, Aug 29, 2009
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    The Gene Snow 1969 mini-Charger was one of the first funny cars to exceed the 200 MPH barrier. His Charger would run low sevens. Other cars usually jumped off the line quicker but the 200 MPH charge on the top end was enough to secure a win for him.
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  13. of2worlds

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    #113 of2worlds, Aug 29, 2009
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    One of the more memorable funny cars was the blue Mickey Thompson Ford Mustang MACH 1 driven by Danny Ongais. For 1969 there were two cars built; the blue car shown here and also a second Mustang for Pat Foster to drive. The second car was painted red. Both funny cars were powered by the blown SOHC 427 Ford motor. This blue car ran low seven second times and on occasion broke into the high six second bracket at over 200MPH.
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  14. of2worlds

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    #114 of2worlds, Aug 29, 2009
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    The other Mickey Thompson funny car with red paint. This car was driven by Pat Foster who also built the chassis for both MT cars. This car did not live up to the potential shown by the blue car. Though both of these cars were because of their construction, lighter than the competition at that time.
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  15. of2worlds

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    #115 of2worlds, Aug 29, 2009
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    In 1968 "Big John" Mazmanian ran this beautiful candy apple red Barracuda funny car. His previous race cars had also featured the same amazing color and of course 'gold leaf' lettering. Piloting the Pat Foster built car was Rich Siroonian. This car ran mid to low seven's but could not break the 200MPH barrier.
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  16. of2worlds

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    #116 of2worlds, Aug 29, 2009
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    Another of the Ford funny car drivers in 1969 was California racer Gas Ronda. His MACH 1 Mustang featured the Ford SOHC 427 motor built by Ed Pink. This Russ Davis sponsored Ford ran mid sevens and could exceed 200MPH.
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  17. rdefabri

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    #117 rdefabri, Aug 29, 2009
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    Now old funny cars - you're speaking my language!

    I saw that RM had 2 Jungle Jim Novas on auction - one without the engine...would have loved to pip that.

    See if anyone can guess this one. It's a car I am trying to locate, but I'll make a trivia game out of it...it should be challenging to most here, although you guys are good.

    This AA/FD was campaigned out of NJ in the early to mid-70's. It wasn't entirely competitive, since most moved to the superior rear-engine chassis, but this team was game. They ran this car, I believe, up to 1978 before who knows what happened.

    Name the team / owners, the car name, and any one of the 3 drivers that piloted it. Hint: 2 of the drivers were from Philly (and 1 is still actively involved in racing in some form), the other is one of NJ's favorite sons, notable for his hard luck in funny cars.

    Added bonus if you know where this car resides today (I have no clue...I was interested in seeing what it's fate was)
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  18. of2worlds

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    #118 of2worlds, Aug 29, 2009
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    Two years earlier Gas Ronda had raced this Russ Davis sponsored 1967 Mustang. Ed Pink had provided the power for this Mustang to. Note the injectors used at that time. It was a fairly competive car; at it's best just breaking into the seven second bracket at over 180MPH. The Mustang looked rather tame compared to the exotic flip top Mercury funny cars run by Jack Chrisman and Don Nicholson.
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  19. of2worlds

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    #119 of2worlds, Aug 29, 2009
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    Jack Chrisman received one of the four 1966 Logghe chassis built Comets and put it to good use. For power he chose the blown version of the SOHC Ford motor he had used to good effect in his 1965 Comet. In the new flip top car it was the perfect combination. By 1967 the car went mid sevens at more than 190MPH.
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  20. of2worlds

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    #120 of2worlds, Aug 29, 2009
    If the mystery car is the "Jade Grenade" then here are the details> driven by Ted Thomas for Pete Lenhoff and Bill Flurer. A later driver was Sarge Arciero. The Jade Grenade with it's Don Long chassis has been restored by Pat Foster (familiar name?) and is owned recently by Don Trasin of Columbus Ohio.
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  21. of2worlds

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    #121 of2worlds, Aug 29, 2009
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    With a change in body style for 1970 the new Plymouth Cuda gave funny car racers a chance to show off the new look. The immaculate funny car of "Big John" Mazmanian once again featured his trademark candy apple red paint. His driver Rich Siroonian, was first to go over 220MPH in a funny car that year. This however would be his final year driving the 'Plymouth Dealers' sponsored funny car.
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  22. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #122 rdefabri, Aug 29, 2009
    Good guess, but it's not the Jade Grenade. In fact, it's not any of the now revived or recreated "cackle" cars.

    This one is REALLY obscure - one more hint...it ran out of Lakewood, NJ. That's a giveaway, but I can't see anyone getting this. :)
     
  23. of2worlds

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    #123 of2worlds, Aug 29, 2009
    Front engine T/F dragster #136 campaigned by the 'McKeown Brothers'. The driver was Edward Fox. Another Division 1 racer Roger Toth (#122) ran the dragster later.
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  24. AnotherDunneDeal

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    #124 AnotherDunneDeal, Aug 29, 2009
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  25. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #125 rdefabri, Aug 29, 2009
    Yup :)
     
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