RHestand
11-29-2009, 08:31 PM
I just found this web-site today.It's great! I think this is another place I'll be spending too much of my time at.
My wife and I spend the winters here in Santa Cruz, CA and the summers in Marinette, WI. I'm a 60+ year old retired carpenter and a life long hot rodder, motor-head.Almost all of my earliest memories include something about loud/fast cars, trucks, motorcycles, and girls.
My first hot rod/race car was a 51 Ford bus. cpe. I helped my best friend build it, then in 1961, I bought it from him. We rebuilt, then installed a 331 CI Chrysler Hemi, three 2's (Strongberg 97s), a Howard solid lifter cam, home made trans. adapter plate and scatter shield, three speed truck tranny, 4.11 rear gears with welded spiders, home made traction bars, and 7" re-cap racing slicks.
This was my daily driver, but I also did my share of street and strip racing with it, from 1961-65, in and around Phoenix, AZ.
On the street my favorite races were against the 59-61 Chevy factory hot rod 348 CI, 4 spd. cars They were mostly owned by rich kids that had big egos and plenty of money. And yes, I did get a ticket or two, but thankfully, no one was ever hurt or killed. It was crazy times in those days.
I also raced this car for a year or so at a 1/4 mile drag strip just West of Phx. in the B/Gas class. It ran mid 13s at around 110 MPH. But with broken drive train parts and not making much money, I had to just go back to street racing only.
In late 65 I moved to N.CA, bought a house, started a family, a const. bus. etc. and did very little racing. Mostly just sportsman class, motorcycle dirt track/hill climb stuff.
Then from 1991-2001 my son and I built and bracket raced a 71 Pont. 455" GTO(low 12 second car) and low 11 second 65 El Camino big block. Both were nice drivers if necessary for car shows, etc.
Our home track was Sears Point Raceway, in Sonoma, CA., but we raced at all the NHRA Division 7 tracks in the surrounding states for all the Divition 7 year end finals. It was great fun.
My current vehicles by year:
1957 356 Porsche Speedster (I restored to mostly all original.)
1971 Chevy pickup (502 crate eng., TH 400 trans, 3.55 posi.)
1998 Dodge Ram 3500, my daily driver. (5.9 Cummins Turbo diesel. High HP is work in progress.)
2001 ZO6 Corvette (low miles and mostly stock.)
2003 Harley FLHT Dresser, 07 Honda CRF 450 dirt bike.
I'll have to post some pictures when I learn how to do it.
Sorry if this thread is too long.
Ray
My wife and I spend the winters here in Santa Cruz, CA and the summers in Marinette, WI. I'm a 60+ year old retired carpenter and a life long hot rodder, motor-head.Almost all of my earliest memories include something about loud/fast cars, trucks, motorcycles, and girls.
My first hot rod/race car was a 51 Ford bus. cpe. I helped my best friend build it, then in 1961, I bought it from him. We rebuilt, then installed a 331 CI Chrysler Hemi, three 2's (Strongberg 97s), a Howard solid lifter cam, home made trans. adapter plate and scatter shield, three speed truck tranny, 4.11 rear gears with welded spiders, home made traction bars, and 7" re-cap racing slicks.
This was my daily driver, but I also did my share of street and strip racing with it, from 1961-65, in and around Phoenix, AZ.
On the street my favorite races were against the 59-61 Chevy factory hot rod 348 CI, 4 spd. cars They were mostly owned by rich kids that had big egos and plenty of money. And yes, I did get a ticket or two, but thankfully, no one was ever hurt or killed. It was crazy times in those days.
I also raced this car for a year or so at a 1/4 mile drag strip just West of Phx. in the B/Gas class. It ran mid 13s at around 110 MPH. But with broken drive train parts and not making much money, I had to just go back to street racing only.
In late 65 I moved to N.CA, bought a house, started a family, a const. bus. etc. and did very little racing. Mostly just sportsman class, motorcycle dirt track/hill climb stuff.
Then from 1991-2001 my son and I built and bracket raced a 71 Pont. 455" GTO(low 12 second car) and low 11 second 65 El Camino big block. Both were nice drivers if necessary for car shows, etc.
Our home track was Sears Point Raceway, in Sonoma, CA., but we raced at all the NHRA Division 7 tracks in the surrounding states for all the Divition 7 year end finals. It was great fun.
My current vehicles by year:
1957 356 Porsche Speedster (I restored to mostly all original.)
1971 Chevy pickup (502 crate eng., TH 400 trans, 3.55 posi.)
1998 Dodge Ram 3500, my daily driver. (5.9 Cummins Turbo diesel. High HP is work in progress.)
2001 ZO6 Corvette (low miles and mostly stock.)
2003 Harley FLHT Dresser, 07 Honda CRF 450 dirt bike.
I'll have to post some pictures when I learn how to do it.
Sorry if this thread is too long.
Ray