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History Mooneyham/Sharp #554

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Ryan, Feb 12, 2008.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Stogy and blackrat40 like this.
  2. Littleman
    Joined: Aug 25, 2004
    Posts: 2,617

    Littleman
    Alliance Member
    from OHIO, USA

    Thankful you posted that.....Truley awsome...and a push start to boot....Littleman...gave me chills....I'd take that over a digger anyday!!
     
  3. Tony
    Joined: Dec 3, 2002
    Posts: 7,350

    Tony
    Member

    Awesome, Absolutely Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I LOVE that car!
     
  4. Terry
    Joined: Jul 3, 2002
    Posts: 1,824

    Terry
    Member

    Is that a chain drive in the first picture, belt in the secound?
     

  5. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Yep!
     
  6. Rand Man
    Joined: Aug 23, 2004
    Posts: 4,860

    Rand Man
    Member

    If that ain't a Hot Rod, I don't know what is.
     
  7. NoSurf
    Joined: Jul 26, 2002
    Posts: 4,461

    NoSurf
    Member

    I fricken love that car.

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Bigdaddy
    Joined: Dec 12, 2002
    Posts: 2,203

    Bigdaddy
    BANNED

    There is someone on the Hamb here that is a grandson of SHARP. I will let them stand up though.
     
  9. wlspdshop
    Joined: Jun 15, 2005
    Posts: 1,585

    wlspdshop
    Member
    from Missouri

    THANK YOU!! that was great!.....I just love that coupe.
     
  10. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,629

    The37Kid
    Member

    I'll have to use the computer at the Town Library to view that, mine is too old & slow. The 554 coupe was sold to K&G Speed Associates in Havertown, Pa. around 1965, and ran in NASCAR..............drags.
     

    Attached Files:

  11. I've seen lots of pictures but never heard that car run, freaking awsume !
     
  12. JimA
    Joined: Apr 1, 2001
    Posts: 4,796

    JimA
    BANNED

    Awesome pics Ryan. I'm pretty sure I have seen early pics of the car at the track looking basically stock, unchopped full-fendered black couple with white skinny flames on the front fenders. That ring a bell for anyone?
     
  13. BOBBY FORD
    Joined: Oct 6, 2007
    Posts: 700

    BOBBY FORD
    Member

    Awesome! Only thing missing was the smell of rubber burning. That is one bad a$$ car. Thanks for posting it. Reminded me of the days I raced my blown henry j. J was nice and fast but didn't hold a candle to that coupe.
     
  14. brandon
    Joined: Jul 19, 2002
    Posts: 6,368

    brandon
    Member

    are those c&t aluminum heads in that belt picture....? that ride is a sweet piece.... got a pic of it from garlits museum from the mid 90's..... the cool thing about it...was they were still thrashin it after it was restored in the 80's.... didn't brian burnett (sp) have something to do with it...? brandon :D
     
  15. Evel
    Joined: Jun 25, 2002
    Posts: 9,038

    Evel
    Member
    1. 60s Show Rods

    love, love, love that car AWESOME!!!
     
  16. seatex
    Joined: Oct 24, 2006
    Posts: 2,670

    seatex
    Member

    FREAKIN' AWESOME! I had to watch that 8.73 times!
    Sounds great!:eek:
     
  17. hemi coupe
    Joined: Dec 25, 2001
    Posts: 1,162

    hemi coupe
    Member
    from so-cal

    I am pretty sure Al Sharp and Gene Mooneyham made the heads. Gene Mooneyham was one of the best machinists around.
    Jimmy White
     
  18. farm boy
    Joined: Oct 25, 2006
    Posts: 178

    farm boy
    Member
    from reedley

    Thanks Ryan;
    Looking at the track, Must be late '80's early '90's I think pre-CHRR, a nostalgia meet. What is so cool, They where still letting the cars make full passes with their dated roll cages. Last time I saw that happen The Speed Sport Roadster made a full pass, Greath was driving. The anouncer said "He knows better than that, oh well, at his age, you forget". Talked to him in the pits later, said, with a huge smile, he got "carried away"........
    Man, I hope the Hamb drags come to Bakersfield....
    Sorry for ramblin on...
    Thanks again Ryan, OLY

    The cancer car lives
    Give to cancer research
     
  19. stude_trucks
    Joined: Sep 13, 2007
    Posts: 4,755

    stude_trucks
    Member

    I noticed they changed from the stock heads to alum. heads too. What do you guys think about running a hemi with the newer alum heads from Hot Heads, etc. in a traditional car? I was kind of thinking of doing it with mine, but then I was thinking I would rather it stay more vintage looking. My truck is going to be a driver and is going to get used, so racing and top performance isn't my primary goal.

    Also, I liked the car better with the fenders on it and the steel wheels. I realize it is a race car, so they obviously upgraded it as needed for performance and don't fault them for that in any way.
     
  20. Thirdyfivepickup
    Joined: Nov 5, 2002
    Posts: 6,093

    Thirdyfivepickup
    Member

    Crips that was cool!!!
     
  21. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    when I was a kid I had a 1/32 (?) scale model of a 34 exactly like that. no fenders and the scoop on the hood. it was molded in lime green. the hood didn't open or anything ...it was a very basic kit.
     
  22. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    If my memory serves me right I saw that car at either Fremont at the Nostalgia drags... or maybe Sears Point Goodguys back in the 80's.

    burnin rubber.

    or maybe I made the whole thing up and only wish I saw it.
     
  23. Sixcarb
    Joined: Mar 5, 2004
    Posts: 1,503

    Sixcarb
    Member
    from North NJ

    The car did run the early eighties at the Nostaglic nats or something like that, my father brought a video of the races back in I think 83, the coupe was doing almost full 1/4 smokers running about 170 mph, I will have to try and find that tape and see if it can be saved and maybe put on dvd, I remember the Glass Slipper doing full tilt runs at the same meet.
     
  24. willysguy
    Joined: Oct 2, 2007
    Posts: 1,224

    willysguy
    Member
    from Canada

    WOW!!! And I think that was with no shift. Makes me want to hang onto the roached out 34 5 window sitting in my garage.
     
  25. Thats right, The coupe is direct drive. There is at least two more videos of mooneyham & sharp running on youtube, but i dont remember the titles off hand.
     
  26. 49toad
    Joined: Jun 12, 2005
    Posts: 322

    49toad
    Member

    Some where in my basement I have video I shot at the 1985 Nestalgic nationals. I have seen faster cars but never one more exciting. On my video you can see this 34 smoke the tires the full lenght of the 1/4 mile.
     
  27. AnimalAin
    Joined: Jul 20, 2002
    Posts: 3,416

    AnimalAin
    Member

    That absolutely ROCKS!! Inspirational. Thanks, Ryan.
     
  28. 47bob
    Joined: Oct 28, 2005
    Posts: 625

    47bob
    Member

  29. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Notice how the Mooneyham car consistently skips the burnout box...
     
  30. 54BOMB
    Joined: Oct 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,109

    54BOMB
    Member

    Wow , direct drive, push start, chain driven blower, can you say "built with intent" .
     

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