Original Northeast Speed Shops?

Anyone know any speed shops that were around (preferably in Connecticut) in the '50s and '60s? Thanks,
-Dean

 

I live in East Haddam (about 18 min away from CT Dragway). Im trying to come up with a speed shop to put on the side of my Super Stocker. I'll have to look into that Waterford/New London one since they were involved with the Dragstrip. Thanks again,
-Dean

 

How about Don's Automotive?

 

From a 1956 Popular Mechanics Magazine Special Edition/Annual, titled "1956 Hot - Rod Handbook and Directory of Speed Shops":

Hollister Ave. Auto Parts 17 Hollister Ave, Bridgeport, CT

Miller's Speed Parts 26-28 John St. Hartford, CT

Al & Jerry's Speed Shop 458 W. Main St. Stamford, CT

 

Don's Speed Shop Berlin Turnpike, Newington Connecticut.
Don (Gallant) brought Frank up to the Drags in Orange Mass before Frank built the dragway in East Haddam.
Still in business even after a fire a couple of years ago. Don is still a master with distributors.
Another would be Debs Hartford/Springfield. Sponsored many cars including Ridgeway - real inventor of the tunnel ram.

I still miss Conn. Dragway.

 

Compitition Motors was in Danbury Connecticut, and a Lyndwood dragster dealer. Tim Hallock owned it and was the driver of the Danbury Modifiers B/D rail that I'm restoring now. The building is still there, but the speed shop closed in the early to mid 1960's.

 

I don't mean to steal this post ,but do any of you Conn. rodders remember a "Murph" that either ran or worked at a speed shop in Hartford in the 70's?
My old '40 Ford coupe was suppossedly built by him but no one I've talked to seems to remember him.

 

Photos, everyone here likes photos. This is Compitition Automotive Co. Danbury, Ct. November 1961. Drivein is long gone, Hurst shifters were on sale for $39.95. Great looking shop truck. The Lyndwood on the Lyndwood built trailer is the second one Tim Hallock drove and owned after he split up with The Modifiers.

 

National Speed Center,
Vernon CT.

around for 25 years good guys, nice logos.

Danny and Jay - great guys, give them a call!

860- 647-1353 I think?
-85%

 

I drive by Don's every now and then but I never stop because I don't know which building he is in.
I bet if you sauntered into Don's (if you figure out which building) he would probably have a bunch of old pics he could show you. I only met him briefly the year before the fire at the Road Agents show and he seemed pretty cool. He was passing out stickers for his shop.

Also, speaking of hijacking posts...any of you CT guys know of any decent places for rent that are roughly halfway between West Hartford and Woodbridge (Near New Haven), that might have a landlord that is "car friendly?" I'm trying to find a place. PM me if so...

 

Ralph Ridgeway, inventor of the Ridgerunner Ram. Now there's a name from the past!!!

Think he used a Rochester FI base and built the forerunner of what we now call a tunnel ram.

Used to watch him run a '55 Chevy 2-dr post D/MP (?) at Lebanon Valley Dragway in the mid-late 60's. Think he ran a 301 cube SBC.

I can still remember that thing sounding like it was turning about 9,000 rpms and then he'd dump the clutch on that 4-speed . Neat stuff, no stutter boxes or automatics. May the best shifting guy win .

 

Deyomatic - Welcome to, or back to CT! If you get the chance pull in to BS with Don. I have 'wasted' a few afternoons that way. He has some great stories and knowledge. They are operating out of one of building out back. I can't recall all the parts in the building that burned, but there were some rare and cool parts...
Good luck on the storage search.

Modifieddriver -
That dark blue and white 55 ended up on its roof in Canada, a long time ago. There are a couple of pics in Gasser Wars (book) towards the back. The Valley is still there, they pulled the starting line back towards the brook about 300 feet adding to the shutdown area. While it was before my time I know the valley had two christmas trees, one on either side of the track for each lane. Then it had a traffic light type of setup.... Actually Lebanon is the only track left.
Dover
Utica Rome
SO. Glens Falls
Fonda - all closed
Conn is the Consumer Reports test track.

later

 

Dean, I know you want a copy of this.

Billy

 

Thanks for the update. Track closings are sinful .

I was a racer for years at the other Lebanon Valley track. The one that's not paved and has a slight banking!!!!

 

That I do!......You selling?
-Dean

 

Deb's Auto Eng located in Spfld MA, had affiliated speed shops in Hartford and East hartford possibly other cities. Great book about the N.E. drag racing "Fast Cars Square Rollbars"

 

I will have to ask my Dad the name of the place in New London, he told me about it before. I remember him saying the guy that owned it "was old when I was a kid". Supposedly he was a flathead ford guru. (My Dad was in the Eliminators in New London, with Pete Tytla and Steve Harwood.)

 

I believe it is "Cool Cars Square Rollbars". AB Shuman and his brother are going to be coming out with an updated version with more pages in the future. But it will only be soft covered.

I've drove to Bonneville 2 years in a row with AB. If you ever get a chance to meet him, he is a walking history book of all types of Auto Racing.

 

Do any of you North Eastern guys remember Wohls in Brooklyn? This decal is on my Coupe........I'd love to know more about the place. I tried information but there was no number listed, probably been out of business for years.

 

probably too far south
but what about "Almquist" in Milford PA?...might be too old too?

good luck
Zach

 

Yes I believe your right

 

I used to live in Mansfield Center and visited Don's once right after they opened the Hooters on the Turnpike It was like walking back in time; multi-carb intakes all over the place, just a great old-fashioned speed shop. Great place; glad to hear he's still open.

Hank

 

Hey Deyo how come you moved from New Hampshire
couldn't handle all the excitement??

 

anyone remember lou's hamburger joint on the way to the track. trying to remember if it was on rte. 6 or 16?

 

how about jim's speed emporium out of meriden,conn.

 

since there are all Ct dragway folks here does anyone remember this car ?It ran in A/Altered there from 1960-69 I'm looking for any info pics etc .also looking for past members of the Hot Sparks Club from Putnam Ct.I was the last to join in 68 as a junior member I am currently restoring it although it is very slow going.I need a 430 MEL and trans as that was it's last competition engine

 

How about some Mass. and NH?

 

In Boston:New England Speed Equipment on Brighton Ave.(Allston).They also had a branch in Saugus on Route 1(northbound) just south of the Lynnfield line
Ellis the Rim Man on Commonwealth Avenue(just before it goes left at Brighton Avenue).Mostly add-on accessories but some speed equipment.
PV Speed Shop on Salem St. Malden Mass.Still in business but located on Main Street headed towards Melrose.
A&J Speed Shop;also in Malden on Broadway heading towards Everett.Run By Joe Palladino and Ade Knyff.Ade was the driver and partner of Bernie Riegels in the A&B Speed Shop rail.
Fibreglass Engineering in Cochicuate Mass.run by Ken Carpenter.Had an orange 40 Ford sedan delivery with a blown Olds motors he ran as a AA/GS.One of the first people in Massachusetts to sell fibreglass bodies.Galante's Speed Shop on Route 38 in Wilmington/Woburn.Automotive Machine in Revere Mass(at the traffic circle at Route C-1 and the Lynn Marsh Road.Great engine builder.Tubular Automotive in Rockland Mass.Custom made headers.I have a set in my 57 Pontiac that were built in 1966 and they are STILL in great shape.I think they are still in business.
D&D Speed Shop in Nashua New Hampshire.

There was one in Salem,Mass,and also Gloucester but the names escape me at the moment.I know there were many more.