Hot Rods Hot Rod Sports Cars

Blackhawk Farms Raceway 2011

 

I wonder what happened to car 13?

 

The same thing, I suppose, as happened to the 13th floor in tall American buildings.

 

I bought the leftover old racer in 1973. I restored Jaguars but this one was an old war horse.

I found it..clapped out 283..one alum seat..all guts stripped..aluminum dash..5 straps..and roll bar..
I bought it from ahole of the universe..absolute prime ahole..
It was a time I didn't take pictures of my cars much..

I first did all mechanical..but being young and a moron..327..11:1..solid cam..2x4s..a nasty almost un-drivable 2000 lb thing..
Long history..almost confiscated in a huge drug bust here after the Winter Nationals..in Tucson. The guy that I found to straighten the aluminum was a pilot in 'Nam..but he was a pilot here too..he had a Vietnamese body man that was amazing with aluminum..(I Fix when they get shot down) he had "field" training and was an artist..speedway stripe..smooth.. I wish I kept the wooden buck he built for the doors..
I got it out of paint shop after months of BS..
Tarilered it home..My 327 looked OK..with a double pumper..but as soon as I got it home..
"Pilot" stole my mill and was using in his strip car..I was pressing him to get it done..I traveled a lot then...months went by no work just took down money and it sat.Finally painted..I grabed it and told his shop guys to have him see me..
He put a junk SBC ..Pissed..went to his shop..DEA tape everywhere..I could see my 327 on a stand..but gone..
I got married had kids..took me many years to get it where it is..
350..not crazy..Crane..Hydro..Muncie..wanted it period still so..well worked camel humps by a dirt track builder here..Dana 44 limited slip..etc..

Suspension I restored like it raced..lowered..
The 327 version with Mom visiting AZ in 1976..or so..

First day start after headers with exhaust

Engine mounted as far back as possible so this is sort of mid engined 30+" behind front axle..or more.. Temp gas lines as the tube I spent so much time on..vapor locked.. The nasty braided was easy to do and worked..
Fought V Lock until I added a Air Gap..routed air to Engine area by sealing all the area in grille area to get all the air and added some underneath with a scoop underneath,, Runs 185* in 110* AZ weather..now..
Handles extremely well now..maybe 350 HP ..but still very light as almost half is aluminum..

Kids eat money..and if you do it right they eat time..so..20 years from 1985 to 2005 it waited while I rebuilt everything..late nights laying under..over..you folks know the drill..
'Nam pilot did 30 years..just got out..(had TONS)..
His paint still looks good..I think..
Just an old guys 48 year project..

 

Amazing story...truth is certainly stranger than fiction...thanks for taking the time to share it with us.

 

Not too many XKE's funny cars, I wonder if this is the old "Snoopy" XKE?

Pat

 

same car different light

 

An early one of my MG. I was in charge of making those Americans shine like chrome! Now it takes me an hour to do one wheel.

Pat

 

Could only make it a tad bigger before it distorted.

 

Hello,

In the early days of drag racing, there were plenty of classes for sports cars to be able to race and enjoy the spirit of drag racing. The classes were broken down as per power and weight. The Corvettes were usually in one of two classes. It depended on what was in the initial factory build.

Jnaki

Since Courtesy Chevrolet was in Central Downtown Los Angeles, the racers from all over So Cal had access to the goodies offered and perhaps, not offered at their own Chevrolet Dealer.


Since each Corvette came from the factory with specific parts as ordered, the classes were evenly divided for good races.
1959 Lion's Dragstrip Sports Cars

 

Hello,

In 1959, Bonneville was held in the last week of August. This was the year that Mickey Thompson set the world record in his Challenger 1 with 4 Pontiac motors.


But, it was also a good day for the little guy that had several sponsors that were proud of the record set while racing that week. It was the year of the Devin Sports car from Joe Carboni.

“In 1959 at the Bonneville Salt Flats Joe Carboni, Jugger Racing set a new C class record at 191.156 mph, broke Frank Arciero's Ferrari's record speed set in 1957 at 176.915 mph the second, record setting run was set with no left front tire, which was lost when entering the return run traps. We will never know how fast he was running when the tire blew. He held on, finishing the traps at an average of 191.156. Stock Block Chevy, Pump Gas, No Supercharger.”


Jnaki

Since the 2021 Bonneville Speed Week barely finished a couple of weeks ago, a step back in history seems like a good idea. “Without the past, there is no future…”

 

Even though he played "Hoss" Cartwright weekly, I'm gonna guess the RnC cover of him on a Bonanza mini bike, September 1966, was taken around this same time frame.

 

1960 Bakersfield Smokers March Meet

Hello,

This modified hot rod sports car looked mean, sounded mean and thought he was going to win this eliminator race. But, the high powered 1941 Studebaker Sedan of Howard Cam/Doug Cook/Al Hirshfield just over powered the sports car and won the race.
Drag News reporting this race.

It took a few seconds off of the starting line, but the 1941 Studebaker of Al Hirsfield just blasted by the Austin Healy sports car as if was standing still. "Waldo" is a nickname given to Al Hirshfield.


Jnaki

The Studebaker was prominent in the early B/Gas Class competition from Lion’s Dragstrip, campaigned by Al Hirschfield.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jei9bdJudSU
Lion’s Dragstrip Al Hirshfield vs Jr. Thompson…

The actual race as recorded in March of 1960: :23 in the film

 

This is one kit car I could get behind…

 

One more that opens up GIANT sized.

 

Here's Pat Ganahl's take....not a single Cheetah or Cobra!

https://patganahl.com/2021/09/20/sports-rods/

 

True, Pat was presenting pictures from races in the early 1950's. Before the era of Cheeta's and Cobra's.

 

Pat's article mentions Chuck Daigh driving what is known today as the Parkinson Jaguar Special. It placed second and third in class 4A at the recent Rolex Reunion races at Laguna Seca.

It certainly looks like his conclusion that Stroppe has a nitro load in the Kurtis is correct!