KCTA -[Kansas City timing Assc.]

Here are some pix from the email that Ray sent me..........

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Hi! Ray Erickson here. I appreciate your offer on pic's. I will take you up on that. These are pic's of My 34 in 1956 at the KCTA strip on Front St. --Side view of my Packard. & My Crosley powered Lawn Tractor that was in The 1970 Oakland " Grand National Roadster Show" in The Oakland Collisium .It was one of the 12" Feature vehicles" in that show. It was a 10 day show back then.-------

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This is my " ENGLISH FORD' & John Fields "DEVIN"-- the blue sports car. I had repainted the Ford red at this time-- It was chopped 5 &1/2" I did all the body & paint work on the Devin also. The Devin was Stude 6 cylinder powered

 

These are also pics of my vehicles The picture of " red Crosley " is an earlier model --But I modified picture to have big back wheels & tires Like I actually did on My Crosley--.--V/8 60 powered engine --'[,39 Ford trans,--40 Ford rear end "narrowed," -- 6:00 X 12""midget Ascot" rear tires on Front of car--,6/70 15" on rear.-- Rear end narrowed to fit inside wheel wells,raised wheel wells 6"--, 2 crosley radiators ,one for each bank of cylinders...I never got a picture ,if I did I lost it!! The other picture is my drawing of it!!---------- The other 2 pic's are of the 52 resized to download on HAMB ' Radical Ray Erickson" That Crosley would fishtail for half a block when you nailed it!!!!!!!!! WISH I STILL HAD IT!-- Hell ! I wished I had all of them

 

That 52 is a sweet ride. I hope to see your Packard at a show one of these days. Any plans to make it to the HAMB-B-Q on the 19th?

 

Ray Erickson here--not sure these pic's are clear enough to read---These pic's were taken at the" Liberty Memorial " grounds here in K.C., Mo.-It was written & pic's taken by -Grier Lowry-He sent this article to "AUTO CRAFTSMAN MAGAZINE"

 

This is a great post im from Sedalia about 80 miles from KC. ive always wanted to see some local area styled customs and hot rods!

 

To tell you the truth, I can't afford the gasoline!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

Just looking for members in Kansas City area.

Bill

 

I had a 1971 Pinto & installed a 289 Ford engine ,3 speed top loader-- I lengthened the complete front end 6-1/2"- It would topout at 138 MPH ..3:40 rear end gears ,13" wheels & tires- The flamed picture was before extending front end & 289 engine-It was fast and a lot of fun. . I switched complete roof For Hatchback & sliding sun roof. I drove for 15 years...

 

Here is a couple PEDAL CAR PIC'S I did-- I think they are part of the hobby--

 

This is the" Cranktwisters " club in the pit area in 1956- I wrote names below cars- These guys were original members of the "KCTA club" that put on the Drags at Edna ,Kansas---

 

welcome to the board from south TEXAS!
Your stores are cool Mr. Ray

 

short story - from the KCTA drag srip in 1956--I was driving down "Front" St. ,coming in to the strip on a sunday morning For our weekend "dragmeet" & a car pulled up along side me--It was- Lee Dorrell-He was our POLICE liason for "everything "to do with the strip & KCTA--He grinned & popped the gas pedal & I responded likewise-- BUT -we only did it for a couple seconds--Then we both proceeded to pull up to starting line of the strip ...One of the guys ran over & picked up a green starters flag, Came back over in front & pointed at us -,whipped the flag up &&& off we went-[[[ a little preface here- Dorrells car was a new 56 Ford 2 Dr.--312 "Y" block, Chet Herbert cam,,And a McCullough Blower-- The car probably weighed about 3,550 lb's--- my 34 cabriolet about 2,450 lb's-----I usually clocked 90.45 --He mopped my ass by many car lengths- The 56 was really a fast son-of-a-bitch=--He was really grinning when we went back over in the pit area...---thats it!!

 

Wow those are some awesome stories. Have any more? Its so nice to have people like yo hear on the HAMB.

 

This picture is in the "KCTA GUIDE''booklet from back in 1955.. Quite a crowd---Apparently There was plenty of interest In a legal place to race & not get in trouble--"Major Pond "-- [ our benefactor for getting the strip] --stated that in a very short time the street racing had decreased Considerably-- Not stopped -but making the city streets a lot safer!!!!!!

 

:Hi! Ray Erickson here--A short story-In 1956 at one our weekend dragmeets, I was standing in the staging area about 40 ft. back from starting line-over near the left side-- And I heard someone holler out Hey RAY--I looked at the cars lined up waiting to make a pass.-I didn't recognize any of the cars-- The voice called out again & then an arm came out the window of a new 56 "Studebaker "GOLDEN HAWK" ---[ These had 289 Stude engine & Factory "McCullough"supercharger] --I walked over their & it was a friend of mine,,I said whos car is that-- ITS MINE he said-I said- its brand new, why are you running it so soon-- you don't want to hurt it racing, do you--HE said 'hell , it ain't gonna hurt it!!!-- He said ,in fact, would you like to take it thru the quarter--I SAID HELL YES!! -He says, well, try not to take it over 5 grand, like you say it is NEW-- Well-----I pulled the 40 ft. up to line --nailed it- DAMN-- I went 1000 rpm over every shift--IT CAME UP SO FAST --It turned 96 M.P.H.-in the quarter--How about that for a new stock factory built car-- I was pretty impressed-----------:

 

Here is picture from the- K.C.T.A. Guide- booklet published back in 1956-It is officers back then--- ---- [they got my middle name ]wrong--It 's not "Lee"--Middle initial is "G"-for Gustaf-my Dads name--ERICKSON -I am half Swede-- My dad was a full swede-His folks came over from sweden-He could cuss you out in swedish & you didn't know what the hell he said-- He would just laugh-------------Bob Taylor was Pres. when we held drags at Edna ,Kansas- Which still was the club -KCTA---------------Lee Dorrell liason, K.C.,Mo."Police Officer"[Answered to Major Pond--"Chief of Detectives of "Kansas City Police force"] --------Lee Williams & Bill Rogers were members of the "DRAGSTERS" club--Myself- Ray Erickson- & Bob Taylor were members of the "CRANKTWISTERS"club --The name we chose for our new name when we donated The incorporated name of "KCTA "for the new drag strip and associated clubs----{We had already paid for a "lawyer' to become "incorporated" so we could have Drags in Edna,Ks.}---------- The Dragster club had other members Bob Sullivan,Bob Rodgers-Bob Reid, Bill Crutchfield Don Schliecher, Dave Waldo & Bob McConnell,Don Broderick--Dons SON is Kevin Broderick of--"FABRICATIONS UNLIMITED--STREET ROD SPECiALTIES"---Im sure
I've forgotten some of their names after all these years----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Lee Dorrell was a member of the "DynoBusters" club-- along with "Wayne Colby" ,Buzz Pond [Major Ponds] son--MAJOR POND & his son had a" Hemi powered '36 Ford 3 window coupe--

 

H1! Radical Ray Erickson here--Back during the "OJ"trial -glancing at a"TV"on the work bench I chopped "Jim Whitesides "[ a member of the MISFITS]- 1953 Chevie coupe & as well as lites ,door handles ,trunk , hood -,etc-- ----Jim was helping in anyway he could---- Here are some in progress pics of chop -I thought" you all "might get a kick out of them---attached below---------- HERE IS ALSO PIC'S -IN FINAL FINISH--SATIN BLACK --Hope you enjoy!!:--------------------------- He used to have a "sweet sounding" 6 banger,---Now its got a 'mean sounding' 350--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A COMMENT HERE-------All welding done with "Acetylene Torch"------- Thats still the way I do it !!!!!!--Bought the torches & bottles back in 1955"Sears-Roebuck" torches--

 

Hi! Ray Erickson here-----At the" BACK TO KANSAS NHRA DRAGS"- in 1994 --I had the good fortune to meet & talk a while to WALLY PARKS-- What gentleman and a nice guy -- IT WAS A REALLY HOT DAY & he was doing just fine--He was 77 years old then...This event was held in Topeka , Kansas-------He had come over to look at my PACKARD --COOL, HUH!!

 

Heres some more" TRACTOR' pic's I forgot I had!

 

Hi! Ray Erickson here-- I found my old issue of the 'WHISTLEBAIT" article-- here are copys of cover & inside magazine.-----

 

Hi! Ray Erickson--These are pic's of second version of my 3-wheeler------------------------------

 

Hi! -Ray Erickson here--I just realized I am labeled "Grenade Inspector" I was labeled "Newbie"--- what happened --I didn't change it??????????????-----What does that mean??????????

 

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Hi! Ray Erickson here--------Some of you might get akick out these pic's--They are from 1955 "' NHRA NATIONAL DRAGS RACES in 'Great Bend ,Kansas" this was an old airstrip-- Don Garlits & his crew were there,& at that time they really looked like -Swamp Rats- Thats what they called themselfs- Their car was of course very fast-There tow car was a old Chevie,I do not accurately remember their clocked times-- The Chrisman Brothers were their old sprint car turned dragster,with fuel injected "Hemi"---Ed Cortapassi ,with the" GLASS SLIPPER"-----------------------Dave Marquez "880" Bakery 32 roadster-Flathead powered-- Bright orange-Best appearing car & crew--VERY FAST-- here are the pic's I took---------------OH YEAH -- i FORGOT ?"Mickey Thompson " was there with his dragster'
during eliminations He blew a clutch--The officials gave his crew 30 minutes to pull engine & replace cluitch,, They got back to start line exactly in 30 minutes , &as I recall he won that part of race..

 

Here are some random pictures I downloaded--Three pic's of some of the 'MISFITS CLUB" ,that I am a member of--------------------------------A pic of my straight 8 Packard engine-,,,changed to a 350 Chevie later---------------------------------------------------------------------A pic of my packard early in the process of build---------------------Me painting my 52 in the street with cars driving by--Notice the tiny diaphram compressor in front of car on the street.********look behind rear window of 52 & you will see my 34 parked across the street.-------------------My merc chop in process---------------------------------------------- Me beside my chopped 52