History mid 1950's drag photos, Moline IL

how wrong would it be to revive that car club. (not that I am looking for to do this, but just how wrong of someone would it be.) I bet I could find some of these guys locally if I showed Bobe these pics, as well as Ron Anderson. I bet they would know some of these guys.

 

I think it'd be really cool to find out more but you might wanna' hurry. If the photos are 52-53 years old, then the guys in the photos gotta be in their 70's at the youngest.

 

the hemi dragster was built here in town by warren poole and driven by him also. He had the first ever blower car at Cordova and held top speed record with it for many years. When i was building my dragster he brought over several pics of his dragsters for me to study. Fabricated and designe dmost all the partrs he needed, smart guy. That car pictured started out as a flathead with what looks like a paxton supercharger. Then went to the hemi. I have some pics somewhere i need to post.

 

The pics have to be from Cordova, Ill. Here are the pics warren scanned for me. Check out the center steering shaft on the hemi car, runs between the intake and block!

 

AWESOME!..
I like being able to put a name with a face.

Gotta' love the power of the HAMB.. The additional photos are great and I look forward to more. Looks like Warren has built some high quality cars. Is he still messin' with cars?

 

wow, cool thanks

 

Very good chance it's Cordova. Look at all the sand.

 

Photos were taken in April of 57 before the trees leafed out. It was a cool Sunday. Could have been season opener. The Hemi had 5 carbs because there wasn't room for 6. I'm in various photos of the hemi. The flathead rail has a McCulloch blower on it.

 

The Gear Jammers Are still active. Out of Belleville IL.

 

that is a cool steering setup.

 

WOW!...What a flashback!!! I was born and raised in Davenport, Iowa and spent a large portion of my youth at Cordova! Some names ring a bell also like George Bowles and his "Bowlsmobile", Russ the "Barber" , Gabby Bleeker! I was a member of the "Romans" in DeWitt, Iowa. In 1961 I joined the Navy to get to some better weather and in January of 1966, right after my Navy service, I went to work for Bell Auto Parts in Bell, California and then in 1970 I went to work with Jack Ewell at the Mickey Thompson Speed Shop in Long Beach! Eventually worked as a on-air DJ for Buck Owens in Bakersfield.
Today I'm retired and live in Mesa, Arizona and have a '50 Olds fastback 88 with a factory stick, nosed and decked, original 303 with 58,000 miles and the latest improvment of Vintage Air since I live in the desert!!!

Wolfie

 

Hi Wolfie, since you are a former Romans member, do you know anything about these cars here, and on what occasion the pictures were taken:

 

This is so cool. Looking at the pictures brings back a lot of memories going to the this track as a kid with my dad in 1959 through 1962. Dad ran a 1953 Studebaker in c/ms. Won the world series in this class in 1960 and 61. Highlights of my childhood.

 

lowKAT, thanks so much, they are all so very cool. Looked like good times were had!

 

The Belleville Gear Jammers has No connection too the Canton Gear Jammers, I talked to some of the Belleville Group a few years back asking about that Has I was looking for some History from the Canton Gear Jammers, The guys I talked to acted like they never knew of another group in the area with the same name.

 

My FFA jacket doesnt fit anymore or I'd wear it to the races.

 

I am going to bump this thread because it's some of the greatest pictures I've ever seen.....period.

 

Glad you did, these are really great pictures, these pioneers built their own stuff in their own garages and innovated when the stuff they needed was not available ... not many speed shops in that area back then so you had to build it yourself...

 

More simple time, less rules ,more fun thank you so much they are kool...

 

I am only seeing the picture of the truck on the left. None of the pictures are coming up. All I have is a small square with a red "x" inside. How can I access these pictures?

 

Looks like Life Magazine changed the location but here's a link:

http://images.google.com/images?q=D...&sa=&imgc=&imgsz=&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

I'll go back and edit/add some of the photos. There's about 100 of them on the archive.

 

Very cool shots of a different era, when Drag Racing was local and affordable. Just saved every one. Thank you Mr. Vilet.

 

For anyone that wants to save the pics, I've archives the HQ versions of the LIFE photos in the following file...with other 50's era photos by a HAMB member.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OO8ZMWQP

 

Fantastic trip back in time, Thanks!

 

6 month bump for you newbies

 

some of the pictures by grey villet of life magazine.