Projects Mr. C's Garage (Gary Cochran's Competition Dragster Restoration)

This is Gary Cochran's 23T Competition Roadster restoration. The body of the car was on found eBay and there were no takers as the auction came to an end. I emailed the guy who had as I had missed the auction and asked if it was still for sale. I received an email and a phone # and called the guy who had it. He later let me know that he still had the original 3 point dragster chassis that came with the body and that too was for sale. Some of the images that I will include will show the Competition Roadster as it was when it raced at Lions from 65-66, it will show where the chassis was sitting when we picked it up and they will show it in its current state. Fortunately, with the help of some friends that are in the industry, we were able to get in touch with those that had reference material and with Gary himself who was able to confirm it was his car. We went up to get the car and not knowing who the car belonged to we picked it up along with the Original front axle and anglia spindles and the original upholstery. The Chassis was built by Bellflower Auto Center back in 65 and first had an injected 390 then moved to a blown 427 Ford. It ran Magnesium rear wheels M&H slicks Boranni front wheels and an early olds rear end, all hard parts to find. Luckily we were able to locate some of these parts and bring the process to the H.A.M.B. Just an FYI the restoration is currently underway and some of the pics I will include are pics of the cars prep for the Hot Rod Reunion. Some of the pics will have Gary in the car next to the car along with his wife Marie and Frank who crewed on the Cochran team. Enjoy!
p.s the image of the car was taken by **Forrest Bond** who deserves all the credit for that Image.

 

The pic with the two guys standing next to it are Steve and I (Robert aka Chuy on the HAMB and Rico to my friends) . We've been into cars and vintage drag racing since we were kids. I'm 37 (dark hair) and he's 42. More pics to come as this restoration takes place.

 

Wow! What a score! I cant wait to see the progress on this!

 

Outstanding! Subscribed.....

 

That's amazing!!! Looking forward to checking on the progress.

 

cool man, plan to take your rig to the Bixby Knolls Cacklefest this year?

 

**Plan 9**
Were pushing real hard to get this thing going and am on a real tight budget. I don't think we'll have it there this year but if all goes well we'll have Gary in it for its first push start at the California Hot Rod Reunion. That's our goal. He signed off on it this last CHRR and is real excited about it. He hasn't seen it in 46 years and sat in it and called it "home". It was pretty awesome. Thanks for checking it out and stay tuned! We might even add some links to you tube to show some of the things were doing currently.

 

Really nice find, good to know that they are still out there. The only thing I do not understand is the question of ownership when you picked it up or did I read it wrong.

Can't wait to see it finished and under power. Subscribed.

 

It belonged to a guy in the high desert here in California and he had it for sale on Ebay. I barely caught the auction as it ended as it had no bidders. I contact him via email and he gave me his phone number. After a short discussion he mentioned that he had the chassis also. Once I saw the photos he had sent, I told him I wanted it and went up there and bought it. He had no idea who's car it was and neither did I or Steve my good friend an partner. He had it for a 3-4 years and wasn't going to do anything with it. He also mentioned that if the body didn't sell he was going to cut the chassis up. Well we bought it what he had for it. the body, chassis, and the original front axle with spindles. The original interior and an already narrowed olds rear were later picked up from the same seller. He had an all original Cal Automotive 23t body that was untouched that we were picking up. So we got all that after without knowing he had the other parts.

 

On a quick note- the car was picked up Memorial day weekend 2011.

 

any luck on the valve covers?

 

Not yet...still trying to work a plan on those. Like the plan you and I talked about before christmas.

 

Nice going.

 

Chuy I should have realized you were talking about "historical" ownership in your original post. Again really nice find.

 

Gary Cochran was one of the real runners in SoCal, this roadster and its innovative choice of engines put him on the map, another historic race car found and on the way to restoration, and its original builder/driver is still around to enjoy it!!...great story

 

Chassis is back from sandblaster...

 

The most beautiful clutch can on the planet. Welded polished aluminum drilled for big block ford. Thanks Freddy Hayhurst.

 

These are two other projects waiting for build time. Closest is the bantam bodied that were building and the other chassis is an older 80s style funny car chassis.

 

4 slot magnesium halibrands with hurst pie crust slicks. M&H tires are hard to find...

 

Great to see another piece of history being saved, I recently bought the 72 Satelite Fighting Irish funny car of Tim Beebe and Dick Rosberg, Talked to Tim a few weeks ago He was glad to hear I was going to restore it, good luck Tim Jones

 

This was the car getting pulled through the cacklefest at the 2011 CHRR. Steve Gibbs was gracious enough to allow it. It was the first unrestored incomplete car ever to do this.

 

Gary's old house in Fountain Valley still has Gary's workbench with all the old stickers on it from back when he lived there. We just might try and get that also. Thanks everyone for subscribing. If you come a cross an old set of center logo M/T Valve covers for a big block Ford (390,427 etc) please PM me. He did run some stamped steel covers for a while that were chrome but the M/T covers would set this motor off just right.

 

Please forgive any grammar issues. All this is typed on my iPhone.
Thanks!

 

Chuy ....... Way cool .... let me know how i can help. R2

 

WOW !! I am really excited about this one. Gary is one of the nicest guys I have met in the sport. That big block Ford is really going to push up the price of this project. You might be able to find the valve covers and other engine parts at Belmont's Rod & Custom. Belmont's is an old time speed shop, and he specializes in rare big block Ford motors. He is located in Dedham, MA., and ships all over the country. Call Bill Belmont 781 326 3270

 

This is great stuff. Congratulations on the find.

 

Wow thanks church key! This information is greatly appreciated. I'll have to call him the first chance I get. I'm hoping to get a set, this will set the car off perfectly.

 

Which version of the engine are you planning to build?

 

Chuy
Don't give away any speed secrets

Derf.