actually when i started racing,all 3 guys in this pic were street driving there vettes to the track!,..dan was the fastest!
Must have bee back when Dan was driving this Corvette coupe ? All those "old guys" would drive their cars to the track,run in the ten's and drive home. By any chance is your Chevelle black ?
yes dans red car,...as for my car,its blue,...at that time,i was street driving my chevelle too,used to see them every sat. morning at the gate waiting to get in,...those were fun times!
This is great stuff! Does anyone have good photos of the Rat's Nest? A '54 'Vette from PA now owned by Tim's Hotrod Shop in Pottstown.
There's nothing prettier than an early Vette with the wheels up. I'd swap my '66 in a heartbeat. Here's a compilation of early Vette drag cars, and some George Thorogood to go with it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXG2iORBgi0
Hi guys, great thread with some very knowledgeable people chiming in. I would like to ask for your opinions concerning my car. I am a life-long drag racer, a straight axle/gasser nut, & currently own a '63 (shown). I want to sort of combine elements of those things to make a period correct nostalgia type race car & would appreciate any input. I just finished a '66 Chevy II along those lines but am hesitant to do an elliptical leaf straight axle on the Vette. The C-1 was MADE for a straight axle but not so sure about the C-2. I want to keep it competitive & the rear already has a Dana 60 w/4-link. What say you? Dan.
I am not a fan of axles under the C 2s. For some reason, they just don't look right. I like the way your car looks now. A nice set of American mags ,or Cragars would take the look of the car back 40 years. Here are a couple of pictures. You be the judge. With without
Rat Sass, I kind of agree with Baron. There were some midyears that ran with straight axles and looked the part I happen to like them without the axle. That is just my preference. There is a straight axle midyear on here from back in the day and it surely looks the part so you have to go with your gut. If you pick a year that you are trying to replicate it may be easier. Keep in mind the wheels though as some of the nostalgia meets are strict on your choice of wheels. Cool car which ever way you go-Jim
Thanks Baron, Jim. Yeah I know the wheels have to go...just what I had to roll it around on. As you can see it's still a work in progress right now. I might consider an axle but maybe a dropped axle with a wishbone & coil-overs. I think by the early seventies, even the die-hard Gasser guys were beginning to realize the benefits of getting the nose down out of the air & the obviously more aerodynamic body styles including the Corvette & the Opel GT's ala Jr. Thompson & later Fred Hurst's beautiful car. Thanks again guys. Dan.
I knew of several Sting Rays with tube axles back in the day. One of them put the axle in before taking delivery of a brand new 67 vette. My friend Ray had one in his 66 450/427, modified with a wicked cam and 1150 dominator in 1969/1970. The tube axle was a total bolt in. No mods. Single transverse as I remember. I raced his car many times. The picture below, his car is the last car in line hooked up to the old chevy PU with a tow bar. The front tires and rims are way to big, but that was the way back then. Later that day I had a quite an adventure that day, but that is an other story. I will see him this weekend to do some wiring on his new build.
Thanks Jim. I'd like to do a roll bar similar to yours & kinda "unclutter" my car a bit but I have to decide how much I will race it first. That has probably been decided for me as one of the previous owners ground most of the rollcage welds smooth...& the sanctioning bodies kinda frown on that. I might can salvage it...just have to see. BTW, that is one cool string of Vettes!!!
Some of the gasser clubs won't allow four links either. Check with the group you want to race with for their requirements. Quain Scott on here is running a gasser series out of North Carolina you might pm him also.
Thanks, I had not thought of that! I would appreciate any leads or links to active Nostalgia or Gasser groups/clubs operating out of the south. My part of the world has traditionally been a bracket racing haven...Nostalgia type cars are allowed but there is no specific classes for them.
got my 57 almost down ! been up there for about 15 years, if that guy buys my nova friday, maybe will be hope for the build if not might sell after after my nomad
my brand new glass belted tires ! man barley got 32 years out of them sitting , damm armorall dont work
Hey Rocky. Good to see it back on ground level. I'll be starting on mine in the next month or so( as soon as the Olds is running, and it is getting real close). Does your 57 have the stock rear springs in it,and if so, how wide are the rear wheels ?
yeah Baron stock 15 x 10 ansens heavy ones from the old days...its almost on the ground about 4 more feet. was scared the lift didnt work kind a racked around on me. was going to build a a/fx 63 ss nova of leebay i bought in jan. guy jerked me around finally got my doe back last week. going to bring the olds home next month. and decide what the frick to do with my very overwhelming sitcheeation ! painted my self into a real deep corner ! i guess the deal gone sour was really for the best. must have been nuts to think to get somethin else.. had one day with out back pain and bought a car caught that Damm Hamb Flu 4 sure...yall be careful its going around
Enloe you got some Bad Ass kids..... in a good way glad to see them carrying on the tradition not many left at all around here ... just dang phones glues to hands . sad world bro...................... ps i am still dumb and i cant lift nuttin...you got me beat !!!
The Jalopy Journal
