Thanks, I have the 62 NHRA Winternationals coverage of the event by Hot Rod, and a supplement article on the 62 Chrysler 300, but not the requested May, 1962 Hot Rod write-up on their SS-SA that I referred to in my post. Would you know who actually owned that 300? Was it one of their own staff members, or where they just reporting on someone else's car that they sponsored? Did that car ever run up to it's full potential? Were there any other 300s like theirs that was ever raced? Let me know...
Personally, I let it slide on the post-64 debate, and choose to move on to better things. I like all things automotive from all years, and can live with pre-64 shop talk until, some other forum provides us with an outlet to voice and share our post-64 pics, stories, and opinions and enthusiasm elsewhere. That is why Colesy and company chose to start another site but modern politics and self-interested money-grabbing law entrepreneurial shitheads interferred with a very good happening. Sometimes, I wish it were more like the old west, where I could ''spit some beachnut in them boys eyes, and shoot them with my old .45, cause, A County-Boy Can Survive," to quote an old Hank Williams, Jr. song. Actually now, it's my big .50 S&W vest buster...LOL! In the case of Colesy's old site, I believe that Bill, and Chuck should have laid it out for all of us in a heads-up, and requested some funding in order to fight back accordingly. I was not an active member of that forum at the time, much to my chagrin. In retrospect, I should have been posting and actively participating like I am here on the HAMB. Only good thing I done was download most of the stuff on Colesy's site, save for some of the memorabilia threads like the decals, and Canadian dealership stuff. On the night the site shut down, I was planning on doing just that. Got there a mite too late...LOL! However, we should have the foresight on this site to keep what we feel is history for posteritie's sake, and live and learn. I do, I will, I shall...just my perspective on things. Terry
...Now that I've got that off my chest, it's time for breakfast, morning coffee, and a nice long drive into town to see mother, do a little shopping, and return later in the day for the inevitable blast to the past. I'm thinking 1960. What do you remember?
I can't comment on the comparative ET's between Chev and CDN Pontiac's as we ran a 261 6 cyl in our 59 Pontiac wagon. The two cars have the same wheelbase and about the same overall length. And of course they have the same engine options, except for the straight 6. If I remember correctly the Pontiacs were classed the same as Chevy but only legal in Canada. I stand corrected if someone has a better memory.
The car was owned by Hot Rod Magazine...not a staff member. It was a project car designed to be campaigned throughout the year. The car was built in October 1961 and was a 413 Long Ram design with solid lifters rated at 405 H.P. This was BEFORE the release of the 1962 413 S/S cars which were short ram 425 H.P, cars in a much lighter body...The big 300H simply wasn't competitive and the project was cancelled....I don't know what happened to the car after that. If I remember correctly, it ran low 13's but was no match for the 421SD Pontiac in SS/SA. And of course, couldn't compete with the lightweight Plymouths and Dodges in the same class !!!
Thanks, Steve, I will look it up and peruse the story at my liesure. On a purely subjective note, I would not have bothered to erase good coverage.
I know an older gentleman named Ivan, who used to race low-buck Chev and CDN Pontiac 6 cyl engines extensively in the jr. stock era. He told me about a few feats he and his partner achieved in the lower classes and laughed at their inventiveness to put it kindly. Ivan would try to convince me and say, quote ''we weren't cheating...not intentionally...we just got clever and put together some highly unusual combination of parts, and came up with something a little better than the next guy...but, we weren't cheating.'' Unquote, ''ok, Ivan, whatever, but, when you got toredown, what could you possible say?'' WE Weren't Cheating! LOL! So, henry's57bbwagon, how did your combination do at the track? Were you successful with the 261?
Found: 1962 Chrysler 300 SS/SA Drag Test & Road Test I knew if I looked long and hard enough I might find it in my own vast files. I was successful and it was in fact in the June, 1962 Hot Rod, and not in the May issue like I thought. After my wheels started turning, I realized that the article might be printed later on in the year, given the three-four month lead-time in actual publication for any piece of journalism to appear in the media. So, here it is for you to read and enjoy as well!
After reading the June 62 Chrysler 300 SS/SA article, it appears that the car did very well for itself. If the two-feet losing excuse is realistic and honest than that Cox-driven 421 SD Pontiac wasn't that much quicker in class than the big Chrysler 300. Arguments start here...LOL! BTW, I read that the actual Hot Rod car was not an H, but in fact the entry-level 300 baseline pre-production model. I also have the February, 1962 HRM issue indicating this, and if, any of you are interested in that article, I can post it as well. Base 300 models would not have made much difference in performance, but, it's value would probablty be much lower than the real deal 300-H, but, then again, given the HRM Special's pre-production status and race heritage, who can really say?
benchracer, the wagon was our street car so other than a floor shift on the 3sp nothing was done to it, so no great stories here, just fun times. The Americans at Mohawk Dragway( Deseronto, ON) were questioning why we put a 6 in the Pontiac.
FYI....The Osburn Trucking 1964 Galaxie is alive and well and currently resides in Nick Smith's Factory Lightweights Museum in Jupiter Fl. Nick also has Jerry Alderman's ORIGINAL 1962 Ford lightweight and '64 T-Bolt and many others including Dick Landy's '65 Dodge. Gas Ronda's '65 Mustang, Mickey Thompson's 1963 421 Swiss Cheese Catalina and many more...GREAT PLACE !!!!!
If I ever get down that way, I will surely check out the museum. It sounds like a real trip back in time. Do you have anything on the Jerry Alderman 1962 Ford lightweight? Is it an original frame LW? I ask because mostof the originals ended up being transferred unto the 63 versions, frfom what I understand.
So you streetraced the 261 6-cyl wagon...? Just kidding! Do you recall any unique pre-'64 CDN models that raced in the day? I know of at least one CDN Falcon, and another Fairlane that raced here in Ontario, but, they are about one year past the 1964 cutoff so they would only get deleted. Fairlane beloned to my step-brother at the time.
Here is a pic of the 1961 Harold Ramsey ''Big Chief'' Union Park Pontiac 389-368 SD stocker. Anyon have a writeup about his car, or info?
to bencheracer, try to get in touch with Tom McCrea from maryland as he used to work for Harold Ramsey at his dealership in wilmington de. possible he could give you some insight into this pontiac jim cornelius
http://factorylightweights.com/ Here is a link to Nick's "museum" website. Nick is a good friend and has some great cars. Attached are photos of his '60 Ford's that my father built engines for. Both 352-360 cars and very period correct. Both have been in the low 13's. What makes Nick great besides being a great guy is he isn't afraid to bring his cars out in public to show others like some collectors are. He came all the way to PA. from Florida with his '60 Ford's (3 cars!) to participate in our FE Race & Reunion and has vowed to be back next year. He will also have several cars at the York US30 show in July. http://bangshift.com/blog/action-ga...-and-reunion-blue-oval-horsepower-heaven.html
I concur...Nick is a great guy and ambassador for the sport....I 've spent many hours in his museum drooling over his cars!!! ...and talking to Bud !!!
With all the earlier talk of '61 Starliner's I thought I'd add a few photos of my Dad's cars, both original 390-401 cars. The older photos are of Dad's original car. It won many S/S races at 75-80 and Mason Dixon. Dad confirms 13.30's was a very good running car in 1961. This car was flipped by my father's brother in 1964 and went to the dragstrip in the sky... The newer photos are of Dad's current car that he had had since 1986. He has two sets of wheels he runs on the car. Original KH steelies with cheater slicks and the polished Torgue Thrusts and radials for cruizin'. The one photo shows Dad and Phil Bonner talking hipo Starliners during one of Phil's visits to our home. Phil also agreed 13.30's in '61 was bad fast!!!
Yup, Bud is a hoot. One of Nick's trailers and trucks is at my place now until he comes north again in July.
No....But it's a good friend of mine Mike Bretsch from Sarasota ,Fl. I met him at a car show when I pulled in with my SD and we've been friends ever since !!!
Thank you Cornelius#2. I have Tom McCrea's complete post from Colesy's site where he talked about working for Harld Ramsey, at the dealership. It was very interesting and informative. I usually do not re-post someone else's contributions on another site unless I obtain (personal) authorization from them. Of course, this is of little use really, since many of their postings contain media, and/or previous art content that otherwise has now become freely available for public consumption, thus no copyright or legal issues involved. I try to resist out of a sense of pesonal respect. However, I always like to hear something new or at least another POV from someone who was actually there at the time. Onlookers, spectators, crew-members, owners, drivers, all have their own POV and each are interesting. The more you hear, the more you learn, and that's all good. Magazines, and the various drag oriented publications like Drag News are always a blast to read with their unique perspectives, pics, an opinions. In the case of the Harold Ramsey Pontiac's I look forward to reading more bout them in any cpacity available.
One of One or two, if memory serves. Ford only made...eight or ten? I can't recall offhand...I want it now...
Ford built 10 1962 Lightweights...6 were converted to '63's...Bonner,Ritchey, Brannan, Ronda,Tasca &Bob Ford....4, including Alderman's, survived.
Backing up a little here. When I started going to the drags in the late 50's, stockers that got rubber in second gear were considered "bad ass". --- Steve ---
The Jalopy Journal
