Hard to believe that the 427's were running in the 13s and were class winners. They just seemed like monsters back then.
That's a difficult call although that would have needed to be a relatively serious 406 to lay down that number. I would tend to believe that it was an early 427. The class break to run A/S in NHRA in 1963 was between 8.70 and 9.49 pounds per advertised horsepower. The information that I have shows that a '63 406, 405 horsepower Galaxie 500 had (and still has) a factor of 9.44 pushing the weight over 3800#, just a tad too light to fit into B/S while the same car with a 427, 425 horsepower engine broke at 9.00 and ran at roughly the same weight. Therefore, a 427 was much more competitive in A/S. During the summer of 1963, the light-weight Galaxies of west coast drivers such as Gas Ronda were running below 12.50 in the S/S class at local tracks in this area. Note the tow bar tabs and the hood "alignment" issue that was intended to allow more air to enter the engine compartment. Someone was fairly deeply interested in winning class trophies. When we entered the Stock Eliminator arena in the late spring/early summer of 1963, the A/SA record was held by a '63 Ford from Indianapolis at just about 13.50 and I think that car was a square roof, 427 car although the current Classification Guide shows that the big Fords are designated "manual only." Some of the rules were interpreted differently in those days. Travis Miller (the "Kentuckian" on H.A.M.B.) has a ton of data and recalls that era very clearly. I always defer to his recollection of "how it was." c
I miss Junior Stock more all the time. Junior Stock and Modified Production were two of the best classes the NHRA every had in my opinion. Jimbo
I know what you mean and I feel the same way but I suspect that we're beginning to benefit from "selective memory." I recall watching my wife endure childbirth and then, about two years later slyly suggesting that it might be time for another child! I thought, "Woman, what don't you remember about that night in December of '67?" c
This may not be exactly what you were referring to but it is a '57 150 with what looks like a 270hp engine.
Chuck, I checked back thru my "data" and found interesting info with regards to the photo of the A/S 1963 Ford trophy winner at Capitol Raceway. The A/S NHRA record was set at Pomona on Feb 16, 1963 by Dave Strickler. He set the record at 12.66 seconds in a 1962 Chevy 409/409. That record stood until May 3, 1964 when Don Gay reset it at Six Flags Dragway in Texas running a 12.53 at 114.58 MPH. The old record prior to Strickler setting it was 13.43 held by Elwin Westbrook set on Aug 12, 1962 at Pomona with a 1960 Chevy Biscayne. Either the photo was taken before Strickler reset the record or the track was running off of data that had not been updated as of that day. The car pictured is a 1963 Galaxie 500 2dr hardtop later known as a "boxtop". Three engine combinations fell into A/S using that body. My old NHRA Classification Guide "red book" shows the 406/405 at 9.46, the 427/410 at 9.35 and the 427/425 at 9.02 lbs per horsepower. The driver is possibly Bud Shellenberger who was the main shoe out of King Ford in Essex, MD.
The 406 and the 427 were allowed automatic transmissions. In the NHRA engine specs under carburetors the data shows "All" meaning both manual and automatic was allowed.
Travis, I knew that you would have the supporting data! Thanks for researching the details! I believe that the attached picture is the Westbrook '60 Biscayne. I found it without a name attached but my local research suggests that this is his car. Do you have the name of the driver or owner of an A/SA '63 Ford from Indy that I remember holding that record in 1963? My befuddled old brain recalls that the car ran out of Ed Martin Ford but, as my kids and grandkids would be quick to tell you, questioning my memory is an odds-on proposition. Ron Mandella (Phil's older brother and one of my best-friends-of-all-time) set the record to 13.11 at Ramona, California, in the spring of 1964 with his Plymouth wagon but Ramona was not a fast track and that car was capable of 12.60s at Lions. The Ramona event was the first at which I first saw the use of a full "tree" and electronic handicapping. It may have been common elsewhere prior to that but it was a true game changer in Stock Eliminator. Happy New Year, Travis (and all)! c
Ed Martin driving the 1962 406 Ford from Ed Martin Ford equaled the A/SA record of 13.53 at Dragway 42 on July 28, 1963. He then went on to reset the A/SA record to 13.51 @ 105.75 MPH at Alton Dragway on Sept 29, 1963. Ed Martin drove the '62 Ford #943 at the 1963 Indy Nationals. My 1964 Indy Official Program shows the driver of the Ed Martin '63 Ford A/SA # 943 as Ben Smith. Both cars are pictured above.
While we are on the subject of early high performance Fords with automatic transmissions, here is a letter that Dave Lyall posted a couple years ago concerning the Thunderbolts with automatics. I believe it would also apply here. < Thunderbolt Automatic Transmissions As told by Dave Lyall The '64 Lightweight automatic Galaxy's were as much slower than the 4-speed models as were the automatic Thunderbolts. A well-prepared 4-speed '64 Galaxy would run well down in the 11's at 120 MPH. Just ask Jack Shick from Romulus MI. Ford Special Vehicles did in fact test a Torqueflite in a 427 low-riser '63 Lightweight Galaxy, which was built at DST in mid-late 1963. The Torqueflite preformed very well in the '63, and it's performance probably inspired the Special Vehicles guys to enlist the Ford T&C (Transmission and Chassis) guys to bring something to the party. The Ford MX and HX transmissions were a late 40's design, built under Borg-Warner license using two planetary gear sets, and were heavy, inefficient and well obsolete by the 60's. But they served the purpose in production, and the plant and tooling had long been paid for. Ford finally bit the bullet and built the C-6 under Chrysler License using a single planetary gear set called the "Simpson" gear set. Unfortunately, the C-6 came two years too late for the T-Bolts, and they were just starting to work on hi-stall converters... Dave, Howard Simpson was an interesting and talented guy (Simpson gear set). His first job after World War I was with Henry Ford and Son tractor company when it was separate from Ford Motor Company. He worked for Ford for about 20 years. In 1948 he became ill with cancer and was given 6 months to live. He moved from Michigan to California and then Arizona designing planetary gear sets of all types and designs. The sun gear was his idea and after some time he convinced Ford to buy a license in 1953 and then Chrysler in 1955. Chrysler used it first in the Torqueflite in 1956. Ford did not use it until the mid sixties with the C4 and C6. If you wonder how he did all this in six months he fooled the doctors and did not die of cancer until 1963. He held 41 patents at the time of his death. Regards, Roland > So it looks like Fords could have been much faster with automatic transmission cars if they had just spent the money and used a better design transmission that they had a license for since 1953.
Thanks, Travis. I agree, Ford could have benefitted from a more efficient automatic. Mopar definitely had the upper hand in that department and now you've told us why. I seem to recall that it was the red '63 that held the record at the time Ron reset it in '64. Ron was at Indy with the station wagon in 1963 but lost in class to Bill Abraham's (sp?) '62 Pontiac. He returned the following year and won the A/SA class. Eventually, the wagon set the Drag News A/SA record at something like 12.49 and before he passed away, he told me that it had gone as fast as 12.20s at Fremont. Of course, Fremont conditions were made to order for that car. That body style probably had a prodigious tail wind to add a little extra boost to the incredible air quality at sea level. c
Does anyone remember a white 60 ford cheap body business coupe with a 352/360 and a 3 speed Od that set the SS record at Davie Fl in 1960 at 13.99 ? At the time they said it was the first SS car in the 13s and tore it down as far as Ive ever seen any car tore down. The 4 speed Chevy guys were not happy at all with it. I was there that day and saw it set the record. Davie Fls drag strip is now a college
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