I really like this 50 Oldsmobile. They were hard runners back in the day. This one is still running hard. I also like the 55 Chevy he is running against in this video. I had a fun time watching the drag races at the Atlantic, Iowa airport last Sunday. I should get something together to run there next year so I can get in on the fun.
Put a 390 FE and a later full syrncro trans in one of your old fords. The 55 & 56 overdrive Wagons and deliveries have 427 gears in a Dana 41 rearend. Weld the spider gears and add a set of traction bars and you have low buck racecar.
I like the idea of an FE but I do have a Buick 455 and turbo 400 out of my 71 Electra that I have been thinking about dropping into one of the old Fords. I'm not entirely sure how hard that would be. I do have a 1969 390 2 barrel on my 72 F350, I have been thinking on changing that to a diesel anyway. Thanks for the rear end information. I was thinking 9 inch Ford since I have several You're welcome! I enjoyed it and ended up taking over 30 videos, most are off topic on this site.
I used a 58 station wagon 9 inch housing and axles un a 56 htp. I think a 57 thru 59 will work the later rears are too wide. Under my 55 chevy I have a 69 fairlane 9 inch rear and axles. its a inch narrower than the stock tri five rear. Yep the Buick mill would certainly make the old ford romp & stomp.
Yes, it certainly did a great job moving that heavy Buick Electra. I surprised quite a few kids in Camaros with that. The biggest worry I have with this is the driveshaft. The old guy that used to weld on my driveshafts is dead and gone. I know I'm not near as good as he was and that could be a problem. I remember hearing my neighbors talking about drive shafts they welded on bending further and further as they drove.
I use a pipe cutter to cut the tubing leaves a nice square edge. grind the weld from the end and it will come apart. hammer it together and install it on the vehicle. set up a dial indicatot and get it straight then weld it a bit at a time constantly checking to see if its still centered. There is a Guy on U Tube Jonathan W. He does his driveshafts the very same as me. He has videos of him doing it.
It was a great day in Atlantic. The Olds was running a 425 Buick Nail head and a Turbo 400 if I remember correctly. I raced him last year. He beat me twice. There was another 50? Olds, a blue coupe that was even quicker. It was running a 454 Chevy, the owner/driver was 82 and had built the car 40 plus years ago. I remembered having seen the car at a car show in Red Oak in the early 80's. Cool guy and was probably the only guy older than me racing that day