History Do you remember your first street race?

Good or bad? what were you driving?

My first street race was somewhat embarrassing, I was driving my mom's '65 Corvair and decided to race my friend, Dennis in his mom's 63 Rambler, we both had a running start and I did beat him twice and we decided that was enough.

When I think of it today, we were both kids and it was slow but also exciting.

I did my fair share of street racing when I was in my teens and 20's, I won and lost but it was always about bragging rights, we didn't have any money to gamble with. HRP

 

Gary McCord and I raced. He had a 57 Chev 6 cyl auto and my 55 Chevy had the same powerless combo. I think the spectators timed the race with an hourglass!

 

About 1970 my high school pal/neighbor had a pretty hot 283 in his 57 Chevy wagon and I had a 57 BelAir 2 dr ht. with a tired 283 out of a 64 Impala, both had T-10 four speeds.
We usually just played around, nothing serious because I knew who had the better engine.
Then he sold the wagon and bought a 68 Z/28............. game over.

 

No Danny. Thats my story and I am sticking to it!

 

I was 14, and my 16 year old friend had a 48 Ford coupe. My Brother loaned me his 47 Plymouth coupe, we raced about an 1/8 mile, right in front of our house, on a country road. I waxed him, and still have the desire to race.

 

Do I. It's like yesterday!
Picture this.
A '53 Lincoln Capri 4 door sedan against a '56 Buick Century 4 door HT.
Back in the mid 60's a friend of mine dad pickup up a very clean low mileage '53 Lincoln. Ran great.
My mom needed a car so I talked her into buying it.
A few weeks later I borrowed it to go over to my friends house. Well, the "Dad" up a few hoses wanted to see what it might do against his very sharp '56 Buick.
Ok, you're on.
Over we go to some long stretch, quiet industrial are street.
Rolling start........Lincoln pops through the automatics gears..... I had foot to the floor. We were neck and neck not gaining nor loosing then from behind............red lights!
"Dad" didn't stop so I followed him all he way back to his house where he put the Buick in the garage, slammed down the garage door and ran inside. I pulled up in his driveway.
Yes, I got a "speed exhibition" ticket and the cop knocked on his door to deliver the same.
That was the end of my street racing days.
Oh, did mom find out.......nope, paid the ticket myself. Ouch!
As for the Lincoln, well, a Sunday a month or so later I spent the entire day polishing and waxing the car top to bottom......the very next day my brother-in-law borrowed it to go to work and got side swiped the full length of the car.......totaled!

 

I don't recall my first street race but I do recall my first and second massive burnouts.

my first burnout was in the test drive of my High School GTO. I had only driven a six cylinder before that. then later the same day or maybe the next I had my buddies with me and laid out about 40 feet of rubber with a gap in between where I shifted and then another 50 right after.... a block from the grade school and right down a neighborhood street. smoke everywhere.

I'd like to go back now and kick my ass.

 

I remember going to the juvie court and getting my wrist slapped for "failure to display registration"....

 

I have told my story in the past, so it's just cut & paste.

I have always been a car gal, my daddy and my granddaddy both taught me to love cars. My daddy said if I was going to drive I needed to know how to take care of my car, but it was Danny that showed me the love of speed. Running through the gears and watching the speedometer hit 100 was better than any drug for lifting the spirit and calming the nerves.
My junior year in high school I had classes with a girl who just kept bragging about her "guys" 55 chevy, and how he was teaching her to drive it. It was a nice car and it had some serious power, but it was not that special, but she just keep on, and on, and on.... She drove it to school one morning and she just pushed my last button. I told her my "guys" car was faster, it also had some serious power.
At lunch that day I left school and took my mustang to Danny ( he was at work) and I drove the falcon back to school. I could have probably beat her in my car but it wouldn't have had the same effect. I pulled through the parking lot and back down on to the main road in front of the school. She saw me and followed me. We lined up and she missed a gear. POOR BABY she wanted best 2 out of 3. We lined up again and I took her by over 2 car lengths. That conversation was over.
We pulled back into the parking lot and went on to class. ten minutes or so and we were called to the office. Highway Patrol Officer was there. He said he knew it was us but he did not witness it so he couldn't do anything but he would be watching us real close from then on.
Before I got the car back to Danny he already new what had happened. He tried to be mad but the truth was he was both proud and impressed that had learned how to handle the car and mouthy females.
When I got home Mama was waiting on me. The school had called. She had 2 questions,"are you going to pull a stunt like that again, and do I need to tell your daddy?" No Mam! As I turned to walked away she asked if I out ran her? Yes Mam! I still love the feeling of seeing a speedometer peg out.

 

broke an axle. one of many. traded it for an olds!

 

I sure do remember it. I had just signed the loan at the bank. I drove the car home and ate dinner with my family. I couldnt wait to finish so i could drive it over to my buddies house to show him my ride. He had a 67 GTO that he would give me a ride to school everday in. Now that was over i had my own car. We went driving in it and i showed him the power it had. I had a feeling of pride when he said its fast and will easily take the goat. On the way home after i dropped him off it happened. A 69 mach one pulled along side me. I spanked him bad. I felt so good i slowed down and beat him again. This was on a two lane road with stesp ditches. I think back on that and i cant believe we were not killed. Not long after this took place and not too far away two guys from school crashed in a similar race. A green with flames 69 chevelle and a blue 72 nova races down the same kind of road. They were side by side in a even race. A car appeared coming at them. The one car hit the brakes to get behind the other. In doing so they hooked bumpers throwing both off the road. They both hit big oak trees. The chevelle driver died the nova driver paralyzed. Both passengers were ejected with major injuries. I think i didnt street race for a week after hearing about that. Im surprised im still alive. I do still own the ot 66 chevelle from that day. Its currently getting a frame off restoration. I have a thread on it covering it all exept the body. Its under look what followed me home. Theres some cool vintage speed parts there.

 

Both cars OT here so. "66 Impala with a then home brewed 383 against a '67 GTO 389 3 deuce both 4 speed. Mine won 2 out of 3 with the third ending being chased by red lights. We both got away after I spent about 4 hours hiding in a corn field. I had the car ready to paint black when the GTO driver stopped by the garage and offered to race. I had the windows unmasked at the time. Drove it home and shot the paint that night. Waa approached by a State Trooper 2 days later wanting to know if I knew who had one light blue. I told him I did not at that time.

 

young men are just goofy these days at least around here. the big thing is these side shows where morons spin around in an intersection usually with one moron driving and another hanging out the window. they announce these "side shows" on the internet and 300 people show up waiting to be run over I guess. the future is pretty dim with these people soon to be in charge.

 

I remember it well, two OT vehicles at "the flats." The Poncho convertible had a larger engine but weighed more than my SBF pony car. I had just installed a Mallory coil on the fenderwell to keep it away from the engine heat, the car seemed to enjoy the hotter spark. When I dumped the clutch the engine torqued over so hard it yanked the wire right out of the coil! The Poncho wanted to go again but I knew the same thing would happen. By the next day, that engine was turnbuckled down tight and never moved again. I took it as a sign; that was my first, and last, street race. After that it happened at a drag strip or it didn't. Don't take that to mean I never had anything to do with street racing ever again. I may or may not have crewed on some very fast street cars on what may or may not have been 10 second street races.

Lou Manglass

 

After returning from Korea & mustering out of the USN, in 1955, I had my flathead built to 3/4 race with adj.valves & still running 3 on the tree shift. My buddy had just ordered a 1955 chevy with power pak. I figured that I could take him easily, WRONG!!----I got him of the line good--BUT when I shifted to 2nd gear he went by me & all I seen was the Chevy V8 emblem under each tailight!!

 

You must be talking about me Lou. lol I got my drivers license the same day that I turned sixteen. { Dec. 30, 1967 } My dad had a new 67 Pontiac Bonneville 400ci. convertible. My best friend's dad had a 66 Pontiac Grand Prix with a 389ci. They both had 4 barrel carbs. We would race them before school, and after school. I can't even remember who won the most times. But probably whoever let off the gas pedal first. As they would not stop spinning the tires on those heavy cars. lol Also a great car for the drive-in. I have lots of pictures of it, and I still own Dad's Bonneville convert too. But it's O.T. here.

 

Ya know, I don’t recall the first or the last. I recall some of them though. I maybe did the actual “line up and wait for the hand to drop “ about 15 times, many stop light to stop light, many more “you can’t pass me” races.
Like many have said ( and I’ll paraphrase) “how fucking dumb was I “?
I do remember my first Grudge Night race at Sacramento Raceway, against a Yellow AMC with “390” on the fender. Hot, muggy Wednesday night, the way it worked I lined up against him 3 times and all he saw was my tailgate at the end of each run.
We were 70/80 miles from home so I didn’t enter into the brackets, but drove back into Modesto with “14.11” in shoe polish on my windshield.

 

I’m ‘young’ enough me and my buddies all had OT cars back then.

We made a movie for a high school art assignment though: my mom’s Olds wagon vs. a buddies mom’s Mopar sedan at the local drag strip. Went on a week day, drove around the gate, made a bunch of bleach burn outs and filmed at the start and the finish line. Mom’s wagon had him till about 1/2 way, then the 383 out ran us and won every time.

One of my few ‘A’ grades in high school.

John

 

First one with me at the wheel, i had a 56 vw baja bug, street tires,n-50 mickey thompsons. A warmed over 1641 cc motor with dual carbs and a header. I raced and beat a 69 chevy pickup with a tired old v8 in it. I had a friend in high school with a very fast camaro with a 400 small block and a muncie, we raced them all, and won them all!

 

So many,it's all scrambulled together,pedal bikes,go carts,boats,motor bikes an cars,race anything any were!
I don't remember not winning ,LOL

 

Can't ever remember losing a street race....only because I can't remember !

 

My first street race was a disaster. I was driving a '55 Ranch Wagon with a 292 3 speed. The guy was driving a yellow '56 Chevy post car that he insisted was running a 265 3 speed. I was so glad no one was there to watch. I still blush when I think about it.

he gave me some advice. he said I should get a floor shift and a 4 bbl.

me and Helms put a 312 out of his mom's wrecked '57 Thunderbird in my wagon. 3 94s on Weiand Aluminum, a full syncro 3 speed with a fenton shifter. I went looking for him. After the race he wanted to see under my hood, I showed him and told him that I put those thunderhawk valve covers on there for good measure. he laughed and said, "Well one good lie deserves another I guess. My 265 is a 327 and I just got took by a 312."

I have been ruined ever since.

 

Dana like you I Hot Rodded everything as a kid also. First my pedal car, then my bicycle, Hot Wheels, Slot cars, Go karts, mini bikes etc. ect. Here's a funny story. I was on my bicycle one night and some high school kids were sitting at the traffic light in an old Chevy. I had a 5 speed, a drag slick, big and littles, wheelie bar, a very COOL bike. I asked them if they wanted to race. They just laughed at me, and said yeah ok kid. I said just give me a car length rolling start. I knew that I could take them! It started off great, and I was in the lead. But I was on the sidewalk not the street. This lady stepped out of the First National Bank right in front of me! I couldn't stop so I went into the bushes in front of the bank. I know that I would've won if not for that lady! I'm sure those kids had a good laugh.

 

drivers license suspended 90 days...

 

^^^^I'm still laughing!

 

1964, I remember it like it was yesterday. I Had my 57 Chevy, installed junkyard 348 tri-carb, 3 speed, 4:11 rear, ready to rock and roll ( this car put me on the map, CarCrazy, official start of a life time of fun, great memories ) and after taking/passing my drivers test on my 16th birthday with my sister's 58 Ford, went cruising that evening and practiced shifting my 3 speed with a Hurst floor shift, also practiced launching car several times. I took the car to school next day looking for a race, big high school, fair amount of car guys. One of the big dogs was a senior, 56 Plymouth, 318/poly 2x4's 3 speed, looked/sounded good, he did not get beat often, we met up in front of school and it's on and I smoked him, his excuse, missed shift, gave him several rematch's, rolling or from stop, beat him every time. We became friends and still are to this day and through the years we've raced and I managed to win, what I had beat what ever he owned, many years/cars involved, I'm 73, he's 75. Last 10 or so years I cannot race him anymore, he's got a couple of real quick street cruisers, OT stuff, I went mild Kustom route, not fast just a cruiser. I own a few OT street cruisers but I know what he has now, I'd loose and always tell him I don't want ruin my winning record. Our lives have ran parallel in so many ways, we talk weekly. He's a long term friend, 57 years now.

 

First was a 3 way. Frank had a warmed 283 in a 55 coupe 4 speed. Mike was running a 3 speed behind a 312, 57 Fairlane. My pride was stomping the gas in a 315 Hemi '56 Dodge D500, using a 2 speed Powerflite. After work one night, 11pm, We lined up on an industrial street behind Sears and The Boulevard in Philly. Frank on the outside, Me inside, Mike in the middle. Chevy beat Ford, Ford beat Dodge. Oh well. My 2nd, tho, was more interesting. The light at 9th, and The Roosevelt Boulevard, (11PM) begins the the extension to I-76. Waiting for green I spot two guys in a 62 baby blue Olds convert. On green I drop the hammer of a '65 Chevelle 283 wit 3 on da tree and, 411s to apply the torque. The road goes downhill beneath The Broad Street Subway. Leave 2nd at the speed limit posted. Pullin' 3rd up towards The Vicks Water Tower I notice the blue vert edging up on me. AsI look over the passenger sits up so to show off his Highway Patrol badge on the shoulder of his leather jacket. Ahhhh Boot cops.

I'll say that the reasonable chewing out, and the promise of being PTC bait forever, and no ticket book produced, was made up for one Sunday morn 4Am. Hustling up US Rte One N, I overtake an early Mustang. ( a fella and his gal enjoying an extended Saturday) in my '57 primered up, jacked up, short pipes 57, 210 Out of the blue IT IS The Blue. They accuse me and the guy of dragging. I make it plain as I can, I need to get up the road. People are waiting. No No No, They jump in my Chevy as I'm being placed in the back seat of the patrol car. My reward was a ride to the precinct and a holding cell. After insisting they call my mom they understood that a mountain of Sunday papers, due to be served to four hi-rise apartment complexes, was getting stale, waiting for me. Then I got into a HURRY.
Sometimes I wonder how well Pops knew these Rustlers. hmmm

 

My first street race was less than stellar, But soon after Brenda put a waxing on the '55 Chevy in my Falcon I tool it to my Friend Gene Cromer to massage the heads, I'm sure most people here are familiar with Gene and he was the kind of guy that gave more than you ask for, he woke that car up and I went looking for all the local hot shoes, I raced a few Chevelle's & one bad Nova and beat most of them, I went looking for a primered 63 Chevy II, he blew me away. HRP

 

High school. My junior year. Loud mouthed, Senior with a high winding 66 Fairlane 289. I was driving a 64 Corvair. Typical sand in the face scenario. Finally was able to trick my Mom's car out of her to take to school. The reason for the trickery was my Mom was not gullible, or an idiot. She knew that me and her car equaled trouble. One day the stars finally aligned, and there I was in the HS parking lot leaning on the fender of a 64 Mercury Marauder, 427/4bbl/4 speed. Now this car was tuned and maintained within an inch of it's life by the mechanic at the gas station my Mom traded at. He raced stock cars, and had convinced my Mom that keeping it in top condition would help with the gas mileage and basic longevity. He also had a standing offer to beat what she'd get for a trade-in price when she decided to sell. Well, the final bell rang, and off we went to the road by the rendering plant. He wouldn't race till he had his audience. When everything was finally to his liking, we lined up, the flag was dropped, and I proceeded to slap the 'loud' right out of his mouth. In front of his audience I did ask him how it felt to be beaten by my Mom's car. I really wanted that car, but the mechanic did end up with it. I did get her next one though. 68 Cougar 390/4sp. One thing I really remember about that car was the plug change. It was a bitch.

 

When I turned 16 I had a 54 Mercury Convertible that my mother had been driving for 2 years while I worked on it. I found out after I sold it that it had a 272 instead of the stock 256. It was a 3 speed OD and ran very good, but wasn't very fast. We had a nightly cruise from one side of town to the other and drag races at every stop light. I don't think I ever won one in my Mercury, but at 19 I got a 58 Impala with a 3 speed and a 348; started winning stop light to stop light races. A buddy had a year old 63 Super Sport, 327 4bbl with a powerglide. He always beat me off the line because I spun the tires too much. Once we got going we were pretty even and he would win.

A bit later I did a trade for a factory tri-power and also freshened up the engine. The same buddy wanted to race me so we went out on I-55 (Springfield, Il) which was brand new and had little to no traffic at night. The state had marked off 1/8 mile segments just for us to race on. Ran him from a rolling start (didn't trust the rear end I put in the car), then a dead stop (I learned not to spin the tires so much) and finally as we were going home he came up on me real fast and I still beat him. With the tri-power we weren't even any more.