Good purchase. From looking at the old pics, I personally like the ones where the front isn't too high. It looks great. Mart.
Good purchase. From looking at the old pics, I personally like the ones where the front isn't too high. It looks great. Mart. Mr. Morris said that he jacked the front up for a while but did'nt like it so he put it back down. I suspect that it took too much camber out of it and it was hard to handle./? My dad ran into Jims brother who also raced and he has an origional Eastside Speedway magazine with the truck on the cover. Im getting a copy of that tomorrow. Ill post it when I get it. <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
A couple of new pics from the Jalopy Drags. It sure was fun haulin it up to PA. You could almost hear the truck growl as we rolled it out onto the track.
Nice find, youre doing an outstanding job with gathering the history and respecting its past. I also REALLY enjoy that you havent washed the window yet! Too cool!
Went to a car show and drag race today at Eastside Speedway in Waynesboro, VA. Jim Morris was there and I spent about an hour talking to him some more about the truck. Turns out some of my info was a little incorrect. I said the rear was an olds but he said it came out of a Pontiac hurse that was a donor car at Tech School. I also thought the tranny was a La Salle but turns out its a Packard. Shows how much I know. The most interesting story was the fuel tank. He says that the tank acually has a "fake " tank inside for gas for inspection and a secret tank surrounding it with alchohol ,because it was illegal to run. How cool is that. In the photo attatched you will notice a tow bar. I bought that tow bar from him today. Another piece to the puzzle.
I love it. If you ever decide to sell it let me know. I recommend keeping it! I wouldn't restore it, just the mechanicals...
that trucks looks like it can get down a boogie... wow.. that is ALOT of history attached to that puppy!
I saw the car at the jalopyrama. It was inside and it was just great. I hope he decided not to anything other than just show it. It has patina....and lots of it. Really neat car !
If that was mine+I was reunited with it agin you would be calling the police to get me the heck out of your garage.I woulnt leave it agin.Maybe the truck reminds him how old he has gotten now.You would think he would be all over it or at least want to help a little on the rebuild or something.I know I would. Im hopen all you guys and your cars jump start me in my 38 project.
Wow. I don't know what you did right in a former life to deserve such a fortunate discovery, but I'd NEVER sell that thing. That is too cool for words. Congrats man.
At the World Championships in Richmond, VA on May 31, 1964 the truck ran 11.07 @ 121.62 and 12.11 @ 119.76 I know this because one of the guys that gave me some of the photos has the complete transcripts from a guy who wrote for the Richmond paper. It has his times and who he raced and the results. Im getting copies of those soon. Mr Morris said that at the end of it's career it ran 10.5's @ about 140 MPH. ( that was with nitro) The last run he blew the clutch out of it and so he parked it for 40yrs. Sold it ALL for 500 bucks to lucky bastard # 1. I sure wish I was #1. Believe it or not this thing was posted in the local trader paper for quite awhile before I found out about it. Im gald that there arent many HAMBers around Waynesboro, VA.
man you gotta keep the pics and info flowin' on this ! that thing makes the hair on my body stand up !!
Restore it. There's an abundance of beaters out there already. As cool as it looks there, it'd look that much better restored to it's former glory
That thing and the history is TOO freakin cool! I think if you restore it would be a mistake. Leave it and gather all the history you can to keep with it. If you restore it, its not the same car. just my .02 cents.
That truck is too much! The history turning up is a superb bonus! I vote get rid of the state it is in, make it shine better than it ever did. Patina is over-rated. While it is only original once, who cares? Shiney is what counts in this world! Now that I think about it, I guess I need to strip the paint off my original '13 Indian, too. It has some scratches in it, and missing paint on lots of the tank, and the nickel isn't too good anymore. Then I'm going to straighten the leaning tower of Pisa, and repaint the Mona Lisa with a proper smile. In other words, that thing is history, a kinetic work of art. Please leave it the way it is. If you can't stand it, get it going without restoring and try that for a few years, give it a chance to grow on you. That doesn't mean don't clean it up. Old paint can sometimes buff out a good bit. The paint can dry out bad, also. Rub some motor oil on it to refresh it, it's probably enamal. Let 'er sit for a few weeks/months. Then wipe it down real good. You'd be surprised how good it will look. Even the rust looks better. Can you imagine restoring Henry's old #999? Or Shelby's original #0 Cobra? While your find is not as earth shattering a car as those, it is good enough to live on. "Back to it's former glory"? Man, it's glory is still there and better than ever! Restored, it is another shined and polished car that folks will walk right on by without looking more than a few seconds. I'm happy for you, it's yours, but think long and hard before you irreversably alter that jewel you own. Respectfully, Bob W
I tend to agree....when you see those "restored" old race cars in museums, polished within an inch of their lives, all tyre-blacked and so forth...they just look kinda hinky? you could wipe some of that barn dust off it...and polish some of those shiny bits or brush paint those pushbars then build a clone to take racing...10.5......YEEEE HAAAAAARH!!!!!!
I really appreciate the thoughts, and yes you have me putting on the resto brakes right now. But I will say this, the truck is a in a little worse shape than some of you may think. It is in all honesty close to the point where if you dont restore it you might lose it. There is NO bringing this paint back. There is also quite a bit of rust damage that does'nt show up in the pics. With some help from my friend in TX I will post a BUNCH of photos for you to see more. Ill keep you posted. Thanks again for all of the comments.
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