History Stock-S/S-F/X 1959-1966

Anyone care to see a Z-11 make a pass? This is Hank Gabbert's "Good 'Ol Mr. Wilson" car. (Sox' twin car)

http://

 

nice 'n easy on that million dollar Z-11........

 

if i payed a million for it id of hammered the piss out of that thing.

 

Hank didn't pay a million for it.............................. I think he recovered most of the purchase price with the S&H Green Stamps he found in the glove box.....................

 

Good to see Hank took home a Lyons award at Meadowbrook on Sunday. He deserved it. The car sounded great when he drove it across the reviewing stand. A great piece of history-Jim

 

I will try and post a pic similar to the one you did that I have in my files.

Larry

 

Thanks Larry - awesome shot of Harrell! The guy knew how to put on a show that's for sure.

Gabberts Z-11 sounds great in the clip. Doesn't sound much like a factory Z-11 cam though?
Just wondering, what's the max cubes anyone ever head of a Z-11 being bored/stroked to?

 

In late 63 Dick had a match race with Dyno and knew the 427 engine would not do the job, so he contacted Hank the crank who at that time was with CT (I think) and one day we got some really nice "stuff" off the freight truck. Did a couple dry fits and then had pistons machined. Came out to 482. The combination was not very good and after braking in the engine and testing it the NHRA legal 427 went back into the car for the match race. There was just something about that particular combo that was not right. I don't remember the stroke but the block was stock with .60 over bore Z11 block that was laying around the shop. He sold that engine to some one with a comp type car. Worked for what the guy wanted.
By the way Dyno won, big time. But it was a fun time anyway.

Larry

 

I believe Hank's motor was restored to "match racing" condition. I don't know the particulars, but I know it's a larger displacement and the cam is definitely "improved". Standing next to that car and listening to the note from the headers is pure joy! The details are a secret, but I'd bet that car would best it's '63 times! And that's saying something..............

Verne

 

Mopars, T-Bolt, Z-11's etc. Links are up on the Double H website, Georgia in the early sixties.

http://www.doublehdragstrip.com/ghoststrip/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx

Joel

 

Verne, I think I agree with you on Hank's Z-11. I was standing next to you at the Reunion when I first heard Hank's Z-11 and that is one healthy-sounding race car!

 

Shirl Greer circa '65 - Shirl later became the 1974 NHRA Funnycar Champ.

 

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread- I'm way too young to have been there the first time, really enjoy all the great pics and stories.

I have a request- there hasn't been a whole lot of Pontiac stuff posted-
I'd love to see any early GTO stock or modified production-type cars. I'm building a '65 to appear as a MP car of about 1968 era. Been looking all over, especially for pics of H-O racing's "Renaissance" 65 Tempest E/MP car. Thanks all and keep up the great work

Pete

 

couple of Pontiacs

 

Pete,

You have a PM.

Jerry

 

Neat website....I had heard of Double H, but never new much of the history behind it. Why'd it only last 3 years or so?

-Lee
Atomic Radio
www.atomicpinup.com

 

This was my ride before the redo. Hopefully it will be done by the end of the year.
Without upsetting anyone, I'm going to try to get it close to a factory lite weight. I think I have all the parts, except for a few odds and ends.

 

Jim Amos of Bee-On-Video has put up some of his GREAT footage from his offerings on YouTube ... '61 Old Reliable, the OR Z-11 at the NHRA nationals, Sox & Martin AWB Plymouth, Wally Bell in the Thunderball Comet and much more.

[FONT=Arial,sans-serif]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydvcA_O-TNg[/FONT]

Joel

 

Great stuff as usual.Thanks Jim.

 

Apologize for the poor pic. Petty primarily match raced this car during the Chrysler NASCAR boycott era.
Lee - You're probably right.. I don't know where the photo was originally taken or who took it.

 

Great photo. Looks like it was taken at Aquasco Speedway. I know Petty match raced Gene Mori's ChevWagon there back in '65.

-Lee
Atomic Radio
www.atomicpinup.com

 

Terry Hembree, son of track owner Bill Hembree, said his dad never talked much about the track. He speculates that it was probably losing a lot of money. Safety might have figured into it, or most certainly would have if it had continued to operate. I'm guessing that the changes that were taking place so quickly in Super Stock and F/X in the mid-Sixties made those cars, which were the big draw for the Double H, too fast for the track. Everyone I've been able to talk to who either raced or attended races there always mentions how short the track was. Even now, as an airstrip that has been extended at both ends, it is only 3100 feet long. Plus, it had no guardrails between the track and spectators and the return road. A fascinating little outlaw track that unfortunately didn't have the longevity of, say, Paradise in Calhoun.
Richard McFalls
doublehdragstrip.com

 

Not much help here - I hardly have anything featuring Poncho's.

The attached is of a match race between Butch Leal (California Flash) and Arnie Beswick's blown '64 GTO (actually driven at that race by Don Gay) at Houston. Gay won all 3 rounds. Gay's best that day: a 9.20 to Leal's best of 10.10

 

I Raced this car lots of time's sometimes he would win other times we would. This is a great pic of a very nice car. Wonder if this person has any more from Elk Creek Dragstrip ? They were lots of great Cars ran there over the years. Its sister strip was East Bend Dragstrip. This car and a Ford Thunderbolt ran at both strips.

 

hey troublemaker do you recognize this one? i found this pic. at the funnycar reunion at e-town last year. bring back any memories?
later,matt

 

this photo was sent to me yesterday...

 

Atco circa 1965(?) Suttons Speed Shop
55 Chevy

 

The Hairy Canary brings back memories ... memories of everytime I saw that car thinking how one of the original factory Comets from '64 got changed into a Chevy SB powered car. I always thought it was a sin and that the car should have remained a BB Ford powered car and remained on the NASCAR circuit or local match racing. To each his own though and they bought the car and did what they wanted with it. It was a good running local race car. I'm not sure now if that was the McCoy Mercury car or which one ... memory is sketchy on that one.
Joel

 

Neat shots! I'd say these pictures are from 1962 at Atco ... the Dodge has SS/S class on it and and all the other cars around the background and the look of the two '55 Chevies suggest 1962 to me. Things had advanced somewhat by '65. Good shots, thanks for posting them.
Joel

 

Hey Joel;
i know you ask for this a long time ago, but just dug it out today..
I took this at St Thomas Dragway in Ontario around 1963.
Looks like Al Ekstrands car..

Rick
(1939fiat)