Historical Tech - The Filthy Forty of Charlie Hill!

Hell..I was checking out the wheelie bar rubber...

 

I found this thread through a Google search. Really have great memories of 1960's drag racing. I'm attaching a photo of the Pre S & S Filthy Forty when it was sponsored by K & G Speed Shop Havertown, PA (see name on hood). The newspaper clipping is from the Lancaster, PA newspapers following the Nationals win. Click on thumbnails to see larger pictures.

 

As I recall, two wheelbarrows were sacrificed to make them. Worked good, though.
Big Ed was Ed Sloper. His younger brother is Mike. They were in Alexandria back then. Ed is deceased and , last I heard (and that's been a long time ago) Mike was in Manassas. I ran into a few guys named Butch but Sloper or Slooper doesn't ring any bells. Mike

 

Damn...did everybody run off to Florida Mike ??? Sounds like you were a local racer Mike...did you run a car back then. Guess I mispelled Big Ed's last name ...sorry 'bout that. I hope to see the Filthy Forty at the next York Musclecar Madness...even if it is a clone...could have fooled me.
But then again...that doesn't take much anymore...

 

60 man,
Yes we will have the car at york this year. Thank you for the interest. You couldn't ask for a better bunch of people than the S&S team and their extended family which we have been lucky enough to become part of. The york show is great so many people in that area knew the filthy forty and it's fun to watch pork tell stories about those days. 2 years ago he got a surprise when one of the crew members "little joe" showed up. They hadn't seen each other for many years. They must have talked for 2 hours. Hope to see you there. Please stop and say hi.
Gasser Girl

 

Hi Troy,
Good to hear from you. The Filthy Forty look-a-like tribute car is owned by a wonderful couple from Maine. They are having a ball with the car and we are having a great time with them. Photo of Larry and Wanda Blanchet with Pork Zartman at the NHRA HOT ROD REUNION in Columbus, Ohio
2007. Very nice car, by the way, much nicer than the original!!!
See you somewhere next spring...

Dave Hales

 

1963 NHRA NATIONALS, Indianapolis, Indiana


Any more Filthy Forty stuff out there?

 

After spending most of my life in Northerm Virginia, I just needed a change. I had a big driveway and trying to clear snow and ice from it convinced me to move.
I crewed for Carl Hegge when he had the Big Ed's sponsored black, '42 Willys truck and the '33 Willys. That's why I always loved them. After my side trip to SE Asia, I crewed on Carls' Fuel Altered. After that I crewed for Rick "Surf" Stambaugh's Top Fuel car (X- Cerny-Moody-Lins front motor car). Then his Corvette funny. Then I decided to get a real job and make money. I knew a lot of the local guys. I knew Gene Altizer but only heard of the rest of the S&S guys. I met them later. Had friends in the Ram Rods in Maryland. And still in contact with a couple of them. Knew Harry and Maxine Lehman (American Way Top Fueler) and quite a few others from the area. We mostly raced at Aquasco and Capitol.
You asked about a Butch Sloper. I was talking to a pal up there last night and he knew Butch. He told me Butch was no relation to Ed. Butch's family had a plumbing business in Woodbridge. He had a couple of Vegas and a Pro-Stock Beretta later. He is probably done racing by now. Don't know for sure. Hope that clears things a little. Mike

 

Great thread! The Filthy Forty is one of my all time favorite gassers and the S&S gang are on the top of my heros list. Great to see Pork, Dave and Fred posting on the HAMB. Also nice to see a lot of old friends chime in on this great post.

Rocky

 

Heres a link to a great shot of the Filthy Forty Tribute Willys.
http://home.comcast.net/~afx11/F40Tribute.JPG
The memories of this Gasser brings back alot of memories to my older Brother, and with its flat black and front end I think its about the baddest look of all.
Always been a fan even though only got to see it run in videos. Its so cool that there are some! Can't hardly imagine seeing it live doing wheelies and hitting 4 gears down the track at old York. My Bro has the classic stories
Got to meet Mr. Zartman this year at the York US30 Meet in York Pa here and what a privilege!

Great thread! Great Forums!!

 

Thanks for filling in some blanks Dave & Mike.
Ahhh ...Aquasco Drag strip.......Boy that refires some old memories..John Thayer used to call it "The Cornfield"...
Don't know if I'll enter my car in the Expo Center show or not but I'll slide by and see everyone...does the sole good. I was glad to have the chance to talk to Malcom Duram,Bob Barnardon & Ronnie Sox when I did. RIP.

Florida huh ??

Troy

 

Aquasco was the first track I went to ( about 1967) It always felt very comfortable when we were there. We raced Bob's "Jolly Dolly" a fair number of times. Cottrell and Reichard were there pretty regular too. Leonard is still racing, now with a Top Alcohol Dragster. Our pal Ralph Hamilton came back east after a stint working at C-T Strokers in California. He became the track announcer at Aquasco and, later, the IHRA. Sadly, he passed a few years ago. Those times at Aquasco, Capitol, and Indy were incredible and I wouldn't trade a second of it for anything. Mike

 

Could someone tell me where the radiator was on this car?

I sent Pork a PM, but I guess he doesn't come around here too often.

 

I got to a strip for the first time in '72 after I got my license, so I'm just young enough (boy that sounds funny) to have missed the Gas heyday and I never saw the Filthy Forty run - too damn bad for me.

Here's what I've heard about the end of the car. I don't know any of this first hand, so take it as rumor and legend. Andy Steffy worked for Charlie Hill at that time, bought the car and owned it at the time it was wrecked. I imagine that's why it went back to Charlie's shop afterward. I'm guessing he bought it from the Wisconsin guys. I've known Andy's ex-wife Penny for a long time and she worked for me for a short while, but I never knew Andy. According to her, Bob Parmer was driving the car, and I think may have been part owner. She was at Maple Grove the day it was wrecked and she claims to still have photos of the car in it's wrecked state, but it will take someone more convincing than me to get her to search for them.

John Magee

 

HRM March 1964

CC

Halibrand / Michelin / Fiberglass doors, fenders,hood, trunk lid and grill section by 'Hill & Zartman Enterprises'

E&R Auto steel flywheel / 10-inch clutch / 1958 Chevrolet 4 speed
283 cu.in. / Crane cam / 14-1 J.E. pistons / Crane heads / Hilborn injection / Vertex mag
Co-sponsered by S&S Parts Co. of Falls Church, Va. / 116.0 mph / 11.67 e.t.

M & H / Ford truck rear with QC / disk brakes

 

Yep, nice pictures. Now, where was the radiator?

 

Judging by the engine pic above, I'd say the rad is hiding behind and under the moon tank. Looks like it's just a little fella!

 

If I remember correctly, the Filthy Forty used a Corvette aluminum radiator (barely visable) and the little tank is the expansion tank that Corvettes used with the radiator cap on it. You can see the upper radiator hose going to the radiator by the L/F fender. Now you will want to know where the fuel tank was. In the trunk in 1962 and 1963. It was moved up front in 1964 and things were re-arranged a little.

Incidently, that is the famous radiator cap that came off at the 1962 NHRA NATIONALS and flooded the engine/shorted the mag. and kept Pork from winning the event until the next year. They did have low E.T. and Top Speed for the class both years.

 

Thank you Mr. Hale.

Oh, I will be building your car next, weather my wife like the color or not.

I have all your pictures from when you rebuilt it.

http://allshops.org/cgi-bin/communi...m&albumid=9980130466608&ownerid=9990114200861

 

It wont be much longer, just a few more things to make and both

Charlie's and Dave's cars will be done. Then all I have to do is post them here.

These modles aren't just a bought modles with paint and decals on them.

Hell, just the shocks on one of them have 48 differant parts.

 

This is for all the "local" guys

 

WOW! What a great thread to read!!!

Thats very cool of you to do that. I dont care what you call it! Great job!

So Zartie...do you know some guy named Kessel?

 

It took some lookin, but here it is running at York.

46 seconds into this video, Pork Zartman at the wheel of the

filthy forty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQueOldxzqY

 

Love that video. The wheels up in the air through all the gears is cool
Gasser Girl

 

Found another one, first 30 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAf9hgn7Dig

 

Man I could read this stuff all day, wait a minute, I have been! Seriously good stuff here, great to see you S&S guys here. Keep it up....Great history, great pics..thanks
Tom

 

Heres a link to a video I 'finally' got around to uploading.

Its of the Filthy Forty Willys Tribute car.
I got a ride in it at the end of the York US30 Dragway / Muscle Car Madness Meet held in York Pa. back in July of this year.
I'm still stoked from the event

Legendary car and team!

Awesome tribute build by super people!
I'm 48, but this takes me right back to being a boy caught up in loud pipes and cherry rides. And Drags!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR7RtG91pU8

Thanks H.A.M.B.!
Righteous Website!
Alan

 

The guys at www.westcoastwillysclub.com are passing this around, it's a good group check there web site out.......

 

Here is a picture of my willys.The body was made off of the filthy forty.My car is the first of 3 that were made . Ai fiberglass (Anderson industries)one of the first fiberglass company made the mold.The fiberglass was laid by Dave Anderson,in the 60's.when i baught my car it sat in a barn in Md for 35+ years.All it was the body and frame.The frame is a 32 ford and box tube rear.

 

Check out the picture of Pork at '63 Indy Oldracer posted. The car in the far lane is the Tschida/ Mooney car. Cool or what.