Does anyone know if the gold 37 Chevy coupe campaigned by Moody-Jones was ever featured in any magazines back in that time frame? thanks
Yeah it's still alive and well,,it was at the July show here in Lawrenceville and had a few books and national dragster on display. Also got to see it make a pass or two ,,don't remember what it run.
Sam lives down the road from me. Super nice guy. I can hear him make some pulls on the dyno every now and then. I'm not sure if their car was ever featured in a magazine or not. I do know that Dale's (Moody) brother Gene's 55 was featured in hot rod. Not sure what year. Probably 64 or 65. Peter Broadribb has the 55 D/G car now and has restored it.
I sent The Madbrit (Peter) an e-mail about this thread. Maybe he'll join in with some more info about his car and the 37. Larry T
Hopefully Peter will be able to make it to Bowling Green this year. There is a group of us from our town that always makes it to the National Hot Rod Renunion. I haven't missed one yet. We are trying to talk Sam into taking the coupe down there again. He had it there in '06. It would be nice to see the '55 and the '37 together.
...I know that car had a SBC, did it run a 4 speed? ...someone should do a magazine article on this car,...and the 55.
The '37 ran a blown small block with a hydro tranny back in the day. The 55 had an injected small block with a 4 speed.
The Moody's Garage D/Gas '55 Chevy was featured in the October 1965 Hot Rod magazine. The 2 color pics that 20th Century Chevy posted were taken back in 2005 when we toured the Eastern side of the country. We took in Bowling Green, York, Beaver Springs and Thompson Ohio. Then we stopped in at Gene's old home town of Bloomfield Ind. on our way home and met many of his old friends including his brother Dale and Sam Jones. The following day we met Sam at the local drag strip and did the photoshoot. You can see the whole shoot at: http://www.etraceway.com/Jones moody.htm As for a trip to Bowling Green in 2009, I am not sure of our plans and finances as it is not just a short trip from Kingman, Arizona. We would like to make Indy one year and get to pose the '55 with Dave Hales' Willys on the start line to recreate the 1963 Nationals Final round in D/Gas, which Gene won. There is a restored film of the 1963 Indy Nationals which shows the final round between Dave Hales and Gene Moody and is available on DVD, it is the original footage from the ABC Wide World of Sports and apparently the first ever nationally televised drag race. I can't remember if Sam's car is shown in that film as it is awhile since I watched it. 20th Century Chevy, did we meet you in Bloomfield or at NHRR in 2005? Thank you all for your interest. Peter.
Madbrit....yes you met me at Bowling Green. I was also at the track that day with your car and Sam's coupe. I was the younger guy(25 at the time) that came up to the track with Sam and Madonna to take some pictures as well. I would be nice if you could make it this way again. We still talk a lot about your last trip this way.
Wow,...that's pretty neat info, like I said earlier It'd be neat if the Rodder's Journal did a feature on these two survivors.
Yea...that's a good idea. I am sure that Sam would be interested. Dale(Moody) also lives here in town and still runs a shop up town. Both are great guys.
I remember the '37 Chevy running at Indy Raceway Park every Sunday I was there in the early 1960s. It was always one of my favorite cars.
Does anyone have any pics of the "Moody's Garage" '55 from back in the day? All that I have found are now owned by these professional collections and publishers won't pay their prices when pics are needed for a book. I have the 3 which 20th Century Chevy posted in the top row and also the only color one which was apparently taken at Cecil County during the Record Holders meeting, plus one of the '55 being pushed by his '55 Ford station wagon at the Nationals. Wonder if that wagon is still around, hidden away in Bloomfield?........... Peter.
Studying the photos, I noticed in the evolution of the D/gas '55 that it picked up a truck rear axle along the way. Man, both those cars were and are first rate! Everyone associated with them should be proud and also cherish their memories. Many thanks.
Peter.....I'm not sure about the wagon, but I do know that Gene's son Mike still has a '65 El Camino that Gene bought new. There is a car club in Bloomfield that held their 1st car show last fall and he had it there. They are going to have one in the spring and fall this year, I think. I know it would be difficult for you to make it for one of the shows, but that would be really neat to see the car in Bloomfield again. As far as more pictures....there has to be a lot more out there. Did you ask Sam and Dale if they had any when you were here in '05?? Sam and Dale are both very nice and helpful. One would never know by looking at them or talking to them, that they are multiple US National champions.
rusty1.....Do you have any info on Rodder's Journal on who to contact about a feature?? That is a really good idea.
if you go to their website, there is contact info there. (roddersjournal.com) ...for editorial subjects you can email to: [email protected] ...maybe we need to campaign for them to do an article on these cars.
I'd love to see a feature in TRJ. That 37 was a lot of inspiration (stance, wheels, ect) when I built my 37 many years ago, cept I had to go candy blue like the SWC Willys.
There is a lot of little known information on cars and racers like the Moody brothers. For example, few knew that after Gene won the World Finals in 1965, part of his prize was a set of Dougs Headers and a trip to Hawaii with an NHRA Tour to match race Ferd Knapfel (Storming Bull), who had won Indy that year. During the boat crossing, one of the lashings securing Gene's '55 came loose and a front wheel dropped down and put a dent in the roof of Bill Golden's "Little Red Wagon". Try as I may, I have not found any recorded information on this trip either on the mainland or on the islands. The story goes that Gene stopped off at Dougs for his headers before getting on the boat. Dougs only took a couple of hours to make them. Gene actually found the car ran slower, until he modified them....... Ooops. When restoring the car, I approached Doug Thorley as he had started making custom headers again. He was far too expensive for my pocket so I went to a local header builder here in Kingman AZ, turns out this guy worked for Dougs way back when, so I actually got a more authentic set. As for the Rodders Journal article, they were going to do one on my car a couple of years ago, but nothing ever came of it. I think the problem was getting the pics taken. I would love to attend one of Bloomfield Car Club's shows. I do intend to make another trip back there, we met such lovely people and if I am ever over that way, I will stop by. Maybe if the NHRA does another Gasser Theme at Indy, or celebrates the 55th or 60th Anniversary of Indy (2009 or 2014), we will get an invite and can pay Bloomfield another visit. Peter.
. <!-- / message --><!-- sig --> __________________ I'm in if anyone else wants to help. It would be great to see these cars in a magazine and get some well deserved recognition.
The Jalopy Journal
