60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

Another picture of my fairlane at Brownstown Speedway Ind.

 

This is the second car I built for Al Stringer. 65 Ford chassis and a 351 Windsor. He continued his winning ways with twelve race wins in it. Then I built him a Camaro which he raced only a few times with one win before he died of cancer.

 

The first car I sold to Al Stringer after he totaled his 57 Ford. It is the same car as on page 159-160. The primered no.75 that Homer French had borrowed from me for a b class car. Al ran it as an A class car. This car had over 30 wins on it before it met its demise.

 

I built this Falcon for Homer French for the season after he won the track championship a the Fairgrounds Motor Speedway, Louisville Ky. 56 Ford frame shortened to 100" wheelbase with a roller cammed 289 c.i. Ford Engine. He turned this little engine 8500. Set two track records at two different tracks on opening nights at both. Swept trophy dashes, heats and features four weeks in a row before he sold it to build the mustang two pictures down. This car was named the FOWL COON.

 

A picture of the Falcon before paint. Notice the short wheelbase.

 

This is the Mustang Homer French and Gary Hostettler built after the Falcon. I did the Interior sheetmetal and it had my 351 Windsor in it. Homer burned the competition so bad four weeks in a row again that he sold it to the buyer of the Falcon for an ungodly amount of money for the day. Smokey Bishop was driving the Falcon and had set another track record and won two features with it and Homer came back and reset it with the Mustang.

 

Boys it is one thirty and I have to go to bed. I will post some more tomorrow. I really enjoyed the new posts of the coupes. It is suprising where more old photos will come from

 

Thanks guys, now I just have to figure out what had an 8 lug 15 inch wheel.

 

Whoa ! let's hold on a minute. Are you refering to 15" diameter or 15" wide ? When you said 3/4 ton rears, it reminded me that in the early 60's, we refered to early quickchanges as 3/4 ton. I believe that Halibrand produced the first quickchanges which were based on the early 3/4 ton Timpkin rear. Franklin later came out with the "Champ" rear which was a heavier unit with larger spur gears. The higher HP of the OHV motors was ripping the teeth off the early spur gears. The early rears were made up of the quickchange center section and two short sides of stock Timpkin rear ends. I made quite a bit of money when I discovered that the small UPS "brown trucks" had the 3/4 ton Timpkin. I stopped in a UPS garage late at night and a guy told me they were changing the trucks to later model "Eaton" rears. He said a junkman from Rockaway, L.I. bought the Timpkins. I got a hold of Gil Hearne and we drove out to Rockaway and bought the complete rears [with axles] for 25. each. I put Danny McLoughlin in the "rear business" by telling him and he found every UPS garage in surrounding states.

The first 15" WIDE wheel I ever saw was on the "Turner 18" coach when Lee Osborne drove it at Langhorne.

 

I should have clarified.. 15 inch diameter...
I was thinking something like these...

 

Did this guy take the pictures? Cause if he didn't, it's really none of his business what you do with them. There's alot of stuff you need to do to transfer a real copyright, and I'm betting he's done none of it.

 

Yes 15" diameter wheels were made two ways. Some of the late fifties and and sixties 3/4 ton trucks had 15" wheels for light duty use. The 16"s were usually split rims. All of the seventies 3/4 tons had 15"s,16"s and 16.5"s availible. We would also cut the rivites out of the 15" eight lug wheels ,remove the centers and put them in Buick and Olds wheels that had been widened. I have made up to 16" wide wheels but found out they didn't work as well as the 12" to 14" wheels.

Some of the first Quick changes that were made was from Jones. The unit welded to the back of the stock center section of 1948 to 1953 ford and studebaker 3/4 ton trucks rears. The lower pinion shaft was replaced with the Jones shaft and the stock pinion was used as the upper shaft. It was a poured steel unit. Later there were Franklyns, Franklands, Halibrands newer Jones,Woodards and one or two more Quickchange makers that used a mag or aluminum centers with the truck side bells and tubes.

 

Here is a picture of a Chevy I drove at Capitol City Speedway in Frankfort Ky. early 70's for the Hall family of Louisville

 

I built this Chevelle for Pat Smith the Lead gituar and Orighinator of the Fire Department band. A some what renown hard rock band of the late 70's. It is on a 57 Chevy frame with a small block. I drove it the first night to a second place in the heat and feature. Then the regular driver Bill McNaulty took over. Next picture shows the finished lettereng.

 

Here is the Chevelle with the finished lettering with Bill McNaulty at the wheel

 

thanks allstar that helps!.

 

Long time friend Glen Kerns From Fairgrounds Motor Speedway Louisville Ky.

 

Another of Glen Kerns cars. I started sponsoring him some starting with this car. Sportsdrome Speedway. Jeffersonville Ind.

 

Glen Kerns and his one stray from the Ford fold. A budy of his gave him a small block Chevy Engine to run and I sponsored him. Sportsdrome Speedway Jeff. Ind.

 

I'll post some more pictures later this evening. Have to take my lovely wife to dinner.

 

PART X: LEN CALINOFF MODIFIED PHOTOS FROM THE '70s AND SUPERSPEEDWAY RACING. A few years ago, I scanned-and-Photoshopped some of Len's slides for his daughter. She recently gave me permission to "do something with them." Here they are -- enjoy, and thank the late Len Calinoff! (PLEASE DO NOT LIFT THESE AND POST ON OTHER SITES OR SELL THEM. HIS DAUGHTER STILL HAS THE RIGHTS TO THE IMAGES.)

Geoff Bodine


Richie Evans


Jerry Cook


George Kent


Jim Shampine


Richie Evans works on his Mustang II.


???


Maynard Troyer


THESE ARE THE LAST OF THE CALINOFF SCANNED SLIDES I HAVE.

 

Nope, not somebody looking to have pics removed. I saw the pics Dr John had posted being sold on Ebay... Was looking out for the folks who aren't sitting on a treasure chest of pics just sitting in a closet!

NEWBIE here! Been watching this string for awhile and enjoying the pics being posted. I'm primarily on the 1/25 scale side of the house when it comes to these early modifieds. Recently started G-Man Graf-X, doing decals for 1/25 scale builds and some custom orders:
http://www.fredsresinworkshop.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=73fficeffice" /><O></O>

I'm also an avid photographer... "Prostitute with camera", if it'll turn a buck I'll shoot it!

Recently been shooting the Florida Old Time Modified Series at East Bay in Tampa. I'll post some links later if you's want to see them.

So rest easy, Dr J's pics should be safe!

Later
Mike G

 

Dr. John, I believe the driver of the #00 from Islip is Fred DeSarro, the #71 Pinto is Tom Green and the white #60 super speedway car is Bob Riley. Hope this helps.

 

Great stuff Dr. John, Wish Marty Himes was good with a computer! lol I had a few photographers email in the past, but most of the photos were sitting on my old computer that were saved pictures for webshots and what not for slide show when my computer sat idle for awhile. I know people like to get credit, which is only due to them, but I never had full desciptions and photogtraphers name like Dr. John has! Everyone should watermark their photos with a name on the bottom or something! Sorry again if anyone got offended, as we all do, we come here to put a smile on our faces!!! Now we got to get Rich to get his photos online!!!! lol

 

I was at Daytona with Charlie Paxton running ARCA with a borrowed Lenny Pond Chevelle and they were running the modifieds on the road course. It was a blast to see coupes and non-aeredynamic Pintos, Vegas and Grimlens with straight axles turning left and right. Bobbie Allison built and ran the permatex mod and then the race was on to make them slick. Merv Triechler, Richie Evans and even Darrel Waltrip had basicly full bodied mods.I have pictures someplace and will see if I can dig them up.

 

I built this street stock for Tony Anderson to run in the Louisville area. It handled so well that he won several races with a tired wore out 289. I drove this night and put it in the trophy dash and was running fourth in the feature when the rains came.

 

Second car I built for Tony Anderson. He won very first race this car ran and many more. He became a top notch racer. Won a lot of races. Still races in outlaw Figure eight and is a contender at the World Three Hour every year.

 

I built this car out of cast off parts that were laying around. It is a Pontiac Ventura with the 2" wider track than the Novas and Camaros. I hurt my back and couldn't drive for almost a year. So my engine man Steve Packer drove it and my late Model for a while. We won ten features at the Sportsdrome Speedway Jeff Lnd. and Charlestown Motor Speedway Ind.in the hobbie stock and figure eight Divisons before we had to reskin it. The next set of pictures shows what happened to it.

 

The Ventura after I re skinned it. I tried to drive but back would not let me. Steve Pecker drove it to four features and the point lead although we did not run for points. This is at Charlestown Motor Speedway Ind. The next set of pictures will show the wreck.

 

Steve Packer had just passed the leader the turn before and the steering shaft broke going into turn three.