Boston Ma area - Street Racing in 60's remember this car?

Tim post a picture of your old nomad.

 

Just showed the old man those pictures,Ray.He got a real kick cause he knows alot of those cars,plus seeing is 35 that way.

 

Glad he enjoyed them and please make sure you say hello for me.I always loved the color combo on the 35 and just the way it sat.Still do.

We're coming out the end of August for my youngest boy's wedding and I'd love to take in some shows but I have too much going on around here so we'll have to cut it short.Hopefully the Safari will make the trip again for old time's sake.Unfortunnately the "2-60" air conditioning doesn't function well enough for my bride so we may have to use another vehicle.

 

Neat old shot of George Veracka's 5 window. He still has it.

 

Was this Coupe every in the Webster,Oxford,Dudley,Southbridge area of Mass in the late 60s? If not this coupe I remember it's twin in this area.

 

awesome! hope u guy keep digging. photos. my dad may have more too

 

Al Napoli, I remember you from my days growing up in Malden. I worked at PV's from 76 to 78 while in high school. Did you have a garage on Edmund St for a short while... or help someone who did?



Barrelvalve, I think we met about ten years ago at the Charletown Dragway Reunion. I remember Jimmy introducing me to the guy who lettered his Boston Racing dragsters.

 

The Model A Coupe belongs to Barry Poole from New Bedford, MA. It was featured twice in Popular Hot Rod once in 62 and then again 64 after some modification were made. I have seen many pictures of the Tedeshi show...Was this an annual show or just a one time deal. Where exactly was this located...I have been under the impression it was on Rt 3A on the Quincy - Braintree line.

 

The Strokers Car Club was formed in Malden, in 1962. Although they were just high school age, the club was addmitted to the New England Hot Rod Council. NEHRC had a reason to let the young club join the council. They provided the much needed help in running the Sanford, ME. drag strip. This freed up the older guys in the council to still run their cars while the younger guys did the grunge work.

 

Members of the Strokers club enjoy a beer at the close of a days racing at Sanford in 1963. Lonnie Joyce with the weido shirt- Dick Scribner- Jim Mahan- no ID - Bill Hughes on tire- Warren (Jeppy ) Jepson leaning on Vette.

 

in braintree corner of grove st and liberty st between rte 18 weymouth and rte 37 braintree now a stop and shop

 

The Strokers first garage was on 801 Main St. Malden, in 1962. In 1966 they moved to 55 Clifton St. Malden,. The two bay garage was owned by Lonnie Joyce's mother. Upgrades were in order...Jim Mahan's father was a steel worker by trade. Mr. Mahan put in a sliding I beam engine hoist with a second story loft for storage. The price was the guys would have to paint his house. In 1969 an addition started on the left side of the garage. Spring 1970 the addition would be finished. The 55 Chevy gasser/altered in the garage was a club project. The car was Bob Holgram's teal blue street car, that would be converted to strip use only.

 

Great shots....so there were cars on Clifton Street? just not in Mr Dooley's garage hahaha

 

Could be. I went to a few of those reunions back around then. They were at the Seakonk track right?

I can't believe the memory you guys have. I am a year shy of 60 and already have a pretty good dose of CRAFT.

 

Clifton St. is two streets away from Cinton St. It does cause some confusion...

 

Yes it was.

 

Thanks for clearing up the location. Was it an annual show?

 

Here is the Strokers' 55 Chevy Gasser...I think this is Suffolk Downs. Although built as a gasser, I remember it running as a C/A.

 

The Strokers 55 Chevy at Connecticut Dragway.

 

The Strokers decided to step up to a dragster and purchased the Powers and Riley AA/FD less engine and rear wheels. The P&R team ran 392 power and the first reverser gear for a AA/FD. The club switched to 426 power and gas and a two speed Lenco. To raise money to build the car, they junked cars every weekend. The neighbors were less than happy with this activity. All the cars had the engines...seats...tires and gas tanks pulled. I can remember gas tanks stacked six feet high in front of the garage, fortunately we never blew our selves up.

 

Safari,
I've heard more great Route 1 stories from Christie Massios recently.
I ran a '31 SBC-coupe at NED later in the early 70's. Dave Sanderson was my cousin, he used to test run his rail on Post Road in his hometown, they'd end the run by driving it up onto trailer (still on the road) and go hide it in the barn, according to Reggie and Ed Grenier.

 

did this become the mcgarigle & delong car?

 

I just can't even believe this thread - how great. I got to the party late, child of the 70s, but I remember most of the towns and locations... I rode dirtbikes with my dad at unfinished roads by a rotary in Saugus? Revere? My cousin Jimmy in Everett had a red 73 Road Runner, in Melrose I walked by garages with a blue Superbird... OT for HAMB I know, but there were plenty of hot rods too, and musclecars everywhere. PV performance. Muraled vans. Kowloon. Revere Beach Parkway... I think I had my first beer there. Ice cream stand in Saugus, route 1, I lived on the Lynn Fells Parkway. The rock band that rehearsed next door, the guys would just peel out of the driveway after. Some dude with an avocado green Dart with a black stripe. And the stories... I have older family that had Monty's Machine Shop forever. Anyone race a guy in a white Tempest with a magic button under the dash? Years later on the cape I worked for a guy that had raced a 'Vette in the 70s, Ed Varjebedian... with a Monty's engine. You guys were the generation before me and I'd give my left nut to see what fun you had. Even for a 70s kid, the HAMB is a sanctuary and this thread ROCKS.

Those pictures, the slanted concrete sidewalks and three story houses... those are my people. Those are my streets. My road led me far away, but you never forget where you came from. OP and all who contribute to this thread, THANK YOU so much. Keep it going.

 

I know Rick Monteforte, he runs a sunbird dragcar, also a 69 Camaro, I also know Bob Monteforte who has since passed...they were the owners of Montys nephews....my dad also knew the owner of Montys, we bought a bunch of parts when they closed.

 

Anybody find the 55?

 

When Monty built my original Austin-Healey motor in the 80s he was working on a turbo-Buick powered Willys project. Did he ever complete it?

 

Christie and I go way back and he is one crazy dude.He used to play hockey in Salem every week against the State College players and he was in his 50's then! May not be very big but he's tougher than hell and still is.He's got to be in his early 70's now.

Although I never met Dave I remember the memorial drag race they held at Sanford(1960 I think).I had a picture taken at Sanford with an ad for it on the side of a 59 Dodge convertible that was parked next to the Speed Sport roadster.That car was running 170's on fuel in 1960! Didn't he die in a swimming accident?

Ed Varjebedian had a pretty serious 500cc Triumph back in the late 50's that he used to race George Nelson who had an equally hot 650 Triumph.George used to do some serious head work and make custom intake manifolds for them.His bike was painted candy red and he had "Bad News" lettered on the side.I think Paul Pronco from Pronco Signs in Salem did the lettering.

Another Lynn guy was Bob "Zeke" DuPont from around Wyoma Square.He had a chopped and channeled Model A with a 57 Olds engine in it.He later owned a donut shop on Western Avenue called(what else?) Zeke's donuts.

Right around the corner from him was Dave Page who owned a 37 Cord Beverly sedan and his dad had a 1931 L-29 Cord phaeton that I striped years later for it's current owner;Paul O'Neill.Paul had the chopped 54 Chevy that was Olds powered that sat under Christie's shop in Middleton for years(accumulating many hornet's nests)that I got by trading Paul an AM/FM radio for his Studebaker Avanti.Paul got it back a few years ago after the last owner died.And he STILL hasn't restored the Avanti yet! And that was in 1974.

Not too far from there was Len Legere's shop and also Smiley Smullen's garage.

 

That sounds like Christie! Still full of P&V.

 

I know he was working on that, Buick Turbo Willy's and do believe he was close to completing it when he closed the shop....last I heard he has the car, not sure if it is done.

Talking about donuts...what about Kane's?

Lynn is going through a lot of renewal now thank god, but has its problems, sounds like it must have been a great blue collar town when you all were around the area???

 

"Lynn, Lynn, the City of Sin,
You never come out the way you went in!"