History An Altered from the Archives

That is WICKED Joey. Cool topic, I am looking forward to see where this goes.

 

And they tow it around with a leftover piece of farm sisal rope, it feels like barbed wire!

 

There's one way to protect that vital asset, the grille......it's gnarly and all ready to chomp and scorch the pavement to the finish line...love it...

 

Dang!

 

I don't recall that coupe but I can speak about the MacKichans. John turned me and my brother loose in the Speedway Museum when my brother was writing for Hot Rod Deluxe magazine. And Jess took me for a ride in her 34 one day...totally jelled my vague plan on building my 34 coupe. Good people.
I too will be watching this thread

 

Yup they are awesome people! I caught them on the salt in the video posted on the journal a few days ago actually!

 

Be still my heart! As a life-long dyed in the wool 34 Coupe fanatic, that one checks all the boxes. It does have the H&M Coupe flavor, albeit sporting a slightly less, non angled chop of about 4.5".
Bad to the bone for sure!!!
1965 Chevy pickup sets the photo at least mid 60's.

My usual question;
Where is it now? Hopefully terrorizing the streets somewhere as a Hot Rod, or better yet, sitting just as pictured n a dusty barn waiting to be dusted off and reintroduced to the Hot Rod world (fat chance, but dreamin is free).

My usual comment;
"If I found it, I'd drive it to work".

 

Hello,
Interesting story and nice collection of old photos. This took place just as the drag race classes were being overrun by the dragsters and factory stock car sponsorships. The little guy classes were being pushed out by corporate influence for the organizations. By reading old Drag News papers in succession, year by year, one can see the stories that used to be posted for each drag strip across the nation. They all had fun classes, were listed from the top dragsters to the small 4 cylinder racers. A spice of variety, that included the "small guy." But, then in the 65 year, changes in classes and even in the reporting changed. It was sad to see.

In this post 1965 time period, it was the time period that some cars took the idea that power to the rear started with raised front ends. However unsafe they were… it was the 1965-69 era. By this time period, the individual classes that we all claimed to have loved started to wane. The ruling body then started to use these Modified Coupes and Sedans in their own classes and usually for an Eliminator title.

Then the downfall of the strict rules and builds were lumped into certain classes and eventually, disappeared all together. It was the same thing in the Gas Coupe and Sedan Classes. Rules changed so, up went the front end and the awful look continued until they too, disappeared. Then the assault of those funny looking cars started a whole new ballgame.

In the photo, there is a small rope tied to the front axle. Not the best place for a tow back to the pits. But, the awful height just does nothing for top speed or fast E.T. times. Just because someone does it, it does not mean it is correct. The top times and speeds were set by the modified builds that were low to the ground, minimizing that air under the chassis look.

Jnaki

I do commend that team for using a 671 supercharger on an SBC motor. Our eventual goal for our own 671 SBC motor would have been used for the next level of competition, until the classes were all wiped out for sponsorship money and TV rights.
Similar to our own 671 SBC motor, But had room to grow for more power and faster times.

 

I attende and even raced my 1957 Merc with the Turnpike Cruiser motor at irvington in the early 60's. I think I turned a 17.3 or so. Was fun though.