History Drag cars in motion.......picture thread.

Hello,

The 1941 black Studebaker Sedan is one of the most popular Gas Coupe and Sedan class champions. He won his national trophy in 1958 at the OKC Nationals. Most everyone wanted their cars to have the same power and success as this Studebaker Sedan. It was a favorite of many involved in drag racing back then.

The comparison part of the story is the 1940 Ford Coupe that we saw regularly at Lions Dragstrip. It was the model we used for comparison when we were deciding to build our next hot rod for the drags. The 1940 Ford coupe was in the same B/Gas class as the 1941 Studebaker Sedan of Junior Thompson. So, in essence, he had no chance unless the 41 Studebaker of Junior Thompson broke or blew up during an elimination run.

Our first edition of the 1940 Willys Coupe was listed in the B/Gas class. A 283 SBC w/6 Strombergs in a light weight chassis, put us in the same class as Junior Thompson... what an uphill battle coming at us every weekend.

Jr. Thompson 1941 Studebaker Sedan ACTUAL 1959 SOUND

Jnaki
In our early days of drag racing 1957-60 , people just popped off their hubcaps and raced in whatever class the inspectors deemed fit the build/car. Those were fun times. It was the core of early drag racing. But, as the need for speed kept popping up, the gas coupes and sedan class stayed street legal for a few more years, until it changed some rules and eventually, was phased out for other popular classes.

1940 WILLYS COUPE

 

Yeah he was doing what a lot of us had to do with ill handing cars in those days. Just trying to keep the rear wheels from passing the front ones.

 

Roo, it's nice for the student to school the teacher, every once in awhile. You will have to enlighten me on what an iPad is one of these days ! I do remember reading about Ray's A/MR in the early 60's. Two of our NW racers, Dave Skeans, and the Strode Bros, held the A/MR record for a while during that time period.

 

Marty,
good to see the Slo- Poks logo on the car. When I toured the Pacific Northwest with Densham I met Ed Smith and he later came to Australia and stayed with me for a while.

Roo


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Roo, I used to race Ed on Wednesday nights without much success. He was a hot dog in A/G in the early 60's with a Pontiac powered 41 Willys. His Dad Clarence, built the chassis for Skeans in the picture above. Smitty, as Clarence was referred to, had a long history building Midgets, Roadsters, and raced Hardtops with success. I have his 1952 Championship Trophy. Ed was a great guy !

 

Marty
Is that the same Ed Smith that dragraced a motorcycle at PIR? I recall seeing him win a lot.
I seem to remember him being from Vancouver too.
By the way, how about posting a shot of that snotty Jeep again, those were good times.

 

A car that’s etched in my mind, Weekly, Rivero, Fox and Holding.

 

Major Tom to ground control, Houston, we have liftoff.


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PDAC '67 Chan Bush photo...

 

It looks a little more like Crossley-Williams-Swan.

 

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You’re right. In looking more closely I see the Isky blower drive idler bracket, W, R,F & H had the idler mounted on the front cover of the blower.

 

Fireside Inn, M/R closest to camera, wasn't that driven by Larry Dixon ? Last time I saw it, Bruce Walker owned it, was running it at Fremont.

 

Yes Marty, Larry Dixon Sr. drove the Fireside Inn modified roadster.

 

Good read on the '64 Winternats from Car & Driver...

 

The top photo is the legendary Surfers. Lower photo appears to be the Brissette and Sutherland Woody that was also driven by Kelly Brown.


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Notice the header Angle difference?

 

Actually not much difference. The big variation is that on the the Brissette car the bend is closer to the flange and the pipes are close to parallel while the Surfers car has them bunched together. Note that both cars have the engine close to the rear end-20” out in the case of the Sutherland built Woody.


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Almost Rooman...Surfers on top, Brissette Bomb recreation by Roger Lee on the bottom.

 

Jere Wilson from Denver.

 

It is Crossley, Williams, and Swan

 

Yes, I think Larry was the only driver, roadster owned by Chuck Blue.

 

Can someone tell me that when those 25% setback fuel altereds did a 45º wheelstand that the lightweight wires held up when they came down (as some, not all) would lift?

 

Jim, as I remember wires weren't allowed on Altered cars, only Comp.