Wow. I didn't realize they were using the metric system back in 58 and missed reading that in the program. I wonder if there are any results from the races somewhere on the Internet. I did see a couple of "sports cars" in the video you posted but think one was an Allard. Not sure about the others as the camera was panning too fast. Now I'm wondering if I took my dad's 8mm camera with us. I do have a bunch of film, but no projector.
I know it's a long shot but does anyone know where I can find a good video/film from the 1961 Nationals. This would be the first year it was at Indy. Thanks
As of August 1958, the National Records in the NHRA "Sports Cars" class were: NOTE: I posted a pic of a (Buick-powered) '54 Healey that ran in B/Sp class in post #115 ... a '57 Porsche that ran in the D/Sp class in post #129 ... and a (Caddy-powered) Allard that ran in the A/Sp class in post #185.
Were those records from before the race in OKC? It looks like the A/SP class had an open record so maybe the Allard set a new record there.
I went back and looked at the video again and think this may be the Drifters' coupe at 2:23. It cuts off about here and it's ahead of the car they are racing. I also noticed this race at 5:35 and it may be the Porsch and the MG. At 6:14 on the return road is what looks like Number 146. It's a Kurtis and may be the car I thought was an Allard.
Hey BN, That last sports car looks like Sam Parriot's candy red or Tahitian red Kurtis. He was one of the top racers in So Cal and I saw him at Lions in 1960. Jnaki also, check out this thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/a-fuel-coupes-don-montgomery-32-3w.873097/page-6
Correct! ... NO. 146 ENTRY Sam Parriott DRIVER Sam Parriott CITY LaPuente, Calif. CAR '53 Kurtis ENGINE '56 Cadillac
Those National Records were before the '58 OKC Nats (i.e., that graphic is an excerpt from page 10 of the '58 Nats program). Parriott's Kurtis established the A/Sp class record at 123.11 mph and won the class with a 12.17 E.T. @ 122.44 mph.
I thought for sure that I had posted the results from the '58 Nats ... but I guess not ... so here they are: from page 30 of the November 1958 issue of HOT ROD Magazine from page 32 of the November 1958 issue of HOT ROD Magazine
Hemi 32, Great background information and early photo of the Mailliard, Reed, Chrisman Sidewinder. They had the bugs worked out and just outran the competition at Lions in 59-60. This car and team was one of our favorites during that time. That chain drive and sound was something to see and hear. Mailliard's shop was about 3 blocks from our house in the westside of Long Beach. Good times back then...keep up the great photos and information... Jnaki
Here's some Bob D'Olivo and Eric Rickman B&W photos shot at the starting line: NO. 103 ENTRY DCB Coupe DRIVER Don Breithaupt CITY Grand Prairie, Texas CAR '32 Ford ENGINE '57 Chev.
... and a couple Bob D'Olivo B&W photos shot further down the dragstrip: NO. 370 ENTRY Fenn & Warwick Spl. DRIVER Richard Warwick CITY Houston, Texas CAR '32 Ford ENGINE '57 Chev. vs.NO. 103 ENTRY DCB Coupe DRIVER Don Breithaupt CITY Grand Prairie, Texas CAR '32 Ford ENGINE '57 Chev. NO. 144 ENTRY Jen's Coach DRIVER Arlyn E. Asch CITY Riverside, Calif. CAR '31 Ford ENGINE '48 Ford vs.NO. 408 ENTRY Carl Johnson DRIVER Carl Johnson CITY Rockford, Ill. CAR '30 Ford ENGINE '51 Cadillac
This is a great thread and you are doing an EXCELLENT job. It's not easy to dig up history like this with the fotos to match the cars from the entry list
I found another photo of when we were waiting for Darrel to fix his car in Holbrook, AZ on our way to OKC. Sorry for the quality. I think I took it through the windshield of "The Moose".
I'm no expert by any means, but can someone confirm that the No. 408 A Roadster has a 53 Chrysler engine?
Most likely a 1953 Chrysler 331ci Poly (vice 331ci Hemi) Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I never knew they made two different V-8 engines in 53. Was that also true for Dodge and DeSoto when they had Hemi engines?
That's kind of what I thought but, like I said, I'm not very knowledgeable about engines. In this close-up of the engine, it looks like it was running a staggered 4 carb manifold. If it is a Chrysler, would the manifold be the same as a Hemi?
Well, it's not a Chrysler. They did make an inline four carb mainafold for the Chrysler. The Cad and Olds and most V8 engines at that time had intake ports next to each other. So a staggered four made sense. But Chrysler engines had the intake ports evenly spaced. So having the carbs inline was better for runner consistency. This engine is clearly not a Hemi or a Poly. The valve cover is that of an inline valve, wedge chamber Cadillac.
Thanks for the info. I guess the program could have a misprint. They also could have changed the engine after they submitted their entry. My friend Walter had a 4 carb manifold on the Hemi in his 32 5W Coupe. It's now residing in Florida .....
@Bullet Nose - I concur with @RichFox & @wrenchbender about the engine being a 331ci Caddy vice Chrysler. I was on my iPhone when I replied to your question last night ... and the pic was too small to make out the engine very well, but could see that the valve covers weren't HEMI, so took a guess that they were POLY covers It's now obvious that this was yet another typo in '58 Event Program ... I have corrected the text in my previous post to reflect that the engine was a '51 Cadillac (not a '53 Chrysler).
Hemi32, I just noticed that the above says the engine is a 51 Cadillac, unless this is another car that Carl Johnson raced in the A/SR class. Were the 51 and 53 engines the same?
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