The Infamous 999! It resides in South Florida now with fellow Salvager "Squigy". Last weekend I had the privilege of sitting in this badass beast and following it down the highway from Billetproof. I'd like to see more pictures/videos in all it's muddy glory and hear stories of it's adventures! Thanks Guys.
Come on guys....SoFL is very big.....how about naming a town.... That image is HOT.... 999 Ford first REAL racecar....where's his oil can?
West Palm Beach! The 999 lives out west in Loxahatchee. The gals all muddied up picture I borrowed off Google, looks to be from the Jalopy Showdown for sure! I was fishing for stories and video of it in action.
The story behind the two girls in the car...... The driver is Dana, daughter of the famous sprint car driver Bobby Allen. She took the car out and didn't want to get muddy. She went a little too fast on here first lap and Larry told her to slow down. She then said if she can't go fast....might as well go for the mud. After they got out of the car they hopped in the creek for a bath. Clark
I don't have any videos but i do have plenty of pics. A lot of them I had to get from other people. Every car has to start someplace. It came from Morgantown WV. It was a parade car with a shortened wheelbase for wheelstanding. The idea behind the car was to build it for $999. At the time monster garage was a big hit. So we said why not try to build it in 6 days and race it on the 7th. We did it in 6 days with plenty of shenanigans. I would guess this was the 4th day. I'm guessing this was from the 7th day..the Jalopy Showdown. Most of the guys that helped with the build got to drive it that day.
Why don't you make history one more time and bring it back to latimore this year so you can get the feeling of it on the track. The same track that made that little car famous. Its only a month away. I seen it last weekend at billetproof looks the same as when I saw it when clark owned. Still muddy and dirty too hahahaha
There is some video footage in the one Mad Fabricators video. The hoodsides and some other refinements came after the initial 6 day build. This pic is with Zombie from Rod and Kulture in the passenger seat. Right after this ride he had to leave to catch his flight. He got n the plane with mud all over him. A couple of years later I got a bug up my ass to paint the car and we stripped her down a couple of weeks before the Showdown and painted it Purple with the white scallop on the front like my old RPU. It was done the day before the Showdown. It fired the night before but must have gotten stage fright with it's new paint and wouldn't run the day of the show. We worked for hours and could not get it going. I had to work the show and my wife got it going with the help of some friends. It ended up being a bad connection in the ignition. The hood is off in this pic from trying to get it running. The car went to the first Jalopy Showdown drags. The knobbies were traded for slicks. I thought we would blow the rear up with the slicks but the clutch went first. The car did some OK burnouts but didn't do well on the track with the clutch slipping. Not to mention the slight hill at the start line that was making the clutch cars drift back at the light. When I had the car I took it to Daytona and Columbus. I'll admit I was a pussy and towed the truck with my 48. Props go out to Squiggy and Lenny for driving it 4,000 miles in a week or so.
Then there was the time Lynn Paxton told me to take it through the creek. Others followed and Larry shut us down quick and we're no longer allowed to do it. Since the car is in Florida...a little advice. Don't drive it in the Ocean! We did a little wave crashing with the car when in Daytona. Wish I had a video of that! Oveer night the steering seized up. It had a brass bushing instead of the bearing block it has now. We freed it up with KY Jelly. Don't ask it's all we could come up with. Clark
the car is historic and fun to drive. It has sat in the back of my head since I did and probably the main reason I am building a Modified now. Clark has been generous in letting people enjoy the car. that might be its legacy along with all the mud it swallowed over the years
Hey clark, you have any pictures of how you connected the rear wishbones. I am at that point with mine and yours is like mine (the frame rails sit below the axle, which means a decent size step up from the wishbones to the axle
Boones...The rear wishbones are stock 42-48 Ford. They were piecut about 4-6 inches infront of the axle to pull them out and align up and down with the frame. They then have a nice gusset over the bend to strengthen them. You can see the bend in the pic with the hood off. BTW it's been purple for a while....just never clean Clark
WOW! Thanks Clark, that's the kinda stuff I wanted to read. I spoke with Von Loppy and he will be posting a few quick videos and a few more pix. **Hotroded- I overheard a conversation at Billetproof that there is a chance it may be up there. Wouldn't that be sumthin'!!! .
Great stuff, Clark. That car is bad-ass and you guys are..well..insane. Thanks a bunch for posting up the pics and story behind the "legendary" 999......Don.
I love this car, I want one ! Clark, The body looks like a Dodge, or really a Willys touring ? You said you were worried about the rear end after a ruff weekend of spirited driving, what rear end is in it? Better yet, how about a parts list of how it came together ?
We originally thought it was a Dodge but it may be a Whippet or Willys. Parts list as best as I can remember. Rear axle and bones are 46 Ford car with a model A spring. The axle bells were switched side to side to get the spring infront of the axle. Front axle and bones are 46 Ford again with an A spring. T gas tank 34 Olds taillights Whippet grill and radiator. 37 Chevy steering box with extended pitman arm shaft. early 80's ranger pickup 2.3 4 banger and 5 speed tranny. 16 inch wires on the front and 17 on the back. That's about it. We made the frame and extended the body a little. Clark
I freakin' LOVE this car. I shot a feature of it for Hot Rod Deluxe when I was at the Lonestar Roundup a couple weeks ago. It is everything hot rodding should be. (In fact, I think I just named the story... "What hot rodding should be.") I shot a ton of detail pics before I found the current owner, because I've been collecting parts for a throw-together rod for a while now, without REALLY knowing what I wanted to do. The 999 is definitely in the spirit of what I want to do... Luckily I happened to go back when Winfield was signing the dash and scheduled a shoot. If anyone has any high-res images of the car dirt-tracking (or Clark, if you have any of it being built), let me know. This car is so fun, it really sets the standard. -Brad
Clark--I NEED to know how you bent the rear section of the frame... it wraps around sooooo nice and clean. It was one of the things I shot a bunch of pics of. I may or may not work it into the story, but it was definitely inspiring for my own "someday" build. The whole rear part of the frame was really well done. (also, shoot me a PM with your number, wouldja?) -Brad
Brad...It's just 3/16 plate cut to shape and welded in. That is one of the cool little details I loved on the car. I don't think this pic hasbeen published. It is one of my favorites along with the other pic posted earlier. Clark
Haha...I love my car. I was after it for 4-5 yrs.then one day finally persistance. yes lenny drove it to and from texas and yes we went thru the car before replaced some parts.yes it smokes just like a tired motor should,(3 cases of oil to and from texas) I love this car i am trying like hell to get to Pa.for Jalopy Showdown. trust me guys i really am trying like hell...:-( Now i know she was a whore so lets fess up guys and girls stories stories.... Clark and friends Thanks for selling it to me, Brad Thank you for the write up..Lenny had alot of fun doing the photoshoot....Thanks,Squigy
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