Hot Rods THE INDUCTION THREAD

Note the decal on the valve cover.
For those not familiar with who Traco was; here are some articles on their history.

https://speedsport.com/racing-history/traco-engineering-spelled-victory/

https://www.sema.org/sema-enews/2013/22/sema-heritage-chevy-small-block-and-traco-engineering

http://hotrodenginetech.com/raceman/

 

Traco

 

?British

 

Would you believe NASCAR




1965 Dodge Coronet - Supercharged NASCAR Stocker
The supercharged '65 Coronet set a new course speed at Daytona.
From the February, 2009 issue of Hot Rod



Hot Rod published a special issue titled Mopar: Rare Vintage Photos '62-'72; In that magazine, we printed these photos by Petersen Publishing's Bob D'Olivo depicting a supercharged NASCAR stocker, and since we couldn't find any information about it other than a mention in a Hurst ad in 1966, we asked readers for help. And we got it.

Reader Dave Stine was the first to point us to a May '67 Pocket Books publication called The Dodge Book of Performance Cars that included a story on the '65 Coronet shown here, using information likely gleaned from a Chrysler press release of the time. It describes how Lee Roy Yarbrough, then 28, used this NASCAR stocker prepared by Ray Fox with a fuel-injected, blown 426 Hemi to set a new closed-course speed record of 181.818 mph at Daytona in February 1965. It was a glorious tale of running in the wind and rain, fishtailing in blow sand, and crossing the finish line sideways for the record. According to the Pocket Books story, Yarbrough said, "I never had the chance to use the power. It was sandy and slick and the tires just wouldn't get a bite. The only time it began to get a real bite, the wind almost blew me off the track." A subsequent attempt saw a straightaway speed of 230 mph, but a bolt stuck in the right front tire ended the day.

http://www.legendsofnascar.com/ray_fox.htm

 

Hello,

Inside of the hot rod garage (Speed Shop) display at the Price Transfer Automobilia Museum, were all kinds of stuff. From a traditional Flathead motor to other more modern speed stuff. This 471 GMC supercharger with the popular two port, Hilborn Injectors was just sitting here on display, but could be put on any of the hot rod/custom cars in the whole museum displays. Where will it end up in the months to come?

Standing around this garage scene made chills go up and down my spine, thinking back to our own backyard garage. Our garage did not have all of the stuff of this museum display, but the feeling was there. The 671, Isky Gilmer belt drive, SBC, 6 Strombergs, Joe Hunt Magneto, finned valve covers, etc. Hot rod/drag race parts ready for action in a couple of teenager’s backyard garage.

Jnaki
671 SBC Willys in the Lions Dragstrip Pits in 1960.
Just around the corner, down another aisle of the whole museum, there was 41 Willys coupe display that hit the exact spot in my memory banks. If I did not think it was the same Willys that we left in a salvage yard back in 1960, this could have been a duplicate, except for the twin grille pieces on our street legal C/Gas coupe.

The color, black rims, 671 SBC motor + the Hunt mag (sitting behind the coupe), level stance, etc…all were things that go “chill…goosebumps…” Even the black tow bar that was sitting on the floor below the grille was part of the flashback.

It actually looked like our Willys in the backyard garage at some stage of the build. Perhaps, it was when we rebuilt the motor back up to 292 c.i. from the stock 283. Then, we added the 671, new heads, Hunt mag, pistons and it was ready for the final install/tune.

P.S. Here is a chilling thought, our fire ravished 40 Willys coupe could have been purchased and resurrected from the hulk we left behind. A hot rodder/builder could have seen that Willys sitting inside the scrap yard gate in the dirt and rebuilt it to its new configuration. What an idea!

Everything from the front fenders back was completely stock and in pristine condition. Only the grille section was damaged. The frame was not bent and the hood was in the raised position when we started the fire extinguishing escapade. It must have popped up when it hit the fence. The only things missing were the drive line, transmission and 671 SBC motor. Otherwise, that empty shell of a Willys coupe was ready for someone else to extend its life. We were finished for this chapter.

 

I've often wondered about how good were those Autolite Inlines? How about some experienced handlers chiming in!

 

If a guy had a pallet of them he wouldn't be too worried where his next meal came from.

 

These were in an old Hemmings ad for $5000.00, not ever pricing any I don't know if that was a fair price or not. An older friend of mine that is an engine builder told me he used a few of these back in the day and was happy with their performance for what they were being used for.

 

What was he building for?

 

Drool!!!!!.....

 

Yesterday, after a quick stop, my el Caminos 454 fired it right up without touching the gas pedal, I thought about how smooth running and trouble free that Quadrajet carb is....

 

I had entirely too much time in that manifold! Boy does it make some power though!

 

Hilborn Injector I'm nearly finished refurbishing.

 

^^^^Very NICE.^^^^

 

Thanks Mikey, happy it's one of my own for once!