Drag Racing and Street racing in the 60's, 70's and 80's.

[Wayne M.]

I don't think this topic has ever been covered here on the TDR since it's so far off base. I know that a good population here is in the age group that would have enjoyed such activity, and it was quite popular in almost any city or town then. I know there are a few car guys here and some machinery I see in signatures are impressive! So if you've ever BOMB'd your Detroit iron back in the day and did the deed, let's talk about it! I know NYC was a real hotbed of Street racing activity then, and I have seen some of it as it wound down. Regarding Drag Racing, It is my first hobby, and while it's on hold while I tend to family and money issues, it remains a passion of mine Oo. and I love to discuss it. Especially it's glamorous history. If member HEMIdart catches this, he will know where I got the idea.


On edit, I should note that I do not endorse or encourage any type of illegal activity on our public roads... ...

 

[jgillott]

I would run my 2001 Ram at the track quite a bit up until late 2007 when I sold it for a more family oriented (read more street friendly) new truck. It wasn't the fastest around, but it wasn't the slowest. By far, the most fun vehicle I have ever owned/raced.

The first car that I participated in legal racing activities with was a '70 Nova. Original 350 built on a budget back then with way too much cam, single plane intake, big 4bbl, a 4-speed and 4. 56 gears. I'd never build something like that now. Dang thing would overheat, wouldn't run under 3500 rpm, and was just plain lousy to drive. But heck, what did I know back then. On a side note, one of my best friends that I ended up meeting here on TDR of all places owned a '70 Chevelle and we used to race against each other years ago. It wasn't until we met here on TDR and started swapping stories that we remembered each other's cars. Small world isn't it.

I ended up selling that Nova and purchased a Corvette that I took down the drag strip a few times and also ran some of the SCCA Autocross stuff with. I still have that one under a cover over in the garage. Come to think of it, I haven't started that thing in almost a year probably. Since it's such a nice day here in western PA, maybe I'll see if she will fire up for a little run this evening.

 

[Rattler]

I was one of those street guys. I have had a string of fast Mopars over the years. In the early 80's I was working a night shift job. The local boys in blue would wait for me to come by on my way home. They never caught me, but a friend in blue warned me that they had it in for me, so I stopped before someone got hurt or I went to jail. I still light going fast. I built a pro-street 57 dodge truck last year. Little 512 stroker motor and 4:10 gears really punishes thoe 31x18. 5 tires. We went and watched Hot Rod magazines Drag Week last week. If you get the chance to see it, it is a great event. Fast cars, great people, and no real prize money. Just racing for the fun of it.

 

[E7mack96]

I used to street race alot. . I ran big block Olds 455 engines with nitrous. the fun part for me was that i ran the stock 2. 73 gears and I ran a full size car. . It still ran 12's but would do 150+ on the interstate. We used to shut down the highway by doing a rolling roadblock and then the 2 front cars would race (2 lane highway). There were alot of faster cars in the circle, but I'd beat my fair share. nuttin like lifting the front tire from a traffic light launch (if only just 1 tire and an inch or 2 of lift... LOL) I got my brother into racing and not he races semi-professionally in the NMRA circuit. Beefcake is his handle. I've raced my Rams on the streets / interstates / local tracks too. . I love the thrust of big torque.

 

[fox]

I use to have a 69 biscayne 427. It had 3. 07 gears and would easliy run 150. A friend had a 70 GTO ram air 3 and I always beat him to 40 then he hit 3rd ( 4 speed) and jumped ahead, I ran him down after 100.
Funny thing is we raced at Ohio valley drag strip in louisville Ky and I always had better times than he. 9. 83----1000 ft.
Many close calls and finally said time to grow up. Out ran two boys in blue. It was stupid.
Cool thing was that car would get 16 or a little better mpg if I drone it at 60mph. Not fast and not slower, it just simply liked 60 mph.

 

[mrtrombley]

I was not in the same league as you "big boys", but I bet I had just as much fun. I had a 110HP, 4 Speed stick, '64 Corvair and it was a blast. I did a lot of gymkhana's back then, they were pretty popular in my area. Young and no fear, I usually won my class. Also did some hill climbs. But the most fun was racing on the ice! A road course would be plowed out of the snow cover and away we would go. The main trick was keeping it on the track course and out of the snow banks.

Later, after I was married, I was able to get a '65 Austin Healey with the straight 6 and dual carbs. Raced it in gymkhana's a couple times, was able to win a trophy, but it wasn't easy. Car not made for that type of racing, no synchro-mesh when trying to get back down into first gear. Didn't want to hurt it, so just had fun with it. Perfect for cruising around with the wive and our 2 kids in the little rear jump seats.

Oh, BTW, hope I'm not rambling and getting away from the main subject!!!

 

[jgillott]

Not that I would actually pull the trigger, but there have been some excellent deals on Craigslist lately for 60's and early 70's cars. I guess with this economy, lots of people are attempting to sell their toys. I've got the itch for another one, just know that I don't have the time for another project. But if I did, this would be the time to buy.

 

[Wayne M.]

E7Mack, I love the "large cars"! I've seen buicks and poncho's maxed out, but never a serious Olds. I love it. There was a shop in Brooklyn called Pee Gee performance and they were Buick people. They had a 455 Electra 225 sleeper that would clean house.
Fox, that 427 Biscayne was a 2 door post car? It probably looked awesome!
mrtrombley, I guess you proved Ralph Nader wrong with Corvair handling problems. . LOL. Whas that Healey a 100-6 or a 2000? And, where is it today??? ($$$) Beautiful car!
Rattler, I saw the truck in your sig... Any pictures? Someday I'd like to come down to your area and see one of those (what I call) magazine events. Nothing like that happening around here- too anti-car...
As far as rambling goes, that's what this thread is all about, a walk around the barn- with a beer
Has anyone been in the NHRA/ IHRA/ AHRA circuit? Owned a record? has/had a Super Stocker or a Stock class car?

 

[Jim W]

I and a group of guys use to street race on an old two lane black top in the country during the late 60's nothing but cows and corn around. This road is now a 4 lane highway with turn lanes and business and homes around this road and you can't go over 40 miles hour now.
We would also spend all Sunday at Oswego Drag Way's in Oswego IL. If anyone listen to the old WLS radio station (AM) you could hear their commercial most of the week. The commercial started out with a guy yelling SUNDAY... SUNDAY... . SUNDAY and then go on to describe who was running that weekend such as BIG DADDY Don Garlits or the Little Red Wagon (Dodge from the 60's) and of course the Green Monster driven by Art Arfons. An then Z-Frank's 57 Chevy was there every weekend just about, for about $10 you could run your car against someone else with very little safety equipment maybe a drive shaft guard and helmet being all that was required.
What is sad now is the track is gone. The land was sold a long time ago for a shopping center and nursery for trees, with homes now across the street and down the road.

I also love the movie called the "Hollywood Knight's" that what the 60's was all about.
Jim W.

 

[rscurtis]

I was never in to street racing, but had the car that would do it. When I was a kid, I bought a 2-year old Ford Galaxie 7-Litre convertible with the optional 427 engine. It would get to 60 in 5 seconds in first gear. The original owner had moved the battery to the trunk and installed a Detroit Locker differential (wonder why). I learned a lot with that car, both from rebuilding the engine and learning how to make the two Holley carburetors somewhat reliable. It was a real sleeper, unless you had a good ear and could hear the mechanical tappets.



At the same time, my father had an original first-run '68 Hurst Olds, one of I believe 18 made with factory AC. Both of these would be big-dollar cars today.

 

[Wayne M.]

I was never in to street racing, but had the car that would do it. When I was a kid, I bought a 2-year old Ford Galaxie 7-Litre convertible with the optional 427 engine. It would get to 60 in 5 seconds in first gear. The original owner had moved the battery to the trunk and installed a Detroit Locker differential (wonder why). I learned a lot with that car, both from rebuilding the engine and learning how to make the two Holley carburetors somewhat reliable. It was a real sleeper, unless you had a good ear and could hear the mechanical tappets.

At the same time, my father had an original first-run '68 Hurst Olds, one of I believe 18 made with factory AC. Both of these would be big-dollar cars today.

Yes indeed. They are both very desirable cars!

 

[mrtrombley]

Wayne M.
"mrtrombley, I guess you proved Ralph Nader wrong with Corvair handling problems. . LOL. Whas that Healey a 100-6 or a 2000? And, where is it today??? ($$$) Beautiful car!"

The problem with the Corvair (similar to the Firestone problem) was that they recommended something like 20psi in the tires. At that psi the sidewalls roll over! Put in the normal 30 to 35psi and guess what, no problems.

My AH was the 3000 soft top model, front bucket seats with 2 small jump seats in the back. Ideal for my young family at the time. Should have been there when my 300lb co-worker asked for a ride home. He was 3rd person and had to ride in the rear. Top was up, he had to unzip the rear window, his head and shoulders would not fit inside the car. I originally bought the car with lots of rust holes for $500. 6 years and lots of $$$ later, I sold it for $4500. Certainly would be worth a lot more today! It was a fun car, but if I had kept it, I would have been putting out a lot more $$$ to get it where I wanted it to be.

Anyway, here's one for you draggers. Went to Summit Raceway (Dragstrip) over July 4th week.

Not a Cummins, but pretty cool! Over 200mph in quarter mile.

 

[Larry Willard]

I would never do something like that. Not even in Mom's '65 Dodge Coronet against one of the guys '64 Galaxy.
Larry

 

[Bill Stockard]

Yep, I 've participated in street drags. I had a '60 Chevy Impala 2-door hardtop, beautiful black (the one and only black car I've ever owned) with a red interior. 348 with three on the column and it would run 60-MPH in 1st gear without floating the valves. Invert the air cleaner lid and the valves would float. Ask why I know that. In the early 60s I-35E went around Denton, TX with paved concrete service roads. We had a straight quarter mile marked on the east service road and participated in many street drags. I lived a few blocks away and could often hear others using "our" race track. The local gendarmes knew most of us and didn't bother us unless the crowd go too large. In '66 when I bought my Vette, I could run it up the interstate for short runs at double the speed limit. I quit that stuff after successfully out running the TX Highway Patrol one night. I figured my time was up. :-laf

Bill

 

[DNDracing]

Well, can't say that I raced in the 60's, 70's, or 80's, but definitely have an appreciation for it!

I started drag racing in the 90's, with circa 1970 American Motors equipment, not sure if that counts?

Good thread though, love reading all these posts, so cool.

 

[Wayne M.]

Post pictures of your grem (I love those!!) and your stocker please.

 

[DNDracing]

1st attempt at uploading pics, so here goes

Gremlin at my home track, Milan Dragway, in Milan, MI

No action photo's yet of the Dakota, here is one from Milan of the Dakota in the staging lanes during a test and tune session:

 

[Wayne M.]

The gremlin hooks nice. Looks like 10" tire?

 

[DNDracing]

Good eye, 10" tire!

That is a touch higher than the normal wheel stand it does, but it typically picks em up 12-18" or so at launch.

The guy in the black and red flannel shirt with the hat on you see in the background watching the launch intently is my Dad, me and him built both vehicles. Cars (and sports) helped keep me out of trouble as a kid / teenager, and now it gives me and my ole man something cool to share together.

If he was into forums at all, (he is a TDR member with a 90 CTD approaching 400,000 miles) he would have some good old days drag racing stories!

 

[Wayne M.]

Your dad hopefully sent in his info to get recognition for the miles he wound up. Congrats to him. What trans in the grem? Has a 'brake?