50's 60's style stock car and drag racing...

[Lucky13]

I'm trying to find interesting books about the 1950's and 60's stock car (NASCAR) racing and factory sponsored drag racing...back when it was race on Sunday and drive on Monday... Heroes like "Fireball" Roberts, Junior Johnson, the Petty family, Bobby Isaac...

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Wow, Junior Johnson - I haven't heard that name in years!

 

[Lucky13]

Isn't he still running a team in NASCAR? I like what he said about Mopar back in the day when they had the Hemi's....if you can't beat them, join them....

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I had a 69 GTX - 440 Commando - it was a monster...

 

[Lucky13]

Last year of great looking cars, if you except 70' Dodge Charger, Plymouth Roadrunner and GTX and the 70'-71 Challenger and Cudas.... I painted the covers for a Hemi once at my old work in Sweden....f**king size of a bathtub so they were!

 

[Njaco]

I dunno...I had a '73 Dodge Challenger with posi rear and '73 plymouth Charger at the same time, both with Hemis. Loved the look of the Challenger for that year. Only problem was even the hint of rain and I would have some electrical problem. But man could it move!

That time period I love because just about anybody could spend a few hundred bucks on aftermarket parts and compete. Almost true racing.

But early 70s was about when cars last looked good. Cougar went Titanic along with T-Bird and a few others, Mustang went micro with squirrel engines. Camaro and Firebird tried but wasn't the same.

 

[Lucky13]

Optimum would be to have the '68 Dodge Charger and Mustang from Bullitt in the garage....

 

[Njaco]

In the early 80s I had the Bullitt Mustang...68 fastback, same dark green but only a 289 in it. Not much room for anything else. Frickin' tight engine space in those things.

But that was agood year. Along with the 'stang I had a 68 Galaxy 500 fastback with the 302. Had tons of fun in that thing! Reliable as hell.

Gems of 68...

Camaro
Barracuda
GTO
Mustang
Chevelle SS
Cougar
.....my mind just went blank!

 

[pbfoot]

Had a 66 289/271 Mustang but it somehow fell in the river , 69 Fairlane with a 351 it should have fallen in the river , . But to me the power beasts would have been the Camaro RT with the 302 , 442 Olds Cutlass and the 68 340 Cuda

 

[Screaming Eagle]

hey lucky do you get a magazine in scotland called 'muscle car review'? every issue they always do a nostalgic story and they are normally about factory sponsored drag racing and I think stock car racing. I started buying the magazine about 5 months ago and since then have not stopped! BTW heres a link to one of my dream cars

Mr. Norm's 1968 Hemi Dart for 2007

 

[Heinz]

I wish I could time travel!

I belong back then!

 

[Lucky13]

hey lucky do you get a magazine in scotland called 'muscle car review'? every issue they always do a nostalgic story and they are normally about factory sponsored drag racing and I think stock car racing. I started buying the magazine about 5 months ago and since then have not stopped! BTW heres a link to one of my dream cars

Mr. Norm's 1968 Hemi Dart for 2007

I don't know....I'll have a check.

 

[Njaco]

I just got goosebumps. Lucky, any idea if they still run old car races in England. Heard a few years ago they get together and run like old MBs and Cooper S' and such. Would love to see that.

 

[Lucky13]

I think that they still do actually mate....

 

[Screaming Eagle]

love the mopars lucky! I also buy mopar muscle too.

 

[Njaco]

Mopar, ahhhhh, the age of style, design and colanders for carburators!

Wasn't it great back then when engines were so simple all you needed for tools were a few screwdrivers and wrenches? I'm afraid to look under the hood nowadays.

 

[Lucky13]

You need a four year doctors education to just change the f**king sparkplugs today...

Now, designers of today.....this is car design! Watch it so you don't get get sucked in......'68 Charger with 426 Hemi......YUMMY!

 

[pbfoot]

Something I always disliked about Mopars was the body they didn't take well to winter conditions . I believe they had great engines but IMHO the rest was scrap. If I was to opt for a car with a good body a power to spare it would be the 69 Nova ss 396. I owned Fords during this period a 66 mustang 289/271 and a 69 Fairlane with a 351 Cleveland then to a 71 455 Olds Cutlass

 

[Njaco]

Heres some pics for those engineering students to show what design is all about. (Heinz, take notes ) Salivating allowed.

71 Dodge Challenger convertable
73 Dodge Challenger R/T
69 Dodge Daytona
70 Plymouth Superbird

Lets go racing!

 

[Njaco]

71 Challenger