MikeM

Blue,

I know about Bunker Hill. Never was there. I'm from the south end of the state. I did run at US 30 one time.

65tripleblack

Best run on these tires was 12.73 @ 112.69 with 3.73 axle.
Best trap speed so far is 113.54.
A better driver could easily beat that.

That's a rare and desirable Savoy! Wish I had one like it. A bud of mine in the mid sixties had a 2 door red '64 bench seat Fury with a Stage III Max Wedge that he built with 4.88 gears. That ran in the high 11's.

hope2

anyone from Long Island remember Wetson's next to Jolly Roger? Hempstead Turnpike and Hicksville Road? They should have charged admission. Staging for drag racing on unfinished Highway 111.

DZAUTO

When I was stationed at Ft Sam Houston (San Antonio) in the early 60s, the Dodge dealer had a 426 Max Wedge car that was setup for the strip. They ran it on weekends and then cleaned it up and put it on the showroom floor during the week. It was killer on the strip and I went to the dealership ocassionally just to look at it.
Anyone here remember that car???????????

sub006

Early in this thread (five years ago) some of the contemporary C1 and C2 magazine road test times seem kind of slow, low to mid-14's.

I think the reason pure stock old 'Vettes run a second or more faster today is the HUGE improvement in street tire traction.

Ol Blue

The Atlas Bucron's were a popular tire for street/strip in the early 60's.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/thesta...on/8225037813/

63Corvette

Nope, BUT the Plymouth dealer in Port Arthur, Texas ran two different RACE Hemis at the Golden Triangle Drag Strip in Beaumont. In 1964 they ran an aluminum bodied car called "INFAMY". In 1965, They ran a (acid dipped) Steel bodied car called "The Rattler". Note both of these cars were FULL on Factory SS/A cars with the afore mentioned body parts, no rear seat, and (among other things) a 6 cylinder muffler system attached to the car, but not to the motor. Wonder where they are today?

MikeM

They were almost as good as 7" cheater slicks back then.

Most guys back then didn't realize a couple of feet jump at the start was worth a couple car lengths at the other end.

Powershift

Lived in Beaumont during the early 1970's. (1970-1974) Used to go to the GT Racetrack often. I think it was actually in Nederland, but was close to the Beaumont line. Made a few passes there in a friends 1969 Z28: 12 sec street warrior/racer. Don't remember the Plymouths…………..do you remember who was the Port Arthur Dealer??

Had my BB 1965 Plymouth and my 1969 AMX at the time. Jones AMC used to race there also, and had two (2) of the 52 Hurst prepared SS/C AMX's. They were fast, but always broke parts, so they really were not competitive .

Good memories

Larry

sub006

I remember the Bucron mystique. And Vogue gold stripe whitewall "Custom-Built Tyres". But footprint for footprint, I don't think they could some close to a BFG Radial T/A.

To say nothing of today's Mickey Thompson "street legal cheater" tires.

vettsplit 63

Hmm- I went to Alamo Dragway in 67' anytime when they would let us out of MTC. Probably too late. Don't remember the Dodge dealer having a factory car then. Did get to see Dickie Harrell spin his funny car around and haul azz back to the starting line where the fire extinguisher was to put out a fire under the body of his car though.



I did get to see a 65 or 66 Mustang fastback with a Turbonique rocket attached to the rear end though. Crazy fast!

MikeM

"Footprint" didn't have anything to do with how sticky they were. They were just "sticky".

TA's and M/T's weren't even thought of when these tires were on the market.

Casler recapped cheaters were though and if you could spring for the big bucks, M/H cheaters could be had for a premium price.

TCracingCA

What could we mail order in for our Hot Rods! I remember the only other Corvette guy in our immediately neighborhood putting a Segal lift kit on the back of his Vette so he could fit the cheater slicks! We had Bluestreaks super gummy ones from the road racing on our Vette.

When we all first got our driver's licenses and subsequently our first cars, I think every parent on the street suddenly had run out of bleach because we were over near the freeway using it on a cul-de-sac practicing our bleach box burn-outs!

PS that guy around the corner was weird and even ordered the Dzus Clutch stops and other gimmicks! His Corvette was a rolling gimmick, but it would be interesting and nostalgic if the car was found and had all of that stuff still to this day. I have curb feelers on my front IMSA spoiler because I hate doing fiberglass work, and right out of the catalog!

DansYellow66

You don't have to remind me about what stupid stuff some of us did to our cars when we were 18 or 19 years old and they were just used cars.

Westlotorn

My buddy bought a 64 Savoy Max Wedge 426 and built it for drag racing in the NHRA classes ran Div 6 and 7. With the 4 speed manual he held the class record in A or B, my memory does not serve me now. I do remember 10.36 at 129 MPH in a car that passed the NHRA stock rules. Seems to me he got down to 10.29 with good air once.
( NHRA Stock allows many changes but basic engine configuration is reasonable for a street racer )
Those engines ran hard but this is a Vette Forum so, they never beat the Vette.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it. If you need facts get the copy of the song and listen to it again. Don't let magazines and actual road tests get in the way of a good songs facts.

As far as magazine facts, another friend bought the car from the magazine tour in 1973, it was a 73 Buick Stage 3, in the magazine this 73 was a powerhouse, I do not remember the times but it was very fast and confirmed by multiple magazine tests.
When the tour was over Buick sold the car, my buddy bought it with full warranty at a steep discount because of its hard life. I think it had less than 5,000 miles on it.
At 10,000 miles it spun a bearing. On tear down they found a modified drag race crankshaft, 1970 Pistons, forged Sealed Power not OEM factory pistons and a 70 camshaft. Remember this was 73, second year of smog engines. Buick did warranty his engine but they were busted. The magazine articles were all full of a doctored engines including his 455.
He still has this car, just finished a full restore and it is the most beautiful 73 Buick on earth I think. Just a back Story. More reason to trust the Song!
Shut em DOWN! Thanks to all for the enjoyable read.

SDVette

Great Thread!

I was listening to this song with my son (13), remembering listening to it with my dad when I was 13.. The Wikipedia has some nice (and perhaps erroneous) info:

"Shut Down" is a song written by Brian Wilson, Roger Christian and Mike Love for the US rock band the Beach Boys. It was released on their 1963 album Surfin' U.S.A. and was also released on their 1963 album Little Deuce Coupe. It was also released as the B-side of the "Surfin' U.S.A." single. The single peaked at number 23 in the US and number 34 in the UK

The song details a drag race between a Super-Stock 413 cu. in.-powered 1962 Dodge Dart and a fuel injected 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and is derived from a longer poem by Christian.

The song was recorded and released by Jan & Dean on their 1982 album, One Summer Night/Live.

----

I have searched (unsuccessfully) to find the original poem.. Perhaps it has the answer to who wins the race??!!

Westlotorn

I have searched (unsuccessfully) to find the original poem.. Perhaps it has the answer to who wins the race??!!
On the Vette Forum the Vette Wins!!!

sub006

I wasn't suggesting we take some modern tires back to the '60s, I meant that today's street tires are better than the race tires of 50 years ago.

Just like a new Camry automatic sedan can run with many mild '60s 'Vettes, last test I read was 7 seconds 0-60.

mashinter

Dan:

You're right. I got Quarter-Mile Muscle by Davis and couldn't put it down.

I have a '59 that needs finishing, so I won't be building a car any time soon, but I have visited the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drags to watch Donny run. My favorite run last year: A 409 was asleep at the line, and to catch his competitor, he had to power-shift his way to a win.

You won't regret making a visit to Stanton MI Sept. 12-13 2014 if you enjoy the 60s muscle cars.

Bill

sbcbuilder

Those were the days. If you had the money you just went to the dealer and ordered it. Give me the old tried and true muscle cars from the 60s and 70s. Nothing like them. These cars you had to drive them to make them work. Too many accidents today are because there is no more seat of the pants feed back, show me a factory car that gives you that rush as you popped the clutch and the front wheel went in the air and then you hit second gear, then third, then fourth. You slowed down and went pack into the pits, and lined up to do it all over again. And in some locations the pump gas was better than some race fuels. The good ole days were just that - fun, fun and more fun. I remember pumping gas after school for 30 cents a gallon!!