Re: Ss/x
 

Yes we used an aluminum PG, it allowed us to add a fair amount in the truck area because we were 100 lbs under the listed weight. We never really got the car figured out in SS/X our best time was slightly under the 14.70 min. that worked out OK until the record got bombed down to I think 14.35 or something like that. Moving everything to SS/W had a 14.31 min. and the car went a best of 13.76. It would run under 14 just about anywhere. We sold it at the end of 72 while it still had the MPH record.
Dave

Re: Ss/x
 

Vacuum leaks were hard to stop back in those days on those Rochester 2 barrels.

Re: Ss/x
 

Frank Jordan SS/X , He had some neat stories about that car, would have been cool to race in that era.

Re: Ss/x
 

So very true!!

Re: Ss/x
 

Not entirely correct, Mark. Even though the lower SS classes didn't have an "A" on
them...NHRA grouped the autos and sticks together...in the same class for awhile.
SS/X had BOTH autos and stick cars together...proof is right here on this thread....
It appears that the '57's..the '60's like "Bits-n-Pieces"...the "Copper-
Stopper"...(note logo on rf fender in photo.."3-spd trans by")..and Frank Jordan's car
(note Hays decal) were 3-speed sticks...Mr Hofer here chose to build his "61 as a
pg car...(and weren't the Olds' hydramatics?)

So BOTH sticks and autos TOGETHER in SS/X class...for awhile...and this was true
also in SS/R...SS/T...SS/U...SS/V...and SS/W...you could build a car as auto or stick
and it would have that designation...but this only happened for 2 or 3 years...Maybe
"Q" as well?
Another example was that photo I posted a while back..the SS/V '72 Nats trophy
Hedworth vs Vaubel...you ever see Val try to "row" a stick? Both pg cars despite
no "A" in the designation....

The confusing part is a couple of years later...NHRA "split" the lower SS classes
into separate "stick" and "auto." Remember...SS/QA...SS/RA...SS/TA...ss/UA?

Re: Ss/x
 

Back again...had to leave and couldn't finish the last entry! This separation of the
lower SS auto and stick cars only lasted a year or two...I'm going to say about 1976
or '77? By 1978, SS/P (and PA) were the lowest classes (I think?)

I wasn't involved in the "pulse" of class racing at that time...and would welcome the
veteran members here who participated those years to correct me or add comments.
Don't have any Nat Dragsters, programs, or other sources of info...I think I tossed all
of them years ago...so I'm going on my feeble memory....

I do recall Vic Holley from the Midwest...being the SS/TA record holder for a bit in
a 220 hp big '66 Chevy...also maybe D2 Ronnie Charnes in a similar SS/TA...
before he went to a Camaro stocker...but that's all I remember?

Not 100% sure...but I think the reason they separated the autos from the sticks
was it was thought that the 3-spd...despite the "gaps" in ratios...was still good for
.1-2 tenths quicker than the autos at that time....and maybe the "auto" racers
"bitched" to NHRA? A 4-spd...if you could get a combo in the lower classes would
be even faster...

Think I saw a '66 Chev big wagon in SS/U running 220hp/4-spd...racing
against '55 Chev 180hp-PG cars for class....

I wonder if the SS/X class lasted a year or 2 later than previously stated...maybe
into '74 or '75? Of course later on, there was a SS/X class for V-6 SS cars....
but we're not talking about that here....

Re: Ss/x
 

Need to clarify then.
We were originally talking about the 57 2 dr wagon, and whether or not it could be a 283 in SS/X, even with the extra weight of the cast iron PG. I was pointing out that no, it wouldn't make the class.I believe that is correct.

What I meant is there was no separate automatic classes below I think , 18lbs.
There were plenty of automatic cars running in the stick shift classes back in the day.
Hudsons, Oldsmobiles etc. ; sometimes using the additional weight of the PG or Hydramatic to get down to the next lower class.

Paul Dilcher was a winner back then with a 55 2 dr.HT with a Powerglide, in SS/U.

Re: Ss/x
 

Mark, I got it now...I'd be real interested in finding out how many of those 5 entries
at Indy were '57 cars vs '60 cars but if too much trouble...we can stop right here....

Re: Ss/x
 

I found some old pictures your 1972. The brown two door wagon I was talking about looks like a 1956( so probably a 265 CI) but I can't tell for sure since I only have a small portion of the car in the picture. The name on the side is " Slater & Packered" I think and it has " Points Champion" Toronto International Raceway on the side. I can't scan the photo but I hope this helps
Dave

Re: Ss/x
 

The best combination for SS/X had to be Yakima, Washington's Pruitt-Reid-Heinson 1963 Ford Custom 300 2 door Sedan..260 2v, 162 HP, T 10 4spd, 6:50 9" ....many times #1 qualifier and many times protested..those were the days..talk about dime rocket she was a nickel rocket..

Re: Ss/x
 

Re: Ss/x
 

I built that 57 wagon in 1967 and sold it to Bob Slater after I got married in 69'. It was a 265 cu in with a 3 spd stick. I still have all my paper work from back them somewhere. In 72' he broke his leg in a car accident and called me to drive it. We won 19 out of 26 eliminators that year. It would run a .10th under anywhere and the only guy to beat me if it didn't break a trans or clutch was the late Joe Kenney at a now long gone track called Golden Horeshoe Dragway outside Toronto Ontario.. The guys who raced then still call me the cheater or the leaker for using a removable plug from the rear of the carb in 2nd gear. NHRA outlawed the vacuum leak in Aug of 72'. I gave the car and the money it won back to Slater that fall and never saw or heard about it again..http://www.classracer.com/classforum...cons/icon6.gif

Re: Ss/x
 

Thanks for sharing the story of the 57 wagon. it brings back a ton of good memories of racing back then. They never had a problem with car counts then. The pits were always full.
Dave

Re: Ss/x
 

“As far as who the "hitters" were in SS/X...Kronenbitter would be top spot with the "Bits-n-Pieces car.”

“Vacuum leaks were hard to stop back in those days on those Rochester 2 barrels”

These thread comments have brought back many memories. My brother and I ran SS/X in a '60 Chevy, 283/3 speed stick in the '72 season, attending the 72 Indy Nationals only to get "caught up" in vacuum leak deal. The Bits-N-Pieces car was pitted near us and offered a couple shifter side plate linkages after breaking. http://talbotracingteam.wink.ws/indy%20letter.htm

We never did qualify, but it was an experience that turned us to Brackets the next season!
Ralph T.

Re: Ss/x
 

Ralph
We also attended Indy 72. Our SS/W car was also "caught up" in the "carb leaking" mess and we also didn't qualify. We did have the fastest "W" car there but got beat on a hole shot. Given a heads up on the rule change I know we could have gotten to the record with a cam and gear change. I remember your letter to the editor well since all the cars had to run on the records and they were all set the same way. You did a great job of expressing the frustration of all the "X & W" competitors that made the trip to Indy and were blindsided by the rule change. In "W" we weren't in as bad of shape since the min. was never broken but still a hard number to hit.
Originally we just didn't tighten the carb down tight and that worked pretty well. Later we tried different things. The car ran best when we drilled and tapped the underside of each intake runner in the intake manifold and installed a carb. jet I can't remember what size but the air came from the breather tube at the back on the motor, the carb jetting was adjusted accordingly to match the increased air flow. In any case the motor really responded to this and the car flew.
Dave

Re: Ss/x
 

The leaks never stopped, they just became a bit more sophisticated, I was there, P/S 59 Biscayne 283/185 4 speed. Was it wrong, yes, I guess it was but if every car that cheated a little got tossed there would be no one there to race.

Re: Ss/x