Connecting Highway

hemicop · 04-13-2010, 01:59 AM

You have to understand & remember that "street" car was a VERY broad term. These high-dollar races were usually set-up during the week & come the week-end, the car flat-towed to the location & ran. If the race was near one's shop, so much the better or if you were smart you'd set-up the race, tow several miles from the spot, then unhook your car&race your "street" car against a guys track car, often asking for a spot since "all" you had was a street car. Some guys "scouted" the drive-ins with their tow-car, set up a race then go get the car.
Now slower guys like me or a few others mentioned here did have legitimate dual-purpose cars and we didn't try running guys like "Heavy" or the others. We knew what they had & couldn't afford their kind of race. But other's like my friend who owned the speed shop DID have the bucks & would run for a grand or so with "backers" driving the bet up to five figures or so. But the average guy would only run for what his paycheck could safely tolerate.

Paul Ceasrine · 04-13-2010, 05:29 AM

Hemicop,
Also, some street-racers would buy a race-ready track car, sand off the lettering and re-paint it with primer or paint it badly (usually black).
Pull off the mag wheels, and pop on steel wheels. And almost always, pull off the front bumper.
The goal, to make it look 'ratty'. Bait your opponent for cash.
THEN BLOW HIS DOORS OFF!
I think the term used for those cars was 'suckermobiles' or 'sucker-cars'
Paul

hemicop · 04-13-2010, 01:50 PM

I've heard the term "sucker car" or more popularly "sleeper" and even the true racecars could draw someone in. My friend's '66 Impala wasa just an ugly version of Nick Scavo's old Impala but without the juice. I have a similiar motor in my garage I got from Schafiroff I'm hoping to use in my next project. "Sleepers" aren't popular here and I'm sure I can get it into the 10s (for here that's pretty quick.

Paul Ceasrine · 04-13-2010, 06:00 PM

Some Sleepers,
Usually, a 57' Chevy, with different colored doors, dented fenders, body-rot on the rear quarters, missing the bumpers, hanging head-liner.
Equipped with a tricked up 331c.i., Mondello Heads, and few other Goodies. Probably a 12.30 car.
PC

cammer427 · 04-13-2010, 06:44 PM

Although I do love the idea of sleepers, I prefer those cars you just know from the second you see 'em were meant for one thing and one thing only. Cars like the '68 Road Runner Art & Tex raced for Big Jerry, Froggy's '65 Belvedere, the Cross-Bay Dart and others from that time with that sort of look just gets my blood flowing. To me those are the coolest f-king vehicles ever made. Sure most of them don't have a front bumper, or a heater, or ... anything else. But that's the point. Just raw, nasty, wicked, primered, snorting, high-horse, no-back-seat, dinged up, rough looking machines that mean 100% business and won't show up for less than a few thousand $$$.

Paul Ceasrine · 04-14-2010, 09:57 AM

cammer427,
Had to check up on a 'Bunny-Ride'

.
My friend says; The 'Bunny' was at Dover late-summer 68', or possibly 1969, with a red 68' Mustang. Which could have put her near the Street-race scene, for a night or two.

Car was not a Boss 429 Mustang Pro/Stock like I thought. Could have been either a 68' 428 SS/E Cobra-Jet, or Modified Production.
Many Moons Ago,,,so I'll ask for some 'literary license'.
They say the first thig to go is the brain,,, but some other things on the body went first

Paul

hemicop · 04-14-2010, 10:00 AM

For alot of us the "rat rod" look (to use modern parlance) wsn't really a choice

. Once your car got known there was little reason to put any money in cleaning it up and most of us simply put our money in the driveline first, took out & ran it & suddnly, if you were good< your car became known. Since these were alot of young guys, extra money just wasn't availible.
I can remember standing above Connectin or hanging out at the Marina, sometimes for hours just waiting to see a high dollar run.

Paul Ceasrine · 04-14-2010, 12:11 PM

hemicop,
I can remember (1969/1970), guys were selling the 63' and 64' Dodge Max-wedge cars, because they were not pretty, at the track. Drag-strip racers sold them fairly cheap to street-racers, who of course pounded them 'Unmerciful', till there was nothing left...AHHHH!
If they only knew

,,
Paul

04-13-2010, 01:59 AM	#1
hemicop Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 63 Likes: 0 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Connecting Highway You have to understand & remember that "street" car was a VERY broad term. These high-dollar races were usually set-up during the week & come the week-end, the car flat-towed to the location & ran. If the race was near one's shop, so much the better or if you were smart you'd set-up the race, tow several miles from the spot, then unhook your car&race your "street" car against a guys track car, often asking for a spot since "all" you had was a street car. Some guys "scouted" the drive-ins with their tow-car, set up a race then go get the car. Now slower guys like me or a few others mentioned here did have legitimate dual-purpose cars and we didn't try running guys like "Heavy" or the others. We knew what they had & couldn't afford their kind of race. But other's like my friend who owned the speed shop DID have the bucks & would run for a grand or so with "backers" driving the bet up to five figures or so. But the average guy would only run for what his paycheck could safely tolerate.

04-13-2010, 05:29 AM	#2
Paul Ceasrine VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,546 Likes: 0 Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts	Re: Connecting Highway Hemicop, Also, some street-racers would buy a race-ready track car, sand off the lettering and re-paint it with primer or paint it badly (usually black). Pull off the mag wheels, and pop on steel wheels. And almost always, pull off the front bumper. The goal, to make it look 'ratty'. Bait your opponent for cash. THEN BLOW HIS DOORS OFF! I think the term used for those cars was 'suckermobiles' or 'sucker-cars' Paul

04-13-2010, 01:50 PM	#3
hemicop Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 63 Likes: 0 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Connecting Highway I've heard the term "sucker car" or more popularly "sleeper" and even the true racecars could draw someone in. My friend's '66 Impala wasa just an ugly version of Nick Scavo's old Impala but without the juice. I have a similiar motor in my garage I got from Schafiroff I'm hoping to use in my next project. "Sleepers" aren't popular here and I'm sure I can get it into the 10s (for here that's pretty quick.

04-13-2010, 06:00 PM	#4
Paul Ceasrine VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,546 Likes: 0 Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts	Re: Connecting Highway Some Sleepers, Usually, a 57' Chevy, with different colored doors, dented fenders, body-rot on the rear quarters, missing the bumpers, hanging head-liner. Equipped with a tricked up 331c.i., Mondello Heads, and few other Goodies. Probably a 12.30 car. PC

04-13-2010, 06:44 PM	#5
cammer427 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 37 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Connecting Highway Although I do love the idea of sleepers, I prefer those cars you just know from the second you see 'em were meant for one thing and one thing only. Cars like the '68 Road Runner Art & Tex raced for Big Jerry, Froggy's '65 Belvedere, the Cross-Bay Dart and others from that time with that sort of look just gets my blood flowing. To me those are the coolest f-king vehicles ever made. Sure most of them don't have a front bumper, or a heater, or ... anything else. But that's the point. Just raw, nasty, wicked, primered, snorting, high-horse, no-back-seat, dinged up, rough looking machines that mean 100% business and won't show up for less than a few thousand $$$.

04-14-2010, 09:57 AM	#6
Paul Ceasrine VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,546 Likes: 0 Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts	Re: Connecting Highway cammer427, Had to check up on a 'Bunny-Ride'. My friend says; The 'Bunny' was at Dover late-summer 68', or possibly 1969, with a red 68' Mustang. Which could have put her near the Street-race scene, for a night or two. Car was not a Boss 429 Mustang Pro/Stock like I thought. Could have been either a 68' 428 SS/E Cobra-Jet, or Modified Production. Many Moons Ago,,,so I'll ask for some 'literary license'. They say the first thig to go is the brain,,, but some other things on the body went first Paul

04-14-2010, 10:00 AM	#7
hemicop Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 63 Likes: 0 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Connecting Highway For alot of us the "rat rod" look (to use modern parlance) wsn't really a choice. Once your car got known there was little reason to put any money in cleaning it up and most of us simply put our money in the driveline first, took out & ran it & suddnly, if you were good< your car became known. Since these were alot of young guys, extra money just wasn't availible. I can remember standing above Connectin or hanging out at the Marina, sometimes for hours just waiting to see a high dollar run.

04-14-2010, 12:11 PM	#8
Paul Ceasrine VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,546 Likes: 0 Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts	Re: Connecting Highway hemicop, I can remember (1969/1970), guys were selling the 63' and 64' Dodge Max-wedge cars, because they were not pretty, at the track. Drag-strip racers sold them fairly cheap to street-racers, who of course pounded them 'Unmerciful', till there was nothing left...AHHHH! If they only knew,, Paul

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