Early 1970s Raceway News Scans

[mopar68]

[Paul Ceasrine]

Was this a 'true' 1971 Hemi Cuda 4-Speed 'convertible'.

[mopar68]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Was this a 'true' 1971 Hemi Cuda 4-Speed 'convertible'.

From what I read on another forum, yes, it was a bona fide Hemi 'Cuda--1970 vintage--convertible that Centolanza Bros. updated to a 1971. Fast forward a few decades: car was found, restored as 1971 Hemi 'Cuda, then owner found out it really was a 1970 Hemi ragtop, then had it restored back to its correct year.

Pete

[mopar68]

[mopar68]

What's a "5:00 Chrysler rear"?

Pete

[Paul Ceasrine]

Pete

Correct El Mundo on the Cuda.

I was there that day in 1973 at Dover Drag Strip.

A big Super/Stock meet.

The Centolanza's blew the clutch apart doing a burn-out in Time Trials
and damaged the Transmission.

They worked on the Cuda for 2+ Hours, then gave up and packed everything up and went back home to Highland.

Dover was mobbed that day. 400+ cars.

[Jack Parris]

These scans are awesome, like going back in time. Thanks!!

[mopar68]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Pete

Correct El Mundo on the Cuda.

I was there that day in 1973 at Dover Drag Strip.

A big Super/Stock meet.

The Centolanza's blew the clutch apart doing a burn-out in Time Trials
and damaged the Transmission.

They worked on the Cuda for 2+ Hours, then gave up and packed everything up and went back home to Highland.

Dover was mobbed that day. 400+ cars.

Thanks for sharing that experience, Paul. Raceway Park back in that era was like that on a regular basis, i.e., open competition Sunday. If there was a booked in show with Funny Cars, Pro Stocks, etc. , that number went up. For example, in one of the Raceway News issues I used to own*, on opening day 1972, it was mentioned in the editorial column that 550 cars showed up. And that was just an open competition event! Think about it. that was almost like a national event (car-wise) with all the NHRA classes being run from Top Fuel on down (ha, tell someone today they used to run top fuel cars on a local basis!) in addition to Pure Stock and Experimental Stock classes (modified street driven cars that normally would be placed in Modified Production class).

Those were the daze...

Pete

*I sold my collection of approximately 100 issues to Mike McCandless, son of Herb McCandless because (you guessed it) I needed money at the time (heck, I still need money!). Mike then gave them to his dad as a gift so at least my issues went to a good cause.