Station Wagons

[Alex Denysenko]

Originally Posted by Hemi Moose

A couple more oldies...

What's the story on the 63 bel air wagon? seems to me I have heard of that Chevair racing team before is that by any chance a 409 car? If so I would guess that it was/is a 340HP car? I don't believe I have ever seen a automatic 409 stocker before?

[Hemi Moose]

I don't know if this one below is the same car as Jack Mullins Pontiac wagon above...it might be someone else's.

[Lew Silverman]

This is Larry Pacey's SS/U Pontiac from Florida. If I remember correctly, he was the owner of a speed equipment warehouse in the Dade/Broward County area when I lived down there. I DO know he (or someone else) had a Pontiac wagon for sale a short while back, but I'm not sure if this is THAT car.

Great looking, running car!

Here's what it looked like in 2010! Not exactly a restoration, but looks to be a fun ride!

http://www.racingjunk.com/Nostalgia/...SuperSize=true


Lew

[Hemi Moose]

Originally Posted by Alex Denysenko

What's the story on the 63 bel air wagon? seems to me I have heard of that Chevair racing team before is that by any chance a 409 car? If so I would guess that it was/is a 340HP car? I don't believe I have ever seen a automatic 409 stocker before?

I'm sorry, I don't know...are there any GM race experts out there that can answer this one.

[Hemi Moose]

Lew, thanks for the link...















Muliti-Time NHRA/IHRA and AHRA Record Holding 1963 Pontiac Catalina Safari Wagon. Larry Pacey of Miami-Hollywood Speedway held the NHRA Record for an Amazing Fourteen Years. Not only held the record in NHRA, but also in IHRA and AHRA, all at the same time. In addition he set an NHRA Record of Thirty Seven Straight Points Race Wins as well while racing this car.
This car is equipped with the venerable Pontiac 400 V8, with more than 525HP. What you are looking at, on the engine, is a one of a kind Mickey Thompson designed Pontiac 400 Cross Ram Intake and twin Carter AFB Carbs. Power is forced through the Turbo 400 three speed gearbox and on to the Dana 60 rear end.
The body and interior are period correct, with only the original paint being changed. The second owner was the Miami-Hollywood Speedway owner. The car was then passed on the the tracks announcer, who painted the car it's present Black and white. I liked it, so I left it that way.
She runs beautifully and commands respect from its driver. She held records right on through 1980 at its last Pro Race at the 1980 Gator Nationals. I will send further photographs of the Record Holder if you have an interest...

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by Hemi Moose

Gary, I posted some of them a few pages back, but if I run across anymore I'll add them in here...so you like the old Dodge & Plymouth station wagons as well...have you ever considered doing one up, and what power plant would you use.

No, but they make sense given they're likely cheaper to buy than the A990's would be, and they have a natural traction advantage already (I know Jody Lang is sure glad he built his Malibu wagon, as well as Bob Bender and others)! That Fairlane wagon posted here, gives me fond memories of the Fairlanes campaigned by Jim Van Cleve (I believe Sr. & Jr.). As for Power plants, I'd prefer that smaller V8's, but with those big bodies, I'd have to see what options would be available for the given unit...I don't hear much about the 383 V8's, weren't they a good motor for racing like their more famous small and big block sibling motors? Since I'm far from the funds needed (to buy/campaign one), it's only wishful thinking right now...however a work in progress too non the less. I sure love all of these ideas, that you're giving me. I wish I wasn't a first generation racer, because these kind of "sleeper" racers were all around me from when I bought my first car in '75, to when I bought the Z24 ('93), and they would've been much easier (possibly cheaper too), to campaign and more inline with my late '70s level of auto mechanics training. I'm keeping my options open....

[Lew Silverman]

Originally Posted by Hemi Moose

Lew, so how did you do this year with the wagon...

I don't remember who said "The best laid plans of mice and men sometimes go asunder!" but he was an optimist! To say that I started this project with a "shoe-string" budget is being very unfair to shoe-string's everywhere!

After losing the motor at the Div 9 race last year at Rockingham (3 bent rods and a burned crankshaft), right after the beautiful graphic's package was installed by Michael Beard, I pulled together some new parts and what pieces I could salvage and got the wagon ready for the first NHRA event at VMP. I will say that the "new" combination was much, much better than what I had before, but still needs to be "tweeked". AND I built this one myself! I've been forced to sit on the bench for most of the Summer, but I'll be heading out in the next few days and weeks.

Thank you for re-posting the pictures, Hemi Moose! I'm having fun again and that was one of the main reasons I decided to get back to drag racing after a 20 year break. The other reason is the wonderful folks I've had the great pleasure of meeting at the races I've attended.

It's amazing how easy it is to feel like I'm 18 years old again,........only to be snapped back to reality when my old carcass reminds me I'm a senior-citizen!

Lew

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Hemi Moose

Lew, thanks for the link...




In addition he set an NHRA Record of Thirty Seven Straight Points Race Wins as well while racing this car.
.[/I]

Yeah, sure he did.

[Dan Lattimore]

Originally Posted by Lew Silverman

This is Larry Pacey's SS/U Pontiac from Florida. If I remember correctly, he was the owner of a speed equipment warehouse in the Dade/Broward County area when I lived down there. I DO know he (or someone else) had a Pontiac wagon for sale a short while back, but I'm not sure if this is THAT car.

Great looking, running car!

Here's what it looked like in 2010! Not exactly a restoration, but looks to be a fun ride!

http://www.racingjunk.com/Nostalgia/...SuperSize=true


Lew

LEW------You are correct sir! I sold him a set of RHS heads at a Div.II points race at Suffolk Va. in around 1972. Very likable guy, I wonder if he's still alive and well.

[Lew Silverman]

NPW (National Performance Warehouse) the company he started in Miami is still doing business in Florida!

Lew