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Old 11-06-2008, 12:51 PM   #1
kevintscott44
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Default What everr happened to the good ol' days

I was messing around on youtube.com and found a old video listed as drag cars 1971 NHRA Supernationals original cut. even though i was not born until 1973. From what people have told me I wish I could have been there. It is amazing how much things have changed good/bad. Seeing all of those cars in the staging lanes and all of the fans being able to see what was going on. If you watch the video the begining is what caught my eye on it. And what Dick Landy said. Then there was another video where alot of cars were being towed by a "flat bed"trailer, even the Funny Cars. I just wish I could have been there.
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Old 11-06-2008, 01:39 PM   #2
chris3racing
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You are right, things have really changed. The first race run at Rockingham Dragway top fuel cars were on flat trailers, with wood floors planks. Push started from the top end of the track, up the track to the starting line, made a u-turn in front of the tower and lined up on the starting line.. Funny cars were hauled on flat trailer or sloped back trucks. At the East Coast Drag Times Reunion at Henderson, the restored Huston Platt "Dixie Twister" was being hauled on an open trailer.

I know folks have seen me post this before, but in those days tracks ran races every night of the week. A match race may have been with several funny cars, Jungle Jim made match racing a show, super stocks or gassers. There would be a crowd of people at any track on any night. Lots and lots of cars. Cars ran off of their "national record" for the class they were in.

How about flag starts and the tracks had a wire across, overhead at the finish line, with two yellow bulbs.. A track person was at the finish line with a piece of 2x4 with two light switches, wall switches, and he tuned on the bulb for the winner. This was North Carolina Drag Racing.

Your are right those were really the good old days of drag racing.
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Old 11-06-2008, 01:57 PM   #3
Jeff Teuton
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Default Re: What everr happened to the good ol' days

Not enough room, not enough time, and surely not enough beer to tell all the stories. Racing at airports and having to stop for a plane to land, in early 62 having at least 20 SS 409 and 20 more 406 Fords for A/S on any given day. And then the 413's came. If you didn't drive to the races, you had a death trap of a tow rig. If you were cool, you had towing hubs.(Anybody know what that was). $1 to get in and .50 for a Pit Pass. And of course you left your class and number (in shoe polish) on the windows forever. Not enough time.
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Old 11-06-2008, 02:47 PM   #4
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Default Re: What everr happened to the good ol' days

JEFF, we know what towing hubs were. If you had a set of those you were big-time. And , we were at the 1971 NHRA SuperNationals.
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Old 11-06-2008, 03:17 PM   #5
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Default Re: What everr happened to the good ol' days

The first division points race I ran was at Odessa, TX (don't remember them holding another one there) was in 1968. I got my towing hubs made just before that trip. I tell kids now about flat towing to Pomona in '68 & '69 and they think I'm pulling their leg. A long tow bar and lots of positive caster in the race car front end and you couldn't tell it was back there. You could back one up like a trailer.

One friend of mine, Bennie (the Wizard) Osborn had the first enclosed trailer around here. He built it himself. That guy could build anything. Built his own Top Fuel cars, engines, trailers, etc. Not many Top Fuel World Champs build everything themselves anymore. Bennie won the finals when they held them here in Tulsa, that was 1966 or 1967? They still smoked the tires the full 1/4 mile then.
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Old 11-06-2008, 04:30 PM   #6
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Default Re: What everr happened to the good ol' days

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The first division points race I ran was at Odessa, TX (don't remember them holding another one there) was in 1968. I got my towing hubs made just before that trip. I tell kids now about flat towing to Pomona in '68 & '69 and they think I'm pulling their leg. A long tow bar and lots of positive caster in the race car front end and you couldn't tell it was back there. You could back one up like a trailer.

One friend of mine, Bennie (the Wizard) Osborn had the first enclosed trailer around here. He built it himself. That guy could build anything. Built his own Top Fuel cars, engines, trailers, etc. Not many Top Fuel World Champs build everything themselves anymore. Bennie won the finals when they held them here in Tulsa, that was 1966 or 1967? They still smoked the tires the full 1/4 mile then.
Well now, if you were rich enough for tow hubs! Man, you were big time. I managed to get a Lakewood tow bar. After I bolted it together, took it to work and had it welded. I couldn't afford hubs, so I just pulled the driveshaft and inserted a spare input shaft. Had to make sure you wired it up. Really sucks if it fell out and all the gear oil leaked out of your transmission, LOL. How many remember towing home a broke car or worse, pulling a driveshaft in the mud and rain.
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Old 11-06-2008, 04:34 PM   #7
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Default Re: What everr happened to the good ol' days

You talk like tow hubs are that old, I just stopped using them about 4 years ago. Still have them as backup!
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Old 11-06-2008, 05:19 PM   #8
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Talking Re: What everr happened to the good ol' days

1971....I had a custom made tow bar made to fit the front of my 1969 300 HP Corvette H/S (F/S today) with a 4-speed muncie. It was hard to get the drive shaft out because everything is small and tight and I was to lazy to install the towing hubs sooooo I flat towed to Colonial Beach, Va. one Sundy with the 7 inch Firestone yellow dots on it. Yep....half way there the vette trans locked up and tore up the main shaft and STOPPED my 1966 Pontiac Grand Prix (very heavy car) right in the middle of Rt.# 301 from 55-60 MPH in about 10 ft.....lol. Scratch one whole muncie and flat spotted my "Stones" that day. Ex$pen$ive lession. Fixed it and ran Larry Lombardo the next weekend at 75 & 80 for class and he beat me by about a bumper bolt.....Had to win class back then to run for the eliminator. Good "ole daze". Maybe but we sure had FUN.
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Old 11-06-2008, 05:19 PM   #9
Ed Fernandez
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Default Re: What everr happened to the good ol' days

I still have my old NMW hubs.I flat towed for 14 years (1977-90).Did'nt do much real long distance (longest
was Queens NY to Gettysburg Pa for an AMC show/race).Good thing I still had the hubs and tow bar,my open trailer was stolen 2 days before the trip.I first went to the track in 1965 (NY Nat'l Speedway).Saw all the hot cars of the times.One of my favorites was Wild Willie Borsch's Winged Express AA/FA.Anybody
remember the tree was suspended by wire over the track?Only 3 bulbs too,I bracket raced there too a few times in 1969-70,then again in 1977 till it closed in 1980.Fantastic track,lousy road system to get there.Itwas the Long Island Xpressway or Sunrise Hwy.That was it.West Hampton was also open then
(The Sand Pit) and Islip (1/8 mi) .All history now.It was a real trip though in the 60s and 70s.

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Old 11-06-2008, 05:54 PM   #10
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Default Re: What everr happened to the good ol' days

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Well now, if you were rich enough for tow hubs! Man, you were big time. I managed to get a Lakewood tow bar. After I bolted it together, took it to work and had it welded. I couldn't afford hubs, so I just pulled the driveshaft and inserted a spare input shaft. Had to make sure you wired it up. Really sucks if it fell out and all the gear oil leaked out of your transmission, LOL. How many remember towing home a broke car or worse, pulling a driveshaft in the mud and rain.
I couldn't afford a store-bought tow bar. I made mine from 2"X2" 1/4" angle and my buddy's Lincoln cracker box welder. 4' long, much smoother on lumpy Oklahoma highways than my friend's short ones. You would have to drive on our crap-for-roads to appreciate that.

Pretty sad, you cross the state line leaving Oklahoma in any direction and everything smooths out.
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