old Jr. Stock racers
 

Ok, going back to my roots and first love of drag racing,memories of late nights scraping underc oat off Hedworths '55' wagon, polishing grills, "bench racing" with Hedworth, Paul Dilcher, Gene Berg, Gary rouse,working at Rossi transmissions and the Cast iron Powerglide we tested in my '57' 4door belair' that led to the Powerglide wars between Tony Rossi and Marv Ripes in the early seventies.Visiting the Barn at Pomona, during tear down of all the class champs (not 6 or 8 cars) loaning spark plug washers to John Hagen and his beautiful Hemi SS/AA,visiting the other barn at Tony Janes house "wow so many cars and parts"watching Bill 'Farmer Dismuke rule tear down with no gray areas in his tech. Installing the first t-400 in Jay Payne and Mike Walkers SS/D making friendships for years. learning to braket race my '57' chevy belair at old Irwindale dragstrip,against jerry McClanahan, John Farris, Willard'sleepy' Wright,Dave Kempton, Pat Foley,and the Zolle Bros. Paul Althouse installing 4.56 gears in my first '69' Camaro and hearing the stories about when the "GRUMP" would visit to share some knowledge. Its been very special to have known and respected all these racers, and taught many lessons if you would just listen by them. My personal mentor were Tony Rossi, and then Vic Hobbs a past Winternational champion,and Multi race winner in AHRA, Alway there to help a Racer in need Vic has helped many racers over the years and like myself mentored me and others to be sucessful.My personal sucesses though very small weren't from lack of knowledge but more from lack of money. A"55" 2dr Belair Htp. is calling my name so with a little help in locating a Intake manifold #3711348, and carb WCFB#2218s or 2351sor legal replacement maybe I can resurrect my roots in Jr. Stock and race a 55 chevy. PS Tony Janes any help finding these parts?

Re: old Jr. Stock racers
 

Very cool post. Those were the best of days for drag racing.

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All I can say is,"How cool!"

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hey Greg keep your eyes open for those parts. Thanks Doug

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dahkahuna, great story, and post some pic's or updates on your build. :)

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I may have some parts, WCFB have to look. I hope there is A after the P.

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I might have a carb.Years ago, I had a 65 Chevy, 327 with a 3 speed stick.It had a WCFB.I think I sstill have it upstairs in the garage. It would take some digging .If the engine spec page shows that that one would work, give me a call. E bay might be the place to find the intake. Can you use a #459?

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Very cool post, thanks for sharing! It brings back lots of great memories for me, we had some friends in common it seems so long ago. I had made the flat tow down from Canada to race at the Winternationals in 1970, I was just 24 and it was magic to come over the fabled grapevine hill and down into LA. We somehow met Ron Zoelle and his family, and hung out with them at Irwindale, Orange County, and of course at Pomona. They helped us out with meeting Tony Rossi, Val Hedworth, Richard Salcido, Pepe Estrada, Gene Oly and others of the day I'm struggling now to recall.
We won class in A/S that year and got as far as the quarter finals before a pushrod broke through a rocker as we tried to chase down Keith Berg, who had a six second head start in that lumbering '52? Olds! After three more trips to Pomona, and lots of fun with and help from those guys on our trips down, we hung it up for over 25 years finally returning to drag racing in the last ten years.
If anybody reading this knows how to contact Ron Zoelle, I'd love to give him a call and bs about the "good old days". If you could PM me, or post contact info here it would be great to get back in touch. Hope hes still around. My last contact with Ron was at his parents place at 525 S. Citrus in West Covina. Be great to talk to his brothers Ken or Larry too. If you would prefer to give him my number, it's 604-644-8485, or email grant4060@yahoo.com. Thanks!

P.S. If anyone has a copy of the National Dragster with the Winternationals results from 1970, I'd sure appreciate getting my hands on one. We were just kids, never thought we'd get old and want to look back at this stuff...lol I do still have the Wally, though, what a rush for a kid from Canada!

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Grant,
Are you trying to ruin your reputation by saying you hung around with the Zoelle Bros.?
Surprised you didn't mention Big Daddy Crader.
You better edit that post! LOL

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Well, I checked out as much as what the specs NHRA prints and a #2366S 1956 carb also fit the throttle and venturi dimensions and as far as i know there is no other manifold NHRA will accept. If anyone knows anything differint please post on this thread. I know there is girl named Shelby driving a P/SA recently so maybe they know of something?As for Grant Eldridge, Ron still lives in West Covina in the same house, I used to work weekends for Val and Ron at the old SPEED TRENDS speed shop when they were racing, Zenon Kotelko was like a fixture every year during those times, Ron has traded racing for a stable of children but I don't have a recent phone #. Pepe Estrada built the rear in my '57 ' back then also. Dave Crader was doing General contracting around those days and me being a flooring contractor we did alot of bussiness together he eventually went to work for IN-AND-OUT Burger building new stores and after Val was around their Fuuny Car operation alot then we lost contact. And Tony let me know if you find some parts, the "55" runs O/ P/&Q/ and its automatic what trans I will run. See if you have any old General Kinetics collecting dust over there if I recall the #2 grind was the best although the legal lift is 336/343 with solid tappet lifters.

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Mark, I think Ron would say it was the other way around! Back in the day, they thought we Canadians were hard drinkin' partiers! Of course, we'd egg that on by pouring beer over our cornflakes for breakfast, etc. We were definitely out to check out all the bars, clubs, strip joints around Pomona. Does anyone remember a place called the Wildcat? One year I remember it rained out twice so we were determined to wait it out anyway and race. We got to hanging around some strip club in Pomona, ended up taking one of the girls home to Canada for a while...lol . This gal used to get up in the morning and take a slug of Southern Comfort to get rolling! Crazy times...OOPs, hope my wife's not checking these posts...

Grant

Dakahuna, thanks for the info, I do remember Big Daddy Dave Crader now that you mention the name. I think Chuck Norton was another racer I was introduced to down there around that time.....

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Grant, guilty as charged (on the introduction). Thankfully, I missed out on the "Wildcat" deal. That sounds like a recipe for disaster. I managed to get into enough trouble on my own in those days.

Doug, sorry, no '55 parts laying around. You might give Val a call on the carburetor. I didn't see any manifolds stacked in the corners the last time I went home but carb parts were stashed everywhere.

c

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headed to the garage tonite to look for an intake for you, sold my wcfb to terry cain ill message him to check numbers if he still has it.

good luck, its a little tougher today, that undercoat can stay but your wallet will empty fast.

captain jack

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Jack from 2007 to 2009 I raced a ZL-1 AA/SA 69 camaro had alot of growing pains with it about had every problem known to exist happen and the cost to rebuild that combo would scare you, but slowly I will return with it. More than likely a 396/375 combo will find its way into it. I hate loose ends and this "55" has been collecting dust for 3 years so I already have everything for the engine except the carb & intake and camshaft. Tranny & converter, rear end etc. are ready so body, paint, and interior is all thats left.Hope you have the intake let me know!!!!....................Doug Holder

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I might have that intake - 'gotta go up in the loft ..........

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Looks to fit U as well.

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Shelby Hurley is the nice lady you are refering to. She runs P/SA with her 55 in Div1. She is Steve Hurley's daughter he runs a SS/OA 55 also. My father spoke with him this weekend. The 55 intake is a 1 year only thing (No Superseeds yet). The problem with this combo is some letters need to be submited to NHRA for them to recognize that this is the oem 180hp combo not the 205hp combo they have in the books. Best of luck I to will look and see if I have that intake. Best of luck and please do post some pictures. Luv the shoeboxes.

Robert

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ya know doug, if it was a 57 you could run a 3 speed automatic :)

captain jack

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Jack,seems a little bird got that 3 speed ball rolling or was it a big DAHKAHUNA, your welcome LMAO

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You're correct, big DAHKAHUNA, The General Kinetics #2 grind was the best. It had a high contact velocity, lots of dwell over the nose, and you could get it into float rather easily; but if you didn't get into float, it would make some power.
Dave Colbert

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Hey Dave I remember your 69 camaro, I was racing the same SS/EA class from 84 to 88 and sold the car because of the head rule changes allowing porting,best e.t.10.15 133 mph loved that car. Phil Cocuzza was fastest with the 400 hp corvette but we all new the hp factor was soft they finally put him SS/CA later on. I won class at pomona once and runner-uped @ lacr points race in 87. Those GK cams sure had some pop and now valvesprings aren't a issue anylonger......small world!

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Robert, thanks for the info and I will write some letters toward getting HP lowered although I'm just starting the build I was just contacted buy a cool guy in Mass. that should have his out sooner Carl Libucha's his name, he is writting letters also, he should have dyno #'s soon as November. He was very helpful and informitive keep a eye out for him.

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Tony , I remember you saying----------I never sell anything ! Ha Ha

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Greetings Paul, So anything tricky runnin those wcfb carters, help a old carpet layer out, I hear your on the old retired easy street is that true ? now clear all that Pontiac info out and spill the beans on the old 55 Chevy there Supernationals Champion..hope your doing welll my friend. Doug Holder

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I have a GK #2 and also the short lift cam plus some interior parts for 55 hardtop.

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Doug , I will have to shop till I drop .

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OK, Tony I'll see you at the races make a list of what you want to sell, my car is a 2 dr htp also or call me @909 632-8325 I dont have your # How about carbs and manifold? any luck there. Thanks for Checking, I am interested in anything you have to sell just let me know.

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Hey dahkahuna, I'm trying to figure out who I'm talking with. I see Paul refers to you as Tony so fill in the rest of the blanks for me (I'm old and senile). '83 was the last I ran the '69 Camaro at the Gatornationals, where I runner-uped. Then I built the '85 Monte Carlo SS for SS/GTA with the engine/trans out of the SS/EA car. I later switched to a 425 hp 454 combo, which really brought that car to life.
When they decided to let the shorter wheelbase Camaros in SS/GTA, I sold the Monte to Frank Brenniser from NJ, who continued to run it with some success, and I built the first of two late model Camaro SS/GTA cars, and had some success with both of them.
Speaking of SS/EA Camaro's, I ran into Tom Kurucz from Tom's Inc. on this site and remember that when I first got into the class, his Camaro was the one to beat in the Northeast.
I really liked my SS/EA car which worked pretty well seeing that is was still a ladder bar car.
Those were the days, my friend, that I miss. Haven't raced since the 1990 Gators; and if there is someone around the Raleigh, NC area that is interested in competing in Stock or Super Stock and would like a hand, let me know

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Well, here is a update on the 55 chevy stocker finally found a intake and carb very pleased with the condition they were both in. the price was very good also $300 for both ok so onward and upward, the crank and block are at the machine shop, heads are done,camshaft selection is next on the list, any recommendations on what you guys think for C/L and Duration@0 &.050 figures ? car will weigh 3655 for Q/SA too start out. I also submitted a horsepower review letter to Glendora will see what becomes of that !

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Doug - Dahkahuna:
Earlier you mentioned that someday you might go to a 375 hp/396. Give me a call before you do that. I learned something about that combo after I went to the 425/427 in My SS/EA. I first tried the 375/396 for SS/FA and gave up on it after I "torpedoed" the motor at M.I.R. What I learned (later) could have made the combo much more viable. You may already have this info, but its worth a phone call.
Dave Colbert 352-408-3712

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Dave,,, Would you mind if I passed your number to a young man out here who is pondering that exact SS/FA combo? Hes wanted to try Superstock racing for quite some time and is slowly getting his car together and putting the finances aside, for an engine, when possible as he is raising a family too. Thanks for any info, I'd appreciate your input if it could save him some wasted dollars as well as time.
Danny Durham

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I would get the cam from Bullet, with shubeck or sherman lifters. My guess is they would base the profile (duration) off of a cam used in a heavy 283 auto combo. That is the place to start. Best of luck. Post some pictures when you can.

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No problem, Danny

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Thanks, Dave,,,I'll let him know.
Danny Durham

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Saw a picture of the Janes "Ranch" on the Colesy site and It appears he never sells anything ...

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Went by Tony Janes "Barn" today after work and you just can't describe to someone how many parts and stuff Tony has in those garages, its like a organized kaos and he knows about where everything is, thats really scary. I guess if your a car guy like us we all have about the same thing goin on , he just got a head start on most of us! He's a good guy fun to talk with and a straight shooter doesn't mince words like most old timers they just say what they think right or wrong. Get Tony Janes,Chuck Norton ,Vic Hobbs,and anyone else 70 yrs. or older together in a group and listen to old bench race stories now that is funny and priceless just like these guys!

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I sell sometimes and throw away very rarely.

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I knew Ron and Val back then. Speed Trends used to be my regular hang out. I was one of the local kids with a car hoping to make it go faster. Not a lot of stuff avalable for a '70 Buick Skylark though. haha!

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As I have posted on stock/super stock forum the hp factor on the 1955 265 180 hp engine is wrong 25 hp above the factory rating at 205 makes no sense NHRA needs to let the AHFS system work as we have seen . Any dominate combination gets weight when they show more than 1.20 under this engine was penalized without even being run thats unfair.