el-camino ever done?

[bill dedman]

Dunno if anybody else will remember this, (and this is, at best, second-hand information) but, before the whole "hydro in a sedan delivery" debacle got started (I saw my first one in1965) somebody on the West Coast with NHRA's blessing, campaigned a 1st-generation El Camino with a triple-carbureted, 348-powered /hydramatic Stocker, and I believe that might have been the first NHRA-approved hydro-in a Chevy "truck" racecar in Stock Eliminator. I THINK I saw it at the 1962 Indy Nationals, and it was red.

Can anyone confirm this? I'm pretty sure it must have been Indy, because I was living in Arkansas at that time; not going to the Coast for races back then. The next time I saw mention of a "Hydramatic/Chevy," was when the national record for H/SA was set in 1965 by a team from Washington-stste (Anglin-Clark-VanDill). They had the e.t. record while Marv Ripes had the MPH with his Powerglide car. That's when the fight started...lol!!.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by bill dedman

Dunno if anybody else will remember this, but (and this is, at best, second-hand information) but, before the whole "hydro in a sedan delivery" debacle got started (I saw my first one in1965) somebody on the West Coast with NHRA's blessing, campaigned a 1st-generation El Camino with a triple-carbureted, 348-powered /hydramatic Stocker, and I believe that might have been the first NHRA-approved hydro-in a Chevy "truck" racecar in Stock Eliminator. I THINK I saw it at the 1962 Indy Nationals, and it was red.

Can anyone confirm this? I'm pretty sure it must have been Indy, because I was living in Arkansas at that time; not going to the Coast for races back then. The next time I saw mention of a "Hydramatic/Chevy," was when the national record for H/SA was set in 1965 by a team from Washington-stste (Anglin-Clark-VanDill). They had the e.t. record while Marv Ripes had the MPH with his Powerglide car. That's when the fight started...lol!!.

I remember the El Camino from an old Hot Rod Magazine but I dont remember the owner/drivers name. It was either a 59 or a 60 model. They considered the El Camino to be a truck for the reason to allow the hydo.
Mybe someone like Chuck Norton will remember or it might come to me later.

[pauldilcher]

Might be Ed Holman.

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by pauldilcher

Might be Ed Holman.

If Pappy says so,then it is.:>):>):>)

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by pauldilcher

Might be Ed Holman.

No....that wan't the name. I will try to find the mag.

[GTX JOHN]

I sem to recall fuzzily that the Lady that pitted us for many year and died several years ago to Cancer..........won class back in the 50's with her El Camino and was the first women to do so in NHRA History. Does anybody else recall the Lady or Her Car? My memory is not what it was... Seems like her first Name was Roberta and she was a icon at the track nearly forever.

John Irving

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by GTX JOHN

I sem to recall fuzzily that the Lady that pitted us for many year and died several years ago to Cancer..........won class back in the 50's with her El Camino and was the first women to do so in NHRA History. Does anybody else recall the Lady or Her Car? My memory is not what it was... Seems like her first Name was Roberta and she was a icon at the track nearly forever.

John Irving

There was a lady named Marilyn Clark who won the B/SA class at the 1960 Nationals in Detroit driving a 1957 Chev. Could this be her ???????

[Chuck Norton]

Originally Posted by GTX JOHN

I sem to recall fuzzily that the Lady that pitted us for many year and died several years ago to Cancer..........won class back in the 50's with her El Camino and was the first women to do so in NHRA History. Does anybody else recall the Lady or Her Car? My memory is not what it was... Seems like her first Name was Roberta and she was a icon at the track nearly forever.

John Irving

Roberta Leighton. Also remembered for her '65 Impala convertible Super Stocker, "Red, White, and Roberta.

[Terry Witzel]

Wiley Cossey in the Casler Tire Service E/S 1959 El Camino at the 1965 Winternationals.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by pauldilcher

Might be Ed Holman.

Paul and Bill....The guy who had the El Camino was Mike Schmitt of "The Desert Fox" fame who used to run a AA/SA 64 Ford Galaxie. . It was a 1960 Model El Camino and he won the C/SA class at the 1961 Nationals.