Spy shots - Don Garlits Challenger

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

IHRA allows them at thier AA/S and AA/SA 7.00 lbs per HP weight break except for the swiss cheese Cats and the 421 Tempests (NOT ENOUGH PRODUCED). Dan Davorak was putting a 64 X ram Hemi together before he had his medical problems a while back.

Dan still has the car and is planning on running it as soon as he works out a gas pedal problem.

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

Bob....Did he ever sell his red 63 Max Wedge ?

No, he still has it but is thinking of putting it in Garlits museum .

I just traded him a '63 Dodge wagon that he is going to restore as his first max wedge race car.

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

1962-1964 Dodge / Plymouth Max-Wedge cars:
Factory built race cars
No warranty
Immediately in Stock Eliminator class.

Can't believe I didn't bring that up a month ago...

The difference is that these cars were built on the assembly line and anyone with $3,800.00 could buy one. I drove mine on the street and raced it at Atco btw: I drove it to the track until I broke a rear end.

[GUMP]

Originally Posted by treessavoy

The difference is that these cars were built on the assembly line and anyone with $3,800.00 could buy one. I drove mine on the street and raced it at Atco btw: I drove it to the track until I broke a rear end.

Lot's of new Government regulations since then. It is really not a fair to compare the "streetability" of a 1963 factory race car to a 2008 factory race car. If you really compared both, you would probably find that the late models have way better street manners. I would also say that $3,800.00 was a bunch of money for a car in 1963.

[bill dedman]

The online cost-of-living calculator that I use says that $3800 in 1963 was equal to $26,835.95 in 2008. No guarantee of accuracy, but it's probably pretty close.


Bill

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by GUMP

Lot's of new Government regulations since then. It is really not a fair to compare the "streetability" of a 1963 factory race car to a 2008 factory race car. If you really compared both, you would probably find that the late models have way better street manners. I would also say that $3,800.00 was a bunch of money for a car in 1963.

I'm not sure what the definition of a "factory race car" is, these cars were just like Chevy 409's, 421 Pontiacs, and 427 Fords.....you ordered the car then chose the engine option....just like today!

Yes, they were a bear to drive in the cold, got bad gas mileage, and were hot inside but that was a Golden time when everyone wanted the baddest street car in town. Street racing was at it's pinnacle and everyone wanted to be the fastest!

Yes, it was a bunch of money but you could finance the car just like any other and it was still $ 1k less than a corvette and had almost a hundred hp more.

Tree

[Jeff Lee]

The attributes of a Max-Wdge car is not the issue. The issue is that it was a factory built, purpose built race car that was eligible for Stock Eliminator. That would be an argument FOR the CJ500 '08 Mustang in the same class.
Then I posted about the 1968 only 440 "M" code Dart. Same story, fully streetable (although less built than the MW cars) but NHRA mandated as Superstock only.
Typically, NHRA has made all the purpose built factory drag-pack style cars SS only but as you can see, there are some inconsistancies over the years.
It is what it is...

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by treessavoy

I'm not sure what the definition of a "factory race car" is, these cars were just like Chevy 409's, 421 Pontiacs, and 427 Fords.

Yes, it was a bunch of money but you could finance the car just like any other and it was still $ 1k less than a corvette and had almost a hundred hp more.

Tree

And a thousand or so more pounds to carry.....lol

[Jeff Lee]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

And a thousand or so more pounds to carry.....lol

I would define a purpose built race car from the factory as one without warranty & / or not DOT legal for use on public roads and highways.