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Nostalgic Chrysler Flathead Racing Blog


timkingsbury

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I was asked if I could start a Nostalgic Chrysler Flathead Racing thread.

 

Of course, Plymouth, Dodge, Desoto, Fargo and Chryslers are all clearly included as are things like a friend
of the families who have a Flathead Chrysler in a Model T Ford.. If it has a Mopar Flathead in it, well it likely
belongs here.

 


Of course from Stock Car to Drag Racing, Walter Chrysler's engineers have had their fingers in the racing pie pretty much since
the birth of the Chrysler Corporation.

 

Along the way the "up and coming" Flathead Chrysler earned its reputation for taking on and blowing away the competition with
V8's and more.

 

Along the way, I hope this becomes a spot those who once had closely guarded secrets on how they got a "little more" out
of their Flathead Mopar might finally tell all..

 

I know from the AoK racing family the 50s were the start and the golden age for George Asche and Eddy Kingsbury. George who
in the 50's would campaign his 1929 Desoto, powered with a highly modified 265 Chrysler in the famed "Flying Mile" on Daytona beach
where he would go undefeated. George raced V8's and even a v12, in a competition that say a big Chrysler Hemi. In the end George
whose top speed was 142 mph.. Yes 142 mph would become the gold standard at the Flying Mile that season. While there is no longer
Drag Racing on the beach, George still owns the 1929 Desoto, and it still has no problem meeting all the speed limits in North America.

 

On the north of the 49th Parallel flathead racing say the building engines driven by some legendary stock car racers, among those the Legendary Jimmie Howard who was one of the 1st Canadians whose full time job was racing stock cars. That also saw the very 1st multi-carb car in stock car racing history, when Wellington Motors in Guelph Ontario received their 1st "nudge nudge wink wink" dual carb, dual exhaust manifold set
that went onto a stock car in the spring of 1952. Armed with the Chrysler Engineering parts Manual supplied by my Grandfather, my Dad
waited for inspect to defend the usage of the dual car and dual exhaust combination as it technically met the rules of the day.

 

So as promised.. here is the start of the blog entry..

 


If you wish, post away.. if you want to email me stuff that you want me to post on your behalf or as part of the blog, feel free
to send them to me at - fargopickupking@yahoo.com

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Hi Tim, do you have any archived photos of old Flathead drag racing, or stock car racing, that can be added to this blog.

Maybe we can even add in Chrysler flathead powered boat racing and Chrysler powered machinery, such as Bombardiers, Airport Tugs and forklifts........

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Hi Tim, do you have any archived photos of old Flathead drag racing, or stock car racing, that can be added to this blog.

Maybe we can even add in Chrysler flathead powered boat racing and Chrysler powered machinery, such as Bombardiers, Airport Tugs and forklifts........

Well its all stuff we likely have, but not anything I can quickly post. Its another item on my "to do list".  In terms your last three, well there not really racing or performance stuff.   Mopar flatheads were put into everything from tanks to boats, but I put up this blog really as a spot for racing.  If you want another one for -  anything ever to use a Chrysler flathead I can do that.  But I will be honest, there both topics as I happen to come across stuff I will try and contribute but they are not things I am going to be things I am dedicating a lot of time on. I just have to much stuff on the go, and if you ever say what both sides of the AoK family have to go through, you would get an idea that there is no easily to retrieve filing system and nether the Kingsbury or Asche's were big on taking pictures of everything they work on.

Sorry,  but it is what it is

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Ok I found a few tid-bits to get the party started... 1st 3 are Rex Rains who in 1961 was the runner up

to a blown twin v8 chevy that won the race at 160 mph

 

Rex who was running a very un-aerodynamic  dragster was apparently less than a length behind the winner

although  I still have to track down Rex who is still around I am told, and get more details.

 

march1961


Rex rains 1961 dragster


Rex rains 1961 dragsterwriteup


 

 

 

Next up I thought a cool advertisement of the day.  It was in 1951 which was already covering the 1952 model year.

This came from the oct 1951 hop up magazine

 

IMG 20151126 03124


 

Next up a bit of a taste-teaser which was boat racing.    My Sweetie which tended to have issues with leaking and

I am not talking the motor, but the hull, is a boat with a family connection.  I will try and dig up more

details.  It was at its start a Dodge Truck engine with a few.. ok a lot of mods.

 

IMG 20151126 03123


IMG 20151126 03120


 

 

The next two is a bit of a side-bar...  is an original dealership advertisement that could be found in the fall of 1951

concerning the 1952 model year.  At this time the v8 hemi had 3 less hp than did the 265 with dual carbs and exhaust,

and was the most hp available at the time.  Yes, 1953 that was not the case,  but 1952 this was it.

Advertised at 136 hp, and  I hope to at some point bring forward the evidence of the day where the test engine

tested in Windsor in the test bed room, exceeded the advertised hp rating

 

IMG 20151124 03068


IMG 20151124 03067


 

 

Finally, for me,  "The King"  George Asche who has a long history of racing flatheads. This being a picture

my Dad took of George joking around a little more than a decade ago..  AoK racing at its finest ???

 

Lol.

 

another George flathead


 

But seriously I will eventually get around to racing from both sides of what is now AoK racing..A being Asche and K being Kingsbury.

 

George of course known as the guy who was undefeated in the 1950s on Daytona Beach in the "flying mile" drag race

taking on all comers.  In that meet, a Chrysler hemi, lots of V8s and even a Jaguar rail with a v12 in it. George in his 1929 Desoto, sporting a 120 tho overbored 265 Chrysler turned 142 mph.  Yes the car he still owns and drives.

 

Later on George would be the engine builder and crew chief for his Uncle Harry Hien, the legendary #90  who

is in the nascar hall of fame, drove Chrysler flathead straight 8s, and then flathead 6s with all kinds of combinations

and modifications.  Harry believe it or not is still alive and kicking and his last #90 car still exists.    I will

try and do a series on Harry and his car, and maybe take it for  a spin.
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Extremely Kool Tim, very interesting facts about the 265 and the early V8s, no doubt the 265 with factory dual/dual, packed a bit more punch, than the early Mopar flathead 6s.

I always enjoy the stories about George and Your Dad, and look forward to more pics and historical accounts of the AoK Racing Boys.

Hope to see your posts and pics about George Uncle Harry real soon.

Now I invite those who have any experiences, stories and photos to get on this blog and share, sure makes for interesting reading on a cold early winter night.

Happy Thanksgiving To Our American Friends too.....

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Well lets get the party started.. and kick it off with a team that we are big fans of.

 

                           "The Montana Dodge Boys"

 

Few know this and I will later on upload the “well buried”  story of the boys..  which short

Version is Pete “Pedro” Hendrickson who was challenged by a $100 bet by Earl "Edgy" Edgerton  aka the owner of Edgy Speed Shop that there was no way they could make a competitive car to run on the salt flats in well 364 days.

Earl, a great guy, had no idea just how motivated to win a $100 Pedro was, and this started the team known as “The Montana Dodge Boys”

Now we will start off by disclosing that the real secret of this car is that is runs  on “Montana Ale Works”  product…. That is our story and were sticking to it.. lol

 

Keep in mind they used what was called a Dodge “Fast 4” which had full oil pressure

And 5 main bearings. This compared to Henry Ford was light years ahead of its time. It was a super short run of around 8 or 9 months, and was just before Walter Chrysler would purchase the company and soon after move from 4 to 6 cylinders, even though

Less total cubic inches.

 

So here we were speed week, 2008 as the Montana Dodge boys hit the salt!

 

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cncmru1IsG8?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

The result..  not only did Earl have to fork over the $100, but Pedro had 3 world records

Topping at  116.378 miles per hour.  Trust me this was a very expensive $100 to win, but it was only the start !

 

Now a little look back.. hidden on the Dark Web, lol.. The Story behind the story !

 

 

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1JvV-BYNgt8?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

 

 Now you might think with that “C note” in hand, Pete “Pedro” would say, mission accomplished, we have done what we came for.. lol..   you must be kidding..  It was just starting..  So back to tuning, or modifications, and all kinds of secrets from various flathead mopars, and just not 4 cylinder Dodges came together and in august of 2009 it his the chassis dyno. The results – 124.73 hp

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b28K9HthU1Y?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Its back to the salt flats and the results..   127 mph..  Not to shabby…

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Nm_SiFs4vtU?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Now yes they had hit the salt flats the year prior, and they did after..  But there would be more changes, including the big one, which in my mind wasn’t the head that they thought was the “bees knees” but the cam.    List closely when in 2013 for their 10th world record, the “fast four” which was then 215 cubic inches dusted across the salt at just over 143 mph.

 

 

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iCgMxIf6wwU?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Now 4 cylinder, 215 ci, more that 1 hp per cubic inch and we have the approval of the M.D.B

to post that.

 

https://www.facebook.com/MontanaDodgeBoys/videos/10152647914468707

 

Now  here is a little sneak peak into the “Montana Dodge Boys” as they figure they should graduate to the 6 cylinder class..   Introducing “Clyde” which  is a 1931 Supercharged F head DeSoto SA coupe. Yes F head, and not L head hot rod and  definitely not a Model A Ford!

 

 

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8GwiWNYdDLU?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

For those interested the Desoto does not run a  Desoto big block but a Dodge 230" inline flathead six so they could use the  EDGY F-head conversion (1 of 4 cast).

Its running a 1954 Kaiser supercharger blowing through three new heavily-modified Strombergs 97s on a homebuilt log intake and a  vintage Paxton boost-regulated fuel regulator. It uses Fenton headers and  runs on the stock 19" wires with Excelsior radials.

 

What we know is that it definitely has more than the 40 hp of Henry Fords 1931 roadster and definitely exceeds  the 2200 rpm of Fords engine..  It will also definitely beat your average “Echo”..

 

Now can it out run an AoK 1949 Plymouth... interesting question I think... lol..  

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Wow - this is another great topic Tim.  Without question the blogs are the best thing on the p15-d24 site and yours is the gold standard for me. I understand just how much time you spend doing the blog and I think it is important that you know

just how many fans you truly have.  I understand you can likely find all of the videos some where on the inter-web

but I cant find s$$$  on out there, so to have you not only bring them to us, but also put a story to them its incredible.

 

Last one. Did I see an AoK reference in that 1931 Desoto video ?

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