Normspeed Posted June 9, 2008 Report Posted June 9, 2008 Well, we had us a large time at the Antique Nats. Tony C's buzzcoupe has real attitude, with the V-8 and the big rear tires. The folks running the show were very generous and understanding with some of us novices who don't know which end is which at the strip. We got in a couple of practice runs before the eliminations began. I sorta wasted my practice runs trying to do the 5 speed thing at full throttle, and missed a shift or two (coffee nerves). By the time we really started racing, I got eliminated right away while racing a Hudson. Tony went on to race some more but due to a problem with the strip's timing system he had to re-run one round which he had won, and the second time he got beat. At least, that's how he tells the story;) Lee (Grandadeo) was our pit crew and did a stand up job. The green Plymouth belongs to Mike Schmitt from the Glendale area, and Mike will likely be joining the forum soon. He has twin carbs and his car ran real well. I'll post some pics on photobucket later but here are a couple that tell the tale. Tony looked really fetching in the helmet I loaned him. Quote
krodaddy Posted June 9, 2008 Report Posted June 9, 2008 Looks like you had some big fun. Is that track 1/4 mile or 1/8 mile? The 2 dragstrips near me are 1/8 mile. I'd like to give it a try when I get my car put back together. Maybe next summer. Quote
Tony Cipponeri Posted June 9, 2008 Report Posted June 9, 2008 Hey You Guys, I am here to say that the picture of my car in Norm's rear view mirror was a set up. HONEST INJUN. I know that everyone will believe me, instead of those lying pictures. Tony C Quote
Tony Cipponeri Posted June 9, 2008 Report Posted June 9, 2008 It was a quarter mile track, I might have done better if it was an 8th mile track as my car seem to run out of gas past the 8th mile. I was turning 10 plus seconds at the 8th mile but was between 18 and 16 seconds at the quarter mile mark. It was a real plesure meeting Lee and a bunch of other people that Norm and Lee knew. Tony C Quote
krodaddy Posted June 9, 2008 Report Posted June 9, 2008 10 seconds at the 1/8 marker is haulin the mail !!! I know guys with late model mustangs that are pretty happy to get into the high 8's. I wonder what a stock flat six would do? Quote
greg g Posted June 9, 2008 Report Posted June 9, 2008 was watching PASSTIME on Speed the other night. Woman had a lowrider 350 impala, with 4 barrel. Her 1/4 time was 24.08. So both you guys probably smoked her. Mark A from St Loise had a timing slip for his dual carbed flattie that was a pretty impressive 18+, if I remember correctly. Quote
Tony Cipponeri Posted June 9, 2008 Report Posted June 9, 2008 Oh yeah, I did look pretty good in that helmet, that Norm lent me. Even though I have to say so myself. Tony C Quote
Normspeed Posted June 10, 2008 Author Report Posted June 10, 2008 What did the time slips say??????? My best before I got beat was a 13.121 at 1/8 mile and a 20.729, 64.89 mph at the 1/4. If I coulda had another run I might have broken the coveted 20 second barrier. In fact, my reaction time on that run was .755, so if it weren't for my taking a short nap at the christmas tree I might have got that done. The Hudson that thrashed me ran a 19.903 (his reaction time was real good) but a top speed of 51.11. Quote
Fireball Posted June 10, 2008 Report Posted June 10, 2008 Reaction time doesn't have any influence on the E.T Quote
Gwellman Posted June 10, 2008 Report Posted June 10, 2008 As a kid (45 years ago), I bought a 50 Plymouth from the guy across the street. I wanted to drag race it. My dad, an engineer at Chrysler had some useful advice. I used to disconnect the exhaust pipe at the manifold, milled the head 60 thou (worth about half a second by itself). I also had a supply of different size carb jets, but I never could detect any real difference in the performance. Best run was 19.3 and nearly 70mph..usually more like 19.7 at 68. I used to win consistently only losing to a guy with a 50 Ply business coupe. I got him off the line but he'd creep up over the quarter mile and just beat me. I paid for that car with my winnings! (sounds impressive except the car only cost $35 and I only won $50 total) I had a Sun 6 volt 6 cylinder tach and would run the engine to 5000 and shift full throttle. It never broke. Good thing because I had to drive it home after each session. I finally took to college where I eventually junked it. I still have the tach and it is now on my very low milage 48 business coupe with overdrive. Quote
Normspeed Posted June 10, 2008 Author Report Posted June 10, 2008 Reaction time doesn't have any influence on the E.T You know, I never realized that! So, I have no excuse at all for not breaking the 20 second barrier. Maybe next year...maybe with nitrous... Quote
woodscavenger Posted June 10, 2008 Report Posted June 10, 2008 Are you sure it wasn't you that bought that turbo off of ebay??!!! Quote
Normspeed Posted June 11, 2008 Author Report Posted June 11, 2008 Hee hee hee, nope, no turbo...yet.. Next year I break into the 19's. Here's a link to quite a few photos of the Antique nats. Looks like Tony's car got a couple of pics in there. There was a really wide variety of stuff, from Hudsons to Hupmobiles to Whizzers and everything in between. A real nostalgia trip and also some very fast cars. The event was sponsored by the 4 ever 4 club and I gotta tell you there were some real fire breathing 4 bangers out there. http://www.donshotrodpage.net/AntNats08/index.htm Quote
Fireball Posted June 11, 2008 Report Posted June 11, 2008 Cool event, wish I was there. Thanks for the pics Norm. Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted June 11, 2008 Report Posted June 11, 2008 Nice pics Norm. Thanks. Of course, I particularly like the Hudson convert. That event is rather like the Hamb drags held here at the last of August. As I recall, it costs $35 to participate. They have "test and tune" time for most of the afternoon. You can get in the line as many times as you want during that period. They are not really "races" unless you happen to be paired with someone about equal, then you can have some fun. They do some more serious racing in the evening. Hit top speed of 57 mph with a somewhat easy start off the line so as not to tear up anything in the clutch or tranny department. If I go this year, it would be fun to run with this guy, named Bob. He has a six in that very nice Chevy. Quote
greg g Posted June 11, 2008 Report Posted June 11, 2008 here is a fairly comprehensive list of old timer drags, for those of you itchin to go straight line racin. http://www.flatheaddrag.com/Schedule08.html Quote
Young Ed Posted June 11, 2008 Report Posted June 11, 2008 Bob a guy we know who lives down the street from me has a hudson like that. I think his is a 50. Its also yellow with a red leather interior. I think his is a 8cyl. It just came out of the resto shop this spring. Quote
Normspeed Posted June 14, 2008 Author Report Posted June 14, 2008 Tony, I came up with an extra fire extinguisher after the drags. I figure it must be yours... Quote
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