The first car that impress me with its power in 1962 was a home made roadster that was Olsmobile powered by a 1957 J2 motor, he used a stock 1957 three speed Olds stick shift tranny. The builder/owner has passed on several years ago, RIP Tookie Smith
He used a Ford model A framed that he Z and put a 1949 Olds rear end and rear suspension in with a mode A rear buggy spring axle and a stock modal A front axle and spring with split wish bone. He dug up a 1923 Dodge pickup roadster body out of the desert near 29 Palms, CA and he hand made a sheet metal short pick up bed to finish it.
That car weighed a little over 2300 Lbs. wet without the driver.
That was in 1962 when I was still in high school, he took me for a ride in it and it would fishtail the 8.20x15 recaps every time he would get after it
That ride with that dude hooked me up on speed
I've been hooked ever since
Faster and faster until the world becomes a blur