Re: Street Racing in the 60's & 70's - Tell them your s
[Re: fullmetaljacket]
#506322
07/10/10 08:53 AM
07/10/10 08:53 AM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,275 Desert Tracker
HYPER8oSoNic
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,275
Desert Tracker
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LQ, Whatever happed to that hard-running Gremilin, that ran at FLB/Clearview Exp?
"Stupidity is Ignorance on Steroids" "Yeah, it's hopped to over 160" (quote by Kowalski in the movie Vanishing Point 1970 - Cupid Productions)
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Re: Street Racing in the 60's & 70's - Tell them your story
[Re: Mopar Grandpa]
#506326
07/11/10 09:54 PM
07/11/10 09:54 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,048 Atlanta Indiana
Dave Watt
master
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master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,048
Atlanta Indiana
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This isn't from the '60's or '70's since I didn't graduate high school until '85, but I think it fits the thread. I spent the summer of '87 in Huntsville Alabama working at a local fried chicken restaraunt during the evenings. Once we closed the store for the evening I would drive to a well known street racing place. It was about a mile long, then had a curve to the left, then another mile until it ended, straight as an arrow, flat as can be, brand new pavement. We drove to the end of the road, turned around and parked on the sides. The bench racing would get heated up. My red 73 340 Duster was a pretty quick street car but was new to the scene that summer. I had made friends with Charlie who had a B5 blue '70 Dart Swinger 340 4-speed, it was really fast. So just to get the action going, he and I lined up. That Dart wore me out! But within a week or two, it dropped a valve so I was left to hold up the Mopar banner that summer. Not long after that,we were out there again. Charlie was a real talker and would egg the other guys on to get them to race. We had heard of a '67 Mustang being built which going to be fast. It finally shows up, no hood, tunnel ram and 2 4-barrels sticking out, pretty impressive looking, everyone was crowded around it for a while. Charlie knew the guy, walks up and says, "hey, is this thing fast?" The guy says "We'll see". Charlie replies "See that little Duster over there? I bet it will whip your a$$!" I think my jaw dropped to the ground as everyone whipped around to look at the "little Duster". So, the Mustang owner wasted no time in getting in and lining up. I thought "what am I doing? this will be embarrasing". Charlie dropped his arms and the Duster hooked up and proceeded to take the win. Believe it or not, the Mustang owner never slowed down to come back to the starting area, he just left, I never saw it again. Whenever there wasn't any racing action going on, there was a Chevy Monza with a small block 400 in it. We would race just to get other people interested in racing us. If he was running his small shot of nitrous, he would win by a car length or so. If it was all motor, I'd get him by a car or so. We had a blast. If anyone is from Huntsville and remembers this place, I'd really like to hear about it. Dave
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Re: Street Racing in the 60's & 70's - Tell them your s
[Re: HYPER8oSoNic]
#506329
07/17/10 11:37 AM
07/17/10 11:37 AM
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,141 Phoenix,Az.
hemicop
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,141
Phoenix,Az.
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I think newer technology & an abundence of specialized parts have made AMCs a worthwhile build. In talking with a friend who's an AMC fanatic I learned how to build a 427 AMC with the same bore/stroke ratio as a big-block Chevy. Talk about a sleeper! Couple that shortblock with a set of Indy's AMC race heads (Hell use their alum too!), throw it in a Gremlin or Pacer & clean-up! Between the rev potential & the breathe-ability of the heads EASY 9-sec. street runs are possible.
Since it's been so long ago, anyone want to divulge the set-ups they ran in their cars back then? I think alot would be surprised how mild some of the stuff really was compared to today
Last edited by hemicop; 07/17/10 02:44 PM.
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Re: Street Racing in the 60's & 70's - Tell them your s
[Re: hemicop]
#506330
07/17/10 07:11 PM
07/17/10 07:11 PM
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 96,664 On The Boat, On The Lake, Wa. ...
amxautox
Still Retired. Still Posting on Moparts. A Lot.
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Still Retired. Still Posting on Moparts. A Lot.
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 96,664
On The Boat, On The Lake, Wa. ...
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'69 AMX 390 4-spd car.
'70 390.
.047 over bore.
Stock dog leg heads, 'street ported.
9.67 compression ratio.
.272 adv. duration.
.492" lift.
Stock non ported R4B intake, or Eddy Performer intake - the stock one seems to run slightly better.
Demon 4bbl 650 double pumper, with no choke. Set up for road racing, floats, breather tubes, etc.
Tom
"Everyone should believe in something; I believe I'll go fishing."
-Henry David Thoreau
Men and fish are alike. They both get into trouble when they open their mouths
author unknown
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Re: Street Racing in the 60's & 70's - Tell them your s
[Re: HYPER8oSoNic]
#506332
07/18/10 05:00 AM
07/18/10 05:00 AM
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,141 Phoenix,Az.
hemicop
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,141
Phoenix,Az.
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Since we're talking about AMCs & streetracing-----one night John had his Gremlin out when I stumbled on him. We were on Utopia Parkway when I pulled alongside in my tubbed, SBC-powered Pinto. My car had a big solid lifter cam in it, quite a bit of compression, "fuelie" heads and a 40lb. flywheel hooked to an M21 trans in front of 4:30 gears. He had just gotten his new converter from Vitar Engr. and we were both anxious to see how our "mini-cars" (popular term back then) would do. When the light went green John jumped ahead, probably a car length or so as I let the clutch fly & went after him. Catching up wasn't a problem but keeping ahead, I have to admit, took a little bit of effort. We went through this ritual about three times as I recall, each run being about the same. Though I did beat him, I have to admit he made a real believer out of me in regards to automatics for racing. His car was so much more consistent & easier on the driveline than mine I find it kind of hard to justify using a stick except they're so much fun......
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Re: Street Racing in the 60's & 70's - Tell them your story
[Re: dwbiggs]
#506333
07/18/10 07:47 AM
07/18/10 07:47 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,978 VA
DAMOPARS
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,978
VA
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Quote:
No Northern VA, DC areas stories???
Yeah they used to meet at the bus lot off 495 @ Fort Washington/Oxen Hill and block off 295 near the DC line. I never raced there but had a 69 Bee and my friends cars, 68 RR, a T/A and a 69 1/2. We used to race down at Hyde Airport in Clinton. Ah the good old days.. Here is my Bee from the mid 70's
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Re: Street Racing in the 60's & 70's - Tell them your s
[Re: hemicop]
#506334
07/18/10 08:00 PM
07/18/10 08:00 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,275 Desert Tracker
HYPER8oSoNic
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,275
Desert Tracker
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Quote:
Since we're talking about AMCs & streetracing-----one night John had his Gremlin out when I stumbled on him. We were on Utopia Parkway when I pulled alongside in my tubbed, SBC-powered Pinto. My car had a big solid lifter cam in it, quite a bit of compression, "fuelie" heads and a 40lb. flywheel hooked to an M21 trans in front of 4:30 gears. He had just gotten his new converter from Vitar Engr. and we were both anxious to see how our "mini-cars" (popular term back then) would do. When the light went green John jumped ahead, probably a car length or so as I let the clutch fly & went after him. Catching up wasn't a problem but keeping ahead, I have to admit, took a little bit of effort. We went through this ritual about three times as I recall, each run being about the same. Though I did beat him, I have to admit he made a real believer out of me in regards to automatics for racing. His car was so much more consistent & easier on the driveline than mine I find it kind of hard to justify using a stick except they're so much fun......
Ah, Utopia Parkway, not a bad stretch of road to run back then, still had that good concrete surface up till almost 5 years ago in some spots! That runnin' Gremilin might have been pulling the "sandbag game" on you! If you can catch him from the light and gain a car length that quick, but struggle to keep ahead, it's a ruse! Something is a little off, if it's just almost every run. Chances of two cars being so closely matched is few but never impossible. So, the other theory is that, his consistency is what kept him at the level he was running at. Vitar Engineering great converters and trannys, back in the day!!
"Stupidity is Ignorance on Steroids" "Yeah, it's hopped to over 160" (quote by Kowalski in the movie Vanishing Point 1970 - Cupid Productions)
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Re: Street Racing in the 60's & 70's - Tell them your story
[Re: HYPER8oSoNic]
#506336
07/18/10 08:14 PM
07/18/10 08:14 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,951 Toronto Ontario
Butt Ugly
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,951
Toronto Ontario
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New to the thread but, gotta tell ya!!!! Brother had a built 304 Gremlim, broke his right arm playing hockey and had me shifting his car while playing with other street racers. Had to decline the real deal because our timing was a little off.
Faster Horses, Younger Women, Older Wiskey, More Money --- Tom T
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