Well at 72 the wiffy finally convinced me to sell everything and grow up.. ( I don't want to ) After taking my 56 Plymouth for one more run at ATCO. First at Tech they informed me that my helmut will not be usable next season..then after my first pass I went 11.38 @ 119.5.. with a 1.69 60 ft.With no traction bars or cal tracs . they sent me to tech and was told I will need to put in a roll bar and 5 point harness or slow it down..So i made another pass only launched a lot harder and smoked the tires all thru 1 st.. went 11,77 , then I put it on the trailer and went home. !!!I pulled the 493, and put in my stock cruiser 361 cid motor..Sold the trailer in one day..Now want to sell the 493 ,, either running on in pieces..and after driving the 56 with a stock motor ,i might just sell the car too..( Sucks getting old )

I know these are some hard choices for you.

I don't want to cause any problems with your wife, but.....



I'm almost 60 and look forward to several more years. I know several racers in their '70's still racing. You don't have to go all out. But hopefully you can find a happy compromise with your wife, budget & yourself.

Nuff said. Sometimes we use the wife to justify in our own minds doing exactly what we want to do anyway.

You'll be back.
Hobbies on a reasonable level keeps you young, proactive and socially viable.

Good luck to you sir!

Buddy of mine just went through the same thing. He built a gorgeous '64 Plymouth with a 496 in it. He drove it a couple times and put it up for sale. He found a nice little '70 318 Stepside pickup that he restored and now has a ball doing cruise nights.

I know how you feel.. I had to get out myself
after my second stroke last year.. I' still
playing with my street rod but I dont want to
race anymore for safety

72 and told your too fast,,,,,,,LMOL! Who is talking here,you or the wife?
If you decide to throw the tool box aside,well that is your decision.Wish you luck in any direction you go!
One question,did that car come off Long Island???

You could run the 361 and have a fun, no maintenance day if you like?
I am down to a couple of events a year at age 67.

Don't have to race, just run the car with the 493 around town and have a gay old time.

My father is 82... and although not racing or going to the track, he still goes out FOUR nights a week in the summer( mon, tues, wed, sat) with his '63 Impala.... a car he's owned since November of 1964.... My mother isn't a car person at all, but she tolerates it.
make her a deal, for every car related thing you do( show, race) you have to do something she wants to do.

I'm 58 and still only half way through my new project. 1 month into my highest job promotion yet. Lots of work still to come, both work and play. I'll quit when I'm dead or at least a quadraplegic.

That's a beautiful car. I'd think awfully hard about selling that. You won't come across one that nice like that for a while. I'd just drive that awesome car to your local cruise ins at the very least.

I certainly understand your dilemma. My wife and one of my sons has been after me to quit racing for a few years. I made a deal with them that if I can finish rehab of my car this year I'll quit racing when I turn 80. I'll be 78 in Nov. After that I'll just find someone else to drive my car and I have one grandson and another teenage cousin that are both interested.

Part of this deal is that after I quit racing I will put my effort into restoring another 68 Notchback I bought a few years ago. It might not end up on the track but with warmed 360 and a Procharger I have stashed away it should be a fun street car.

Sounds like a tough decision, hate to see someone quit who is enjoying themselves, if you still are, not sure that its a good idea. That is a sharp 56, not many around like it, Id be interested if you do decide to sell it.

Sorry to hear you are giving it up. I know my health gives me alot of problems as I have alot of joint problems so bad I live on pain meds and I am only 61. But I still love this hobby and wont sell my 63. I dont get to race much at all anymore but I do love racing it. But between my health and money (living on disability) I cant afford to race much or I dont feel up to it some days. I plan to keep driving it as much as I can and go to the local cruises most weekends. And I will race it every now and then when I can swing it. I just love this hobby to much to give it up myself but I understand you are doing what you feel is best for you. I know there is no way I could pull my 493 and put a stock 383 in it and drive it. After having the 493's power under the hood there is no way I want to put a less powerful eng in my 63. Well good luck to you and your wife as I hope all works out well for you guys. I know that has to be tuff selling that awesome 56 you have. Ron

I am 61, have a 9 second NSS car, just finished a 69 cuda street car with a procharger, and a 4-speed. I think about quitting from time to time. I raced with several guys in their early 70's running faster than me. I divorced two wives who thought I should sell my cars and grow up 20 years ago. I got a girlfriend now that loves to go racing. I can't cut a light like I used to, I groan every time I crawl over the roll bar, my tow truck has 300,000 miles on it, but a good clean charge down the track with the wheels up, and who cares, I forget all about the bad stuff. Happiness only happens in one place, right between your ears, so do what makes you happy. I told my son the other day when he was looking at my cuda, you can sell it when I am dead, but until then I am going to have fun.

Well I'll throw my two cents in, I'll be 68 in a couple weeks and have no intention of quitting, in fact still building three cars( 2 street and 1 race) right now. The poor house and health could be the only things that get me. The way I see it, you have to do something, can't set around, might as well call the undertaker. How many people do you see that stop then die within a year. Gotta have a reason to get up every morning. That is too nice a car to just dump, are you just gonna ride around in your minivan? You, me, all of us, cars are in our blood, can't be removed! Quit this stupid idea and get to riding and feel good again.

Do you like the alternative
I don't, but we all end up the same way in the end
I'm 72 now and I can remember when I was a lot younger thinking I didn't want to be drag racing in I was in my 30s, and then in my 40s and 50s
I stopped drag racing for several years in the late 1980s and took up flying, that is a lot of work on planning and so on and no fun unless your doing aerobatics
In the end we are in control of a lot of things in our life, do what you want to do

Thanks for flying the MoPar banner for so long. I hope you enjoy what ever you get into.