Posted By: 472Coronet
Any Martin US 131 racers know this car? - 11/11/20 06:30 PM
Hi everyone. I posted this in the general forum, but someone suggested I post it here instead. We’re hoping to find some info on a car we purchased.
My Father and I recently purchased this 65 Coronet 500. It was built over a 5 year period by a gentleman who passed away a little over a year ago, we were told. We purchased the car through a broker, as it was being sold by the builder’s widow. I have the name of the builder, but I don’t know if I should post it publicly, so I won’t. He lived near Allegan MI, or Kalamazoo, we were told. The car is now just outside of Grand Rapids.
This might be a long shot, but we’re hoping to find some information about what has been done to the engine. It started out as a 472 crate hemi, but the only documentation with the car regarding the engine said “upgraded to solid lifters”.
The car was featured in Mopar Action several years back, and the article mentioned he immediately disassembled the crate hemi after the purchase, and I assume that’s when he did a few upgrades. Unfortunately, the lack of receipts or documentation with the car have kept us guessing as to what’s been done. It sounds really healthy, my best guess is a MP .557 or something similar, but that’s just a guess. We have no idea if he bumped the compression, or anything else.
The car was built as a street legal half A990 clone, half race car, if that makes sense. He did an amazing job with the build, and we plan to keep it exactly as is.
The car shows 187 miles since restoration, and it still wears several “US 131 money class winner” stickers, so we believe it’s been run there quite often. To sum it up, if anyone knows the car by chance, I’d love to get any information on engine specifics, what ET he was able to run, or anything else.
Thanks in advance!
My Father and I recently purchased this 65 Coronet 500. It was built over a 5 year period by a gentleman who passed away a little over a year ago, we were told. We purchased the car through a broker, as it was being sold by the builder’s widow. I have the name of the builder, but I don’t know if I should post it publicly, so I won’t. He lived near Allegan MI, or Kalamazoo, we were told. The car is now just outside of Grand Rapids.
This might be a long shot, but we’re hoping to find some information about what has been done to the engine. It started out as a 472 crate hemi, but the only documentation with the car regarding the engine said “upgraded to solid lifters”.
The car was featured in Mopar Action several years back, and the article mentioned he immediately disassembled the crate hemi after the purchase, and I assume that’s when he did a few upgrades. Unfortunately, the lack of receipts or documentation with the car have kept us guessing as to what’s been done. It sounds really healthy, my best guess is a MP .557 or something similar, but that’s just a guess. We have no idea if he bumped the compression, or anything else.
The car was built as a street legal half A990 clone, half race car, if that makes sense. He did an amazing job with the build, and we plan to keep it exactly as is.
The car shows 187 miles since restoration, and it still wears several “US 131 money class winner” stickers, so we believe it’s been run there quite often. To sum it up, if anyone knows the car by chance, I’d love to get any information on engine specifics, what ET he was able to run, or anything else.
Thanks in advance!