Your old Street Racing Antics

[Ron H]

Maybe someone has posted on this before; but thought it would be interesting for the older crew to share some of their street racing experiences from back in the muscle car era, what they were driving and their competition, who won and any interesting side notes. I have a few so will share one as a start: One hot summer night 1971, was congregating with some car buddies shooting the chit outside our cars. A young guy from our nearby big city with his girlfriend in the car came up to us challenging one of us to run him in a brand new Challenger 440. Beautiful Winchester gray with the window sticker still on it. He held up a 20 dollar bill for the bet. (Good cash back then.) It was agreed best of three runs. A buddy with his '69 GTO chimed up first so off we went on a 4-lane street heading out of town. First run the Challenger beat him; but was painfully evident my bud had limited speed shifting experience (his 1st 4-speed car) so said let me try the 2nd run (I had a '67 GTO then). 2nd run the GTO edged him. 3rd run off we went and looking close until the kid suddenly pulled off the road. Made a U turn coming back behind him noticing BBQ smoke from his pipes. As I walked up to his window I peered in seeing his oil gauge near zero with hard clacking engine. He had driven that Dodge right off the dealer lot to our group with under 20 miles on it! Sad as I asked him if he ever knew about new car break in. He had a rich dad, owner of the dealer, who let his son take it out for a date promising to be careful...I liked that car prompting me to get my 1st mopar '70 Cuda.

 

[Cranky]

Did he pay up!? 20 bucks was 4 tanks of gas for my 66 Belvedere lol. Worse I ever did was 200 miles before taking a new vehicle to the track. Anyways, I got a run with this guy with a 292 small block in a 62 (I think) Chevy. What's a 292...a punched out 283? He showed up with it on a trailer like he said because it wasn't registered but when he fired it up, I knew I might be in trouble. It sounded pretty healthy and mine had a mild 383 with 3.91's, mild stall. Told him we needed to hurry up and do it since we were not too far off the beaten path and didn't want a ticket. His car was cold (I checked ) so knew it might bog off the line and it did....not once but twice. Beat him but he was reeling me in quick on the top end.

 

[Derwud]

Christmas Day 1982ish, went looking for a Gas Station.. Was rolling down Colorado Blvd in my Charger without another car in sight (Colorado Blvd is the main street though Pasadena, CA. They run this little parade down it once a year) a 70 Challenger turns on to Colorado right next to me. Stop light to Stop light Drags un-tell he turned about a mile down..

 

[Ron H]

Funny, don't remember if he paid up; we were feeling sorry for him as we envied that car, clueless as he was and he was pretty shook up as his girlfriend just stared at the floor. Haven't seen my old GTO bud in 40+ years (my God how many years it's been!) or even know if he's still around...it was an age where we worked low paying jobs (I was working at a machine shop for 2 bucks an hour, actually not all that bad coin then) and all we gave a **** about was our cars, cheap beer, and next girlfriends.

 

[493 Mike]

Probably around 1970 I was cruising around in my 63 413 Savoy 2 DR. I spied a couple of buddies one with a 340 Swinger 4-speed and the other in a 351 Mustang, also 4-speed. Well they decided to hit our local 1/4 mile but, they switched cars with each other. I tagged along with my car and lined up right behind them. We all took off at once and I was right on their tail-of course. At the end of the 1/4 on come the police lights so we all pulled over and the two really racing got a *** chewing (they never said anything to me) and after all was said and done, the younger cop (my cousin) says "well who won"! Another summer night I will always remember.
Mike

 

[Ron H]

Funny-funny! My older brother got into so much trouble with the local PD he got to become friends with some of them. He was a big GTO guy having had a '65, 67',and Ram Air IV '69 was his last (he wishes he still had). I followed suit as my 1st car was a '67 goat. He was a good mechanic working at a couple dealerships over a few years and his cop bud's would bring in their squads for him to trick up. Well he ended up changing careers and became a cop. He'd get super pissed at me when I started telling his sons about "the old days". He crashed two cars in one night, his '65 and then took out our dad's '63 GP and crashed it too looking for his license plate that dropped off his goat in the 1st crash! My dad was an even-tempered sort rarely got too mad...next morning he had a golf outing and he was out in the driveway with a 2x4 yanking the crushed fender from his GP so he could get to his golf outing! I could tell ya when he semi-rolled our mom's T-Bird coming back from a teen bar...maybe later.

 

[Darter6]

Hey Ron H, In 1968 a guy(George) picked up his shinny black new 340 4 speed Dart,pulled in front of the dealership and side stepped the clutch..Over revved it and spun the rod bearings. The guys named him "George Messy Crankshaft"

Speaking of rich kids, 1969. Daddy bought sonny boy a new small block Camaro 4 speed. The kid wanted a "Big Block" So he came into the gas station where all the street racers hung out. Drained the oil and held it to the floor till it let go.......

By the way,, Street Racing is illegal..........

 

[WileE]

My weekend nights were spent at Review Ave, Laurel Hill, Connecting highway, Clearview, Long dock, Conduit, Cross bay, Fountain avenue, and some others. I could write a book.

 

[Ron H]

Good friend I got to know years ago at work and still see on occasion crashed his 396 Chevelle the day he bought it spinning out wrapping around a light post in '68. Man he paid dearly and for life. His leg was near being amputated and they stuck in metal rods giving him a gimp for life. That leg ended up shorter than the other and developed major back problems, stint with pain pill addiction, and more surgeries. He's 67 going on 87 today. One night, one error, many of us including me got away with - with our risky antics...

 

[Darter6]

493 Mike, 1969. My dad bought a leftover 68 Coronet R/T. It was our family car till the '70's came out and he bought a 1970 Dart Swinger.He gave the R/T to my brother. Sooo A guy with a 429 Boss Mustang challenged my brother to a race.While this was going on (they raced on a 4 lane) dad happened along in the Dart on coming lane,,he pulled over and waited for them to turn around.My brother stopped and thought he was going to get a *** chewing. Dad said "Did you win ?'' Brother replied "Yep, 3 out of 3." Dad said "Good" and drove off.

 

[Ron H]

A friend's younger brother lived to be 18 years old. He ran a red light in his '64 Chevelle drop top heading east into a bright sun one morning going to work. Far as the investigation could tell the sun might have blinded him. He went through, up and over the windshield (top had been up) and was surprised they had an open casket! He looked awful like a play-doe reconstructed face. His dad came along side of me at the casket remembering just 2 weeks before he yelled at his son and me in our tuxedos as we were challenging each other on a set of gymnastic rings in the backyard. He and I were in gymnastics in HS (I only did that for two years before being more into cars) yelling we could break our necks a couple hours before his older son was to be married. That was 42 years ago and I drive by the cemetery rather often and most times I do think of him and how he missed out on life. Enough from me with my stories...sorry...would be neat to hear others racing escapades from back when!

 

[pwDave]

Maybe someone has posted on this before; but thought it would be interesting for the older crew to share some of their street racing experiences from back in the muscle car era, what they were driving and their competition, who won and any interesting side notes. I have a few so will share one as a start: One hot summer night 1971, was congregating with some car buddies shooting the chit outside our cars. A young guy from our nearby big city with his girlfriend in the car came up to us challenging one of us to run him in a brand new Challenger 440. Beautiful Winchester gray with the window sticker still on it. He held up a 20 dollar bill for the bet. (Good cash back then.) It was agreed best of three runs. A buddy with his '69 GTO chimed up first so off we went on a 4-lane street heading out of town. First run the Challenger beat him; but was painfully evident my bud had limited speed shifting experience (his 1st 4-speed car) so said let me try the 2nd run (I had a '67 GTO then). 2nd run the GTO edged him. 3rd run off we went and looking close until the kid suddenly pulled off the road. Made a U turn coming back behind him noticing BBQ smoke from his pipes. As I walked up to his window I peered in seeing his oil gauge near zero with hard clacking engine. He had driven that Dodge right off the dealer lot to our group with under 20 miles on it! Sad as I asked him if he ever knew about new car break in. He had a rich dad, owner of the dealer, who let his son take it out for a date promising to be careful...I liked that car prompting me to get my 1st mopar '70 Cuda.

I don't even know where to start I've done so much stupid chit, The one thing that brought me to my senses was putting a hemi in a gutted 64 bel two door sedan, that car was so violent that there was a 100% chance of dying if I crawled in the car drunk or even hi a little bit, things happened so quick in the car that I knew there was no chance that even at 23 yrs old I could get it back if it got squirrelly. So, I learned early to not crawl up in your hotrod drinking. like I said, lot of stupid stuff, none of it involving booze. Dave, class of 67.

 

[Xp29h]

Raced a good friend with a 71 challenger with my 73 charger. Raced on backroads, mostly wooded and it didn’t take long to get where we were going. Good thing it was a few miles race. He got me off the line because I was a bit heavier and didn’t have that low end pull. But I got him on the straight away 2 miles into the run. No idea how fast I was going as I never looked down!

We never rand the lights in town, too many black and whites. We took it out of town! No crashes either. Surprising!

 

[fratzog lover]

1978. Bought a 69 Coronet hemi, B-5 auto. $400 bucks. The original engine was replaced with a 440. First guy I let drive it at work (same day) drove it over a curb at the end of the parking lot with one foot on the brake and one on the gas. Didn't know he was a gin drunk in the day. Compensation? only a lesson learned.

 

[Budnicks]

here's a couple threads
that have a few good comments & subject matter

street racing & exploits of our/my youth
https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/threads/any-concord-ca.-guys-from-back-in-the-day.25014/

& here's another I could think of off hand
https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/threads/steet-outlaws-what-a-joke.65043/post-3#-910005140

 

[Johnpat]

Used to power shift during street racing all the time.
68R/Runner 383 ,4spd with the good old inland
shifter.
While at the drags up against 396Chevelle for
the trophy, I went for 3rd gear & ended up with
the shifter shaft breaking clean off &my fist
hitting the dash. Replaced it with a Hurst,no more
Problems

 

[747mopar]

I'm not "OLD" but have had some fun ones mostly with friends but ours were long runs lol. Most memorable was one against a good friend in our trucks! I had a 1978 F350 dually with a 460 and he had an F250 4x4 with a straight 6, he was limited on power and I was on gearing but it didn't stop us haha. I had it sideways a few times and he didn't adhere to using the pavement.. tried to pass me in a field! He typically won because I wasn't crazy enough but man was it fun. It also involved cars on our favorite backroad where going airborne multiple times was the norm, I won almost all of them because I had a Camaro with a V8 and they had turds, looking back it was pretty stupid but memories just the same.

 

[wagonman]

My weekend nights were spent at Review Ave, Laurel Hill, Connecting highway, Clearview, Long dock, Conduit, Cross bay, Fountain avenue, and some others. I could write a book.

Sounds like L.I. and Brooklyn-Queens. Clearview was brand new back then. Went with my buddy in his 68 black Hemi Road Runner one nite and guys were pulling slingshot dragsters off trailers to race. Had a couple of guys at the entrance with flares to stop traffic to race. This was in 72-73 IIRC. Did not stop NYPD though. Also remember tearing around the walking trails at Alley Pond Park in that car. First time I was over 100Mph was in my Dads brand new 70 Charger 500 that I took without his permission,got my *** beat for that stunt. Worth every black and blue.

 

[threewood]

I got my license in 1989 and most of my fun was had in my second car, a 1985 Omni GLH-T. 147hp in a 2380lb car. My first car ever was a 72 Mustang 302 2bbl that was slow as dog crap. I have no fond memories of any races in that thing other than beating a girl I worked with in her 64 1/2 Mustang. Sold it and got the Omni.

My favorite memory was cruising the strip and getting into races with 5.0 Mustangs 305 Camaros/Firebirds. One night I had an 84 or 85 Mercury Capri 5.0 pull up next to me and my buddy Dave. Capri guy had 3 guys in the car with him and we were rolling about 30 mph and we were trash talking across the lanes. We both hit it and I walked him pretty good up to the next light. He pulls up next to us with a more serious look, so we go from the light. We both burn rubber but again I start pulling him. Now he is getting mad, losing to a 4 banger lol. Rolls up to us and wants a rematch but he has to lighten his load by dropping his passengers off.

So after he lightened load, it was a closer race but I still edged him out. Funny thing was he insisted on going from a rolling start in his auto 5.0. The GLH was a 5 speed so I was always in the power band with the turbo spooled and no wheel spin as it would do off the line with an aggressive launch. Kept seeing him cruising throughout the night but he was done with me.

 

[Dibbons]

Two incidents I can remember:

#1
As a junior in high school (1971-1972) I drove my parents still new 1971 air grabber Road Runner 383 auto (3.23 open) to school every day. Finally made a bet for $10.00 to race a classmate's 390 CID Mercury Cyclone auto. We drove out to either Armstrong or Hitchcock Road outside downtown Salinas, CA.

I was nervous because a whole parade of cars driven by classmates followed us out there (this was broad daylight and I thought this activity might have alerted the Salinas Police Department). One guy offered to line us up and start us. Then two classmates of about equal weight (200 plus pounds) jumped into each "race car's" passenger seat as witnesses (no one was stationed at the finish line).

We didn't measure distance so we decided to race to a pre-determined "trap speed" of either 90 mph, 95 mph, or 100 mph (don't remember which we chose). This was a two-lane blacktop that transfersed a couple of planted agricultural fields (lettuce, tomato, etc.) There were probably a line of telephone poles along one side of the road or the other.

Our Road Runner had a pair of Thrush Mufflers (the hollow ones with no fiberglass packing) so as we launched the noise level increased close to open header levels. The Road Runner pulled about a car's length ahead of the Cyclone right off the line and maintained that lead to the end. I had a factory tach and shoved the slap stick forward a couple of times at the 5,500 redline. (The low-compression Road Runner was previously doing very low 15's at Fremont Raceway).

I collected the $10.00 from my embarrassed classmate and was not willing to ever "street race" again after that (I was way too nervous of getting busted). Later, in community college, I built a '65 four door Valiant 273 four-speed bracket racer that I towed to Fremont (80 miles one-way) once or twice a week (Wednesday, Sunday).