• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

1965 Plymouth 2% A/FX cars

Such a beautiful piece of steel.
As I had mentioned before, my friend here in Brooklyn threw one in the garbage after finding cracks all over it. I am sure that at least a few survived intact, perhaps the ones that were sold over the counter to home brewed rodders. The unicorn ones are the ever so mysterious magnesium pedigree.
 
That sure looks like Lions - I'd usually be about 6 feet to the right in those (pit side) stands or at the fence.
Empty bleachers tells me that's likely a test day or days.
 
Such a beautiful piece of steel.
As I had mentioned before, my friend here in Brooklyn threw one in the garbage after finding cracks all over it. I am sure that at least a few survived intact, perhaps the ones that were sold over the counter to home brewed rodders. The unicorn ones are the ever so mysterious magnesium pedigree.
That K member shows how with this particular AFX project, Chrysler decided to farm out piecemeal parts to companies such as Carron & Co. Thanks Xslantracer for bringing those flicks up to the surface. I never knew that this company that seems to still be in business as a precision fabricator was the fabricator of the K member. Always thought it was through Chrysler's stamping and welding. I can imagine the eye rolling and water cooler talk when Chrysler walked into their conference rooms with the blue prints and jigs for the K under hand and said, make this out of your lightest stainless steel. Then again I've been called crazier. LOL.

Of course just like the Plexiglas-glass windows, fiber-glass panels and chemical milling, it was easier to get someone else to do it using their existing tooling and vats. Explains all the low lying one story buildings peppering the Detroit area and other parts of the country.
 
Screen Shot 2023-01-20 at 9.07.30 AM.png
 
This Landy car besides allegedly being the first Funny car (I suspect different) was also critiqued for it's "High And Mighty" stance. Personally, I would have liked the car with a lower stock stance, but then again Landy and his team must have known something else, especially when it came to center of gravity.
Here it seemed he was following the Jim Thornton doctrine for the 2% campaign.
 
Appears to be the after the straight front axle was swapped in, as IIRC that happened when the wheels were moved forward.
The nose-up or elevated stance took a while to die out - in SoCal, at least, it was around '66-'67 when guys started applying better-working suspension & aero.
Remember, the 1st HemiCuda flew at Lions in '65, largely because it trapped a lot of air in front; that was addressed in the 2nd car months later.
We did a similar nose-lowering on a '57 Vette MP car a few years later, that had been initially built in the '60s with a jacked-up front end; the owner fought the idea, but the car picked up quite a bit afterward.
 
Saw this on Stock/SuperStock racers' FB feed...note rear wheel location, hood scoop, team name doesn't mention (Butch) Leal, though I don't know the timeline for his involvement.
Photo caption on FB said "Beeline", but not when...

DragonladyBeeline.jpg
 
Saw this on Stock/SuperStock racers' FB feed...note rear wheel location, hood scoop, team name doesn't mention (Butch) Leal, though I don't know the timeline for his involvement.
Photo caption on FB said "Beeline", but not when...

View attachment 1410168
Definitely something FUNNY going on there. As if the Plymouth's didn't have enough of an advantageous factory wheel base already. The Dodges had to fight and claw their way back.
 
Yeah, most photos show the car from the right and at an angle, but IIRC the rear axle most always looked a bit "extra-legal"...yet the front wheels look normally positioned.
Later on, HL (or someone) altered it further, and went to injectors.
And yup, Plymouths have always been better than Dodges, haha - except for the 2nd-gen Charger...(just jokin', hold the hate mail, Dodge boys :) )
 
Yeah, most photos show the car from the right and at an angle, but IIRC the rear axle most always looked a bit "extra-legal"...yet the front wheels look normally positioned.
Later on, HL (or someone) altered it further, and went to injectors.
And yup, Plymouths have always been better than Dodges, haha - except for the 2nd-gen Charger...(just jokin', hold the hate mail, Dodge boys :) )
Get outta Dodge. LOL.
 
Saw this on Stock/SuperStock racers' FB feed...note rear wheel location, hood scoop, team name doesn't mention (Butch) Leal, though I don't know the timeline for his involvement.
Photo caption on FB said "Beeline", but not when...

View attachment 1410168
I mean the front wheels don't have to necessarily be moved forward to achieve the CG advantages that a rear wheel forward alteration and a drivetrain set back would do. I bet that the drivetrain on this Plymouth is tricked set back somehow. Why I suspect? A certain NYC Dodge is guilty of the same sin.
 
Possible; the eng/trans in my ex-Hamburger Duster is set back a bit...
 
post 149 when leal got his awb car shirley got a a990 car for superstock and won the 1966 nhra winternationals with it i just got done reading butch leals new book good read
 
Definitely something FUNNY going on there. As if the Plymouth's didn't have enough of an advantageous factory wheel base already. The Dodges had to fight and claw their way back.
Come on now. All 64 Plymouths have the axle in that posistion.
Doug

64.jpg
 
Thanks for the great info guys. This is awesome stuff!
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top