How long have you been racing ?

[malex]

well deserved praise too, you're very welcome

what's the expectations #'s ?

it sure is 'perty' ,
ya' gotta' love an aluminum Hemi

----
Would be nice to see around 850hp/750tq out of this pump gas hemi.

 

[biomedtechguy]

1963 with my Max Wedge Aluminum front end car. Bought it new in 1963 when I was 21 years old

Mike Gaines

Tell me Mike, how competitive or dominant were Mopar Max Wedge powered cars, and engines compared to the other offerings in 1963? I'm asking because you were there and...
When I was 15/16 I used to go to the Main Branch of the New Orleans Public Library in downtown New Orleans and check out Hot Rod magazines and other publications like that, and already a Mopar fan, I remember reading an all brands engine chart that was 2 pages together. I was impressed with the HP and Torque of the Mopar mills compared to the rest.
You were actually there!

 

[dvw]

View attachment 987041 [ATTAC

I want this coupe.
Doug

 

[Tex013]

I want this coupe.
Doug

hahaha .
that was my daily driver for 10 years , used to pick my son up from day care in it . Drove interstate numerous times . But ultimately was not able to be what i wanted as a race car . And it was time to get another mopar .

Tex

 

[Mike Gaines]

Mike Gaines

Tell me Mike, how competitive or dominant were Mopar Max Wedge powered cars, and engines compared to the other offerings in 1963? I'm asking because you were there and...
When I was 15/16 I used to go to the Main Branch of the New Orleans Public Library in downtown New Orleans and check out Hot Rod magazines and other publications like that, and already a Mopar fan, I remember reading an all brands engine chart that was 2 pages together. I was impressed with the HP and Torque of the Mopar mills compared to the rest.
You were actually there!

Well, There were a lot of Max Wedge Aluminum Front End Cars and there were literally thousands of steel front end max wedge cars in 1963. These cars ruled the AFX class and the Super Stock A classes in 1963 but...in 1964 Ford Racing came out with the Fiberglass Front End 427/425HP Lightweight Galaxies that kicked our butt. There weren't that many of them but they pretty much dominated the Mopars in 1964 and 1965 when we ran heads up with them at the NHRA National Event Races. What we couldn't believe is that the Ford had the FORDOMATIC Automatic Transmissions and we were stunned that these cars could compete with our Torqueflites. Also what became apparent thru the years that the max wedge crossram intake manifold was not as effective as we all believed. The Fords merely had a tall single Plane intake manifold on their dual quad 427's that probably made more power. But to this day none of us would trade a good 1963 Max Wedge Mopar for a 1964 Ford Galaxie.....Mike Schmidt's Desert Motors 427/425HP Lightweight Galaxie (Ridgecrest, CA) won most of the NHRA National events in 64 and 65...when competing against our max wedge cars. ET's for both the Fords and Mopars were in the low, low 12 teens during those years. I was only 22 and 23 in 1964 and 1965 and didnt really know what I was doing in regards to really "tuning" my Max Wedge and my car only ran right around 12.30 at the National Events...but, I was there competing against the likes of the Ramchargers, Arlen Vanke, Roger Lindamood (Color Me Gone car), and the other factory backed Mopars.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Well, There were a lot of Max Wedge Aluminum Front End Cars and there were literally thousands of steel front end max wedge cars in 1963. These cars ruled the AFX class and the Super Stock A classes in 1963 but...in 1964 Ford Racing came out with the Fiberglass Front End 427/425HP Lightweight Galaxies that kicked our butt. There weren't that many of them but they pretty much dominated the Mopars in 1964 and 1965 when we ran heads up with them at the NHRA National Event Races. What we couldn't believe is that the Ford had the FORDOMATIC Automatic Transmissions and we were stunned that these cars could compete with our Torqueflites. Also what became apparent thru the years that the max wedge crossram intake manifold was not as effective as we all believed. The Fords merely had a tall single Plane intake manifold on their dual quad 427's that probably made more power. But to this day none of us would trade a good 1963 Max Wedge Mopar for a 1964 Ford Galaxie.....Mike Schmidt's Desert Motors 427/425HP Lightweight Galaxie (Ridgecrest, CA) won most of the NHRA National events in 64 and 65...when competing against our max wedge cars. ET's for both the Fords and Mopars were in the low, low 12 teens during those years. I was only 22 and 23 in 1964 and 1965 and didnt really know what I was doing in regards to really "tuning" my Max Wedge and my car only ran right around 12.30 at the National Events...but, I was there competing against the likes of the Ramchargers, Arlen Vanke, Roger Lindamood (Color Me Gone car), and the other factory backed Mopars.

View attachment 988371

Thanks Mike...
It sounds like the intake on the Max Wedge may have been a weak link from what I'm getting from your reply. That's too bad too, because they sure LOOK great. I'm a fiend for stuff like this, so I'm super curious. If you were to compare main "systems" or areas of the 2 engines, the 427 vs the 426MW, what would each have over the other that you would say was better? For example, it sounds like the Ford intake may have been better, but I'd guess the Mopar shaft design rocker arms are an advantage. Please share any granular details you want to. I love stuff like this from the men like you who actually lived it!! Also were there any major suspension advantages to Ford vs GM vs Mopar in those cars and what were they?
Thanks as always Mike!

 

[Mike Gaines]

Thanks Mike...
It sounds like the intake on the Max Wedge may have been a weak link from what I'm getting from your reply. That's too bad too, because they sure LOOK great. I'm a fiend for stuff like this, so I'm super curious. If you were to compare main "systems" or areas of the 2 engines, the 427 vs the 426MW, what would each have over the other that you would say was better? For example, it sounds like the Ford intake may have been better, but I'd guess the Mopar shaft design rocker arms are an advantage. Please share any granular details you want to. I love stuff like this from the men like you who actually lived it!! Also were there any major suspension advantages to Ford vs GM vs Mopar in those cars and what were they?
Thanks as always Mike!

Don't know about any rocker arm advantages, if any. Their single plane medium rise intake was better and they had Holley carbs and we had Carters...the Holley might have been better, don't really know. Their motor must have made more power because they were just fast enuf to beat us. Both brands have leaf spring rear suspension and all of us had many, many different approaches to traction over that 2 to 3 years. At one time I even had traction bars that went from the spring perch up to the rear of the springs and then a real long bar that was attached to the drivers side of the rear axle and went all the way up the the front frame rail where the door meets the front fender and it had a rubber snubber on the end of it. The thought was (and it did do it) was that when I left the line the torque of the motor would push that long bar UP and lift the drivers side front tire...I abandoned that approach after a couple months. Ended up with just clipping the leaf springs together and a pinion snubber which became pretty much the standard setup. You also have to remember that we were limited to 7"wide rear slicks (I had Goodyear Blue Streaks and a lot of guy ran Firestones). That is when we ran a 5' wide rear wheel with 6lbs ( or so) of air pressure. Even the Super Stock Hemi cars could only use 7 inch tires.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Thanks Mike. My understanding is that our shaft mount rocker arms are more stable than stud mounts. Well, like I said, that cross ram Mopar MW intake sure looks awesome.
I'll tell ya what. Any chance I get to "trailer" an early 60s Ford of that variety I'll count as a little vengeance for back in the day.

 

[Geri]

accumulative probably est. 35 years of 43+
a few really lean years, mixed in there, family & co. came 1st
or just driving someone else's car
or going to help tune, but don't really like to travel anymore
I'm 125 miles from the nearest track now
(I use to live min.'s/12 miles away)
& It won't be long before it's gone too

I started in 1975 street/strip cars,
when I got my drivers license
I got my comp license in 1977 after I turned 18
got a real racecar 8.90 comp car, blown Inj. 301cid SBC
5.5# per cid A/A, graduated to door slammers
S/ST, S/G, S/C, T/S, Outlaw Pro-Stock, Comp Eliminator
mostly brand X for economics reasons,
I had a few MoPar engine in a couple too
(It's tough back then, especially on a family budget, they just couldn't compete
without spending almost 2 times as much $$$, as the brand x)
I always had a MoPar as my street beast, or tow rig or a Power Wagon
even raced when I lived in Alaska, Palmer Polar Raceway, mid 80's
a 71 Camaro S/C & a 71 Olds S/ST
26 different racecars
I raced all over the west coast until I was 38, in 1997
20 years almost every weekend, sometime 2 times a week
Fremont, Sears Point, Oroville, Sacramento, Famoso, LACR,
Pomona, Orange Co., Ontario MSW, Irwindale, Lions, Lodi etc. etc. etc.
I stepped back concentrate on family & business
just part time stuff after that

at 1st I enjoyed the travel

I Chris crossed the US some 15 or so times
some 180k+ miles on a couple tow rigs
had some really nice trailers

I really liked when Calif. had so many tracks
we had like 18 at one time, were down to like 5 now
when I had to go all over & travel so far, just to race
it wasn't as much fan anymore

I did keep my comp license current until 2020
I made a pass & paid the bill, kept it current
last passes I made was in a buddies Bob's,
Brogie 27 tube chassis Roadster in Oct. or Nov. (?) 2019
I think it was an ol' S&W racecars chassis
he's going to run it in Super Pro, it's fast as ****
BBC 572+cid tunnel 2 dominators, PG, Dana 60 w/floating axles
5.13:1 gears, 33 x 15 X 15
weighs about 1950#-2000#'s wet, Lamb Struts & Coil-overs, 4 link
he never ran anything fast,
he wanted someone to check it out 1st
I volunteered
I did shake down passes at Sacramento, they rented the track
had an ambulance on site,
1st run did a burnout & launch
2nd run did a launch & 1/2 track, click it off
my 3rd pass was clicking it off early
& dumping both chutes at about 1000' went 7.49 @ 181
seating the brakes still...
I ran it out the back door, it's too lean on the top end nosed over
but still went 7.24 @ 188, shooting ducks
I think Bob's going to run it in Nostalgia races,
IIRC 8.50 A or B Gas

I got my juices going again

I miss my old 23 t altered, I had for 15+ years from 8.90-6.90's
I miss my T/S cars 87 Trans Am, 85 Charger/Omni
I miss my Pro Gas car 49 Ford, that was a fun car
I miss my Outlaw Pro-stock car 89 Camaro, 92 T/A
Hell I miss the comp cars 67 Camaro, 71 Vega
or the Super Gas 9.90 Opel GT, 68 Camaro or Super Comp 8.90 altered
you guys have seen all my blurry *** photos

enjoy

View attachment 984081

that is an awesome drag racing "career" . I started in 1960 with a '53 Olds stick shift that weighed as much as a dump truck, broke the flimsy standard trans in it most every weekend. not particularly fast but for 1960 it was OK, it ran low 15's at 86 MPH. raced on and off -mostly on into the late 70s, now back at it one more time with my
"last hurrah" a 472 hemi in my '72 duster (still waiting for the engine from the machine shop- sound familiar?) no races anyway so it is a good winter project.

 

[440rb]

Started in 1980 with a hot street/strip '71 340 cuda, 13.3's@101, hopped that up to 12.39's@108, sold that in 1988 and moved to a '69 Cuda back halved it 14x32's with L/bars-coil overs and a more or less stock 6pk motor with better 906's and a [email protected] sft and went 10's with it and then 9's with a small shot, job done in the 9's, retired in 1991. Life then happened and 2 kids later and 30yrs I'm now back at the track crewing with our '69RR street car in the 10.40's having a great time.

...just thought I'd add pics>

 

[Curiousyellow71]

First time down the strip w our charger was 1992 14.8 @97 w a 383. Started going to street races most friday nights in '93.
Picture is Mid 90s I am down by the rear tire and my twin brother is in the red shirt.. we were running high 10s....picture from Kearney, NE at a bracket race. Memorable race...first time it carried the front wheels mostly through first gear...what a rush...I can remember that like it was yesterday.

 

[Darter6]

Started going with my brothers back in 1966.Pittsburgh Pa. My first time drag racing at the track was 1973.
I was only 15 but nobody checked back then. Raced a CB350 Honda that ran mid 13's.
They raced the cars and motorcycles together not separate like today.
2014 was the last time going down the track running my 64 Slant 6 Dart

 

[black64]

For me it was 1962 until about 1971 with a few year in between in the army (drafted). I ran 55 ford built up 352 FE engine lot of fun back then racing the daily driver on week ends at Detroit dragway and also at milan dragway.