In 1963 which car manufacture dominated the NHRA?

[Darter6]

glad the nostalgia scene is as strong as it is and has been.

I second that comment. N/SS my favorite class.

 

[383man]

Ron, I thought the only cars not taggable were the 68 Hemi Cuda and Dart (bill of sale only) and maybe those 65 FX cars.

I always thought the 64 & 65 Hemi cars were not able to be tagged but then I read about the guy who tagged a 64 Hemi Dodge and some of the guys running the Factory Stock cars were saying the 64 Hemi cars should be legal as they say you could tag them. But the people who run the Factory Stock races will not accept the 64 Hemi cars as street legal. All I know about them is the guy named Ferguson tagged his 64 Hemi Dodge and drove it home from the dealer. Ron

 

[Ceedawg]

I'm not disputing the fact that you could not tag a high compression car and drive it on the street, it was done for sure. The picture of the disclaimer that I posted earlier is in my 63 Savoy. It was in there when I bought it in 1977. Craig

Back in the mid 70s a friend (Tim) had a 63 red Dodge aluminum Max with that sticker and another about taking off the transporter. Wanted to sell to me for $3400 (uncut perfect car) said he had a title for it (one of my questions). Of course another guy bought it and painted it black, put a Hemi in it and destroyed it when the brakes failed, hit the sand pile at speed, bent the nose back to the windshield. Did save the doors.

 

[cjd1963]

Back in the mid 70s a friend (Tim) had a 63 red Dodge aluminum Max with that sticker and another about taking off the transporter. Wanted to sell to me for $3400 (uncut perfect car) said he had a title for it (one of my questions). Of course another guy bought it and painted it black, put a Hemi in it and destroyed it when the brakes failed, hit the sand pile at speed, bent the nose back to the windshield. Did save the doors.

Here's the unloading sticker that you're talking about. This is a reproduction. I've only seen 2 cars that still had the original stickers still in place, one was in a 63 Dodge in 1978 and the other was in a 64 Plymouth around 1985. Craig

 

[Ceedawg]

Here's the unloading sticker that you're talking about. This is a reproduction. I've only seen 2 cars that still had the original stickers still in place, one was in a 63 Dodge in 1978 and the other was in a 64 Plymouth around 1985. Craig

View attachment 1069587

Tim’s car had all the original stuff then, even paperwork on the car. Of course that was in 76, you could literally eat off this car, just like the day it was bought. If it had been a plym I might have bought it, just didn’t prefer Dodge. In fact I was offered a 64 Dodge lightweight set up with all the later FX tricks for $2000 (no engine) and passed, dummy me

 

[Red Baron]

OK...Some nice pics on this thread but a couple of inaccuracies....

1 - The 409/427 430 HP Z11 was NOT the ‘Mystery motor’ - it was a stroked and bored derivative of the 409 - 55 Z11 Impalas built.

The ‘Mystery motor’ was a seperate casting with completely different heads - being more similar to the 64 396 than the 63 427.

The Mystery motor never ran in NHRA- it was trialled in NASCAR and banned.

2 - Z11s were denied access to S/S due to build numbers - Strickler won an A/FX class title in one.

3 - The Swiss Cheese 421 Catalina Super Duties were also banned from S/S due to build #s - they were too heavy to compete against the Tempests so added ballast and ran in B/FX....which Wangers won at the 63 Nats

The 63 LW Galaxies were also denied entry to S/S due to build #s...and were entered too late in the year to make a big mark, although Brannan did very well regionally.

You can go to my web site for more info -

https://skunwerksmoparsuperstock.wordpress.com/cubic-inches-rule-ok/

 

[Red Baron]

Sorry...link for web site updated.

https://skunkwerkssuperstock.wordpress.com/1963-cubic-inches-rule-ok/

 

[Budnicks]

yes the mystery motor was a MkII BBC,
porcupine head/canted valve 427cid
somewhat like the 396 that came out in production in (late 1964 for) 1965

there were no production available for street (or "allegedly" strip) use
of any 63 MkII or 64 MkIII
until the production in (late 1964) for 65) MkIV 396cid
ultra rare z16 396cid (Chevelle)
& L78 425hp 396cid (Corvettes) were beasts
& then (early production late 1965) for the 66) 427cid

allegedly there were some put into drag cars
none famous that I found, but there were examples of them

they are famous for being NASCAR #3 Jr. Johnson dominated with
a MM on 1963 July 4th Daytona race, in his 63 Impala
it had 4.3125" bore x 3.65" stroke (+0.150")
estimated 600hp+ some 175hp+ more than 'its hp rating'
Smoky Yunick was famous for it too
it was banned shortly after
https://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/inside-the-63-chevy-427-mystery-engine/

there was another version of the 427cid W head
same bore, stroke & bore spacing too 4.3125" X 3.65" (0.150" stroked)
(later MkIV 66 427 had a 4.25" bore & 3.76" stroke)
W head versions based on the 409cid, limited # of z11 examples
there were others too 'non factory, custom combos'

wheres there's a a will there's a way

Legend was my stepdad Bob's best friend Wes Chandler,
a nobody, from Martinez Ca, ran mostly at Vacavalley 1/8th mile,
Sac Raceway & Fremont, both 1/4 mile
(? IIRC) claimed he ran one in 64, in his 63 SS,
drag racing, (? IIRC) high 11.'s @ 128-ish (?) 1/4 mile
IIRC he had that same engine FI later in a 64-65 ChevyII altered wheelbase
maybe around 1966-67-ish called 'the Stripper'

never say never

 

[Cojohnso1]

Plymouth carried Mopar thru the 60s as Pontiac did with GM. Including Nascar.

look where that got them?

 

[Jeff Bradel]

Hello all. I know this is the B Body group but I am hoping someone here could possibly help.

I have a black 1963 Studebaker Lark convertible that was raced at Indianapolis Raceway Park in the fall of 1963 including the Nationals in 63'. I know a gentlemen that personally saw it race there but I have no documentation or pictures. I sure would like to have a picture of the page in the souvenir booklet or a picture of the car itself from those days. If anyone has the 63' Summer Nationals brochure (picture attached from the internet), racing entry lists, or pictures from Indianapolis in summer or fall 1963, I would be grateful. I would be happy to pay for any material or copies.

Some background:
-1963 Studebaker Lark supercharged convertible, black with white top (this is stock factory setup). Picture attached.
-Raced by Childers Studebaker dealership in Indianapolis, IN (3815 E. Tenth Street).
-Owner was Paul Childers. Sales manager Bob Cline.
-Driven by Jim Franklin. Mechanic was Harry Weber.
Classes:
-It "may" have been in the "C/Gas Supercharged class" at the 1963 NHRA Nationals at Indianapolis (not sure but this is what I heard). August 29-Sept 2, 1963. (Studebaker did not publish their horsepower ratings so NHRA put the car in this more aggressive class because of that).
-It raced at the Raceway Park throughout the summer and fall of 1963 and may have been in the "C/FX" class for those races.

Thank you. Jeff
[email protected]

 

[Red Baron]

OK...Some nice pics on this thread but a couple of inaccuracies....

1 - The 409/427 430 HP Z11 was NOT the ‘Mystery motor’ - it was a stroked and bored derivative of the 409 - 55 Z11 Impalas built.

The ‘Mystery motor’ was a seperate casting with completely different heads - being more similar to the 64 396 than the 63 427.

The Mystery motor never ran in NHRA- it was trialled in NASCAR and banned.

2 - Z11s were denied access to S/S due to build numbers - Strickler won an A/FX class title in one.

3 - The Swiss Cheese 421 Catalina Super Duties were also banned from S/S due to build #s - they were too heavy to compete against the Tempests so added ballast and ran in B/FX....which Wangers won at the 63 Nats

The 63 LW Galaxies were also denied entry to S/S due to build #s...and were entered too late in the year to make a big mark, although Brannan did very well regionally.

You can go to my web site for more info -

https://skunwerksmoparsuperstock.wordpress.com/cubic-inches-rule-ok/

CORRECTION to this post - It was the 62 LW Galaxies that got bumped from Stock on build #s.

Also re the Z11, there is some doubt that it was build #s that bumped them - it was more likely that the GM withdrawal from racing convinced NHRA to use the ‘Not publicly available’ rule…after Chrysler protested.

The link to my web site results diary is now-

1963 – CUBIC INCHES RULE THE TRACK, OK?

 

[biomedtechguy]

1964 the Ford Thunderbolt pretty much dominated

I'm Ride or Die MOPAR, but I have to say those Thunderbolt cars, the whole package, were AWESOME!

 

[F4R/T]

Those tin Indians were pretty strong I thought back then. Pontiac was strong back then I think it was John Delorean at the helm back then? I wasn’t here then, it’s what I’ve gathered from reading.

 

[not so famous bob]

Yup,
I think 62-63 is was Pontiac.

not that I remember ,only won once in a while, never around here...

the thunder bolts were hot too...

 

[polyjohn]

Wonderful thread and brilliant memories of Superstock history.
We all want it to be a Mopar that is 'king of the track'.

But as we all know there was stiff competition from the other Detroit makers!
This is what makes it so fantastic, everyone taking part and not a hemi dominated scene...

I have a desire to build a 62 Fury 413 maxie car but nee to find a car first.
I already have a 413 MW engine waiting for that day lol.

My other plan is a clone of the 63 Drag truck.
I have a 64 D200 that I am building a 426 clone hemi for.

Lots of plans but nothing 63 I'm afraid to say to the original OP.
Happy Christmas from John in England.

Nostalgia racing is the BEST!