Denny Ford Fan Club!!!

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Phil Reed

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 10
As Honorary President........self-appointed, I must add....of the Denny Ford Fan Club.........I'm pleased to announce the first Denny Ford Retirement Race.:bow :bow Denny has been "hired"...invited, whatever.......to attend the Mopar Madness event at Gateway International Raceway Park in East St. Louis, IL Sept. 7-9. He is scheduled to be there WITH HIS NEW ENGINE to kick some Mopar a$$!!!!!!!!!!!!:clap :clap

So to ALL his fans in the mid-west...plan on coming to St. Louis to see Denny run!!! Once again.........I will try to convince Denny that I can get his Biscayne in the 9's!!!!!!! Once again....he will probably refuse the offer!!!! :dunno :dunno

It sounds like a great weekend. Yeah....we'll have to look at some cars that...at least in the old days....we wouldn't want!!! But now it's easier to appreciate them!! Hope several 409 cars can show up and participate.

I know what's inside his engine.......and I know what's on the outside of his engine but you will have to come to St. Louis and find out for yourself!!!!:roll :roll He claims he can handle everything all by himself but we may need to "hire" additional pit crew members. But..........you would have to be there to be of any help!!!!

SEE YOU THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D :D
 
Ronnie Russell

Ronnie Russell

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Count me in as a fan. Cannot make the trip, but will be cheering for Denny from Texas. I know Denny will make us all proud. :clap :cheers
 
Fathead Racing

Fathead Racing

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 7
That sound like a good time, I will work for BBQ and gin. I may be qualified to hold Dennys helmet :dunno Or be Bo's gofer :scratch You may have to count me in ;)
 
Tom Kochtanek

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 13
Mopar madness

Denny and I talked about this event when we were in Norwalk. Some of you who were there met my buddy, James Schrader. James has a pretty original 1967 Dodge Charger (can we say that on this Forum?) that he uses for nostalgia racing. We were thinking we'd be there to support Denny and to race James' Charger. We know we won't be racing my slippery '62 :) :) :).

There has been some discussion about slipping my stroker engine in another X frame car that I have laying around (1961 Impala sport coupe). Would involve "cutting her up" a bit...

Hope to be there in St. Louis. We should see who's gonna go, so we can get together during the weekend.

Cheers!

TomK
 
TomO

TomO

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
Count Me In!!

I have been kicking myself for not making the time to go to the last get together and I am not going to let this one slip by.

BUT

I need to find a ride over to St Louis......

MAYBE

Phil would you happen to have a open seat on your scooter?? I wont take up too much room.:D


TomO
 
jim_ss409

jim_ss409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 5
"I'm pleased to announce the first Denny Ford Retirement Race. Denny has been "hired"...invited, whatever.......to attend the Mopar Madness event at Gateway International Raceway Park in East St. Louis, IL Sept. 7-9. He is scheduled to be there WITH HIS NEW ENGINE to kick some Mopar a$$!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Sounds like fun.:beerbang
It also sounds like a good opportunity for some of the Midwest 348-409 guys to get together.
 
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Phil Reed

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 10
jim_ss409;79114 It also sounds like a good opportunity for some of the Midwest 348-409 guys to get together.[/QUOTE said:
Jim.....................Sir Winston is cordially invited also!!!! Please tell him that!!!
Click to expand...
 
oldskydog

oldskydog

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
It just so happens that I'm planning on leaving around the 1st or 2nd to go back east and will probably be passing right through there. If I spend a little time harassing Phil and maybe TomK along the way it just might work out.:brow
 
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Phil Reed

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 10
oldskydog said:
It just so happens that I'm planning on leaving around the 1st or 2nd to go back east and will probably be passing right through there. If I spend a little time harassing Phil and maybe TomK along the way it just might work out.:brow
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There you go Cecil!!! You just need someone to sponsor a "Long Distance Award" and you'd be a shoe in!!!!:doh :roll :roll

You play your cards right and............the Hydraulic Lifter Room on the way to St. Louis!!!!!!
 
Fathead Racing

Fathead Racing

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 7
As of now it looks like I will not make it to The St. Louis race. We have a man off for surgery on that date and since we are on call I have to man the crew. :grumble: Public works ya know :dunno
 
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Phil Reed

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 10
Cripes!!!

As Honorary President of the Denny Ford Fan Club....I am obligated to inform you than Denny's appearance at the Mopar Madness in St. Louis can been cancelled.:cry :cry

Denny just called and said the Weather Channel has convinced him that it would be a waste of money and time to drive to St. Louis...just to watch it rain!!:bang :bang So...he is not making the trip. For those of you that have purchased tickets BASED on his appearance.....email me your address and I'll see IF Denny will give you a refund!!!:roll :roll :roll :roll

Well.......the weather always affects drag races and motorcycle rides!!!! Maybe next year!!!
 
Tom Kochtanek

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 13
Thanks!

Phil, thanks for the update on Denny's travels. Now I'm not sure I am going to make it to St. Louis this weekend. Have to talk to the local guys to see if they have an overwhelming interest, or if we can get a torqueflite together tonight so we can race a 1967 Charger that James Schrader owns. Not a 409, but it's pretty neat :).

Anyone else thinking of going to St. Louis now that Denny will be absent? I bet this totally kills their attendance (although rain might be another factor...).

Best,
TomK
 
Tom Kochtanek

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 13
Report from Gateway

Got back from Gateway International last night, this week was NSSA runs and "Mopar Madness". We had a really great time!

My buddy, James, some of you met him in Norwalk, ran his "barn find" 1967 Dodge Charger 383-powered car a few times over the weekend. Track was down for Friday, but they did some qualifying runs on Saturday, then a full day of great weather (it was a bit hot and humid) for Sunday. James got knocked out after qualifiers, ran a 13.77, not bad for a 4200 pound car that we had maybe $2000 in to (including purchase price). Felt like old times again :).

Found it in a field actually, brought it home Friday night, put it up on the rack, redid the brakes, swapped tires and wheels, pulled the old engine. Put in a "built" 383 and a Torqueflite and off he went! Did it in 30 days, from field to drag strip :).

We did see a pair of nice 1959 cars powered by 409s make their way down the strip. I think this fellow was from Wisocnsin? and does many of the NSSA runs, Denny might know them (might have the location wrong). Interesting that both cars had 409s with 348 badging on the valve covers :). 335 horses, said the stickers. Right! One car was a passenger, the other an El Camino (both white).

James was there all weekend, I just made it out for Sunday (fair weather guy?) but we all had a blast. Now, like Tom Monroe, I may have caught the racing bug. Is it curable?

Cheers!
TomK
 
Ronnie Russell

Ronnie Russell

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Tom, Sounds like you guys had a great time. Congratulations to James on his impressive times. Your drag racing bug can be cured for just a few bags of money. Jump on in, the water's fine. Having James' experience and help will make it even easier.
 
jim_ss409

jim_ss409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 5
Tom Kochtanek said:
I may have caught the racing bug. Is it curable?

Cheers!
TomK
Click to expand...

Curable? No problem!:deal Just find a cheap X frame car, weld in a roll bar, then borrow that stroker motor from your 62. In fact, don't you already have a "parts car" that would be good enough for a race car?:cheers
 
Tom Kochtanek

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 13
Mods required

My thoughts exactly. I don' t like the idea of cutting up a nice car, but since most of my "donor cars" are somewhat corroded, I wouldn't feel so bad. Maybe they are lighter now that some of the original sheet metal has been "thinned out" a bit :).

I do have a '61 Impala coupe and a 62 Belair two door sedan that are candidates for roll bars :).

Maybe there's a car "around the corner" that I might be able to start with, and not do so much modification...

Cheers!

TomK
 
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