A tribute 62 Belair bubbletop is being built in Hayden's honor. The car is being built by Harold Clay of Harold's Hot Rod Shop in Enid, OK.
Hayden was always Harold's idol as Harold was growing up. Harold has a 30 year successful body shop business but wants to expand into street rods. And he has always wanted to build a 62 bubbletop. So, he contacted Hayden recently and asked permission to replicate the old race car. Hayden gave his permission and the project was started!!
In a previous thread, I mentioned that Hayden had been elected into the NHRA Drag Racing Hall of Fame. Well, I was wrong....it is Don Gartlis' International Drag Racing Museum Hall of Fame. So, now the rush is on to have the car in Gainesville, FL by March 12 for the induction ceremony!!!
Hayden asked Harold to contact me for parts. So, for the last 2 months, we have been on a frantic schedule to have the car ready. I will be at Tony Shaffer's tomorrow to get the engine ready for the dyno. Hope to do that tomorrow or Monday!! We are building kind of a period correct NHRA engine....060" over..11:1 pistons. We are keeping the 409 crank but are using big block rods for reliability. Tony picked out a Comp Cams roller camshaft for durability. We are not shooting for maximun horsepower but reliability. More on that later. We've had a Super T-10 built and Harold got a reinforced rearend somewhere. We'll be running 4:56 just like Hayden. He said the only track he ran 4:88s was Denver.
Hayden and the car will be at most of the Super Chevy events this summer. Hayden is good friends of Roger Gustin who runs Super Chevy so the deal was struck. Plans are now to have Hayden and the car at both of the Hot Rod Reunions.....Bowling Green, KY and Bakersfield, CA in the fall. Hayden will be making passes at all the race tracks with the new car. That's why we want reliability. So if you are near any of these events....hopefully you can get to meet Hayden and get an autograph and take some pictures!!!
I have some pictures of the body in primer that I will post Monday. They are on my computer back at the shop. The car is painted red now and when I'm down to Enid this week, I'll post some of those. And of course, I'll be taking some pictures of the dyno session too.
As far as the induction ceremony on March 12............a man has Hayden's ORIGINAL Comet and has told Hayden, he will bring it to the ceremony too. So, if you can get away in March to Gainesville....and have $100 for the Induction banquet...........you can see some real drag racing history!!!
Hayden was always Harold's idol as Harold was growing up. Harold has a 30 year successful body shop business but wants to expand into street rods. And he has always wanted to build a 62 bubbletop. So, he contacted Hayden recently and asked permission to replicate the old race car. Hayden gave his permission and the project was started!!
In a previous thread, I mentioned that Hayden had been elected into the NHRA Drag Racing Hall of Fame. Well, I was wrong....it is Don Gartlis' International Drag Racing Museum Hall of Fame. So, now the rush is on to have the car in Gainesville, FL by March 12 for the induction ceremony!!!
Hayden asked Harold to contact me for parts. So, for the last 2 months, we have been on a frantic schedule to have the car ready. I will be at Tony Shaffer's tomorrow to get the engine ready for the dyno. Hope to do that tomorrow or Monday!! We are building kind of a period correct NHRA engine....060" over..11:1 pistons. We are keeping the 409 crank but are using big block rods for reliability. Tony picked out a Comp Cams roller camshaft for durability. We are not shooting for maximun horsepower but reliability. More on that later. We've had a Super T-10 built and Harold got a reinforced rearend somewhere. We'll be running 4:56 just like Hayden. He said the only track he ran 4:88s was Denver.
Hayden and the car will be at most of the Super Chevy events this summer. Hayden is good friends of Roger Gustin who runs Super Chevy so the deal was struck. Plans are now to have Hayden and the car at both of the Hot Rod Reunions.....Bowling Green, KY and Bakersfield, CA in the fall. Hayden will be making passes at all the race tracks with the new car. That's why we want reliability. So if you are near any of these events....hopefully you can get to meet Hayden and get an autograph and take some pictures!!!
I have some pictures of the body in primer that I will post Monday. They are on my computer back at the shop. The car is painted red now and when I'm down to Enid this week, I'll post some of those. And of course, I'll be taking some pictures of the dyno session too.
As far as the induction ceremony on March 12............a man has Hayden's ORIGINAL Comet and has told Hayden, he will bring it to the ceremony too. So, if you can get away in March to Gainesville....and have $100 for the Induction banquet...........you can see some real drag racing history!!!
bang
