Junior Johnson and the Mystery Motor

[Dick MacKenzie]

 

[rstreet]

Dick and we know a member here who actually has one of them complete and runs! I had always heard the production casting of that block was low but didn't realize how low it was. I thought 61 409's cast number was low but wow.
Robert

 

[Phil Reed]

AND......your friend is almost done with building ANOTHER one for a display engine!!!!!!

 

[real61ss]

I'm not too sure that some of what was said in that interview was totally correct. What about Rex White? Jr. made no mention of Rex's motors yet Rex is the one that did all the testing of that motor at the GM test track in AZ.
I have great admiration for Jr. but Rex got the shaft by Chevrolet. He was the first to get cut off when they introduced the racing band yet he did all the testing. Jr. came to AZ. but refused to drive the car because he said the track wasn't safe. In Rex's book he said he agreed that the track wasn't safe but he was too broke to augue.

 

[Blk61409]

I'm not too sure that some of what was said in that interview was totally correct. What about Rex White? Jr. made no mention of Rex's motors yet Rex is the one that did all the testing of that motor at the GM test track in AZ.
I have great admiration for Jr. but Rex got the shaft by Chevrolet. He was the first to get cut off when they introduced the racing band yet he did all the testing. Jr. came to AZ. but refused to drive the car because he said the track wasn't safe. In Rex's book he said he agreed that the track wasn't safe but he was too broke to augue.

Tommy, you are so correct about Rex.

I believe back in 1963, NASCAR cars were running about 165 mph or so. Rex ran his red 63 Impala with the Mystery Motor so hard he was able to run 178 MPH at the Arizona track while testing for Chevrolet!!!!!

And to be abandoned was criminal.

 

[El Rat]

Well read smokey's books. He had no use for them!

 

[models916]

I thought he liked the Mystery Motor but not the Z11….

 

[Don Jacks]

Smokey had no use for the W series engines.

 

[models916]

Thought he liked the mystery motor and helped develop some parts of it. Two different engines here. Both big blocks from 63.

 

[Don Jacks]

You're right about the mystery motor Mike.It was the W that he had no use for.

 

[rstreet]

He was criticizing the mystery motor also at least in NASCAR as I remember because the lack of GM parts commitment
Robert

 

[Blk61409]

I met Smokey years ago and we talked about the Mystery Motor. I don’t remember him liking anything