Lightweight drag cars.
- Thread starter 63409
- Start date
I don't think that front end was the lightweight versions the racers got. This car went down the assembly line with heavier gauge aluminum. No option # . I'm sure someone here might know how many they made . My understanding was they ran these at the tail end of the 62 production as a test for assembling the 63 cars.
My 62 aluminum front end is .026 thick and my 63 Z-11 is .041.
I don’t know if anyone has measured the factory built 62 cars, about 18-21 built I’ve heard. I believe all 62’s were the same thickness and changed for the 63’s.
Yes, the 62’s were built at the end of the production run at the Flint plant only.
Didn't they provide the big name racers with fenders to be installed by the owners? This one went down the assembly line.
John was disqualified for trying to run the alloy front at the nationals.
John was disqualified for trying to run the alloy front at the nationals.
Would be interesting to know their thought process of going thicker in 63. There would not of been time to see problems encountered with the thinner 62 products.
Yes, the drag racers received theirs before Indy 62, Labor Day.
Hayden Proffitt told me he received his in a wooden crate a few weeks before Indy.
A friend of mine helped put Dick Harrell’s front end on. The first time Dick ran his the tops of both fenders wrinkled. My friend said Dick yelled at him for denting them not knowing what had happened. When the Chevy guys saw what happened they increased the thickness before production of the 63’s. Having seen the Jenkins and Thunder cars neither appeared to have wrinkled fenders. I assume all 63’s received the thicker aluminum.
Lots of conjecture based on what I have seen, have never seen and production info, etc.
Hayden Proffitt told me he received his in a wooden crate a few weeks before Indy.
A friend of mine helped put Dick Harrell’s front end on. The first time Dick ran his the tops of both fenders wrinkled. My friend said Dick yelled at him for denting them not knowing what had happened. When the Chevy guys saw what happened they increased the thickness before production of the 63’s. Having seen the Jenkins and Thunder cars neither appeared to have wrinkled fenders. I assume all 63’s received the thicker aluminum.
Lots of conjecture based on what I have seen, have never seen and production info, etc.
Cool. You need to write a book on these incendental facts Pat.
Last edited: