Towing the '55 to the Track
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Flat towing a car in the ice and snow makes my butt pucker just thinking about it!!
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My brother and I were towing a 67 mustang home about 20 miles or so. I was the tow-er, he was the tow-ee. The last mile or two I got up to 70 mph or so. There was a lot of waving and swerving going on behind me, but I didn’t stop till we were home. My brother was less than impressed with me. Aaah, the good old days.
I still have my home made tow bar - made to flat tow my 57 Chevy Belair Hardtop in the late 1960’s to Thunder Valley Dragway in Marion South Dakota ( the strip is still in operation today).
I bracket raced my 57 Hardtop purchased in 1965
I won once or runner up at least once. 150 drag strips time trials and rounds on the same 283 2-4 barrel motor rebuilt in 1969 for $500 Veterans bonus money from South Dakota after serving 3 years in US Army.
my 57 still has the weld on brackets on the frame for the home made tow bar.
Just reinstalled original 283/270 HP drag raced motor about 2 years ago in my 57 Belair Hardtop
Paul
I bracket raced my 57 Hardtop purchased in 1965
I won once or runner up at least once. 150 drag strips time trials and rounds on the same 283 2-4 barrel motor rebuilt in 1969 for $500 Veterans bonus money from South Dakota after serving 3 years in US Army.
my 57 still has the weld on brackets on the frame for the home made tow bar.
Just reinstalled original 283/270 HP drag raced motor about 2 years ago in my 57 Belair Hardtop
Paul
Here is a picture of one of my wins with my 57 Hardtop racing at Thunder Valley in front of my parents house in Sioux Falls South Dakota - I think the winning check for ET/ 2 bracket- that I am holding was for $ 50
The 4 stickers on the rear 1/4 window where for winning NHRA class racing(no money). Was married with 2 small kids after US Army
My winning bracket time was set at 16.31 on the rear 1/4 glass.
I did not tow the 57 very often. Drove it to races and back to college after the summer.
The 4 stickers on the rear 1/4 window where for winning NHRA class racing(no money). Was married with 2 small kids after US Army
My winning bracket time was set at 16.31 on the rear 1/4 glass.
I did not tow the 57 very often. Drove it to races and back to college after the summer.
Hey Barry we were probably too stupid to know any better........
.One of us had to ride in the 55 and hold the steering. The rider would carry a flashlight to signal
if he needed to stop......
.We went thru a toll gate on the NY Thruway and the collector asked if the 55 could run on its own.
I said no. He then said: "well if it won't you can't tow it on the highway, now let me ask you that question again."
I told him yes sir it will, he gave me two toll tickets and said get goin' as they were beginning to close the
thruway due to the storm.......
.We made it to Syracuse late that afternoon as the thruway was closed and we holed up in a hotel.
Both cars were buried the next day and we had to dig 'em out.....
I forgot to mention, my brother was on a 20 foot chain!
Nice looking 55 and 57 hardtops and the 64 on the back of the tilt bed Viking is classicI'd probably crash my car if I saw that going down the road now.
Tried the tow bar thing for the first time last summer, I'm just tired of dragging a trailer everywhere. Towed the K5 up to the Black Hills to go wheelin. Was nervous at first but it was surprisingly smooth. Wound it up to 80 just to try it, never a scary moment. I might try the tow bar for cars as well. Short hauls, anyway.
South Dakota has AWESOME 4 wheelin' btw
I'd probably crash my car if I saw that going down the road now.Tried the tow bar thing for the first time last summer, I'm just tired of dragging a trailer everywhere. Towed the K5 up to the Black Hills to go wheelin. Was nervous at first but it was surprisingly smooth. Wound it up to 80 just to try it, never a scary moment. I might try the tow bar for cars as well. Short hauls, anyway.
South Dakota has AWESOME 4 wheelin' btw
Where were towing back from in February?Towing home on the New York Thruway, Feb 1977 - famous blizzard.....
Many storms now are compared to the Blizzard of '77.....
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Since we are going down memory lane. A friend and I bought this in Spring of 1965 when we were high school seniors. Engine was apart and we rebuilt it. Ran it that summer on a converted asphalt airport runway. That drag strip is still operational. Best time was 10.15. Sold it in the fall when we started to college. That's me in the car.
Danbury, Conn
Had flown down a month earlier to look at it after seeing an ad in National Dragster.....$2000.....
At the time Canadian money was worth more than US and I ended up paying $1700 Canadian for the car...
I forgot to mention, my brother was on a 20 foot chain!
It's always about the towee....
Looks like a good time. Stylin with a W. Where was the strip located? How'd we get so old so fast....
Back in 1972 while stationed at NAS Miramar north of San Diego I raced my 63 Nova 2 door post at a strip near Carlsbad. Started out driving the car but as time went on the more mods I did to the car the less streetable it became. Bought a 55 Chevy pickup, 6cyl hydromatic to be the tow vehicle. That worked for awhile until a civilian I worked with at the base traded me a 1939 Chevy sedan for the truck. Power wasn't as much of a problem as the lack of braking when towing the Nova. Had a lot of fun with both cars. The Nova ran low 12s and I kept the 39 for almost 20 years. Got quite a few odd looks heading down the highway.