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Post by 34flathead on Jan 17, 2006 21:20:38 GMT -5
Bama, I never knew that rear engine cars raced in Mississippi and Alabama. Just one of the many things I’ve learned through collecting racing pictures for my web site. There were several that raced at the Jackson International Speedway.  They tell me that these cars could fly.... This is a picture of Ikey Jerome in the Wesson Racing Club's #99. |
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Post by Bama on Jan 17, 2006 21:25:45 GMT -5
That's a funny looking car! Mod119 sees that he will be wanting his engine in the rear  #icon_lol# ;D |
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Post by mod119 on Jan 18, 2006 2:16:45 GMT -5
Outstanding idea wonder if the IMCA would allow it
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Post by Bama on Jan 18, 2006 14:03:00 GMT -5
#icon_lol# Kinda doubt it!
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Post by 34flathead on Jan 18, 2006 18:51:52 GMT -5
Rules  I hate Rules !! Back in the 50's there were 2 classes of race cars: Stock and Modified. That's it !! All racers know that there is no such thing as "Stock". Everyone is looking for an edge, so they changed the name to "Hidden Modified". The Stock (or Hidden Modified) class had two rules. If you had a Ford body then everything had to be Ford. Ford motor, transmission, rear end, everything. And The cars just had to "appear stock". If you ran a Modified then you could have anything. It was wide open. I've seen airplane engines put into Modifieds. The Modifies had only one rule. "Run what you brung". Sorry for the History Lesson. |
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Post by Bama on Jan 18, 2006 18:58:29 GMT -5
Don't be sorry. I love hearing all that. It took me WAY too long to agree to go to a dirt track race. So all this is very interesting to me.
Air plane engines?? I have always thought one of the Late Model guys David Breazeale had one of those in his car, he sure "flies" low sometime. ;D
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Post by mod119 on Jan 19, 2006 3:00:26 GMT -5
Wanted 1 airplane engine
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Post by 34flathead on Jan 19, 2006 18:47:24 GMT -5
I hear the V12 Merlin has a lot of torque. They were made by Rolls Royce. Now that would be a site to see: A Rolls Royce on a quarter mile dirt track.
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Post by Bama on Jan 20, 2006 13:31:27 GMT -5
Sure would!
And Rex, the word is out, you are looking for an airplane engine ;D
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Post by mod119 on Jan 26, 2006 0:48:22 GMT -5
And a rolls grill
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Post by Bama on Jan 30, 2006 0:10:51 GMT -5
You just get that Mod119 ready like we know it can be and you will be ok!! ;D |
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Post by gearhead15 on Mar 5, 2006 2:23:47 GMT -5
Bill Hite actually built the first successful rear-engined Super to race on the Alabama/Florida/Mississippi asphalt circuit in the mid-'60's. It took him a year or more to work the bugs out of the suspension, then it became unbeatable.
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Post by 34flathead on Mar 5, 2006 8:46:06 GMT -5
I did a Google Search on Bill. He's cars raced all over the lower 48. Thanks for the info....
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Post by gearhead15 on Mar 5, 2006 13:56:49 GMT -5
Once Hite got the bugs worked out of the car it was so competitive that several other rear engined cars built. Ellis Palasini had one, I think it was destroyed at Laurel in the late '60's. Someone in Mobile built one for Gene Tapia to drive, I think it still exists. I seem to recall there being at least one more built locally but I can't remember details. None of them were as fast as the Hite car.
When Bill first built the rear-engined car it was so fragile and unreliable that none of the top drivers would drive it. Skip Manning happened to be in the right place at the right time and was wheeling it when it became unbeatable, Skip rode that career move all the way to NASCAR Grand National Rookie of the Year in '76. "Yankee" Bill Riggs drove it some before Manning, and I think Rat Lane drove it quite a bit in the '70's. The second-generation Hite car was four-wheel drive, it was so fast that it got mid-engined and four-wheel drive cars banned from the Oswego, NY Supermodified circuit.
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Post by 34flathead on Mar 5, 2006 20:09:46 GMT -5
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vate
New Member
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Post by vate on Oct 17, 2006 15:55:30 GMT -5
Rat Lane drove a Hite super at Houston,Tx in the late 60's but it was a frontengine car. Hites cars were works of art!
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Post by 34flathead on Oct 19, 2006 13:10:21 GMT -5
I didn't know that Rat Lane drove one. Armond Holly Jr sent me this picture of his Dad in Ohio. This car was owned by Billy Port.  |
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vate
New Member
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Post by vate on Oct 19, 2006 15:19:57 GMT -5
Rat ran the old 1/2 mile asphalt track at Houston. I don't remember the number but the body was bare aluminum. Hite said a gal. of paint weighed 12lbs. so he didn't need it.
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Post by 34flathead on Oct 20, 2006 15:27:57 GMT -5
He was correct. I'm an old Air Force guy and I was amazed at how much the paint added to the take-off weight of the Aircraft. I understand that some teams in NASCAR don't use paint anymore. They use some type of pel & stick plastic cover. I've always wondered if that cut down or added weight. I know it saves time...
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Post by Bama on Oct 22, 2006 10:58:08 GMT -5
wow... never thought about that! Learn something new everday!
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