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Fates of old drag cars?

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  • Fates of old drag cars?

    99% of us here are drag freaks in some form or another....

    The early 60's super stocks have grown on me over the years,and for some reason, Hayden Proffitt's '62 Bel Air just trips the lights for me.

    Anyone have any idea what happened to this piece of detroit and drag-racing history?

    Hell, any of them, for that matter.......something about a bubbletop Chevy gets me revved up!

  • #2
    Re: Fates of old drag cars?

    They put it in a little box.



    Sorry, couldīnt resist, all I could find on the web.

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    • #3
      Re: Fates of old drag cars?

      Proffit's car was significant at the time it was running, so I am betting that it's in a museum or collection somewhere.

      That was was/is one of the greatest super stockers of all time. It won all kinds of match races but also won the Winternationals and the "Big Go" back when that really mattered.

      Tons of those era cars went through the typical progression. As new equipment came out from the factory and they became more or less obsolete they would pass hands down to lesser racers and teams. From that point they'd be wrecked, cut up, or driven until they were physically incapable of racing any more.

      This was one of the few cars of the era that people actually recognized when it was racing that it was something special. It's a good question. I'll zing off a few e-mails to collector guys I know and see what comes back.

      Brian
      That which you manifest is before you.

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      • #4
        Re: Fates of old drag cars?

        For a load of info on those 60īs Super Stockers you need
        "Factory Lightweights, Detroits Drag Racing Specials of the ī60s"


        http://www.amazon.com/Factory-Lightw...4441102&sr=1-1

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        • #5
          Re: Fates of old drag cars?

          read it at the book store one night....great book

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          • #6
            Re: Fates of old drag cars?

            Originally posted by malc
            They put it in a little box.



            Sorry, couldn't resist, all I could find on the web.
            LOL, I know...built it years ago as a teenager, still have it as a matter of fact(one of the handfull my children didn't get ahold of and destroy as toddlers).

            Brian, thanks for doing some footwork(figuratively speaking)........

            I include ALL drag cars.....from the famous to the more obscure(CJTV's own Mohave Green is a good example), from doorslammers to floppers and diggers.....primo condition to barely breathing.......it's all GOOD.

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            • #7
              Re: Fates of old drag cars?

              "I include ALL drag cars"

              Check out my pics here

              http://www.carjunkietv.com/forum/ind...6417#msg136417

              Password hotrodrod.

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              • #8
                Re: Fates of old drag cars?

                Stuff like Proffitt's car is of course the upper eschelon of this stuff, but a trained eye at the weekly bracket races can net you some cool stuff as well.

                In my experience it's very normal to find old pro stockers (typically from the late 1970's to early 1980's era) running as bracket bombers. You can undoubtedly find an old top fuel chassis or two running as well. Remember, all the classes were run at the divisional level up through the late 1970's so there were guys who ran top level classes just on a regional level so lots of those cars are still around.

                Normally when I am announcing a race I make notes and by the end of the afternoon, or if I am able to escape into the pits for a little while I chase down the owners of the cars and get their history.

                Stock and Super Stock cars, aside from the factory built cars like the Z-11 Chevies, swiss cheese pontiacs, original Cobra Jet Mustangs, etc, are probably still pounding the pavement like they have been for decades. Those guys are a different breed of anal retentive and maintain those cars to extreme levels. They are very cool pieces even though they are only race cars. Guys maintain their asthetic looks just as much as their motors.

                Get up close to even the "best" looking modern nitro funny car on television and you will see the raggedest looking excuse for a cracked, taped, patched piece of carbon fiber you've ever seen. The best day for a funny car body is the day it leaves the paint booth. From that minute on, it gets it's ass kicked.

                Brian
                That which you manifest is before you.

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                • #9
                  Re: Fates of old drag cars?

                  Thanks for the info......

                  I've never really seen any of the Z-11 drag cars....gonna nose around the Intewebz, see what I can find.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Fates of old drag cars?

                    There were 57 of the built in mid 1962-1963 and they had 427ci W-motors in them.

                    Bad ass iron. The were followed by the Z-33 "Mystery Motor" powered cars.

                    Awesome times for Detroit they were.

                    Brian
                    That which you manifest is before you.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Fates of old drag cars?

                      I walked into a resto shop once and saw 2 Mystery motor cars on rotisseries getting restored at the same time. They were both owned by the same guy, and this is a shop renowned for turning out some of the best restored S/S, AFX, and rare muscle cars. I can't imagine how much the bill was.

                      Hayden's car is pobably still around. You'd be surprised what is out there. I'm sure it's been restored, and is in a collection.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Fates of old drag cars?

                        Back in the 1980's,someone built a clone of Hayden's '62 with a z11 engine, was featured in a few magazines,still have one in my collection.Don't know what ever happened to that car.
                        In 1962 my uncle(Ed Roth's broughter in law)raced a 409/409.It was an awesome car.
                        Calypornya...near the beach

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                        • #13
                          Re: Fates of old drag cars?

                          They wind up at Barrett Jackson and then some rich dude's collection that rarely gets seen!

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                          • #14
                            Re: Fates of old drag cars?

                            Just take a look at September Car Craft.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Fates of old drag cars?

                              I love old Drag cars... I think about where they all have gone all the time. Whenever I see something like Mojave Green, or some old car that has racing history come out hiding, I get really excited!!

                              Ax

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