(Words and photos by Doug Gregory) – An area was set aside at this event for survivor cars and cars with real history.  This isn’t ‘nostalgia’.  This is the real deal stuff.  It’s not secret I like old speedway cars and sprints and several were on hand to drool over.  There were at least three 4-cam Fords in this space and before this day I had only seen a few across several years.  There were a pair of authentic early floppers needing some love and we know for certain the Vega is being resurrected.  The owner is looking for history on the car.  Fred Sibley’s inverted Ranger aircraft engine-powered rail was present with an example of the power plant in its intended orientation on the tongue of the trailer.  I didn’t know much about this engine before seeing this, but after some research learned it’s a pretty neat piece.  It’s ALL aluminum, weighs about as much as a cast-iron big-block Chevy, and is supercharged.

The Granny Goose cars were drawing crowds of fans and admirers.  The pair were powerful forces on the track sporting high-winding small blocks and wheels-up launches.  Both cars were quite successful and the Camaro received quite a bit of ink back in the heyday of Modified Eliminator.  We also managed to speak with the owners and a former driver that shared a few stories with us.  We’re hoping to meet up with them again and get more.  The ’69 Camaro has already been featured here so we’ll concentrate on bringing you the details on the ’61 Vette.  We saw what is now on my list as ‘the most-perfect Deuce Coupe ever’.  I do not know much about the car, but it appears to have had some touchups and stuff over the years, but still presents genuine and has the look and stance that kills.  Lastly, a ’29 Chevrolet roadster, built up by the owners back in 1960-1961, was showing cool never gets old.  This car was shown 50 years ago at the 5^th Annual Cavalcade of Customs here in Cincy.  What a time capsule…!!!

By far this is the area we spent the most time because of all the cool iron in and around it.  More shows should feature this kind of stuff in a special area so the history can be soaked up from the gathering.  The Granny Goose cars were the only ones in this gallery that weren’t part of the special area.  They were instead hanging out next to the Thornhill Dragway plot.

Enjoy.