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1950s Road Racing Hot Rods
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Just as motor racing in the US in the early 1900s played a significant role in the early growth of hot rodding, so hot rodding played an important role in the rapid emergence of road racing, following the war.
Interest in the late ‘40s gathered momentum, and into the ‘50s, road racing boomed, with redundant converted air-strips providing ideal venues, until permanent road racing facilities began springing up throughout the country. Sports car racing was massively popular, but, initially, competitors were limited to European machinery as there were no domestic manufacturers building road racing sports cars. There was plenty to choose from, but many American racers either lacked the budget to purchase the European machinery, or preferred the option of building something themselves, from what was available locally.
Pre-war production chassis’ provided the basis from which many early amateur sports racers were built, until eventually competitors began creating their chassis’ from scratch. Alternatively, a raft of cottage industry chassis builders arrived on the market by the mid-50s, offering affordable kit cars which would accept any number of engine options. But it was the rapidly growing hot rod speed equipment market that provided the momentum to propel these machines much more competitively than their humble price tags would suggest.
Interest in Fords exciting new flathead V8 engine took some time to gain the attention of the hot rod industry on its release in 1932, as there was already a booming aftermarket industry catering to the hugely popular flathead Ford 4-banger motor, but post-war saw several speed equipment companies come to the market providing an extensive range of aftermarket products that boosted the power of the charismatic little V8 motor, including finned alloy heads, multi-carb inlet manifolds, performance cams and free-flowing exhaust headers. Many house-hold names within the modern automotive aftermarket industry have their roots deeply imbedded in the formative years of hot rodding, either building or selling speed equipment parts for both the 4-banger and V8 Ford engines, including Offenhauser, Edelbrock, Isky, Weiand, Bell, and Cragar. And it was due to the huge range of affordable products on the market that allowed for the growth of locally built American road racing sports cars.
By the early ‘50s, General-Motors and Chrysler were building more powerful alternatives to the now-ageing Ford flathead, including the Chrysler Hemi, Oldsmobile Rocket, Buick Nailhead, and Cadillac V8 engines, and the popularity these units found with hot rodders and drag racers alike, also brought about a raft of aftermarket speed equipment that gave them an instant boost in power. Most of these units produced as much as 200hp in standard form, and offered plenty of scope for improvement. Another alternative was the straight six cylinder GMC unit, which offered barnstorming power with light weight.
In 1955, General-Motors released what would go on to become one of the most successful engines ever, the small block Chevrolet, and speed equipment companies were quick to offer up a vast range of products to boost the power of these units. Companies such as Devin, Kurtis, Kellison, and Bocar were producing affordable chassis’ for amateur racers, as did British company Lister. On top of that were the numerous one-offs, the ‘Specials’, some of which were built using parts sourced from junkyards, others built to much larger budgets.
By the early 1960s, sports racing had advanced, and become far more professional, and the old front engine machinery was making way for the new, more advanced, mid-engined cars, which would go on to eventually form the basis for the massively successful Canadian-American Challenge Cup, beginning in 1966.
But although seemingly a world away from the simplicity of the ‘50s specials, the ground shaking Can-Am sports cars were direct descendants of machines like Duffy Livingstons Ford Flathead V8 powered Eliminator, John Plaisteds Cadillac powered Cheetah, Chuck Tatums ‘Jimmy-6’ powered Tatum GMC Special, Jack Hagemans Chysler Hemi powered Barneson/Hageman/Naruo Chrysler Special, Dick Troutmans Mercury Flathead V8 powered Troutman/Barnes Special, the Ak Miller/Doug Harrison Oldsmobile Rocket powered Caballo De Hierro, Ak Millers Chrysler Hemi powered Caballo II which made the cover of the April 1957 issue of Hot Rod magazine, Max Balchowskys Buick Nailhead powered line of scrapyard sourced Ol’ Yallers, the Larson/Grierson/Staver Chevy powered Echidna’s, Bill Sadlers self named Sadler Chevy, Scott Becketts Buick Nailhead powered Lo-Test Special, Mickey Thompsons Devin Cadillac, Stan Burnetts Burnett Chevy, Joe Huffakers Huffaker Chevy, and the hugely ambitious Chrysler Hemi machines of Briggs Cunningham, and Lance Reventlows Chevy powered Scarabs.
