Author Topic: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?  (Read 3166 times)

deathsled

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Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« on: November 10, 2020, 02:27:28 PM »
It would be interesting to read any stories of back in the day street racing or any interesting stories with your cars Shelby and otherwise.
Here is one story to start...
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/1970-dodge-challenger-black-ghost-used-for-illegal-races-is-a-historic-vehicle-151282.html
"Low she sits on five spoke wheels
Small block eight so live she feels
There she's parked beside the curb
Engine revving to disturb
She's the princess from his past
Red paint gold stripes damned she's fast"

gt350hr

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2020, 04:23:40 PM »
   I'll start.
      In 1976 I bought a '66GT coupe from a friends mom. It was an A code 4 speed. I ran it at the track before I "hopped it up" and it ran dismal 15 second times. I changed out the entire drive train over a period to the (temporary) engine out of 6S477 , a "race" C4 and high stall convertor , and 5.14 Detroit lockered Hipo Housing. Next outing produced 12.9 ETs. When doing this , I chose to use a set of custom 180* headers I bought from Ray Wolfe of SAI. He said they were one of two sets made by "Derrington". I hooked them up to the original GT exhaust system , rear trumpets and all. The SOUND was like two Honda 4cyl motorcycles racing each other and really got looks on the street. One particular day , I was out testing a new set of M&H "treaded" slicks.  I pull up to a stop light by my house and a Tiger pulls up along side and shoots me a "rev". I put the weird sounding GT in neutral and revved him back. GAME ON!!! Back in gear I power braked to about 2,000 and when the light turned green I rocket out ( 5.14 gears remember) and looked back to see the Tiger blowing tire smoke far behind. At the next light he say "Man that is one fast 6 cylinder , wanna go again?" I asked why? "I missed a gear". OK So this time I power braked to 3,000 and destroyed him again slowing as I shifted into high gear. He continued on with the one finger salute in the air as he passed. I made a U turn and went back home but as I was waiting for traffic , I saw him get pulled over by a police car. I put the car in the garage "just in case" he mouthed off about the green Mustang that whipped his A$$ TWICE! I am NOT a proponent of street racing but I did have "my day". The 180 headers were VERY shrill sounding. After about a year I put it back to ''stock" and sold it. The 180 headers went to Jay Cushman in Maine.
   Randy
Celebrating 46 years of drag racing 6S477 and no end in sight.

roddster

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2020, 05:23:07 PM »
  All the guys in auto shop in high school knew each other.  And like everywhere else, senior year savings were getting spent.  One fellow bought a 57 Ford and put a straight axle on it.  Then, in shop class he rebuilt a 352 (!) (yeah, I know).  Another shopmate bought a 69 Z/28 Camaro.
   We'd all hang out at a local shopping center in town.  One nigt the chatter got all excited, and the Z/28 owner said the the 57 Ford owner that he could beat his car on 7 cylinders, and pulled off a plug wire to prove it.  So off they went, down the street to the stop light.  Sure enough, that Z/28 beat the daylights out of that Ford.
  At the time I couldn't believe it either, but, I do have respect for Z/28's that started right then.

J_Speegle

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2020, 05:38:55 PM »
So many possibilities and stories will have to give it some thought. Didn't grow up in an area where Fords were strong so will have to be others.  By the early 70's dad and his friends were all running at the strip and not on the street and some even continuing nationally into the 2000's. Of course us kids were running at the strip on weekend and the street in between. Wish someone had thought of taking some pictures of what we ran (cars) but that cost dollars back then and everything went into our hobbies cars and girls.  In that order.   Will post something
« Last Edit: November 10, 2020, 06:55:43 PM by J_Speegle »
Jeff Speegle- Mustang & Shelby detail collector, ConcoursMustang.com mentor :) and Judge

FL SAAC

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2020, 08:35:02 AM »
We have never raced on the streets, we are law abiding citizen's
Living RENT FREE in your minds...

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acapulco350

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2020, 09:53:22 AM »
Hey Tony

 this does not look like it was in your driveway

FL SAAC

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2020, 09:59:36 AM »
Hey Tony

 this does not look like it was in your driveway

nolo contendere
Living RENT FREE in your minds...

Home of the Hertz Musketeers 

A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs.  It's jolted by every pebble on the road

I have all UNGOLD cars

I am certainly not a Shelby Expert

Life is short B happy

gt350hr

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2020, 12:57:05 PM »
We have never raced on the streets, we are law abiding citizen's

    mierda de toro
Celebrating 46 years of drag racing 6S477 and no end in sight.

557

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2020, 12:58:08 PM »
Pulled away from a 930 turbo once(with 3 passengers)once.That was fun...Best one though was back in my college days when the cute,blonde ,female San Diego police officer pulled up to next to me at an intersection in La Jolla,got on the P.A. and blurted out”No and you would probably beat me anyway.”Took me a couple of seconds to realize she was referring to my HAVE YOU RACED A  SHELBY GT 500 LATELY bumper sticker.....That thing got me a LOT of attention(good and bad).But then again so did the car.Ever have the cops follow you for literally no reason?I have.MANY ,MANY times..... ;D 8)

FL SAAC

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #9 on: November 11, 2020, 07:36:16 PM »
Our counselor Shaggy will now speak on my behalf :

We have never raced on the streets, we are law abiding citizen's

    mierda de toro
Living RENT FREE in your minds...

Home of the Hertz Musketeers 

A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs.  It's jolted by every pebble on the road

I have all UNGOLD cars

I am certainly not a Shelby Expert

Life is short B happy

427heaven

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2020, 07:42:15 PM »
What happened at the street races stays at the street races... Since we are all law abiding citizens it is probably best to leave that to some of our imaginations of what really happens. The comments made about that guy with that wicked sounding 66 on here doing about 60 mph on a public street set the tone. What my car was doing in the 1960s was handing all comers their A.... with every FE powered combination they could get their hands on, including a full boogie 427 tunnel port that was in the car when it had an off road excursion that resulted in a 47 year nap before I got it back on the road. I have not put the TP together yet, but have some ideas of what to do with it. Great topic but a little taboo for most.  ;D

FL SAAC

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #11 on: November 11, 2020, 08:02:51 PM »
Not to sound disrespectful but was that 930T out of gas or parked when you passed him ?

Pulled away from a 930 turbo once(with 3 passengers)once.That was fun...Best one though was back in my college days when the cute,blonde ,female San Diego police officer pulled up to next to me at an intersection in La Jolla,got on the P.A. and blurted out”No and you would probably beat me anyway.”Took me a couple of seconds to realize she was referring to my HAVE YOU RACED A  SHELBY GT 500 LATELY bumper sticker.....That thing got me a LOT of attention(good and bad).But then again so did the car.Ever have the cops follow you for literally no reason?I have.MANY ,MANY times..... ;D 8)
Living RENT FREE in your minds...

Home of the Hertz Musketeers 

A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs.  It's jolted by every pebble on the road

I have all UNGOLD cars

I am certainly not a Shelby Expert

Life is short B happy

deathsled

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #12 on: November 11, 2020, 08:43:49 PM »
Statute of limitations on most (if not all incidents), has passed.
"Low she sits on five spoke wheels
Small block eight so live she feels
There she's parked beside the curb
Engine revving to disturb
She's the princess from his past
Red paint gold stripes damned she's fast"

98SVT - was 06GT

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #13 on: November 11, 2020, 08:52:38 PM »
When I was 19 I got a ticket for street racing in Whittier with my new 1970 Road Runner. We were on the "normal" street racing site just south of Whittier Blve. When the cops stopped us the other guy in his GTO ran and they chased him a few blocks before he gave up.
They were mandatory appearance tickets. I asked to go to school so it wouldn't show up on my license. The judge kinda chuckled and asked the cop what he thought. The cop was OK with it and explained I stopped and was respectful whereas the other guy tried to run. The judge let me go to school and issued a bench warrant for the other guy who decided not show up at court.

Later I worked for the local PD and we'd street race after the night shift. There is an area called Via Verde that was just starting to be developed. Big 4 lane main street and several side roads to new lots but no houses yet. It was in the Sheriffs patrol area and one night he stopped by. Once everybody badged him he said just be gone when he came back after dinner. A few days later there was mention in the briefing that street racing had been observed in the area and everyone should keep and eye out. Hint taken.
« Last Edit: November 11, 2020, 09:06:01 PM by 98SVT - was 06GT »
Previous owner 6S843 - GT350H & 68 GT500 Convert #135.
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Rocket

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Re: Anyone have stories of street racing back in the day?
« Reply #14 on: November 11, 2020, 09:06:47 PM »
Not a street racing story, but interesting anyway. Back in the 70's, I was on my way to Texas from Utah. Going thru a Texas town, I was pulling up to a red light, and noticed a hiway patrol officer getting into his car at the end of the next block, at a gas station. About that time, these two guys pulled up to the light beside me, on my left. They were in a z-28, and the driver revved it up and the passenger asked if I wanted to run him. I slowly looked their car up and down, from front to back, then asked" How long will it take you to get something to run?" About that time the  light turned green and they took off smoking the tires. They were still smoking them when they passed the hiway patrol officer. About 4 or 5 blocks later, he had them pulled over, and when I went by, they were calling me every name in the book.  Ron
Original owner of 6S550. Owned since 1967. 64,000 Miles, all body original except hood and front valance. All glass original except windshield. Still has aluminum 4 speed. Has replacement Mico.  Also own 1966 Mustang convertible. They are drivers, not trailer queens.