SoCal Drag Race Photos??

[gbart14]

Looking for drag race photos in CA of a 65 GT350 or might look like a regular fastback 65 Mustang painted in dark green or dark blue from about 1966 - 1970. Might have had stripes or not. I know my 5S243 was drag raced in the 60's in SoCal or CA central coast area and I just discovered that it was painted dark green (might have been ivy green) and then later dark blue, then red and back to white. The green was first and maybe as early as 1966 due to the date code on the 66 hood that was replaced when hit on the left side. And there is green over-spray under the back package tray area where they failed to cover the interior when they painted with the rear glass out. You can clearly see the line in the photo and the green under the rear window seal. Any potential photos of a 65 fastback drag racer in green or blue with or without stripes racing in CA in the 60's would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[gt350hr]

    For the "Central coast" you really only had three potential tracks Bakersfield ( Famoso) , Santa Maria ( airport) or Fremont ( Baylands). I raced in So Cal and am fairly familiar wit all of the GT350s that ran down here. Do you have any previous owner names?
   Randy

[gbart14]

Hey, Randy. Thanks for the reply. First owner was Robert McKay in Newport Beach of Road Test Magazine and he used it in the 1965 Mexican 24 hour rally. He posted it for sale in the Oct 1965 Autoweek newspaper. I am searching for the second owner who I think drag raced it. It may be in SoCal or Central Coast. I say central coast because I bought it from a guy in Solvang and he bought if from Dan Simkins in Santa Maria. I had thought Simkins might have drag raced it but his surviving son says no because his dad was a circle track racer. I do not know how long Simkins owned it so I thing there was at least one owner between McKay and Simkins. I know it had a wreck and it may have been in 1966 due to the replacement hood with early 66 date code on the steel frame. So, my thinking is that it might have been painted the dark green in 66 and then drag raced. It was painted dark blue after that but who knows when? It may or may not have had stripes on it so it may not look like a Shelby in photos. The rear wheel wells were radiused out and the outer wheel houses removed for slicks. I have just had that all repaired in the restoration process. Here is a photo of the wheel wells when I got it in 1983. There are still weldments underneath for what may have been ladder bars.

[gt350hr]

  It might have raced at Lions in '66 as OCIR didn't open until '67. I went to Lions for big races , but virtually lived at OCIR. I don't remember a dark green '65 GT350 racing at OCIR. I raced my '66 carryover car there ( often LOL) I'll look at some of the old stuff I have to see if I have anything.
    Randy

[gbart14]

It might not be identifiable as a Shelby. Not sure if it had stripes or not. Could have been dark blue later and then red. Did not have the vent covers until the mid 70's. This is what it looked like in the early 70's. I believe the flares were added to cover up the large rear openings in the early 70's. There was a piece added behind the flares to reduce the hope diameter about the same time as the flares were added. So, when it was drag raced, my thinking is that it looked like a standard Mustang with vents but painted Green at first.

[Side-Oilers]

I dig the slot mags and the "Get it On" license frame.

[gbart14]

Another clue might be the original CA black plates were NNL 786 as shown. Currently, blue plates as shown in the later photo with boss wing. Do not know when it was changed or how many times. Rear photo is of when I bought it in 1983.

[J_Speegle]

Don't recall a green fastback running up my way but your central coast is a little bit different from my definition    "Solvang"

Any any case don't recall one. Might want to try and find some west coast publications from the time period. Can't recall the title of the publication at this moment but every speed shop always had a stack of them and they typically included the results and stories of every race.

Good luck with your search. Been trying to find any record of a 69 Boss that was used for racing right after purchase and have come up empty so far. Hope you do better than I

[Side-Oilers]

Don't recall a green fastback running up my way but your central coast is a little bit different from my definition    "Solvang"

Any any case don't recall one. Might want to try and find some west coast publications from the time period. Can't recall the title of the publication at this moment but every speed shop always had a stack of them and they typically included the results and stories of every race.

Good luck with your search. Been trying to find any record of a 69 Boss that was used for racing right after purchase and have come up empty so far. Hope you do better than I

NHRA's  National Dragster would be worth a try. Especially if it was a regulary winning car.  But the race stats could be helpful.   

[gbart14]

J Speegle, are you from Solvang? I bought my car in Solvang from Ben Eriksen who owned it from about 1971 to 1983 when I bought it. He was a body and fender man at the local Ford dealer there. He bought it from Dan Simkins who was a regular at Santa Maria circle tracks and was a West Coast champion. He and his wife died years ago and their son is a racer in Bakersfield. If you were drag racing back then, you may have met Jerry Gaskill. I was living in Santa Barbara at the time and Jerry was in the local hot rod club there as was I. Jerry was the local Monroe shock rep and had been involved in several drag strips.

[J_Speegle]

J Speegle, are you from Solvang?.....

No I'm not Sorry if it came across that way. Further north inland a little

[gt350hr]

     gbart,
      There is a difference between an occasional drag racer and one like myself that raced every time the track was open. The frequency gives familiarity. "Regulars" are remembered by many (obviously). A guy that raced a few times 50 years ago would be tough to remember unless a person who went with him or raced against him remembers. I still get "hey remember me , you and I raced back in the '70s?"  Often I don't , more than often I do. Ford guys tended to band together back then and if it raced down here , I think I would remember it. That's why I mentioned the three tracks I rarely raced at as being potentials.
   Randy

[gbart14]

Randy, this is the third time I have tried to respond to your post with no success. Something must be wrong with the forum page. So, here goes again. I believe my car may have been a regular based on the ladder bars, modified station wagon rear end and severely cut out wheel wells. I found this photo of a drag Shelby searching around on the internet. Have sent a message to whomever posted it on tumblr. It has the same chrome Cragar SS mags on the front like were on my car had in the Mexican rally in 65. Any chance you or anyone recognizes it? I contacted the guy in tumblr and he just picked it at random from the internet.

[TJinSA]

When was the Mexican rallye? (Noticing the car parked next to a 69/70 sportroof)

[JD]

close-up of bottom of PDF page 10 attachment (Road Test Magazine May 1966 P10 reduced.pdf)  from post #12 above, hope this helps...