I'm the same way. That's why your post interested me so much. There was a fairly famous drag strip near my area called The Pocono Drag Lodge and it ran from the early 60's until 1972 and has been deserted ever since. This past August a bunch of folks got the owner's permission to clean it all up and hold a reunion of sorts. It was such a wild success that they had to turn cars away. When I left, I passed at least 30 cars coming up the highway heading to the Lodge. Local hero Joe Amato was there, signing autographs, and brought one of his very first drag cars now restored to run on the street. People brought cars that actually ran there back in the day. Thet drug them out of barns and garages for the first time in almost 40 years. We had a local company, back in the day, that built dragster frames in the 60's called Lyn-Weld Dragsters and they brought a half dozen cars that I never knew existed anymore. Ons still had a flathead in it. What a time we had and they are all set to do it again this August 14th. I've attached a great walk through video someone did. You may even get a glimse of Chris Moses orange 70 Grabber, a member here.
Looks like it was a really good turn out. I really enjoy the old drag racing history. Our drag strip here in Redding, CA is one of the oldest continuously operated NHRA drag strip in the United States as it dates back to 1948. Here is a link; http://www.reddingdragstrip.net/about/about.htm
Just a little update! I actually talked to the guy who built the car. The car was in the 1979 and 1980 Winternationals in B/SM. The original motor was a 302 with Boss 302 heads and ran a single 4 brl with 4spd with Doug Nash gears (which I still have). I have the 6.0 gears that he had in the car, although the 4:56's were put in by another owner. The car ran in the 10's at over 130mph and he lauched the car around 7800RPM and went through the traps at close to 9000RPM. The original car was green and he bought it new with 6cyld 3spd. He actually put a 71 trunk floor in it to run the 71 fuel tank, and the car is carpeted just like it was when he built it. He was sponsored by a number of people/businesses, and one was Wison's Ford Parts, which is what the circle is on the rear quarter that I thought could have been a Texaco graphic. Within the next couple of weeks I will go visit him and see if I can get some pictures of the car at the Winternationals. He also had a 1972 Ford Torino Wagon that was also black (which was the tow car) , and the trailer was painted to match the Maverick with chrome rims and two tone blue pinstrips. When I get pictures I will post them. I am really excited to find the original owner/builder!
Hey, if you ever come down to Sears Point...errr I mean Infineon. Let me know! I'd like to see that car run.
Steve, Sure, I hadn't really looked at coming over to the "Point", but may do it before the end of the year. Looking at your avatar, do you race SCCA?
That was a good friend of mine, Robert Smeltzer, who died racing the GT class in SCCA at Thunderhill in '04. I was part of his pit crew. I also did some fill in pit crewing for Dale Hartman and another guy in the Corvette class. Chris something.
Steve, I was a member of the SCCA, got the required driving license and actually raced in the Spec Miata class with a rented Miata.............................it was a really a lot of fun. I also held my license for Tech, Timing, and Sound............but it got to be too much and the racing weekends were long. They are a great bunch of people and my hat is off to the volunteers that make it happen.....................and most of the racers are really great also, but I would rather go fast in a straight line with the Maverick and spend my weekends drag racing.........................IMHO I will let you know when I head towards "The Point". John
Great info and history on your car which looks great. I remember the name, Greg Nichols associated with drag racing. It will be good to see it with all of the decals restored. very cool.
Here is the post that shows most of the graphics. Although they are not quite the same color; when I stated this I didn't have any reference to go by so just used white, but with the pictures Greg sent me at some point in time I replace white with the original colors. The car hooks hard and goes as straight as an arrow.............Greg and the people that built the car back in the late 70's certainly knew what they were doing. http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=67597&page=4
