60's Musclecar Era - Lightweights and Experimentals

[Steve Shauger]

This is a great article that summarizes the scope of purpose-built factory race cars the big three built to win, from factory lightweights to experimental classes. Although this continues today, it's nothing like what was produce in the 60's with virtually no regulation. It was like the wild west with no holds barred. Today's technology can't be beat but what was achieved in the 60's without high tech computing is remarkable and was possible due the brilliant minds/engineering teams who designed them.

[69hurstSC]

We had a lot of fun putting this one together. There were lots of people we found with singular photos of less popular, but highly significant cars. It turned out great.

https://i.ibb.co/QmpKtQm/Screen-Shot-2025-01-07-at-9-59-40-AM.png

https://www.cartechbooks.com/products/mopar-factory-drag-cars-dodge-amp-plymouths-quarter-mile-domination-1962-1972?_pos=1&_sid=1223e6767&_ss=r

[442w30]

At the time, that was one of the least interesting MCR issues to me.

[Keith Seymore]

At the time, that was one of the least interesting MCR issues to me.

Too funny - it's my favorite and I still have my hard copy.

K

[442w30]

I still have all the issues, including this one, but I simply didn't care for race cars when I was 15. But it was my first exposure that my local Pontiac dealership sponsored racing in the 1960s.

[Keith Seymore]

This car –

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=646055&stc=1&d=1736639246


Got dinged up -

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af284/lmseymore/Royal/Thompson2007-1.jpg~original



so they removed the front end from this car –

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=646058&stc=1&d=1736639735



To fix it, because the last set of aluminum in the warehouse got used to build this car:

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=501579&stc=1&d=1546448447

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=501580&stc=1&d=1546448464

[Keith Seymore]

Dad's GTO got a little bit of a mention here:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/hotrod001/GTO/img001.jpg~original
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/hotrod001/GTO/img006.jpg~original
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/hotrod001/GTO/img007.jpg~original
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/hotrod001/GTO/img008.jpg~original

[Keith Seymore]

And here -

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=526631&stc=1&d=1576238605

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=526633&stc=1&d=1576238613

[Keith Seymore]

Pete Seaton's '63 SD lightweight (far lane):

[Keith Seymore]

Remarkable amount of engineering going on here:

[JoeC]

Chevy's 1963 "ban on racing" put the brakes on any 1964 factory special drag projects but didn't stop guys like Dick Harrell, Kelly Chadwick, Malcolm Durham, and others from running a new 1964 427 Chevelle.

They simply put 1963 Z-11 engines in a new 1964 Chevelle.

There have been rumors of light weight front end parts but just rumors.

Here are some interesting photos of Harrell's 64 Chevelle with a funny looking front bumper.

The way the bumper is mangled, it looks to be aluminum or maybe acid dipped steel. In some of the other photos the front bumper looks like a dull color.

I know some people were making fiberglass parts for 1964 Chevelles.

I believe Harrell built at least two of these Z-11 427 64 Chevelles.