My '65 A/FX Chevelle - Page 2

**sYc** · #11 09-08-2006, 02:27 AM

You are right, those were a couple of cool cars. Since getting the Chevelle, I have been going through my old SS&DI magazines looking for similar cars. Malcolm's is on the cover of one issue, in color.

**scuncio** · #12 09-08-2006, 06:42 AM

I remember seeing at least 2-3 of straight axle cars at every show in WI growing up. At the time I thought they were ghastly...now I'd love to have one.

**sYc** · #13 09-08-2006, 07:24 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I remember seeing at least 2-3 of straight axle cars at every show in WI growing up. At the time I thought they were ghastly...now I'd love to have one.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, several of them built, but it seems few survived. Lots of Mopars and several Fords floating around, but except for Tri-5s, few Chevys.

**markjohnson** · #14 09-08-2006, 08:34 AM

I don't see any altered wheelbase on this car at all and I fail to see why it's being called an A/FX car either. Not even close.Let's get the facts straight before we start calling this car something that it's not already. I looked into this car several months ago and it is a street machine or street freak (depending on what magazine you read back then) and was most likely built in the seventies. Also, gassers came first and were called gassers long before the term "funny car" came about.

BBIGG BLOCK 396 · #15 09-08-2006, 12:19 PM

I like the Car regardless what you should call it! I also thought an A/FX car had altered wheel bases.Still the car looks cool! I would love to have an old gasser style car with a straight axle! When I get finished with my Mopars That will be my next quest!

Bobby Dodson

bowtie3168 · #16 09-08-2006, 06:30 PM

Actually, lets get the facts straight. During the time period of 1961-1966 Detroit built factory race cars that did not meet production #s and fell into Super Stock class designation SS/S. As the cars evolved the designation "factory experimental" or FX began to appear on these vehicles. In late 1964 the Chrysler Corporation contracted Amblewagon and Dick Branster Enterprises to built limited #s of Plymouths and Dodges with altered wheelbases, this grew out of the desire by racers like the late great Dave Strickler who wanted more traction to compensate for increased horsepower, Strickler and others began to alter of modify the wheelbases of their super stock cars. Many compeditive racers of many vehicle marks followed by altering their cars example (Hubert Platt, Dickie Harrell, Arnie Beswick, Malcolm Durham). Tom's car is built to reflect that era. Gassers are vehicles with modified powertrains that ran in classes designated by powertrain and wheel base (engine location had to stay the same and wheel base had to stay the same). Tom's car would go with the theme of A/FX. Cool car lets not split hairs.

budnate · #17 09-08-2006, 06:34 PM

I have some side shots and underneath of Toms car if someone can blow them up and post, I can blow them up but cant figure out how to save at that point.

I dont know all the terminology on these cars, I have just been calling them gassers like most people.

I talked with Mo in length and he still needed to lay a tape measure to the car but felt the rear was moved forward a little, in my book if Mo says something he is usually right on. that would make it altered right??? not like some people are thinking where they move the whole mess forward a foot or so, but altered from stock and who knows where the front is on it.

very cool car and I am sure Tom will backtrack the car and figure out the who what where on it.

Kim_Howie · #18 09-08-2006, 06:43 PM

Hey, Mark I noticed in your post you stated "lets get the facts straight before we start calling this car something that's not already" I agree with your statement. Another example is the Kirby Car. Facts explained to us on this site by Dale P And Dave L, This car was NEVER a Harrell Car and NEVER will be one. Now that M. M. owns it IT"S A HARRELL CAR. Funny thing two years ago Tom's car was a Harrell Funny car and now it's not. Now Matt's car is a Harrell funny car. Anybody want explain that to me.

396L35 · #19 09-08-2006, 08:51 PM

Yeah I will comment on this... Kim,
First of all, you are correct about getting the facts straight. Both cars you mentioned (Kirby funny car and Tom's funny car) were posted as something they thought they were. Upon further investigation into each car, different results came out as they were noticed and proven to be different as originally thought to be.

First, the Kirby car was advertised as one of Dick Harrell's drag cars. Dale Pulde and maybe Dave Libby (I don't remember) did jump on this statement because it was not true. It was never Dick's car as it was owned all the time by Jim Kirby. When the truth came out on that car it was proven to be a Dick Harrell team car and it was driven by Dick (see photo article below) at the 1968 King of Kansas City Race, and in Kirby's car, Dick won the event. The Kirby car was Dick's match race car in 1969, so he could use his '69 funny car in the points races. That would explain why it was painted in the team colors both in late '68 (with Courtesy on it, this paint scheme was painted by Dave Libby's brother I think) and early '69 when it got it's current and final paint scheme in red with gold lace (painted by Oop in Dick's shop). Also, Dave Libby was the one with Dick that got the funny car from Kirby in late August '68 and he personally said that he put the supercharged 427 motor in it. Matt's car is and always will be a Dick Harrell team car and built by Dick Harrell's shop.

Now, to Tom's car. First I'm glad to see you agree that it isn't a Dick Harrell funny car. When Tom told people about his car being Dick's original funny car from '68 no one had any reason to believe him that it wasn't. But, when it first came out at the Funny Car Reunion in Englishtown, NJ, Dave Libby and Dale Pulde and others started to notice things that didn't look quit right, and Dave even talked to Tom about them at that event. After looking into it they found out that not only was the body not Dick's correct body, but that the chassis wasn't the right chassis either. Dick's Body had a door from the very first race, and Don Hardy, the man who built Dick's '68 and the '68 Kirby funny car has verified that. Dick's '68 chassis was also sent back to Don's shop in late '68 to get it fitted to the new '69 body, and that is the reason why Dick needed another car to continue running races until his car was done. That is where the Kirby car comes into the picture. Both Jim Kirby and Dave Libby will tell you that Dick used it from late August until he got his '69 car back from Don Hardy in December of '68. Both cars were then repainted in the '69 color scheme Candy Apple Red with Gold Lace.

I hope this helps you and others understand why what people say at one time can be changed at a later date once certain facts come up.

**YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY** · #20 09-08-2006, 09:33 PM

[ QUOTE ]

... But, when it first came out at the Funny Car Reunion in Englishtown, NJ, Dave Libby and Dale Pulde and others started to notice things that didn't look quit right, and Dave even talked to Tom about them at that event. After looking into it they found out that not only was the body not Dick's correct body, but that the chassis wasn't the right chassis either....

[/ QUOTE ]

Mark,
I guess you were there at Englishtown when Dave went over the car? I was there, sitting at the table with the entire group. I watched and listened as Dave discussed one detail after another about the car, walking over to it on several occasions to show what he was talking about. The entire time he was confirming Tom's car to be the Harrell car that he worked on - never once did he (or anyone else there that weekend) ever have any doubts about the car. Please don't type heresay, that is what creates doubt.