SEMA Challenge Hell Cat vs 55 Chevy

[41chevy]

Guess computers ain't all powerful.

gets good about the 6 minute mark

[Job41]

Chevy,

I honestly thought the Hellcat was going to win. Anyway, It was a fun video! That is why I joined the BMT forums, just to have a bit fun away from my everyday grind. Thanks, man,

[Green Dash]

I would've bet on the Hellcat also. Love the Jeep!

[HarryS]

Very cool video. A SEMA visit is definitely on my bucket list. Thanks for sharing.

[mack mhe9]

I love when a mopar wins

[41chevy]

I love when a mopar wins

With most all "old school" technology... No traction control, no competition mode for the power pack

Hellcat ran a legit 10.85 seconds at 126.18 mph on street-legal drag radials, the 55 Gasser ran a 10.52 seconds at 129.26 mph on Coker Pie Crust slicks.

[mowerman]

like the 55,,,,and the jeep....i dont think that 55 was really faster...but it was fun to watch,,,thanks paul...bob

[mrsmackpaul]

Hmmmmmmmmm the hell cat may be modern but I know whats heaps cooler go the 55 chevy even Jeep is cool in its own in your face type of way

Paul

[HeavyGunner]

Did you watch the 55 Blasphemi build on Road Kill Paul? It's on Motor Trend's channel on YouTube, if you haven't seen Road Kill or Dirt Every Day you'll have to catch up. I found a 331 Hemi in a 2 ton dodge grain truck and made the mistake of telling a "friend" about it and the little prick snitched it from underneath me.

[HeavyGunner]

Blasphemi build on Road Kill

[41chevy]

Did you watch the 55 Blasphemi build on Road Kill Paul? It's on Motor Trend's channel on YouTube, if you haven't seen Road Kill or Dirt Every Day you'll have to catch up. I found a 331 Hemi in a 2 ton dodge grain truck and made the mistake of telling a "friend" about it and the little prick snitched it from underneath me.

I followed the build up in HR magazine I'll have to watch the videos. I have the blown Alcohol 392 with 354 heads from my funnycar (ran it in 1972 and 73) and 3 Maxi Wedges. Two are factory stage III and on is from Cotton Owens 64 Dodge Super Stock Drag car from when there were NASCAR drags. Funny that people doubt the race was legit. The 55 weighs in at 2895 lbs, has 700 h.p. a five speed O.D. Manual trans and 4:56 gears. Hellcats got the 55 by 10 h.p. or so. The 55 is about 1200 to 1400 lbs lighter in weight.

Thanks for the video!! Paul

[HeavyGunner]

I followed the build up in HR magazine I'll have to watch the videos. I have the blown Alcohol 392 with 354 heads from my funnycar (ran it in 1972 and 73) and 3 Maxi Wedges. Two are factory stage III and on is from Cotton Owens 64 Dodge Super Stock Drag car from when there were NASCAR drags. Funny that people doubt the race was legit. The 55 weighs in at 2895 lbs, has 700 h.p. a five speed O.D. Manual trans and 4:56 gears. Hellcats got the 55 by 10 h.p. or so. The 55 is about 1200 to 1400 lbs lighter in weight.

Thanks for the video!! Paul

Would love to see some pics if you wouldn't mind. I love mopar stuff, always wanted to turbo charge or supercharge one and put it in 38 Chrysler Business coupe.

http://41.media.tumblr.com/290f77ae6354f7055d6ef4a24d320577/tumblr_n5agyxheCG1sfbpmso1_400.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/93/c0/e7/93c0e7b094f5dad39c1241767245a9db.jpg

[HeavyGunner]

What is the reasoning behind gassers sitting up so high in the front? Seems to be opposite of everything you'd want in a race car like low center of gravity and aero dynamics.

[mrsmackpaul]

What is the reasoning behind gassers sitting up so high in the front? Seems to be opposite of everything you'd want in a race car like low center of gravity and aero dynamics.

Dunno but it was a cool time to go drag racing I feel and thanks for that link back there it was good to watch and the other videos attached to the build and drive

I find it amazing these days people are shocked that they built the car drove it around the block once or twice and then loaded up and headed off when I was younger that was a normal thing to do

Good to see these fellas keeping the dream alive

Paul

[HeavyGunner]

Dunno but it was a cool time to go drag racing I feel and thanks for that link back there it was good to watch and the other videos attached to the build and drive

I find it amazing these days people are shocked that they built the car drove it around the block once or twice and then loaded up and headed off when I was younger that was a normal thing to do

Good to see these fellas keeping the dream alive

Paul

The 50's through the 70's were definitely the golden years of hot rods, muscle cars and drag racing in my opinion. Definitely think the gasser look is cool just wondered if it had a function other than looking cool. I've got a friend who built a 57 bel air with his dad when he was in grade school. He said the day they finished the car his dad packed the truck of the car with tools and spare parts and they went on a three week tour across the U.S.. He had lots of cool memories from that trip including changing a transmission out in a parking lot and about how much fun he had with his dad in that loud big block powered Chevy.

[41chevy]

The suspension set up was to change the center of gravity to add weight transfer. With the tire and clutch technology than it did help. With a big box the was no aerodynamics.

My alcohol funny car 1972 qualifying for AHRA funnycay license.

My 55 when my pop ran it in 1962 at Suffolk Dragway d/gas. 301 Chevy twin WCFB carbs, 3 speed with 56 Olds rear 5:13 gears and home build quarter eliptic rear springs.

Now, a 302 bored to 320 MC six banger, Wayne cross flow head, 6 port Holly Pro-Jection, Super T-10 and the 56 Olds Rear with 5:33's still in it. I returned it to conventional leaf springs for the street. In the 1970's I ran a 427 tunnel ran for street racing in NYC and on Nassau and Suffolk counties.

[mrsmackpaul]

Great photo's Paul keep them coming loving it all

[b61mack]

41 chevy I see you were AHRA member, did you ever race at US 30 dragstrip in Hobart, IN. ( just outside Chicago, IL. it was a AHRA track. its been closed for quite a while, I stop by the track last weekend to check it out.

[HeavyGunner]

Awesome pics Paul, thanks for sharing. Thanks for the info on the suspension set up on gassers, I'd always wondered about them.

[41chevy]

41 chevy I see you were AHRA member, did you ever race at US 30 dragstrip in Hobart, IN. ( just outside Chicago, IL. it was a AHRA track. its been closed for quite a while, I stop by the track last weekend to check it out.

We primarily ran East Coast at Memphis Dragway, Rockingham Speedway, NY National Speedway and Bristle Tenn at the Spring Nationals. When the AHRA started to fold up in 1973 the car was parked in my barn. It really wasn't competitive with a 392 against the new gen 426 and the Keith Black staring to show up. Kept the 392 and the Vitar Clutch-Flite and about 3 years ago donated the body and chassis to Don Garlits for his Museum. The car had an early Buttera/Kirby chassis and a Fiberglass Trends body.

My Super Stock Challenger and Super Stock Duster I ran at the same time were sold last year in as raced condition after they were parked in the early 80's. Aside from the '55 Chevy all I have saved for my racing days is my Kelson Avenger. Started to redo and kind of side lined it. Paul

[b61mack]

I didn't know weather you used to go this far west or not. I have never been to a drag race there but my friends used to go there every weekend. the guys from Chicago used to come down and bet on the lanes in the bleachers. they used to advertised ( US 30 where the big boys run ) back in there heydays.

[41chevy]

Never left the East coast and never got enough wins to get beyond the Spring Nats. Only really consistent thing I had was at least once a month having a lean out and losing the blower.

Marino's Italian Ices sponsored us with some money, Muscle Cars Speed Shops for gaskets, plugs, tires and oil and Jack Merkel for machine work. Under funded and under powered but had a ball doing it.

[other dog]

The 50's through the 70's were definitely the golden years of hot rods, muscle cars and drag racing in my opinion..

They were for me. When I was a teenager in Cumberland, Va. I remember seeing the local drag racing legend Raven Speas pull into Cumberland Auto Service in his famous (famous in Cumberland anyway) '55 Chevrolet. He left it running out front when he went inside and I just stood there staring at it in awe. I don't think i'd seen it before, just heard stories about it- it was running and just shaking, it even seemed like the ground was shaking because of the cam he had in it. He had an automatic in it at the time and he came out and got in it and took off up rt.60. He didn't even get in it hard and it chirped the tires both times it shifted, something i'd never seen a car with an automatic do at the time.

He had a 454 in it and ran 12 second times at Richmond Dragway. Not 41Chevy or Freightrain fast, but for a street driven car in the early '70's, it was fast! Still fast to me now.

Unfortunately Raven Speas was killed a few years later when he was driving his 60-something Chevy pickup, also a hot rod, at a high rate of speed and a car backed out in the road in front of him. He had to jerk the wheel to the left to keep from hitting the car and put the pickup in the woods. I remember seeing it and it looked about like it had been dropped into the Grand Canyon, just completely demolished.

His family had a guy with a bulldozer come and dig a hole and they buried the truck in it and covered it up. I don't know what ever happened to the '55, it might still be down there sitting in a barn somewhere.