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I found these while cleaning out a drawer and took a digital pic of them.Some of you here may find them interesting.First time posting,new member.I bought this car for one thousand dollars in this condition off a high school friend in 1984,I ended up racing the car for a number of years on our local 1/8 mile track,best e.t was a 7.86.All stock and original except the ET wheels and a set of headers that were installed when the car was new.I did practice a lot on an old country road,notice helmet on.I might add I never got beat on the street with it either.
It could possibly be the one of 54 factory units. It has the chrome covers which the 54 did. We need more info on this car.
If memory serves me correctly I put a 4.56 gear set in it,then tried a 4.88 but went back to the 4.56 and the reason why escapes me now.I do remember this though I put a whole differential (open unit) out of a Vista Cruiser that had a 2.92 gear (I think) in the car for a few months as our local car gang was into top end stuff (until the local drag strip reopened),and that car would pull so hard for so long in third gear that I never bothered to top it out in 4th (1:1) .And I was fearless then,or so I thought.
If memory serves me correctly I put a 4.56 gear set in it,then tried a 4.88 but went back to the 4.56 and the reason why escapes me now.I do remember this though I put a whole differential (open unit) out of a Vista Cruiser that had a 2.92 gear (I think) in the car for a few months as our local car gang was into top end stuff (until the local drag strip reopened),and that car would pull so hard for so long in third gear that I never bothered to top it out in 4th (1:1) .And I was fearless then,or so I thought.
Do you recall what the factory gear ratio was in the rear end when you bought it?
Either 3.90 or a 4.10 I think the latter only because I also owned a 1970 El Camino SS454/M22 LS6 at the same time that came with the 4.10 gear.
I just remember the 4.56 gear change did improve et, just not what I expected and changed to a 4.88,but lost mph so I changed it back to the 4.56.
I will say this that 442 could outrun the LS6 El Camino,which I must admit was useless for drag racing but great for picking up girls !
I bought the Elky in 1976 when I was a 16 year old teenager for $2400.
My friend had a 1970 W30 and those decals were on his front fenders,he told me he thought my car was one too, so he bought me a pair of them and I stuck them on.I did not know what it was at the time being a Chevy guy.I have to admit all I did with that car was run it as hard and as often as I could for six years,every weekend at the dragstrip and drove it around town (small town) almost every weeknight with 10 in" collectors and 14" by 9" cheater slicks, half the time with expired tags and no insurance.
Stupid when I think back to those days.
Either 3.90 or a 4.10 I think the latter only because I also owned a 1970 El Camino SS454/M22 LS6 at the same time that came with the 4.10 gear.
I just remember the 4.56 gear change did improve et, just not what I expected and changed to a 4.88,but lost mph so I changed it back to the 4.56.
I will say this that 442 could outrun the LS6 El Camino,which I must admit was useless for drag racing but great for picking up girls !
I bought the Elky in 1976 when I was a 16 year old teenager for $2400.
I am sure you now realize how rare a 70 LS6 El Camino is..damn..I had a 71 454 ls5, cowl hood SS elco back in the day..
What a cool 66. I love the look of your car. Love the wheels.
I have a neighbor up the alley from me that has a 72 SS 454 El Camino that has been nothing but a show car it's entire life. It's sick. Just sits in the garage. Beautiful truck.
I sold both of those cars in 1989 and '90 (like a fool) to build a Top Alcohol Funny Car,both of them were still in nice original shape but I could not change my driving habits and felt the need for more speed,I guess.I have tried to replicate what I had as a youngster,not the same,but close.Here is my L69 442/M22,never been welded on original car other than a lacquer respray I did some years ago,and an 1970 El Camino SS454 LS5/M22,and must admit I drive them as hard as I did even now at age 63 but with more sense I guess.(current plates and insurance too ! ) I did move up drag racing over the years from alcohol to nitro but cannot recommend nitro to anyone as it is a soul addicting endeavor with no chance of any return to normalcy.
Also pictured is a photo of our Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car,named Illinois Thunder.We run the NHRA Heritage Series and some booked in match races,and my stepson drives (just as hard too) and tunes the car himself,with a best e.t. of 5.83/244 mph the last time out this year..
Last edited by rectifier; December 17th, 2023 at 08:08 PM.
No not even close as far a running like the W30. I took out the M21 and replaced it with a correct date coded M22 (only because it sounds better) and also swapped out the 3.90 posi and large rear brake option differential and put in a complete low mileage differential out of a 1965 Chevelle that a friend was building a Pro Street car with that had non posi standard brake size differential.I drive the 442 and follow our race truck/trailer wherever it goes,not uncommon to run 9 races a year,usually all from 4 to 10 hour one way pulls,most times two or three states away.I park the Olds in front of the trailer after we unhook the truck and leave it there for the weekend. It seems to draw a fair amount of attention and offers to buy the car.Here is a pit shot of the racecar,could not find one with the 442 parked in front of the trailer.
No not even close as far a running like the W30. I took out the M21 and replaced it with a correct date coded M22 (only because it sounds better) and also swapped out the 3.90 posi and large rear brake option differential and put in a complete low mileage differential out of a 1965 Chevelle that a friend was building a Pro Street car with that had non posi standard brake size differential.I drive the 442 and follow our race truck/trailer wherever it goes,not uncommon to run 9 races a year,usually all from 4 to 10 hour one way pulls,most times two or three states away.I park the Olds in front of the trailer after we unhook the truck and leave it there for the weekend. It seems to draw a fair amount of attention and offers to buy the car.Here is a pit shot of the racecar,could not find one with the 442 parked in front of the trailer.
A TA/FC is the hardest race car there is to drive. A fuel car to just bad but I've watched enough passes to see the alcohol car is hard. I may know who you are,what's your name if you don't mind saying.
The TA/FC was the most fun as it fit my carefree driving style,rev the thing to 5500rpm and dump the clutch and drive it one handed while pulling the levers,I ran a 3 speed Lenco in my alcohol car with two manual levers between my legs instead of the shift buttons on the butterfly wheel.I ran Div 3 for 12 years.The nitro car has a centrificul clutch and it leaves at an idle of 2600 rpm.I bet not as fun,a 2 speed Lenco, but none the less very hard to drive,with tire shake and all,plus it pulls a lot harder and just doesnt stop.Somewhere north of 3500 horsepower on 96-98% nitro.I have never driven it though,have not even sat in the damn thing.We decided when we started building it that my stepson was to drive and when we got it finished in 2019 he licensed in it and we left it at that. Eric is my name btw.
The TA/FC was the most fun as it fit my carefree driving style,rev the thing to 5500rpm and dump the clutch and drive it one handed while pulling the levers,I ran a 3 speed Lenco in my alcohol car with two manual levers between my legs instead of the shift buttons on the butterfly wheel.I ran Div 3 for 12 years.The nitro car has a centrificul clutch and it leaves at an idle of 2600 rpm.I bet not as fun,a 2 speed Lenco, but none the less very hard to drive,with tire shake and all,plus it pulls a lot harder and just doesnt stop.Somewhere north of 3500 horsepower on 96-98% nitro.I have never driven it though,have not even sat in the damn thing.We decided when we started building it that my stepson was to drive and when we got it finished in 2019 he licensed in it and we left it at that. Eric is my name btw.
Eric Strandburg? Last time I saw you was at the MCACN show 2 years ago. You were talking to John Kenneally & Phil Welch. I knew you through Dennis Dunlap. I thought your 66 442 was black?
I was the idiot that took the vinyl top off of it and changed the color to black, yes. It was black when I sold it. Dennis Dunlap,good friend, may he Rest In Peace.
That was the car I sold to John.I remember I had a friend follow me and I drove it 2 hours up I-57 and met him an hour and a half south of Chicago,with those collectors,no mufflers and cheater slicks on it and as we shook hands on the deal it started to rain,he got in it and headed north into the storm on the interstate.I'll bet he wont forget that ordeal.John was a good guy to sell the car to. I had taken the wipers off the car to cut down on wind resistance when I raced it as I never drove it in the rain anyhow and they were in a box in the trunk along with small misc stuff.
I was the idiot that took the vinyl top off of it and changed the color to black, yes. It was black when I sold it. Dennis Dunlap,good friend, may he Rest In Peace.
That was the car I sold to John.I remember I had a friend follow me and I drove it 2 hours up I-57 and met him an hour and a half south of Chicago,with those collectors,no mufflers and cheater slicks on it and as we shook hands on the deal it started to rain,he got in it and headed north into the storm on the interstate.I'll bet he wont forget that ordeal.John was a good guy to sell the car to. I had taken the wipers off the car to cut down on wind resistance when I raced it as I never drove it in the rain anyhow and they were in a box in the trunk along with small misc stuff.
Ok, When you started talkin bout racin a TA/FC and had a 66 OAI car I figured it might be you. Yes John is a great guy & friend. Dennis & I were real close @ one time but kinda grew apart later on. It's great hearing all of your stories with the 66. The only time I saw that car was when it was @the OCA Nationals in St. Louis and I think it was owned then by Rich Stiger. When I said a TA/FC was the hardest to drive was when you had to drive with one hand and shift with the other not using an air shift.
One thing I remember after looking at the Air Breather thread this morning is that mine was number 67.
It was stamped on both the upper and lower parts as I recall. I just assumed at the time it was the year (1967) it was made until I went to sell the car.
I do know the original owner bought the last complete kit in the U.S. from a dealer up in northern Indiana and installed every part to it,even the valve springs that came with it.I recall taking the engine apart to rering it and check balance and the cam had W30 stamped on the end of it.
Last edited by rectifier; December 19th, 2023 at 08:21 AM.
There was a black 66 or 67 W30 C/stock car called The Rectifier years ago,and that was my first choice for a new different name for our new nostalgia funny car when it was finished,but my stepson wanted to keep our Illinois Thunder name since it had been on my alcohol funny cars for twelve seasons and it was a known name here in the midwest.
December 16th, 2023, 10:17 AM
