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That’s my idea if NASCAR! Real cars, lots of variety, lots of ways to skin a cat, can watch it all day. Modern NASCAR - I watch the first 3 Laps and the last 15-30, cars are boring, races mostly boring except on restarts or really pushing the last lap or 2. I like the few road courses they race, much more interesting.
NASCAR started life in 1948 , racing modified pre-war jalopies . Mostly Ford , with an occasional Graham or Buick Century thrown in .
Most any internal engine modification was allowed , as well as multiple carburetors and high compression aluminum heads .
In 1949 NASCAR introduced a new series . It was called the " strictly stock " division.
As the name implied , the cars were strictly stock . And they could only be 3 years old at most .
This series became instantly popular , and it evolved first into " the Grand National " and then the various " Cup " series .
The 1949 Oldsmobile " Rocket 88 " with it's 135 HP was a natural winner .
" Red " Byron , of Atlanta was the 1949 Champion in a " Rocket 88 " .
And this , mind you , was with an automatic transmission . Probably the first and last use of an automatic in NASCAR .
The 1949 " Rocket 88 " was offered only with an automatic .
In 1950 Oldsmobile adopted the Cadillac - LaSalle 3 speed stick transmission as an option .
Oldsmobile won even more races that year , and the championship again .
Oldsmobile was truly " King of the hill . "
All that changed in 1951 .
Hudson offered up their " Hornet " model with a huge 308 flathead 6 with 2 carbs .
The Hudson also offered a lower center of gravity with better handling .
Hudson ate Oldsmobile's lunch during 1951-2 .
In 1953 Oldsmobile used a " loophole " in their war with Hudson .
Any part was considered " stock " if the manufacturer offered it as a "heavy duty " part .
Oldsmobile slapped part numbers on items like Isky solid lifter cams and adjustable McGurk rocker arms and sold them to racers . .
Here is a list of " Heavy Duty " parts from the 1954 Oldsmobile parts catalog ;
Oldsmobile slyly called them " heavy duty " parts . But one look through the list and I'm convinced it was a racer' s supermarket .
" Buck " Baker was the standard bearer for Olds in those years . Although " Junior " Johnson also raced Oldsmobiles in 1955 .
1955 and '56 was dominated by Chrysler " 300's " on the big tracks and Fords on the smaller courses .
Oldsmobile gave it one last try in 1957 .
They introduced their " J-2 " triple carburerated 371 engine .
They chose Petty Enterprises as their standard bearer . Lee Petty actually went to Lansing and worked with the Olds engineers on the dynos .
All was good until the Auto Manufacturers Association ban on factory racing support took effect in the 1957 season .
Petty soldiered on through 1957 and 1958 with the cars he had built for the 1957 season .
He even gave his 21 year old son Richard an old '57 Olds convertible to race .
Lee built one new 1959 Olds super 88 car with left over H-D parts from his '57 cars .
This car won the first Daytona 500 in Feb '59 .
Plymouth offered Petty a sweeter deal in mid '59 and Petty went to their camp .
Olds did not field any NASCAR entries again until the late sixties as Joe mentioned.
Olds final hurrah was in 1977 when the sleeker styling of the Olds gave it an aerodynamic advantage over Chevys .
NASCAR allowed Chevy engines in the Olds because that's what the factory was doing anyway .
Petty picked up the Olds standard again for a few years until 1981 and the "new formula cars " .
Last edited by Charlie Jones; June 12th, 2023 at 07:18 AM.
Sigh. Another casualty of GM “design interchange”’ mentality.
Makes you wonder what would have happened if car manufacturers kept pushing the boundaries of innovation, instead of pushing the boundaries of pinching every penny.
Give the engineers a goal, close the door, and let the creativity free.
Thanks Joe.
Great pictures from the golden era of NASCAR
67 and 69 Oldsmobiles running in a Nascar event, Nice!
It's not just NASCAR that is boring NHRA pro classes , Indy / Cart , they even screwed up F1.
The announcers have to talk their heads off to hype a **** product.
Last edited by Bernhard; October 30th, 2020 at 09:23 PM.
The electric cars can be raced and they have some very quick models on the street.
professional racing is already uninteresting, the electric engines will just further the sports demise.
NASCAR started life in 1948 , racing modified pre-war jalopies . Mostly Ford , with an occasional Graham or Buick Century thrown in .
Most any internal engine modification was allowed , as well as multiple carburetors and high compression aluminum heads .
In 1953 Oldsmobile used a " loophole " in their war with Hudson .
Any part was considered " stock " if the manufacturer offered it as a "heavy duty " part .
Oldsmobile slapped part numbers on items like Isky solid lifter cams and adjustable McGurk rocker arms and sold them to racers . .
Here is a list of " Heavy Duty " parts from the 1954 Oldsmobile parts catalog ;
Oldsmobile slyly called them " heavy duty " parts . But one look through the list and I'm convinced it was a racer' s supermarket .
" Buck " Baker was the standard bearer for Olds in those years . Although " Junior " Johnson also raced Oldsmobiles in 1955 .
1955 and '56 was dominated by Chrysler " 300's " on the big tracks and Fords on the smaller courses .
Oldsmobile gave it one last try in 1957 .
They introduced their " J-2 " triple carburerated 371 engine .
They chose Petty Enterprises as their standard bearer . Lee Petty actually went to Lansing and worked with the Olds engineers on the dynos .
All was good until the Auto Manufacturers Association ban on factory racing support took effect in the 1957 season .
Petty soldiered on through 1957 and 1958 with the cars he had built for the 1957 season .
He even gave his 21 year old son Richard an old '57 Olds convertible to race .
Lee built one new 1959 Olds super 88 car with left over H-D parts from his '57 cars .
This car won the first Daytona 500 in Feb '59 .
Plymouth offered Petty a sweeter deal in mid '59 and Petty went to their camp . .
Oldsmobile was very sly, they also had "special parts lists". They offered parts on "For Export" lists........if you knew about them. While I have never seen a "For Export" list, I am sure it existed. The 1957-58 dimpled (to clear rocker arm adjustment screws for solid lifters) valve covers were referred to as W-1 valve covers. A retired supervisor at Oldsmobile told me, "Oh, that was the For Export list".
Oldsmobile was very sly, they also had "special parts lists". They offered parts on "For Export" lists........if you knew about them. While I have never seen a "For Export" list, I am sure it existed. The 1957-58 dimpled (to clear rocker arm adjustment screws for solid lifters) valve covers were referred to as W-1 valve covers. A retired supervisor at Oldsmobile told me, "Oh, that was the For Export list".
I think we are talking about the same list , Ralph .
Anyway , this one was on 3 pages in the back of the 1954 Oldsmobile Chassis Parts Book .
Oldsmobile ( and others ) supplied " special " parts across the counter to make their cars more competitive .
Back then , if one wanted to go racing , they could walk in to an Olds dealer . Order a new Super 88 two door with NO options .
Then go around the corner to the parts department , and order everything one would need to make it into a race car .
Last edited by Charlie Jones; October 31st, 2020 at 06:02 PM.
Charlie, the rocker arms are mine, the valve covers belong to another member on here. His pic shows the "dimples" really well, for those who are interested in "older iron".
For myself, I have a J-2 set up, a cam grinder (CamCraft) located, and an"old Dude" who knows how to overhaul the automatic transmission. I do have a second running engine and transmission. I'll probably get O.S. pistons and aluminum heads from Tony for one of the 371's. I got a new 4.10 ring and pinion from FabCraft about a month ago.
I won't start on the 57 except accumulating parts until I get the 64 Starfire finished. I am hoping the engine is running this coming week, and the transmission is functioning correctly.
Your car seems to be coming along well !!!!
From my Nascar Die cast collection Buddy Bakers Gray Ghost 1980 Olds, When I caught up to him at a race here in PHX he was on his way to the broadcast booth, I handed him the car to autograph he took it sighed it and said Damn that car made me a lot of money !! I also have Lee Petty's 57 Olds and a 1950 Curtis Turners Olds I just couldn't find them for a photo. Too bad these Marques no longer exist.
Last edited by solly; August 8th, 2021 at 05:20 PM.
October 29th, 2020 | 07:39 PM
