ATTENTION NORTHEASTERN USA DRAG FUNS...

[BIG E]

Check the website for RACEWAY PARK, in Englishtown, NJ. This weekend there will be a Nostalgia Drag Racing Event, featuring cars, photos, models, memorabilia and people from the hey day of Long Island drag racing - The 1970's at the famed NEW YORK NATIONAL SPEEDWAY.
I spent many weekends (Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! was the radio announcer's cry) out there for a few summers running, watching the current Wheelstander, Pro Stock and Funny Car touring professionals of the day. I had two cars that I raced there when the pros wheren't entertaining us, both of which were 1965 FORD products:

**Galaxie** (1st year for the LTD model) 2 Door Hardtop, "Seafoam" Green, Black 'steelie' wheels, glass belted tires.
Black "knitted vinyl" (deluxe LTD cloth) interior with bench seat and factory AM/FM radio.
Factory Hi-Po 390 cu. in. 4bbl. FE V8, heavy duty "Top Loader" 4 speed tranny, dual exhaust system.
No A/C or common LTD power options for steering, brakes, door locks or seats. Drum brakes all around. I think it only weighed about 3600 lbs.
I added a Hurst "Competition Plus" shifter, and a Mallory dual point distributor. That was a week after I bought it off a used car lot in Denver, CO in the fall of 1971 for $700 !! I was attending the Denver Automotive and Diesel College at the time, and this was my first car. It's also the one I should have NEVER LET GET AWAY !! I regret ever selling that car, but when you're a kid you don't think about buyin' a "beater" to drive back and forth to work.

**Falcon Futura** 2 Door Hardtop, "Wimbledon" White, factory tinted glass, black vinyl interior. Aluminum slotted wheels, glass belted tires with thin white pinstripe sidewalls. 289 cu. in. small block V8 2bbl., "Cruise-O-Matic" auto trans, power steering. Purchased off a used car lot on Long Island after I had returned home from school, for a whole $550!
I then added an aluminum intake, Holley 500cfm 2bbl.carb, Ford dual point distributor, Ford K-code Hi-Po cam, Accel coil, and a set of Hooker 4-tube headers. Then I got brave and swapped in a Borg Warner 4 speed tranny with Hurst shifter. When the trans and driveshaft conversion was done, I upgraded the rear end with a set of more heavy duty leaf springs and Lakewood traction bars. That made those high RPM power shifts a lot smoother!

I had a lot of fun cruisin' around town with my buddies (we all had our share of "stop light drags"), and of course at the drag strip with both of these cars. They were pretty docile compared to the monster "street legal" cars that many have today. Like I said before, that Galaxie was a special option car, and I didn't realize what I had at the time. I STILL wish I had it back!!

REMEMBER : SATURDAY and SUNDAY, JULY 27th & 28th, at RACEWAY PARK in Englishtown, NJ. I should be in and around a special table display with the Long Island Auto Replica Society (LIARS) model car club. If you find us, just ask for me by name - I always like to meet fellow "slotheads".

Maybe I'll find my Galaxie! -- Enjoy the races... Ernie

**7/25 UPDATE** Raceway Park says Saturday night's paid admission gets you in for Sunday's all day Nostalgia Drag Program !!
**7/29 UPDATE** WE ALL HAD A BLAST THIS WEEKEND - IF YOU CAN GO NEXT YEAR - DON'T MISS IT !! (Check my 7/29 Bench Racer's Lounge post.)