1960 Plymouth Woody Screamin' Down The Drag Strip
My car made it on the NMCA ad. I’m scramblin’ to get the cars, coach and stacker ready. After the Freeze I have broken pipes in both houses and the coach I’m getting fixed – as I get parts – but I’ve not missed Bradenton in last 12 years.
This car is currently in “Turn Key” form, and I have about $70K in building this car, but all of the calls I was getting were wanting to put their own drive train in, so I’ll pull the engine and transmission and sell ready for your drive train. I’ll leave all electronics including the ignition box. I’ll leave the radiator. All I’ll take is the motor, transmission, torque converter and Flex plate.
This car features:
You simply drop in you Engine, transmission and converter – fill the bottles and head to the track. You couldn’t build this car for twice the $30K I want.
I have a signed title from the Seller with open buyer, but I never titled. I’ll sell on Bill of Seller and give you the Title I was given.
I’ve given you all of the information and detailed photos I have. For a low price of $30k anyone who knows anything about drag racing has all the information needed to either be the first to jump all over this car or move on. I expect the car car to go quick. I’m told the car with an iron head/block 440 and a 7727 weighed 2300 pounds with a 180 pound driver. The car is set up for someone 5’10” to 6’4″. I’m 5’11” and my son is 6’3″ and we both fit comfortably.
If you want the car turnkey, you can have it for $40K. The motor is a pump gas 440 with Indy heads for driving to “True Street”. Fill it with 123 octane and turn the Nitrous On for high 8s. I know nothing else about the motor except that the man who sold to me said it was just freshened. I pulled the pan and a couple cars and verified new bearings. The transmission is a 727 – but I’ve not torn down to inspect. Again, I never really paid much attention to motor and transmission as I had planed a different engine and Powerglide when I originally bought.
The car is located at my race shop in Beasley, TX, which is 40 miles south of Houston on I 69. I’m generally at my shop Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays 8-4.
I’m way over the bag limit on street and race cars and only want to trade for dead Presidents. If you know someone or a group that might be interested in a Superman Deal at a Clark Kent price, please a link to this.
Yeah, its been a month for a shop update – because it was a busy one. I’m not sure where I left off, but I’m sure it was way before:
For about ten years, my son Dallas worked in my race shop and raced with me. Marriage, a job change and children had him give up racing, and let his racing license expire about five years ago. I invited him to take a week off and to come racing with me using my back up car, the Texas Thug, while I raced the Screamin’ Woody. The problem was that he’d let his racing license expire, but we worked that out with Rollie Miller, who let him make his six supervised solo qualifying passes and get the paperwork signed off prior to Eliminations.
There were 78 NSS Racers there, mostly because of the Dave Duell Classic and All Star Race. The first Qualifying pass was also Dallas’ 6th Licensing pass and so he had to make a solo. They had him Qualify 1st in line. I was in the next pair to qualify. As I was doing my burnout I looked up at the scoreboard in his lane to see what he’d done, and it was 9.750 seconds on a 9.75 index. That was a perfect run, and since he was the first to do it, 77 Racers in back of him were immediately bummed that no one else had a chance to Qualify #1. I wound up qualifying #5 of 78.
That also had us into the All Star race, which was the 16 best (based on the Top 5 in points last year, the Top 10 Qualifiers for that week’s main event and the Previous year’s Champ choosing the 16th) NMCA VS. the best 16 Victory Racers. Sadly, we both were out in first round – Dallas because his car was getting slower and we couldn’t figure out why, and I broke out by going too fast.
In the FX Shootout, Dallas was out in the first round and the car was so slow we knew it was broke, suspecting the torque convertor. I went three rounds before a .002 Red Light.
In the Main Event on Sunday – I again went three rounds before taking a 1/2 car too much stripe and did a heart breaking 9.749 on the brakes. My light was a .010.
We loaded up disappointed, yet happy that after five years we’d spent a week racing together.
The below is a small gallery of photos from the week.
We drove straight back after leaving track at 6pm Sunday – arriving to the shop Monday night. The very next day at 6am, we were both back on the road in my truck and trailer heading to Chicago, Illinois – arriving there at Midnight. Early the next morning we were loading up 12 Cushman Scooters I’d bought as a lot.
We were done at 10am and back at my shop (40 miles South of Houston) at about 3am.
After a few hours sleep, I unloaded the cars from the stacker and the Scooters from the other trailer. Damon pulled the transmission out of the Thug a removed the pan. It happens that during one of Dallas’ Qualifying passes, he leaked transmission oil at the line, and told to fix it. Checking the car, he found a bolt had worked its way out of the tail shaft of the transmission. He replaced it with a bolt that was 1/4″ longer. It turns out that 1/4″ was long enough to hang up the drum band. It was locked onto the drum and it not only slowed the car down – it wore the band out.
I did have a spare band so the transmission was quickly reassembled and I cleaned and painted. I have a spare converter that ATI had just freshened up that can go in. The one pulled out will need to go back to ATI for a clean and inspection since there was so much metal and band material.
Earlier in the year, I got my Magnum GT running great, re-dyed the leather and carpet, and had the car scuffed and repainted in a urethane with UV block. The body didn’t need any repairs – it was just the 42 year old factory paint and pinstriping was dull. The paint looked so good that it made the trunk, engine compartment and door jams stand out. So the bumpers and drivetrain was pulled; I clean, scuffed and painted the trunk – but did send the car back to the paint shop for the door jams and under hood to be painted.
The engine were cleaned, resealed, and repainted – and are waiting to be mated up with the body. The bumpers have been rechromed.
Still have a lot of work left, but it will be almost as good as new soon.
If you’ve been following along with the shop updates at DaveSchultz.com or the blog at MoparWeb.com – you’ll know that I bought a 1964 Westcoaster Mailster – which is a three wheeled mail delivery truck that was used prior to the Post Office going to the small Jeeps. Back then, a Mailman could load his leather bag with only 60 pounds. There would be green boxes along his route, where he’d stop to reload his bag for another 50 pounds. The Mailster on the other and could carry 500 pounds. This was a time before UPS, FedEx, Airborne and others package and overnight carriers. Parcels, Media and Special Deliveries were mostly USPS delivered – and these Mailsters played a big part of that in those deliveries.
Earlier in the year (again check this sites I listed if you want to see the work done prior to this update) I bought a Mailster, from the Hill Country for $500. It hadn’t run since the early 80s. I bought it back to my shop and we were able to get it running pretty good. Then decided to refurbish and we started the complete disassembly of it.
I asked my Shop Rat to blast the bare Chassis to bare metal and hit with Primer while I was racing at Indy. However I wasn’t happy with his work – and redid it.
Chassis needs a little metal work, the primer needs to be wet sanded with 400 grit, and then hit with a few coats of gloss black. I’ll then turn my attention to detailing the motor and transmission, and start the assembly for a running Chassis.
I still have not decided what to do with this. My inclination is to theme it as something very crazy. I’ll have time for the best idea to hit me before I need to turn my attention towards the body.
Leaving the Indy race, I jack-knifed the motorhome and stacker to where they touched each other at the toolbox on the trailer’s tongue. The coach had minor scratches that I was able to quickly repair, but I couldn’t hammer out the box to my satisfaction – so I removed.
I drew up a plan for a nicer one that is taller, which also has a top compartment for more storage. My neighbor at the lake has a metal fabrication shop, and I’m having him make it for me. I’ll attach to the stacker when he’s done.
As I write this, of the lot of 12 Scooters I bought – I’ve only had the time to sell one Eagle project (well they all are projects has none have been started in last 30 years) for $1100. Yesterday the Montgomery Pony Cycle I had on eBay sold for $3000 – but I’ve not yet paid for it or received a reply. Other than that, all I’ve been able to do so far is to wash, label, photo and do a little research – except a Series 60 frame.
I crush glass blasted it to bare metal and sprayed it with a gallon of high build sandable primer. I’ve put it aside for now and listed for sale pretty cheap. If it sells, great! If not I’ll get around to building something incredibly stupid on it. I’m thinking a 28hp electric start Vanguard motor, 10″ wheels and a Kustom made Rear cover/seat with a fin from a 60 Plymouth.
I made three axles that had been in the shed for decades ready to sell. This as part of my reducing the amount of crap I have. I’ve listed two of them on eBay and on Old Hippies Ads.
The loose ballast I run in the weight boxes are dumbells that I lopped off their handles. Over the last few years they’ve gotten nasty from rattling around in the weight boxes in the trunk or the storage box in the stacker. Every time I picked up a weight, my hands become dirty black. I had my shop rat clean and paint them with 2 coats of Por15. I then weighed, marked with a junkyard paint pen and hit with three coats of clear. Hopefully, it will last a couple of years.
I just had to take a bunch of photos of the coach and stacker to change my insurance company. So I thought I’d share as a gallery. You have to click the thumbnail to see that larger photo – if you’re interested.
That’s all I can remember for the last month. There was plenty more that I did at the shop, but I also spent a lot of time doing accounting and other business with Bloomin’ Blinds in the last month.
Until next month…..
For me personally, I have always leaned to more of a purest to the original intent of NSS (Nostalgia Super Stock Drag Racing), which was early 60s mid-size and larger stock appearing cars with the equipment available for that car at the time – except some safety upgrades like disc brakes (and not rack & Pinion Steering!).
In the quest to go faster, the camel got its nose under the tent with Indy and other heavily modified intakes, AVS and Holley carbs, clutchless transmissions, Pony cars, digital ignitions, transbrakes (promised not to be used), belt driven distributors, belt driven timing sets, turbo looking exhaust holes cut into fenders … That in my opinion really wasn’t keeping with the spirit of NSS – and its doubtful any of that will ever be reversed.
Those types of rule morphing did make the cars faster and easier to tune/drive – but in my opinion can’t be used as a legitimate excuse to bringing more cars into the sport. It more pissed off many of those in the Class. It worries me that the camel has gone from the nose under the tent to half of its body in the tent.
On the other hand, NSS does have the big problem of age. More than half of us are over the age of 65, and our time left in racing is limited. Ten years ago, I was a young guy in the class. We all can name at least ten (Skippy, Midle, Charlie, Barry, Artis, Lonigan…) formerly active Racers who are now forever gone. The number of young guys to take their place is minimal. In the next five years NSS will most likely lose the greatest number of Racers to date, and it will be even worse five years after that. For the class to survive it needs to bring in new blood faster than it currently losing old blood.
It may be time to for us real old guys to stop worrying so much about what we want the class to be – and think about the legacy of the class’ survival. My personal opinion is that NSS needs to start thinking about being a little more flexible to attract new blood — but not so flexible with modern equipment on old cars. Maybe the class should open up to a few more cars that were Super Stock cars in their day, racing with old school equipment from the day. I know many will cringe when I say that – because I’m cringing – but the Pandora’s Box was opened the day NSS opened up to Compacts and Pony Cars like the Big Block Barracudas, Darts, and AMXs. Again I cringe saying this, but those with Big Block Camaros, Javelins, Mustangs, Cougars, SCramblers, The Machine, Challengers Cudas, and Novas (prior to 1972) asked why not them? Why is a Dart OK – but not a 396 Nova? Why a Barracuda and AMX but not the 396/427 Camaro or 390/428 Mustangs? When the Barracudas, Darts and AMXs came in – the Camel got pretty far into the tent.
Opening up the year to through 71 also has pretty cool Intermediates like Chargers, Super Bees, Road Runners, Coronet R/Ts, 442s, Grand Sports, GTOs, Torino GTs, Montego Cyclones and other mid-size cars just a couple years newer (but still 50 years old) than what we race. Actually, many of those cars are actually older than the Darts, Barracudas and AMXs. While maybe not the Spirit of the Class when it was created in the 80s – neither was some of the rule changes and cars now in NSS This is 30-40 years later – maybe we should think about letting in another 5 years. Fact is that many younger people own more of these cars than the 63-65 B-Bodies that use to be the majority in NSS. Fact is that while most of us prefer the early 60s Intermediates representing the standard, those 10 years younger than us own and race the late 60s Intermediates, Compacts and Pony Cars. Fact also is that those were the Super Stock cars of the late 60s. Younger people just don’t have the attraction to 1965 and older B-Bodies, and never will.
Should we be selfish and let the class die with us – or see that it has an acceptable future? I propose that for the class to continue to survive five and ten years from now when many of us will be gone – that we maybe hold our nose and open it up a little for the pre-72 big block cars that did race Super Stock in the late 60s – rather than any more of these modifying allowances of existing old cars with modern equipment. Stick with the stock interior rule that is the spirit of NSS. Stick with must run the type of big block engine available with the car and style of scoop ran then. Keep the rule for heads, intake and carbs that came with the car in the era. Stop and reverse the digital electronics, exhaust running through fenders, belt driven distributors, carbs not available at time cars were built – and focus on keeping the under hood (actually the whole car in and out) appearance nostalgic.
To bring in new blood, I’d much rather open it up a little to the cars that really ran Super Stock in the 60s than allowing the old cars morph with modern with digital boxes, 5-speeds, clutchless, belt drives and other non-safety Speed and convenience equipment.
I’ll bet you you don’t. The Swamp Rat Spotter’s guide tells you about each of the 50+ Swamp Rats Big Daddy had/has, in history and photos. Every one of them.
With this virus thing going on, Deb and I have been spending every other week alternating between the lake and the shop – so not as much got done in the last month. That said, here we go.
The rocker set from Jesel arrived, installed, and the motor is back to ready.
The rear of the car was ass-backwards, with the batteries in back of the weight boxes, making it near impossible to get them out. So the weight boxes and batteries were swapped around.
While at it, the rear window was made easily removable, so I can clean the insides of the side and rear windows.
I also removed the old name and numbers, and replaced with something that better matches.
I had some boxes Fabricated out of 1/8″ aluminum. One is the same height and width as the inside fender, and a length that fits between the fender and the lift post. That is to carry loose weight needed for the car’s weight boxes – to change the weight of the car.
I drilled through the aluminum floor and installed threads, so I could easily remove the box, should I want to.
I then drilled holes in the box, bolted them down and filled with weights.
The other was to carry the jack stands in the attic of the stacker. They were mounted the same way.
The in-floor compartment for the winch was too small for both a 9000# winch and the pulley.
So I attached 6 strong magnets to it, so that it can be stowed when not used.
I have a sweeping magnet for when my fat thumbs drop hardware – like valve cover nuts – in the grass. I riveted holders for it and a car mop.
Some HD velco spots will let me keep the T-Handle hex wrenches steady on my work bench
This was my dream car that I bought new in 93. The AC was repaired and the vent that was cracked and broken was plastic welded with Hot staples to be good as new.
The first test drive had the pipes scrape on turns, the horn blow on turns, the transmission’s shifter would pop out of 2nd & 4th, and the motor broke up above 5000 rpm.
The latter was cured with a distributor re-curve and carburetor adjustment. The horn required the steering wheel disassembled many times and played with. Loosening the bottom shifter stops allowed the shifter to stay in 2nd & 4th. The car leaning so much in the turns and scraping the exhaust was solved by calling Espo Springs and More for a set of stiffer springs having a 1″ lift.
I took the car for a ride and it is exactly what I’ve wanted. I took a short video, which sucks because I’m trying to hold the phone, shift and steer a manual steering car.
This car has been rattling around in my head fir almost 20 years, and I’m happy to finally cross it off my bucket list. Here are some Glamour photos I took with my phone when I got back from my ride.
If you’ve been following along this blog for the last six months, you know that I dyed the leather, got new Radial TAs tires, and repainted the car. The only thing keeping it from being perfect was an under hood detail and paint, bumpers chromed, paint for the trunk and door jams, and new exhaust. I pretty sure I last posted photos of my cleaning, wire brushing, priming and painting the trunk; and also pulling the drivetrain.
Since then, the motor and trans have been gone through and inspected, resealed, cleaned and painted, while under the hood has been cleaned and made ready for paint.
The bumpers have come off and sent to be crush glass blasted and powder-coated gloss black. They’ll go on my Magnum XE and the freshly chromed ones on the XE will go on the GT.
I bought a Holley Stinger Throttle-Body EFI with an in-tank fuel pump, 20′ of 6-AN black braided fuel lines, a large black in-line filter with 6-AN fittings, and assorted black anodized fitting to get hooked up from the pump to the black anodized throttle body. Also bought a dropped air cleaner base made for the throttle body. I fell asleep at the wheel photo documenting the install.
I drove about 100 miles at varying speeds while in learn mode. Car drives great when driven sanely. Fast, with no stutters or hesitation. It still has some learning and tuning to happen for when it is hammer time as this motor is about 550hp and much faster than what it limited me to on the first hammer down. I’m sure it will make me happy and the car will run like a raped ape when dialed in. Below is a hammer time drive after 100 mile learn.
I’ve been working on getting the car right, and its not far away. I had a leak in both convertible rams, and bought replacements that were suppose to fit off Ebay. Their stroke was about 1/2″ short, so they were cut, threaded on both ends of the cut, and an extension screwed on in between.
While the back seat is out and I’m at the lake, my Shop Rat will vacuum, degrease and paint that area with POR 15. The car needs an exhaust modification as the new factory pipes have the left side has about a 1′ too close to the floor. After the exhaust, the car gets new carpet. Someday, if I win the lottery, I’ll convert it to EFI and overdrive too. Hell, it might someday have a pump gas 440 race motor that I have ready to go into something.
I’m not just stopping at my single-car trailer and three rocking chairs in Red, White and Blue.
I had my Shop Rat paint my fence with Red top boards, White posts and center boards, an Blue bottom boards.
Since Grandson #6 and his mother live at our Beasley residence, I had the playground strip down, the vertical boards painted White, horizontal boards painted Red and diagonal boards Blue. I ordered blue grips for the climbing platform, a red swing and a red toddler swing. The slide is in my paint booth, waiting for me to scuff, hit with adhesion promoter, and paint blue.
But why stop there? I have two chairs and table in front of my shop.
One chair is fixin to be red, the other blue and the table white. Then there’s the furniture on the front porch of my barndominium.
Yup, you guessed it. Red, White and Blue. That porch is fixin to get tripled in size and screened in for front porch time.
Well, that pretty has my shop action up to date.
I’ve added the NSS races for NMCA, TDRA and HRR at MoparWeb dot com. If you have a favorite race you want to add to the calendar – it is super easy.
Life is so much better with a Screamin’ Woody! Get yours now!
