In the late 1960's everyone who bought a muscle car was way smarter than the engineers that built the car. Years of study, engineering degrees, years of trial and error were no match for the 18 year old who buys the muscle car. Remember at that age, nothing bad can happen to us. We changed the front and back suspension height to what we thought was "NEAT". The heck with being safe, driveable, and like everyone else, we changed everything.
First were the guys that liked the front end higher than the back end. You just put longer springs in the front end. The cars had springs, with the shocks inside the spring, but not a part of the spring. Not like today's cars. It was great for changing the oil, but you had trouble seeing anything right in front of you. Every time you changed the height of the front wheels, the front needed lined up. Oh what the heck, we can change it back to the original height so not need lineup needed?? So much for bad tire wear.
Next was the rear end! The higher you raise the back height, the more it will push the back tires into the road surface, right?? With the back bumper so high, when you back up without a camera, like we have today, you are taking a chance.
Motorcycle Dave's brother Danny had an MG midget convertible. Built in England were very low to the ground, a straight four cylinder engine, and the front end not very high. A guy with a Chevelle 396 with a four speed pulled into Dunkin Donuts parking lot. Danny pulled in right behind him. The guy went too far to pull into the parking space. He put his Chevelle into reverse, looked in his mirror, saw nothing there and backed up. When the backup lights came on, Danny panicked, hit the horn just as the Chevelle's gas tank hit the headlights and hood. I wish I had a picture of the Chevelle back end sitting on top of the MG, about 12 inches from the front windshield!
Next was the rear end! The higher you raise the back height, the more it will push the back tires into the road surface, right?? With the back bumper so high, when you back up without a camera, like we have today, you are taking a chance.
Motorcycle Dave's brother Danny had an MG midget convertible. Built in England were very low to the ground, a straight four cylinder engine, and the front end not very high. A guy with a Chevelle 396 with a four speed pulled into Dunkin Donuts parking lot. Danny pulled in right behind him. The guy went too far to pull into the parking space. He put his Chevelle into reverse, looked in his mirror, saw nothing there and backed up. When the backup lights came on, Danny panicked, hit the horn just as the Chevelle's gas tank hit the headlights and hood. I wish I had a picture of the Chevelle back end sitting on top of the MG, about 12 inches from the front windshield!
Another brainchild jacked up the back of his 57 Chevy. It had black painted wheels, a lot of primer paint as they were fixing the body up. Another Street Engineer he cut 14 inch 2x4's and put them from the shock absorber mount on the body and on the axle housing. The 14 inches of lift looked a lot like the Chevelle, only the Chevelle was done safely.
They made about four rounds of the loop, punching the gas pedal, they though they were real race car drivers. About 6 of us were in a parking spot near where the railroad tracks cross the road. The same railroad tracks that destroyed the Corvette. that hit the tracks too fast. Like the Corvette the wheels of the 57 Chevy were air borne. Not having the shock absorber there to line up the axle and body, the passenger side 2x4 fell out! He was now driving a car with 14 inches of clearance on the one side, and the other side was about 2 inches of lift. The kid limped home, very slowly! We almost started bawling with laughter.
They made about four rounds of the loop, punching the gas pedal, they though they were real race car drivers. About 6 of us were in a parking spot near where the railroad tracks cross the road. The same railroad tracks that destroyed the Corvette. that hit the tracks too fast. Like the Corvette the wheels of the 57 Chevy were air borne. Not having the shock absorber there to line up the axle and body, the passenger side 2x4 fell out! He was now driving a car with 14 inches of clearance on the one side, and the other side was about 2 inches of lift. The kid limped home, very slowly! We almost started bawling with laughter.
While not having my license for 6 months was a pain, I still made the loop almost every night. I called Tom, yes the guy who learned how to race against the Rambler Scrambler, he came over and he drove my Pontiac. We stopped in and bought a case of cold beer. I was 19 by now. Still illegally buying beer. We rounded the square and made the green light for two blocks.
We were beside the radio station on Queen Street. Beside us was an 18 wheeler truck. The driver was looking at me drinking my beer. I was riding shotgun. I do not chance driving when license suspended. I am dumb, not an idiot. I said to the truck driver, "Want a gulp of beer?" He says sure, so I opened the door and jumped up on his step, handed him the can.
The light turned green. The driver yelled, "Hang on". When Tom hit the gas my car door closed, I hung on the truck's mirror for 2 blocks. When we stopped he handed me the can, yelled a BIG thank you. I jumped down, got in my Pontiac, and Tom and I had a good laugh. I said the guys will not believe this. Tom said if they know you, they will believe it. Just another night on the loop.
We were beside the radio station on Queen Street. Beside us was an 18 wheeler truck. The driver was looking at me drinking my beer. I was riding shotgun. I do not chance driving when license suspended. I am dumb, not an idiot. I said to the truck driver, "Want a gulp of beer?" He says sure, so I opened the door and jumped up on his step, handed him the can.
The light turned green. The driver yelled, "Hang on". When Tom hit the gas my car door closed, I hung on the truck's mirror for 2 blocks. When we stopped he handed me the can, yelled a BIG thank you. I jumped down, got in my Pontiac, and Tom and I had a good laugh. I said the guys will not believe this. Tom said if they know you, they will believe it. Just another night on the loop.
When I traded in the 400 MP Pontiac I was looking at a 1964 Mercury Comet. A hi-performance 289, 270 HP 4 speed muscle car. I was tired of paying over $100.00 a month for gas. I got my license back on a Wednesday, and that night I was racing again, I thought, "I am tired of walking, I got to get rid of this car and buy something that will not tempt me to violate the law".
I stopped to see the 1964 Comet. Beside it was a 1967 Comet Convertible.289-two barrel, air conditioned, luxury car. It was 1968, the car was 11 months old. Automatic, AM/FM radio, and built for a good ride, not speed. I was hooked again. I got a loan at the bank. I could pay 65 dollars a month for 4 years. Or $120 per month for 2 years. I took the 2 years.
The salesman was eyeing up my bike. I would bring the Pontiac tomorrow and do the paperwork. He asked if I wished to sell the bike. I rode it 32,000 hard miles. Lots of wheelies, the front forks would stick, needed rebuilt. Running racing gas in the engine I knew was hard on the insides. I changed the oil every 500 miles, the threads were worn. I was going to replace the plate on the bottom where the oil plug was. I had paid $720.00 for it, two years before. I painted the frame, forks, tank, and side covers. Everything was Corvette Blue. Seat was rolled and pleated blue. Chopped fenders.
I told him $500.00. He jumped on it. I told him it needed the plate on bottom for oil change plug. It did not burn any oil. Hr drove it 4 days, the oil plug came out, he rode it till the motor froze. About 1980 I was at bike shop that I bought it at, hunting a back rack for my 650 Honda and in his parts bike storage, there it sat. Some parts missing. If I ever have the cash to get it again, I would fix it up again.
I stopped to see the 1964 Comet. Beside it was a 1967 Comet Convertible.289-two barrel, air conditioned, luxury car. It was 1968, the car was 11 months old. Automatic, AM/FM radio, and built for a good ride, not speed. I was hooked again. I got a loan at the bank. I could pay 65 dollars a month for 4 years. Or $120 per month for 2 years. I took the 2 years.
The salesman was eyeing up my bike. I would bring the Pontiac tomorrow and do the paperwork. He asked if I wished to sell the bike. I rode it 32,000 hard miles. Lots of wheelies, the front forks would stick, needed rebuilt. Running racing gas in the engine I knew was hard on the insides. I changed the oil every 500 miles, the threads were worn. I was going to replace the plate on the bottom where the oil plug was. I had paid $720.00 for it, two years before. I painted the frame, forks, tank, and side covers. Everything was Corvette Blue. Seat was rolled and pleated blue. Chopped fenders.
I told him $500.00. He jumped on it. I told him it needed the plate on bottom for oil change plug. It did not burn any oil. Hr drove it 4 days, the oil plug came out, he rode it till the motor froze. About 1980 I was at bike shop that I bought it at, hunting a back rack for my 650 Honda and in his parts bike storage, there it sat. Some parts missing. If I ever have the cash to get it again, I would fix it up again.
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