Thanks for posting the pics!! (I remember "Don Gay's " Pontiac in the pic, but can't identify the Comet in the next lane).
Those pics of daybreak where just the way it was, cool, dew on everything, and the sun breaking over the horizon in the east. Folks slowly emerging from where ever they slept, looking red eyed and rumpled, burpin and fartin, trying to get there bearings after a night of partying till the early hours.
The worst place i ever tried to sleep was at the NHRA Nationals at Indy, seemed no one finally went to sleep there before 3AM. Mini bikes tearing around, Guys up adjusting valves on real lumpy cams , with LOUD headers barking, and drive down through the city of Indy at night, every motel parking lot was jammed full, of drag cars, portable lights on stands as engines were rebuilt, or bearings, rings replaced, and again the "WHAP, WHAP" of engines being refired, The whole city it seemed was up till the early hours of the morning.
Dad (Charlie Haviland), raced there often. Their are a couple pictures of the AA/Altered in the Comp cars section. Its the 23 T with the Canadian flag on the side.
-- Edited by Slammed 35 on Wednesday 16th of October 2013 02:11:39 PM
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Proud member of the Brantford Piston Pushers. (Second Generation) & Disciple of Speed of the E.L.T.A.
First time I saw Jim Lindsay's "Peppermill" Falcon was there. That car is the reason I have a Falcon today. Used to go with my Dad and Uncles, years later I had the pleasure of talking with Jim at Grand Bend while I was there with my family. He impressed 3 generations of our family.
Anyone remember High & Mighty?
Slammed , i remember seeing your'e dad run. Wasn't aware that your'e dad was Charlie Haviland.
I was only 7 when the photo's where taken. I wished I had seen Dad run at Niagara.
I emailed Dean Johnson, Son of the builder / owner of Niagara Airport Strip. Dean invited Dad & I to his place to check out "his junk" (over 1000 photo's) and for Dad to share some stories of back in the day at Niagara. I am really looking forward to that!
This is what the car looks like today
When things settle down more I will gather up some photos to post.
Great pic, and i'd love to see some more!! For some reason i think when i saw the car run it was a lighter colour? Wasn't at Niagra, but did see it at either St Thomas, or Cayuga, maybe both. Long time ago now.
Dads Altered went through a few changes in its competitive years. It was a wine colored body when it was called Maggie (magnesium frame) It was red and white in 67 (Canadian flag) because he was running a lot in the U.S. And the Chrysler moss green called "The Charlie Horse" colour as it is today.
Winternationals- Pomona California Dad in "The Charlie Horse" spectator side vs. The Bodakian Bros.
I do remember seeing Charlie run. We used to drop in to the Piston Pushers club house years ago. It seemed like it was right beside the road or hiway?
A lot of the Piston Pushers came to Hamilton for Ronnie Bowen's funeral.
Yup, the Piston Pushers club house was on the east end of Brantford on Hwy 53. Still standing today. This is V. Potters drawing of the club house back in the day.
The first High and Mighty was by the Chrysler engineers who would become known as the Ramchargers, a mid 30's dodge coupe with a 332 hemi, long ram tubes with a single 4 barrel sitting about 2 feet above the engine. The exhaust pipes were quite long and were fitted with megaphones. This was in the early to mid 50's. I think it ran C Altered. Wish I had a picture to post.
Ray, I believe the H Gasser built by the Road Rebels in Norwich was a Willys powered by a flathead with homemade fuel injection by Bob Atchison. Early 1960's and was named High and Mighty also.
-- Edited by Dick Kirkpatrick on Friday 18th of October 2013 04:52:58 PM
There was a "High and Mighty" Henry J, injected flathead Ford?
I could be confusing cars but I think I remember High & Mighty as a full fendered T with a short pick-up box. Sat really tall and launched pretty hard.
The first High and Mighty was by the Chrysler engineers who would become known as the Ramchargers, a mid 30's dodge coupe with a 332 hemi, long ram tubes with a single 4 barrel sitting about 2 feet above the engine. The exhaust pipes were quite long and were fitted with megaphones. This was in the early to mid 50's. I think it ran C Altered. Wish I had a picture to post.
Ray, I believe the H Gasser built by the Road Rebels in Norwich was a Willys powered by a flathead with homemade fuel injection by Bob Atchison. Early 1960's and was named High and Mighty also.
-- Edited by Dick Kirkpatrick on Friday 18th of October 2013 04:52:58 PM
I remember looking in the car one day at Detriot. It had a big faced (home made?) tach hanging off the rear view mirror bracket. Don't remember where the red line was, but written beside it was "Shift Dammit"
Yup, I remember the coupe. Don't remember the J though.
Can anyone think back to a dark red 27 T with a pickup bed, hood, 32(?) grill, no hood sides, full fendered and REALLY NOISY ?
Got to race there many times, it was a quick trip for us, about 15 minutes from my house. Our car club, the Road knights of Niagara Falls ran a 55 Chev "J/G" gasser and a 57 Chev "M/SA" I ran a 72 El Camino in the stock classes and brought home many trophies. Really used to love their Gold Cup Nationals, got to see the Hurst Hairy Olds, two motors, lots of smoke, and it spun out into the guard rail. Later I worked at Race Car Automotive, a small speed shop in Niagara Falls, we had a Jr Fueler, front engine dragster, one day the chute did not open and it went off the end of the track and we had to pay the farmer for the corn we mowed down.......................what a great time it was!
