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Racin' Woodie


Guest Montana Mike

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Guest Montana Mike

I found this photo in another thread. Can anyone ID the time, place, and owner or driver of this car? I found it to be an amazing piece of drag racing history. Why anyone would want to race a heavy woodie station wagon is beyond me unless they had a special class. Just for the fun of it I guess.:D

Thanks,

Mike.

post-76050-143138988151_thumb.jpg

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Why anyone would want to race a heavy woodie station wagon is beyond me unless they had a special class.

Many drag racing classes are based on HP per pound. Racers trying to optimize a car for a particular class will carefully select available options and trim levels to fit into the class. For example, I own a 1968 W-30 that was drag raced. The car has all the correct W-30 performance options, PLUS power windows, power seat, tilt wheel, and other things that add weight. I know for a fact that the car was ordered this way, since it has never been restored. I assume this was done to hit a specific weight break.

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Looks like a '49. Likely has the all new Rocket 88 V-8. They were all the rage in racing when they came out. I doubt the woodie version weighs much more than the sedan. Don't have the figures here but betting the all steel doors on the sedan weigh more than the metal skinned wood doors. Not all that much wood in a '49 Olds.

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Guest Montana Mike

Thanks Restorer32,

Aren't those wheelie bars cool? I wish I had a pair on my 48 Olds Woodie just to make people scratch their head. Any idea where that photo was taken? Anybody?

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It's a Chesrown car and they were heavy into drag racing back in the day. Mike, post this over on classicoldsmobile.com and see what kind of response you get, or I can link this to over there. There are some old time racers and Ohio folks there that may not remember this exact car but can find out what Chesrown was doing racing it.

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Guest Montana Mike

Glenn,

Thank you for the reply. It is now posted on classicoldsmobile.com under "Vintage Olsdmobiles" I also emailed Chesrown Auto Group (still in business) and asked them for info. We'll see what I get back.

Mike

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