Best Race Car In The Early Years?

Of all those '30's coupes in the early years of NASCAR ('48-'58), which brand was the King...the one to beat...the one to have? What motor was the most powerful? What were the advantages and disadvantages to each brand?

I love the '30's coupes, but I don't know much about them. If you could go back to 1948 and built a modified or sportsman race team, what car would you pick? Who would you hire to drive?

updated by @robert-mitchell: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

1937 Ford Coupe, converted to hydraulic brakes. Windsor (Canadian) Flathead Block, 41T Heads Polished as well as the space between the valves and cylinder Bored and Stroked to the limit. 3/4 ton hubs Radiator Out of a Ford Bob Tail Tracter. Curtis Turner. Camshaft (secret) that Billy Myers used. There is more, but My memory isn't what it used to be.

How about a late 30's chevy coupe on a chevy truck frame using either a 3/4 ton rear or a split rear with a homemade quickchange rear. the motor a 301 GMC six out of a ton and half truck bored 60 over using aftermarket pistons for a straight 8 Buick ,the head reworked ported and relieved and polished with helper springs to go along with the Isky Cam shaft .oh yeah you have to build your own intake using either 3 intakes to use 3 monster one barrel carbs or one of those high dollar setups out of Honest Charley Catalog with a purpose built and tuned split manifold ,radiator is out of a late 30's Packard with the V16 in it Front end is already there with the truck suspension front and rear ,,. driver would either be my dad who won his share of races in the 50's or the wild and untamed Jim Seay . Hows that for a fantasy car to clean your plow

Thanks guys.I know the mid-late 30's Ford Flathead V-8s were rated at 85, but what could you get out of them?What hp were the front runners putting out in...Modified - ?Sportsman - ?Amateur - ?

The Blocks That were used were NOT 85s They were larger 100s.In the late 40s & early 50s most of us had no means of checking HP.Limited Sportsman under 300 CI.Modifieds upwards of 317 CI.Until 1954 when Fords came out with overheads, most Bored and Stroked 1948 Mercury flatheads to about 306 CI..Johnny Malonee: Chevys were few and far between on 1/4 Tracks.I remember when Bill Widenhouse brought his Chevy to Wilson County(NC) Fairgrounds and he let Joe Weatherly take a few laps in it. Little Joe said " It was powerfull as Hell, but you couldn't hold in a 10 acre field".

I would have a 39' Ford Coupe out if Vogt's Garage in Atlanta. I would put a truck radiator and truck rear end for better grip on the sand in Daytona.