REAL modifieds

Any die-hard modified lovers out there?Remember back in the 60's -70's when the modifieds were just that.Not a cookie-cutter anywhere.Remember when you built your own car?Today, you just get out your plastic money and order it from whoever's chassis is hot this year.Everybody was always trying something different, today you just run whatever the rest are runningThere were some real true innovators building cars using their own ideas.All kinds of frames, steering setups,Flemke front ends, Chrysler torsion bars, Lincoln upper A-frames, quarter- eliptic springs, the list goes on and on.Remember using stock tie rod ends for everthing, instead of expensive Heim joints?Remember stacking bolts?Remember when you could run your asphalt car on dirt, and vise versa?Coupes, coaches, Pintos, Vegas, Gremlins Falcons,Rambler Americans.There were a lot of DIFFERENT bodies being used.Today, the paint and vinyl graphics are about the only difference.Remember when some guys were running different motors?I can remember cars with Cadillac, Olds, Pontiac, and even some with Buick motors.Remember no power steering?No brake bias valves, no alternator.A group 24 12V battery you had to charge every week. How about those big old finned aluminum Buick DRUM brakes?Remember a steering wheel you DIDN"T have to pull off to climb out?NO radio?A wide-five Ford hub & spindle mounted on a post or your haul rig to balance those 20" Goodyears?Today's racing doesn't even come close to being as good as it was at that time!Thanks for listening to my tirade.
updated by @ted-brown: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

Your Triade as you call it is what I've been ranting about for a while now. Decals are the only difference in those Cars of Tin or otherwise COT. I grew up when everything was made in the shop and nobody had the same stuff, Dad had stuff on his car in the 50's that guys would look and scratch their heads in awe. His front end was a piece of art. Im building one now and already running into flack like we dont run that or is that vintage? Its a Modified Dang it doesnt that stand for anything any more??Its being built old school style,so far Ive either built the stuff or dug it out of a Junk yard. The prices they want for a simple torsion in line is ridiculous. And how they drive todays car with the steering wheel up in your face is beyond me. I aint got no power steering either, So my little ole 40 chevy coupe will be different from the norm unless its Peanuts pretty white coupe,now thats a work of art there.

Today's modifieds are out of the box cars. If it ain't new it ain't fast. No junk yard parts these days. My question is , Has the higher speeds improved the race quality.

Ted, My sentiments exactly!!!!! Could'nt have said it any better myself!!!!!! None of todays racing, cup, nationwide, modified, late model or any of the other series including weekly short tracks doesn't even come close to being as good or as much fun as it used to be!!! Racing is obviously suffering from the downturn in the economy, but that's not the only reason for it's decline. It started to decline long before this sluggish economy. Maybe changing some things back to the way it used to be or at least in that direction would be the shot in the arm that all series of stock car racing needs!!!!!

Thanks guys, guess I'm not alone after all.And Johnny, my hat's off to you for building a true modfied.I can't understand how they can drive with the wheel up in your face either.Try that with no power steering!Some years ago, I built from scratch (in my cellar), a replica of one of my favorite '70s mods, using all junkyard parts.Brought back a lot of good memories!Smoked up the house many nites from welding.My wife didn't care too much for 7018 smoke!Nope you post some pictures of it....Ted.

There probably isn't one single thing on todays race car, other than fasteners, that's from stock pass. cars.All you need is a fat wallet!
Harvey Tollison said:

Today's modifieds are out of the box cars. If it ain't new it ain't fast. No junk yard parts these days. My question is , Has the higher speeds improved the race quality.

Thanks Mike, to me racing started downward the minute all the professional chassis builders got into it.I still say, they need to turn the clock back at least 30 yrs.But, it'll never happen.
Michael Riley said:

Ted, My sentiments exactly!!!!! Could'nt have said it any better myself!!!!!! None of todays racing, cup, nationwide, modified, late model or any of the other series including weekly short tracks doesn't even come close to being as good or as much fun as it used to be!!! Racing is obviously suffering from the downturn in the economy, but that's not the only reason for it's decline. It started to decline long before this sluggish economy. Maybe changing some things back to the way it used to be or at least in that direction would be the shot in the arm that all series of stock car racing needs!!!!!

And another thing I forgot to gripe about...I think yet another thing I can't stand about todays so-called modifieds, is tha fact that all you can see of the engine is the air cleaner.What happened to a bare-minimum hood, so the fans in the stands could see those tough looking MT valve covers you spent a fortune on.Remember all the different types of headers there were?Everything from short stacks, to Stahls, or Cyclones, to all kinds of homemade, custom built pipes.They don't look right with the motor hidden away!

Let's talk about the real modified's. The birth of the real modified. Take a 1934 Ford and start building using very little else in the body or frame except strengthening the front end, steering, shocks, etc..Roll bar over the driver from one side to the other with a bar on each side running down to the frame. A plywood bucket seat and a lap belt both coming from an airplane. A 59A block. built from scratch to your specs in your shop. Put a half hood on it so the Offenhauser or Edelbrock finned heads would show. Three Stromberg 97's. Truck radiator. Headers. There were not many to choose from in the early fifties or you built them yourself. Groove a set of truck tires for the rear and right front and a small automobile tire for the left front. No face in the steering wheel either. Power steering? Never heard of it! Wedges to place between the leaf springs (ran from one side to the other, front and rear), and the frame crossmember to put wedge into the car. Your choice of three speed transmission and rear end. Hook on the dash for second gear for many tracks. This kept it from jumping out of gear when you decelerated for the turns. Then apply all of the little tricks that you learned from experience and then go racing. It was fun.....Not much money....but a heck of a lot of enjoyment. Too bad we can't go back....... or can we?

Right on Tom, the racing world should take a giant step backwards, for it's own good.It is so expensive today, a working man can 't do it.Unless you have big money, you may as well stay home.If they could go back to home-built cars like that, you'd have the pits and the stands full!
Tommie Clinard said:

Let's talk about the real modified's. The birth of the real modified. Take a 1934 Ford and start building using very little else in the body or frame except strengthening the front end, steering, shocks, etc..Roll bar over the driver from one side to the other with a bar on each side running down to the frame. A plywood bucket seat and a lap belt both coming from an airplane. A 59A block. built from scratch to your specs in your shop. Put a half hood on it so the Offenhauser or Edelbrock finned heads would show. Three Stromberg 97's. Truck radiator. Headers. There were not many to choose from in the early fifties or you built them yourself. Groove a set of truck tires for the rear and right front and a small automobile tire for the left front. No face in the steering wheel either. Power steering? Never heard of it! Wedges to place between the leaf springs (ran from one side to the other, front and rear), and the frame crossmember to put wedge into the car. Your choice of three speed transmission and rear end. Hook on the dash for second gear for many tracks. This kept it from jumping out of gear when you decelerated for the turns. Then apply all of the little tricks that you learned from experience and then go racing. It was fun.....Not much money....but a heck of a lot of enjoyment. Too bad we can't go back....... or can we?

I was fortunate enough to have been able to ride the ten laps at Occoneechee with Peanut this year. He was grinning from ear to ear for the whole ten laps.

Im going to post two photos now,one of when i found the coupe and one of it today,no its not finished but motor is in it and finally found the right rear end for it---all junk yard pieces now. but she is slowly going together and it will be unique in its own way but it will be run,its not going to be a trailer queen or a static display car. I intend to enjoy the Bell &Bell series company next year along with other clubs from fla to whever i go but it will definitely fly the colors of RACERS REUNION. It will make its first showing at Middle Ga Raceway in March of 2011 at the reunion so I hope to see all Yall there . Let me know if you like it so far: thanks Johnny

Looks good!Is that a chevelle font end in there?
Johnny Mallonee said:

Im going to post two photos now,one of when i found the coupe and one of it today,no its not finished but motor is in it and finally found the right rear end for it---all junk yard pieces now. but she is slowly going together and it will be unique in its own way but it will be run,its not going to be a trailer queen or a static display car. I intend to enjoy the Bell &Bell series company next year along with other clubs from fla to whever i go but it will definitely fly the colors of RACERS REUNION. It will make its first showing at Middle Ga Raceway in March of 2011 at the reunion so I hope to see all Yall there . Let me know if you like it so far: thanks Johnny

no thats an S-10 Frame under it, it was a chevy deluxe master so it came with swing arms new and that is the reason I put it on this Frame with the front end intact, the rear is out of an old Ford 3/4 ton pickup. the motor is out of the 60's. its got a powerglide trans in it with a conversion from a torque converter to a straight thru shaft to trans. Radiator will be in trunk along with battery and fuel cell. The rollbars will be to modern day specs along with the harness and seat the motor and trans in photo is only for mock up

Johnny, Do you have to box the side rails on the frame?I think I remember S10's having open channel rails.Are you going to weld the spider gears to lock the rear?I see one of those new-fangled power steering boxes.Lookin' good!
Johnny Mallonee said:

no thats an S-10 Frame under it, it was a chevy deluxe master so it came with swing arms new and that is the reason I put it on this Frame with the front end intact, the rear is out of an old Ford 3/4 ton pickup. the motor is out of the 60's. its got a powerglide trans in it with a conversion from a torque converter to a straight thru shaft to trans. Radiator will be in trunk along with battery and fuel cell. The rollbars will be to modern day specs along with the harness and seat the motor and trans in photo is only for mock up

i have put in the old fashioned "X" in the frame -- if you notice the motor is set back to where trans usually set so another cross member is there also --there is not a lot of free space left under the car. The rear end is a 4:10 so it will work at a lot of tracks with the powerglide. and yes I welded the spyder gears but not solid.there is a small amount of free play so it wont break anything.

An "X" inthe frame is the best way to do it.That way if you find the wall, you won't "diamond" the frame & cage.Those powerglides are supposed to work great, I think they're a lot lighter than a standard trans. & clutch, especially with no torque converter.you'll have really fast accelleration/decelleration!
Johnny Mallonee said:

i have put in the old fashioned "X" in the frame -- if you notice the motor is set back to where trans usually set so another cross member is there also --there is not a lot of free space left under the car. The rear end is a 4:10 so it will work at a lot of tracks with the powerglide. and yes I welded the spyder gears but not solid.there is a small amount of free play so it wont break anything.

I had a great time watching the Mods at Martinsville during the late 60's and 70's.I also enjoy the modern day Mods.I thought your story was well written and a good tirade beats a heart attack any day.Send all your old stuff to Mike Ray,1211 South Spring Garden Circle,Raleigh,N.C.27603.Send an old barn or shade tree first,peace,out.

Ted we run the REAL Modifieds down in S.C. Next race is 11/6/2010 at Sumter Speedway in Sumter S.C. it is a 3:00 pm start so we hope not to Freeze!!These are the real cars with steel Bodies and either Troyer, Olson, Tobias or the 55-56 chevy frames.

Thanks Mike.Too bad we can't time travel back.I'd have loved to go to Martinsville or Trenton back then!
Mike Ray said:

I had a great time watching the Mods at Martinsville during the late 60's and 70's.I also enjoy the modern day Mods.I thought your story was well written and a good tirade beats a heart attack any day.Send all your old stuff to Mike Ray,1211 South Spring Garden Circle,Raleigh,N.C.27603.Send an old barn or shade tree first,peace,out.

George, I didn't realize there were any of these cars left running those 55-7 frames.They were the hot setup for many years, '53-4 Chevy frames were pretty popular too, strong as hell!
George Pavlisko said:

Ted we run the REAL Modifieds down in S.C. Next race is 11/6/2010 at Sumter Speedway in Sumter S.C. it is a 3:00 pm start so we hope not to Freeze!!
These are the real cars with steel Bodies and either Troyer, Olson, Tobias or the 55-56 chevy frames.

ted those 53 54 frames were the hot ticket back in the day my chevelle i ran back then had a 54 convertible frame under it --now thats the real deal from the early 60's --the other chevelle i had we put a 57 frame under it ,it was quite a bit lighter than the convertable frame
Ted Brown said:

George, I didn't realize there were any of these cars left running those 55-7 frames.They were the hot setup for many years, '53-4 Chevy frames were pretty popular too, strong as hell!
George Pavlisko said:

Ted we run the REAL Modifieds down in S.C. Next race is 11/6/2010 at Sumter Speedway in Sumter S.C. it is a 3:00 pm start so we hope not to Freeze!!
These are the real cars with steel Bodies and either Troyer, Olson, Tobias or the 55-56 chevy frames.

Those 53-4 frames got a ot of extra strength from that flange on the bottom edges.I remember bending mine up, man it was tough to straighten!We had a couple of spare frames, but only used a front clip off one of them.My car had a really rugged X in the center, anybody that would build a chassis without an X is just asking for big trouble.I think the 55-7 frame was better because you could get the car much lower.I remember a lot of guys were running Scout frames, I always thought they were a little strange looking because the front kick-up ended up back nearer to the firewall than it should have been.But they too were a really strong frame.
Johnny Mallonee said:

ted those 53 54 frames were the hot ticket back in the day my chevelle i ran back then had a 54 convertible frame under it --now thats the real deal from the early 60's --the other chevelle i had we put a 57 frame under it ,it was quite a bit lighter than the convertable frame

Ted Brown said:

George, I didn't realize there were any of these cars left running those 55-7 frames.They were the hot setup for many years, '53-4 Chevy frames were pretty popular too, strong as hell!
George Pavlisko said:

Ted we run the REAL Modifieds down in S.C. Next race is 11/6/2010 at Sumter Speedway in Sumter S.C. it is a 3:00 pm start so we hope not to Freeze!!
These are the real cars with steel Bodies and either Troyer, Olson, Tobias or the 55-56 chevy frames.