Hi guys, I'm finally getting onto my 72 Merc Cougar restoration of Harry Jefersons car (raced in Winston West here on the west coast, mostly at WA tracks like Evergreen and Spanaway, was rebodied as a 79 Ford Granada and was raced by Derrike Cope and David Pearson in a few races.
Any help is much appreciated. thanks!
Got photos?
shaun
Some more photos below that I have of the car.
Thanks guys, at this point I would just like to know what it is. The consensus seems to be that:
1) fireball did not drive it. The 'story' places fireball, little bud moore, raph eury, and ralph earnhardt as the "builders" of the car.
It having been purchased as a 1 year used car from a local kannapolis ford dealership does at least seem to check out since it has that dealerships nameplate still on the car from that time.
A local car, probably never left Kannapolis?
2) the car coming from doris's back yard, which it very well may have but that doesn't mean it was driven by fireball.
PattyKay's explanation seems to be the more likely scenario. As I understand it now, doris moved after fireballs death somewhere around '64-'65 to the house where this car was discovered. Would she have moved an old race car to a new house after fireballs death? Seems unlikely.
3) It does seem to be a race car, and probably from the early 60s era. At some point it appears to have been towed to events due to a spot for an old taillight (making it also unlikely Fireballs car since he would have trailered a car in those days?) and a tow bar up front.
4) It has a beefed up suspension and a large tractor like tire on the passenger front (dirt trick from those days?. The cage looks to have been really poorly constructed and likely was updated over time with the additional door bars (or could have had 3 bars because of it being a short track car?).
Again I'd just like to know what it is. I'd hate to junk the car not knowing at least what she is.
thanks everyone
shaun
Thanks Wayne, wish you'd 'told me so' before I bought it 
but I didn't know you before then, alas.... sigh..
I'd love to sue the %(@(#* but it was going to cost twice as much as I paid for the car to even get it to court. ah well.
shaun
Thanks.You've been a huge help! I'm thinking of putting it back up on Craigslist and just listing it at history unknown and see if anyone wants to research it themselves. Would be nice to get something back on what I've spent... lesson learned --
shaun
Thanks David, yeah its turned out to be a bit of a nightmare car. I ended up trying to get my money back after questions arose about the true history of the car. I even hired a lawyer at some expense without any luck. Its his word against mine (and other racers) which might hold up in court but it will cost me far more then I paid for the car to move forward.
today its sitting in Georgia at my friend Wayne Smith's (person who I purchased Roy Maynes [REAL] 65 Impala from) property waiting to figure out what to do with it. It was raced, we have confirmed that by looking at it. It was purchased from the Roberts family, we have evidence of that but what it was and who actually raced it, I hope someone knows?
shaun
Shaun, not trying to be a smart butt, but I didn't just get involved in the racing world in the last few years. I know that Smokey built two Fairlanes to run for Ford in '57 but almost all of the other cars that I'm aware of were the shorter wheelbase Customs. I've seen a few Fairlanes but most, if not all of them were zippertops made to run in the convertible division and do double duty with the GN cars.
The only time I've found him to run a Ford in '58 in the GN division is at Lakewood on April 13. No pics but the owner is listed as Beau Morgan and the car number was 494 for that race. Pretty much the only thing I find him running in the '59 races that Smokey didn't enter the Pontiac in is Buck Baker's Chevy. Hope this helps in your search for info on the car.
Thanks Jerry,Its possible it ran later then 62 -- Doris was the one who provided this information back in the 90s to the person I purchased the car from. She could have been off a few years. It was definitely parked and parted out in the 60s though.Regarding Fairlanes racing, as I understand it there were many 57 Ford Fairlane hard tops which races? I've personally seen many photos of these racing up thru 59 I believe in GN.Questions resolved (confirmed with multiple sources) :1) Who built it (Ralph Eury/Felix McConnell maybe Ray Fox)2) Who raced it (Fireball, Ralph Earnhardt, maybe Ralph Eury as well))The outstanding details as I see it are:1) Photos of the car2) When did it start racing (58 or 59)3) When did it stop racing (door bars indicate it raced into at least the mid 60s?)4) Which series specifically did it race in (We know Sportsman but Short Track Division, GN?)thanks everyone for the help. We want the history to be accurate and precise on this one. thanks!shaunIt may be exactly what it's purported to be but I see two serious red flags in the pics.
One-if it was last raced in '62 then there's way too many door bars (only one required through '62 IIRC) and those rear "kicker" bars off the main roll bar also are a later touch.
Two- most of the Fords run in that era were the Custom bodies and this is a Fairlane- two inch longer wheelbase, heavier hardtop bodystyle
shaun Mike Sykes said: Roni this prayer was on all of the grand national and late model sportsmen cars in the early 70's and most modified cars when they ran with the grand nationals. Bro. Bill would come around and give each car one at every race that didn't have one and most drivers were happy to get them and put them on thier dashes. Thanks for reminding us about this prayer. Billy Biscoe probaly has a few stashed somewhere.
