1966 altering my wheelbase

[Mike Gaines]

Here is a pix from winter of 1966 right after I finished altering the wheelbase of my 1963 Aluminum Front End Lightweight Max Wedge. I did all the body work myself in the back room of my speed shop....24 years old at the time. Moved the rear 15" forward as was the normal at that time. Other 2 pictures are of the motor relocation and the addition of the aluminum interior.
Yes, I cut up a perfectly good 1963 Lightweight Max Wedge to begin my quest of funny car racing. I ended up altering the front wheelbase 10" forward with the addition of a CAE Tube Front Axle (with leaf springs) then I moved the engine back 26". Then I added a Vertex Magneto, Hilborn Fuel Injection on a mix of Nitromethane and Alcohol....etc...etc...etc.
Sure was a lot of fun at the time.

 

[Mike Gaines]

Before...

After... Same car​

 

[NOSTRT980]

what were the times you were turning back then????

 

[Frank Mopar]

Cool **** right there!

 

[Darter6]

Cool Mike, Yeah they were just cars back then.Not the Holy Grail that they are today. I remember buying a 4 year old 70 340 4 speed Duster off the car lot for $800. A 69 Charger R/T for $500. and a 63 Fury for $15. (1975) Just old junk with no value,but great for young Hot Rodders making $4 a hour. Thanks for the memories !

 

[6PKRTSE]

Very cool indeed. So cool what was thought of back in the day to make these cars go faster & faster. I know that is what created what the funny car is today but I couldn't personally ever do that to a car these days. IMHO they just look goofy as hell.

As cool as they are, I never liked the Gasser look either.

Stock wheel base, small tires & lower to the ground for me.

 

[Darter6]

Forgot to say,, MIKE YOU ARE MY HERO !! I know your no youngster but are still out there burnin'up the track. YOU are what keeps me going building a car for the track when I start to think, Maybe I'm too old ? NAAWWW !

 

[Frank Mopar]

 

[66383]

Very snazzy, Oh by the way, we forgive you!

 

[Budnicks]

cool old stuff

 

[Mike Gaines]

what were the times you were turning back then????

Hi 9's. Low 140's
But....I was still running my max wedge motor, even though I did everything I could to it, it would still not even come close to outrunning my competition with Hemi's. With Hilborns and Nito they were running mid nines easily.
I could hold my own again 427 chevy funny cars and Pontiac funny cars....I also won a 2 out of 3 match race against Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick in his "Grocery Getter" 421 Injected Pontiac Station Wagon Funny Car.
I had a match race with Ed Rachanski in the Mercury Dealers Maurader Topless Comet Funny car Injected SOHC at a punk *** little track down in southern Illinois. He literally blew my door off...but we both got paid and put on a good show for the farmers down in Harrisburg Illinois.