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XKE
Nov 7, 2021 22:16:26 GMT -5
Post by 41chevy on Nov 7, 2021 22:16:26 GMT -5
The year fits to be TRAKable but is it? It isn't "traditional" really but definatly was a hot rod.
This car was built and campaigned by my Dad in 1964 to 1966. It was a 1963 Jaguar XKE theft recovery abandoned in a potato farm in Mattituck Long Island. Blown up engine tons of scrapes and scratches, bent wheels and interior slashed up. Dad got it in lieu of the recovery and storage fees. Blown 413 Mopar, some type of 4 speed from trans pile, 1957 Olds rear modified with adapters to use Jag knock offs with stock studs and lugs.
Pic is from Islip Speedway 1/8 track in 1964 - 1965.
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XKE
Nov 7, 2021 22:35:41 GMT -5
Post by chepp on Nov 7, 2021 22:35:41 GMT -5
It's not up to me. I would say "yes" but I could also understand the reasoning if it was not allowed. Sometimes, I like oddball cars like this that stretch the idea of traditional. Something like this certainly wasn't common, in fact it may be unique. Other British cars were accepted for U.S. drag racing like the Thames, '51 Austin and a variety of sports cars with traditional American V8 engines. Some might argue that this Jag is more like the Zinger style which is not TRAKable. It's a shame that the real car was stolen and mistreated but the tradition of hot rodding was to take something that was affordable and stylish then stuff in a powerful engine and slicks. I'll be curious to see others' comments. I wish that my father was a car guy like yours!
If it makes any difference, there was an XKE funny car named Snoopy in the late '60s:
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XKE
Nov 7, 2021 23:27:26 GMT -5
Post by 41chevy on Nov 7, 2021 23:27:26 GMT -5
It's not up to me. I would say "yes" but I could also understand the reasoning if it was not allowed. Sometimes, I like oddball cars like this that stretch the idea of traditional. Something like this certainly wasn't common, in fact it may be unique. Other British cars were accepted for U.S. drag racing like the Thames, '51 Austin and a variety of sports cars with traditional American V8 engines. Some might argue that this Jag is more like the Zinger style which is not TRAKable. It's a shame that the real car was stolen and mistreated but the tradition of hot rodding was to take something that was affordable and stylish then stuff in a powerful engine and slicks. I'll be curious to see others' comments. I wish that my father was a car guy like yours!
If it makes any difference, there was an XKE funny car named Snoopy in the late '60s: If it wasn't stolen my dad would have never got to built it as a gasser.
Snoopy and also an SS/X style XKE called "Super Jag" around 1968 that ran an injected SOHC. Dad replaced it with a SBC powered TR-6
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Post by skip on Nov 8, 2021 0:30:50 GMT -5
I would say it as TRAKable as all get out! is was a real, documented Gasser. I.e. You cannot change historical fact to fit a set of rules. The Gas Classes ran a whole slew of makes and body styles which if stock and not a Gasser would not fit TRAK’s criteria. When you apply documented historical Drag Racing throughout the classes that they actually competed in then you get a completely different picture.
According to the history of the Gas Classes alone researched and documented by these two sources, one will find a variety of makes and body styles that ran the Gas Class.
A. Gasser Wars Drag Racing’s Street Classes: 1955 - 1968, Larry Davis, CarTech books, 2003 B. Drag Racing’s Gassers, Photo Archive, Lou Hart, Iconografix, Inc., 2007
This is just a partial list: 1. Willys sedan, panel, coupe, pick up 1933 thru 1953 2. Studebaker sedan, coupe 1939 thru 1966 + Lark series 3. Anglia, Poplar, Thames sedan, coupe, panel 1948 thru 1961 (+/-) 4. Chevrolet sedan, panel, sedan delivery, coupe, pick up 1930’s thru 1960’s 5. Corvette 1953 thru 1960’s both Gas and Sports Car classes 6. Porsche1955 thru 1959 (+/-) both Sports and Gas classes 7. MG - A, B, TC both Sports and Gas classes (depending on race venue and top) 8. Austin Healey 100-4, 100 both Sports and Gas classes (depending on race venue and top) 9. 1950’s / 1960’s Early kit bodies, Devin, Kurtis, etc (fiberglass and metal bodied cars) depending on configuration ran either Sports or Gas Classes 10. Volkswagen 1949 - 1966 Type I sedan (Bug) Gas Classes 11. Packard 1940’s - 1950’s Gas Classes 12. Mopar 1930’s thru 1960’s Gas Classes 13. 1930’s thru 1940’s international pick up Gas class 14. Henry J 1940’s thru 1950’s Gas classes 15. Buick, Olds, Pontiac 1930’s thru 1950’s (+/-) Gas classes 16. 1960’s thru 1970’s Opel - Kadette, GT Coupe Gas classes 17. 1964 thru 1967 Ford Mustang Gas classes 18. 1967 thru 1969 Camaro Gas Classes 19. 1940’s thru 1950’s Austin Coupe and pick up Gas classes 20. Nash / Rambler sedans, Metropolitan Gas classes 21. 1955 thru 1957 Ford Thunderbird Gas classes
That’s about fifteen minutes of flipping through the two named books.
What I didn’t see specifically was a XKE Jaguar of any year. Yet there is documented photographic evidence presented, that at least one XKE ran in the B/GS class for at least one race, though personal eyewitness testimony indicates this Jaguar XKE B/ Gasser ran at multiple races.
Therefore one cannot refute its existence, or the fact that the Jaguar XKE pictured didn’t compete. Not every race car in the fifties and sixties was custom painted or even nicely painted, (that doesn’t detract from evidence of their existence).
I remember seeing local race cars at the drags and on circle track that didn’t have fresh paint, it was patina before rat rods made it cool.
You can’t pick and choose which history you wish to believe, to fit rules. If one Gasser is allowed either documented or fictitious build then you have to admit the rest. Especially one which is documented to have existed, don’t erase Drag Racing History even at the local level to fit rules!
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