mr427

How about another old Wood Bros ride!

As I mentioned here on a previous post

I'm going to try to do a model of Red's

#3 modified (the "falcon fendered 427 version)

if I can gather enough info. I have seen the

pictures that are on this forum,and someone mentioned

a post that had more info but I can't find it

One of the best looking mods I ever saw

Also got a resin body 55 Ford sedan body

ordered to do a Bronco car,maybe #8,#24 or ?

Thanks for looking

We're all interested. Please post all ya got. Thanks

OK Papa here you are!

The Wood Brothers Modified

In 1966 Ford Motor Company boycotted Grand National racing due to Nascar outlawing their new 427 Single Over Head Cam engine while allowing Chrysler cars to use the 426 Hemi. To lure Ford back to competition Nascar allowed Ford’s teams to run the 427” Tunnel Port” engine in the lighter and smaller 66 Fairlane which came to be known as the “half chassis” car. It was so named for its 65 Galaxie frame snout connected to the Fairlane’s unibody with square tubing. This was the beginning of the fabricated chassis, a form of which is still in use today

I always wondered what a Nascar team would build if they decided to "go back home" only to discover the Wood Bros. answered that question during the boycott.

Being diehard racers the Wood Bros. built this modified to give them something to race until if and when Ford rejoined Nascar competition.

The Wood Bros only ran the car a year or so. It was raced at their “home track” of Martinsville and other major modified races but not on a regular basis at a local track. The car initially had a 289c.i.engine with fuel injection; it was later replaced with a 427 with 4 Weber carbs. (Aka the Dearborn sledgehammer! The Wood Bros had just come back from Lemans where they learned a LOT about the Webers). Leonard Wood used a highly modified 65 Galaxie chassis from a now year-old race car The independent front suspension made the car push really badly so it was changed to a straight axle setup like other modifieds of that era and it was much faster The rear suspension was leaf springs with a Nascar type rear end.

The car was very competitive and had several different drivers including Sonny Hutchins, Donnie Allison & Eddie Royster. For a time the restored version was on display at the Wood Bros museum in Stuart, Va. and is now reportedly for sale for 25000.00

The restored version in the WB museum in Va.

An early version of the Wood Bros.

Over the top of the car scratching his ear is a one of the Wood brothers

Far left leaning on the truck is Sonny Hutchins,the driver. This is a very

early version with injected 289 and coil spring front end

Haulin the mail!

I remember the 98 and the 54. Wasn't there another "team" car in your colors?

Remember the #27 bronco and the #4 late model. I was part of that group.

Used to live in the Heights and bought stuff from 15th & Yale Auto Supply.

There are so many great cars that ran at Meyer; lots of subjects to choose from.

Most of the broncos and late models could be done with enough pics.

The old modifieds are another story because the bodies were so uh..... modified.

Thinking of trying to do the #3 mod that Billy Peren drove.(Those Falcon

fenders are available,it once had the ol Dearborn Sledgehammer(427 Ford)

and I have seen a few pics here on the forum . HUMMM

Right you are sir! I did a lot of research on this car

It has an interesting history I have an information sheet

and a bunch more pictures if anyone is interested.

Thanks for looking!

Here's a picture of one of Joe's Torino's, For some reason, I think this one was aquired from Banjo Mathews, and it was 351 on the hood as well as under the hood. Pretty sure this one had a 351C beneath the bonnet. Joe Plowman was always fast in everything he drove.

Haven't been on the forum in a while. Been pursuing a hobby I started as a teen and

took up again since I retired a few years ago,that of building models of 60's and 70's era

race cars from Meyer Speedway and other southern tracks I visited.

One of my latest is a tribute to Joe's #28 Torino.I started this project in May of last year

and completed it a few days ago.

Couldn't find any more pictures or any decals to exactly duplicate it but I tried

to get as close as I could. I did extend the red on top out to the body line and put a

grill in it.(hope Joe doesn't mind). Again not exact but a tribute to a great racer who gave a lot of people a lot of good times and fond memories through the years.Thanks for the memories Joe!

With all the great pics here on the forum I hope to do some more tribute models of Meyer Speedway greats.

Oh ,here is my latest;not a Meyer car.Anyone remember this one?

Well,

 

The Bronco driver lived in High Meadow subdivision on the north side of Houston off of Aldine Mail Route Rd. back then, which was close to MacArthur High School.

 

He had a couple of 56 Chevy's and a strange last name that started with a "K" if I recall and maybe first name was Ray.

 

In 1968 he hitched a ride in a purple 55 Chevy ( Maybe Pancho's) not sure and I think it was # 22 or possibly #27.

 

He was sorta tall, thin, and wore a flat top hair cut sandy hair type of guy.

 

I used to stop by and visit him when he was working on his Bronco since he lived down the street from the chick I was dating back then.

 

Occasionally he stopped by my house after I had bought my project 55 Bronco that never got off the ground.

 

He worked for Sunbeam Bread company if I haven't totally lost my memory. Drove a 67 or 68 Chevy truck like a bat out of a furnace everywhere he went.

 

I think his name was Hillenzager?? or Kilindagger maybe?

 

It will hit me one of these days and maybe I will snap. I was about 17 years old then and he was in his early 20's maybe. He was by nature kind of high strung fella.

 

Hope this rings a bell. I will see if I can find his name somewhere. I used to know all these names and numbers and darn if it ain't frustrating when you can't remember like you used to!

 

-Randy

The racer was Ray Kuhlhonic(sp?}