Altereds, before the AWB cars

[Greg Myers]

Found this in my Favorites. http://www.georgeklass.net/altereds.html

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Always among my favorites to watch, because of the sheer diversity of what got built and raced.

These days, of course, everyone knows what the "hot setup" is, and the cars all tend to look alike...other than sponsorship and colors...just like in NASCAR.

Among my favorites to model too, along with the "competition coupe" class the altereds descended from, and the old M/SP, which were kinda sports-car bodied altereds with a little tighter rules.

Edited February 28, 2018 by Ace-Garageguy

[Miatatom]

They were widow makers for sure. That Fiat almost looks like it has a blown nail head Buick but I guess it's just old eyes.

[Ace-Garageguy]

8 minutes ago, Miatatom said:

They were widow makers for sure....

[Earl Marischal]

I went though the whole list. What an amazing collection!

There were some incredible feats of engineering there.

By the way. Did anyone ever drive a stock Fiat Topolino in the US?

steve

[Snake45]

3 hours ago, Earl Marischal said:

By the way. Did anyone ever drive a stock Fiat Topolino in the US?

steve

I saw one in a movie once. 

[Miatatom]

7 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

You'd have to be completely insane to drive that thing. I saw a hemi in a Metropolitan once. Another widow maker.

[GaryR]

The dragster types aren't altereds. I know Klass has put them in the Altered section, but they are really "C" as in Competition coupes.

Other dragster types are "MR" , modified roadsters and "R" roadsters.

For years roadsters and coupes were in different classes, finally combined into..."A" Altered.

There were also "F" classes and "FC" for alky / nitro cars, the "C" is for coupe.

Plus a zillion variations at local tracks and non NHRA tracks.

BACK WHEN DRAG RACING WAS COOL! GREAT DIVERSITY IN CARS AND CLASSES!

[Scott Colmer]

Best link in years. So many ideas. Thanks for posting it.

[426 pack]

Very cool stuff. Thanks for sharing 

[Snake45]

On 2/28/2018 at 10:54 AM, Greg Myers said:

Found this in my Favorites. http://www.georgeklass.net/altereds.html

Not long ago I got in the mood to build an old AMT '32 Ford roadster as an early '60s Altered, a la the box parts, and went looking for one there for ideas/inspiration. And didn't find a single one! Several '32 Ford coupes as Altereds, maybe even a random Vickie or sedan, but no roadsters!  Did I miss one/some? Or were the Deuce roadster bodies even at that point too desirable/valuable to turn into an Altered monster? 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Here's another 50 or so pages of vintage altered stuff. If you're like me, more is always better.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-altered-thread.1010937/

[Ace-Garageguy]

6 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Not long ago I got in the mood to build an old AMT '32 Ford roadster as an early '60s Altered, a la the box parts, and went looking for one there for ideas/inspiration. And didn't find a single one! Several '32 Ford coupes as Altereds, maybe even a random Vickie or sedan, but no roadsters!  Did I miss one/some? Or were the Deuce roadster bodies even at that point too desirable/valuable to turn into an Altered monster? 

You know, I never noticed the dearth of '32 roadsters dressed up as altereds until you mentioned it. You're right. I THINK this is one...

[Snake45]

Yeah, THAT's the kinda thing I was looking for. Thanks! 

[GaryR]

That deuce is the Thurman Bros car, the last of the 32 altereds. Note the 32 frame.

As I said earlier, roadsters and coups ran separate classes, by the time they were combined into altereds, the 32 was too heavy. 

Space frames and fiberglass bodies were taking over.

At one point there were plenty of 32's and Model A's I have an old Hot Rod magazine somewhere that compares a dozen or so such cars,: body, chassis, engine, etc. This was 59-60 or so. The old steel bodies and stock chassis were vanishing, a purpose built car was quicker and faster than trying to modify 30's stockers.

The web SUCKS when it comes to a lot of drag history, you need to peruse old magazines to see the cars. A LOT of research is necessary.Old magazines are readily available at swap meets etc.The March Meet always has at least two vendors with hundreds of old magazines. Web prices tend to be too high, in person prices are usually three for twenty bucks.