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1965 — It Was a Very Funny Year
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The new year dawned with a promise of another great drag race season, especially in the super
stock and FX classes. The fans wouldn’t be disappointed. However, something ominous was
shaping up that would affect both the competition and the spectators.
In the Far East, the black clouds of war were hanging over Vietnam. On March 8, U.S. Marines
landed on the beaches of Da Nang. At the same time, President Johnson unleashed Air Force and
Navy bombers against North Vietnam.
In the United States, Malcolm X was gunned down in February. In March, Martin Luther King led the
famous march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in an effort to get voting rights for all people.
Unrest within the black community boiled over in August with riots in Watts, a suburb of Los Angeles.
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Rock and Roll continued its stampede with hits like “Satisfaction”, “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’”,
“My Girl”, and “Turn, Turn, Turn”. New singers came on the music scene and quickly gained
popularity: Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Simon and Garfunkel. Folk rock brought a different sound
that attracted the college crowd.
Different turns were also taking place in competition on the drag strip. The ‘65 race cars were
rapidly becoming too great a challenge for the normal everyday race car driver and mechanic to be
competitive. Even the big dealers couldn’t afford a full sponsorship of one of the major teams. So it
was, that districts began sponsoring a car or driver. The Atlanta Mercury Dealers sponsored Don
Nicholson’s Comet, while the Cleveland District Mercury Dealers sponsored Eddie Schartman’s
Comet. The Los Angeles Dodge Dealers had sponsored “Maverick” Golden’s Dodge in ‘64. It was
just becoming too expensive for an individual dealer, let alone a driver on his own, to pay all the
expenses of a racing team to tour the country.
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For the first time in the five years since super stock racing had really taken off, Ford would not have
a true vehicle to compete in Super Stock. General Motors had already pulled out, so that left the
Chrysler entries of Dodge and Plymouth, with their venerable Hemi engines, to fight it out for the
title of Top Stock Eliminator at the major events.
With the lack of cars able to compete for Top Stock, NHRA decided to create a new eliminator —
Factory Stock Eliminator. The Factory Stock Eliminator would be a heads-up competition between
the new factory-built cars that would normally compete in A/Factory Experimental. That brought the
Ford Mustangs, Mercury Comets, and altered wheelbase Dodge and Plymouth entries together in
one class.
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The GM home-built cars, i.e. the 427 Chevy IIs and 421 GTOs, were still forced out of the running
for any stock eliminator, and forced into Modified Production classes in NHRA, even though most of
those cars were built to run the match race circuit against the big factory guys. However, AHRA had
classes set up for these cars — Super Stock Experimental (S/SX).
The rules for 1965 remained basically the same as they had been for 1964. However, there were a
few big changes. One major change was an increase in the number of units produced to qualify for
any stock class. In 1964, it had been established at 50 units. This was doubled in 1965 to 100 units
produced. In the top stock classes, i.e. S/S, S/SA, AA/S, and AA/SA, NHRA approved using any flat-
tappet camshaft — the first real change allowed in a stock engine. Tubular exhaust headers could
now have 3 1/2” open outlets, known as collectors or dump tubes, and replacement mufflers could
be any type as long as they met the minimum length of 18”.
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To answer the challenge of the SOHC
Comets and Mustangs, Chrysler
developed the altered wheelbase
super stocker. The rear axle assembly
was moved forward a full 15 inches,
and the front axle forward 10 inches,
dropping the wheelbase to 110 inches.
This is the Golden Commando
Plymouth undergoing final preparation
for paint. (NHRA via Brent Hajek)
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In the Factory Experimental classes, there was now a rule about altering the wheelbase, which
could be relocated a maximum of 2% of the total wheelbase. The wheelbase standard itself, was
established at 114” for any vehicle with a 427ci powerplant. Lightweight components, such as
aluminum or fiberglass front end assemblies, were legal only in FX classes, unless a minimum of
100 parts or assemblies had been produced. Fenders could be altered for wheel/tire installation.
For tire requirements, FX cars could use anything that would fit in the wheelwell. Tires for Stock
class cars were again limited to 7” maximum width and must have at least two 1/16” grooves or
tread to qualify as an on-the-street tire. Custom wheels were allowed in Stock classes as long as
they weighed more than the original equipment wheels. Magnesium wheels were allowed in FX
classes. Modified Production rules remained the same as they had been in 1964. Because of the
release of the new Ford Single Overhead Cam 427 Hemi-head engine, NHRA was forced to allow
use of the roller lifter in FX classes.
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One of the interesting sidelights in the 1965 NHRA rules was the beginning of factory horsepower
“ratings.” The car manufacturers, to get around safety and insurance problems, were underrating
the advertised horsepower in many of the cars built from 1963 on, especially those at the very top
of the factory hot rod list. Chrysler rated the Dodge and Plymouth 426 super stock engines at 425
horsepower. They then rated the new Hemi engine at the same 425 hp, even though it was evident
the Hemis were putting out at least 50-75 more horses than the old wedge combination.
Competition results clearly indicated that the engine was putting out in the neighborhood of 500
horsepower.
NHRA decided to begin rating the horsepower on stockers based on their own calculations, which in
turn were based on things like dynamometer readings and competitive performance, i.e. elapsed
times and speeds that indicate how much horsepower a particular engine was really producing.
They did however, pick and choose the engines they were going to re-rate. These included several
Junior Stock class entries as well as the Top Stock guys. The little guys racing in Jr. Stock were
really caught unaware. In early 1965, you really didn’t know what class you were assigned to until
you got to the track, even though you had built your car for a specific class based on existing rules.
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The AHRA didn’t have this type of problem in any class, as it rated all stock class vehicles by cubic
inches-to-weight ratio first, then by carburetion type, then by camshaft. It made for a lot more
classes, thus more guys were actually winners at the track, but it was a puzzler to the casual
observer. AHRA officials said it had been getting too difficult to determine if a camshaft was stock or
not, especially in light of the new legal replacement cams that many aftermarket manufacturers
were selling, so they simply legalized all camshafts for use in stock classes.
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Shirley Shahan, the “Drag-On-
Lady,” comes out of the gate at
Carlsbad Raceway in late 1964
with her new ‘65 legal S/SA
Plymouth. Her Plymouth, prepared
by Butch Leal and her husband H.
L. Shahan, was a consistent
winner on the West Coast in
1965. It would be 1966 before she
won her first major title. (Glenn
Miller)
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Dodge and Plymouth
For 1965, the Chrysler engineers seemed content with the amount of horsepower that the big 426
Hemi was capable of producing. The S/S and FX cars were virtually identical to the late 1964
models that had been the scourge of the nation’s drag strips. In fact, more than one competitor
simply put new 1965 sheet metal on an old ‘64 racer and went to the strip. As the old saying goes,
“If it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it must be a duck!” The 2% altered wheelbase cars
were again forced into A/FX class, where they were competitive but not dominant. Stock
wheelbased cars owned both S/S and S/SA classes, but then, they were the only cars that met
class requirements.
Just prior to the 1965 NHRA Winternationals meet at Pomona, Chrysler released four new vehicles
to compete in A/FX class: two Dodges and two Plymouths. The cars were standard S/SA hardtops, i.
e. lightweight front end packages and Hemi engines, but with the allowed 2% wheelbase alteration.
On the West Coast, Dick Landy got a Dodge and Tommy Grove drove the Melrose Missile
Plymouth; while back in Detroit, the Ramchargers Dodge and Golden Commandos Plymouth were
finished just in time for the NHRA Big Go West. Grove’s Missile made it all the way to the finals
before losing to Bill Lawton and the Tasca Ford A/FX SOHC-motored Mustang. The Mustangs and
Comets were clearly the class of the FX competition and Chrysler had to do something. The
“something” had actually been underway for a couple of months, and would create a new term in
drag racing — Funny Car.
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Chrysler took twelve standard super stock race cars from the production line — eight new
production S/S cars plus the four A/FX cars that had been at Pomona. The twelve cars were
completely disassembled and gutted. The body panels were put in an acid dip tank and when they
were removed, some were so thin that it seemed light could be seen through the metal. Then the
real modifications began.
Just behind the front seat, 15” of the floor pan were removed and the entire rear floor back to the
trunk area was cut and moved forward. This placed the rear spring mounts and axle housing 15”
forward of their original position, bringing the rear wheels to a position just under the rear windows.
Naturally, the rear fenders were also cut out and moved forward to bring them inline with the new
rear wheel position. A steel patch panel was welded into place behind the altered rear wheel well,
and the entire rear quarter area was then finished and primed.
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Don Nicholson’s SOHC Comet Cyclone
at Piedmont Drag Raceway in March
1965 for a match race with the Sox &
Martin Plymouth. Bill Stroppe prepared
three ‘65 Comet Cyclones for A/FX
competition, with fiberglass front
fenders, hood, and bumper. With a
stock wheelbase and running pump
gas, Nicholson’s Comet would easily
run mid-10s. (Author’s Collection)
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Previous | Next
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This has been a sample page from
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Super Stock: Drag Racing the Family Sedan
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Super Stock takes a look at what was, in the 1960s, the most
popular class of drag racing - factory Super Stock. It traces the
evolution of the cars, the engines, the rules, the personalities, and
many of the teams, from its beginnings in the mid-1950s through to
the 1960s and the era of the Super Stock 409s, Ramchargers, 421
Pontiacs, 406 and 427 Fords.
This was a time when Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors competed
on a weekly basis, at local drag strips throughout the country, and
the saying “...win on Sunday, sell on Monday...” had real
significance in the marketplace. This is also the period that saw
emergence of the term “musclecar” and the production of a whole
class of American automobiles – which are now the most sought
after by collectors, restorers, and performance enthusiasts.
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Click below to view sample
pages from each chapter.
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Chap. 1 - 1955-60 Racing
Chap. 2 - 1961 Drag Racing
Chap. 3 - 1962 Drag Racing
Chap. 4 - 1963 Drag Racing
Chap. 5 - 1964 Drag Racing
Chap. 6 - 1965 Drag Racing
Chap. 7 - 1966-68 Racing
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Included in this book are first person accounts of what drag racing
was really like in the early 1960s. How the manufacturers controlled
the competition and even the results of the races, and how the
sanctioning bodies attempted to control the manufacturers, who in
turn simply sidestepped the rules. Appendices include all of the
major event winners and the rules defining the classes as well as
information detailing the engines and chassis’ competing in Top
Stock categories. Also includes detailed coverage of the American
musclecar era, coverage of the famous drivers and teams of the
period and vintage photos and accounts of the early days of
American drag racing.
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Hardbound
Item: CT953
Price: $Discontinued
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Click here to buy now!
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"It's the best, best, best, single work I've ever encountered on a
subject so dear to my heart." -- Steve Magnante, Hot Rod Magazine,
May 2002
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This is a great book and something no racing enthusiast should be without.
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Other items you might be interested in
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Total Performers: Ford Drag Racing in the 1960s
The 1960s was arguably the most important decade for drag racing. It
had exciting cars, thrilling races, and most importantly, factory
participation. Factory participation in drag racing pushed the envelope
for high performance developments. Ford’s FE-series engine, Police
Interceptor, GT 390, Single Overhead Cam, Cobra Jet, and Boss 429
are all covered in detail.
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Price:
$Discontinued
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Factory Lightweights: Detroit's Drag Racing Specials of the '60s
Among racers it has never been a secret that a lighter car is a faster
car—particularly in drag racing. When Detroit’s automakers got
involved in organized drag racing, they paid heed to this principle,
issuing a series of rare race-only cars that became legends in their
own time. Factory Lightweights: Detroit’s Drag Racing Specials of the
‘60s chronicles these rare cars that still inspire admirers and imitators
today, like the Ford Fairlane 427 Thunderbolt.
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Price:
$22.95
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Fire, Nitro, Rubber, and Smoke:
Bob McClurg's Drag Racing Memories
Fire, Nitro, Rubber, and Smoke is top drag racing photographer Bob
McClurg's highly anticipated follow-up to his best-selling Diggers,
Funnies, Gassers, and Altereds. McClurg drew upon his substantial
photo archives to deliver hundreds more of the best drag racing photos
ever taken, including many gems that have never been published
before.
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Price:
$29.95
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Slingshot Spectacular: The Front-Engine Dragster Era
Out of drag racing’s early years came one style of drag car that stood
above the rest: the front-engine slingshot dragster. Now you can follow
the history of the front-engine dragster in Slingshot Spectacular: The
Front-Engine Dragster Era, with over 350 vintage photos and personal
stories to help you smell the nitro and feel the horsepower of the good
ole days of front-engine, top-fuel racing.
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Price:
$22.95
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