The Jaywick Chevy

[GingerNuttz]

18 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

G.I.B. You've done  sterling job of saving Cpn 70s Acclaim and Dolomite - this old girl would be a walk in the park*.

I'm flat out on the Galaxie and then there's another couple lined up after that but I would restore this in a heartbeat.

[Dick Longbridge]

2 minutes ago, GingerNuttz said:

I'm flat out on the Galaxie and then there's another couple lined up after that but I would restore this in a heartbeat.

 

[eddyramrod]

On 7/20/2021 at 11:09 PM, Crackers said:

There's plenty of old Yank cars running around as rat rods and everyone loves them.

Including at least one on this very forum!  Which, despite being four different colours at the moment, got plenty of support at the weekend.

[Pieman]

On 7/19/2021 at 8:17 PM, Amishtat said:

I'm not sufficiently well up on  the current rules to know whether they're banned at all tracks but I have seen a couple raced at UK tracks a few years ago . They weren't the machine of choice if a race win was required but they just lapped relentlessly crushing whatever happened to be in the way. 

The Imperial was banned from American DDs for its chassis construction and strength, but was allowed in UK unlimited bangers for a time as they were a rare sight although the few that did get raced were pretty much unstoppable.  Then a few years ago a certain faction of drivers (allegedly) imported several Imperials from the US solely to race, because they wanted to dominate everyone else and prove how much better they were to the point of not trying to race within the spirit of the sport and just disrupt things for everyone else during meetings - so the sport banned Imperials.  The same group of drivers along with some others then did the same with Ssangyong Rodius MPVs (which in my opinion should never have been allowed into car meetings at all - they are vans) so the rulemakers banned those as well.

Anyway, back to the topic...I would love to see this Chevy restored, and have always wanted a classic US beast of this era for the road, sadly I lack the skills or knowledge to do anything to it.

[Rod/b]

20 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

I posted the owner's name and number earlier in the thread as part of a facebook for sale screenshot. 

Got plans?

Thanks. No plans myself but i’ve passed it onto a local Essex yank restorer and very good egg, who has also now passed it on to people in his group of contacts. Hopefully it will be saved. 

[DodgeRover]

On 7/18/2021 at 8:56 PM, danthecapriman said:

Sadly, I can see this turning up on the oval at some point soon. It really doesn’t look in a good way.

Correct, apparently it was worse.

 

[lesapandre]

Not a great stock-car choice:

 

[eddyramrod]

I saw that stripper, and wondered if it was the Jaywick car.  What little I can see of the back end doesn't look crumpled enough, could it be someone's stripped another 1960 flat-top?  I'll have to do a DVLA check for SCB 989, which belonged to a friend of mine at art college 45 years ago....

 

Edit: so I did that, and it comes up untaxed since 1994.  It also showed up white, whereas I last saw it in blue, and with an engine of 5722cc where it used to be 4639.  So it probably isn't the car shown above, and certainly wasn't the Jaywick car as it was RHD.

[Dick Longbridge]

It's 100% the Jaywick Chevy. Look at the chrome trim (or lack of) on the LHS headlight. Same rusty bit where the wing and bonnet meet too. 

I guess it was always going to be inevitable, but what a shame it'll end its days being destroyed around the oval. 

 

Digging a bit deeper, it looks as though the new owner likes racing rare beasts. At least he's offering up parts from the Chevy I guess.

[lesapandre]

Pity really. Looking on the USA Ebay this era Chev's make quite reasonable money even in poor condition - so it's not a vehicle without some value.

I went to a stock car meet in France in the summer - nothing this big went through but there was a Renault 4!

[155V6]

It looks to me that he has more than one?

 

[eddyramrod]

And the second one IS right-handed!  I do hope it isn't SCB 989.

[LightBulbFun]

2 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

And the second one IS right-handed!  I do hope it isn't SCB 989.

did not notice that!

its sad when anything like this ends up going round the track, to have survived for 60 odd years to meet such an ugly end

 

but the fact its a RHD one too, surely that would above all be worth saving/restoring I cant imagine there would be many RHD Yank tanks like that?

in fact I never even realised they made em in RHD at all!

[bunglebus]

I remember reading that The Phoenix Victor had been banger raced, built by a guy called Richard "El Richie" King, who went on to turn out quite a few top class custom VWs, started The German Car Company in Essex and subsequently Karmann Konnection. Now a big name in air cooled Porsches

[eddyramrod]

@LightBulbFun In the 50s and 60s many American cars were built RHD for export purposes, usually in Canadian plants.  SCB 989 was one such, and in the 70s had been used by a Liverpool coach company for dragging in faulty buses.  My friend from art college saw it more or less abandoned and took pity on it, and one day in late 1977 I got a ride in it.

Elsewhere I have mentioned a 1964 Ford Galaxie that stood unwanted in Southport for some years: that was RHD too.  There was also a Galaxie convertible which I think was a 1960-61 model, and which I'm sure was right-handed.  The practice continued well into the 70s but once they got to middle-age, these RHD cars tended to be unloved compared to LHD, and many have "gone" prematurely; I would think quite a lot round the ovals.

Thanks to SCB I have a particular love of the 1959-60 General Motors flat-tops, ie four-door pillarless sedans.  I'm really unhappy to see the fate of these two.

[Dick Longbridge]

Has anyone heard any more about this one? I'm assuming it was raced...

[155V6]

This picture just came up on a Facebook group I'm on.The meeting is at Kings Lynn

[Dick Longbridge]

8 hours ago, 155V6 said:

This picture just came up on a Facebook group I'm on.The meeting is at Kings Lynn

The right hooker mentioned above? 

[trigger]

I'm told it's the Jaywick Chevy

[Dick Longbridge]

1 hour ago, trigger said:

I'm told it's the Jaywick Chevy

He's done a lot of work to that rear quarter if so, as well as change it to RHD. I'm more inclined to think it's the UK car shown further up. Same bloke who owns them though.

Let's hope it's not @eddyramrod's mate's old car.

[SunnySouth]

Never been a fan of the banger boys in any capacity, but I can’t help but find it particularly disagreeable that there seems to be an ‘interest’ in destroying rarities; as if it makes any difference? At least this fella appears to have bought & paid these particular Yank victims I suppose, unlike his colleagues at Ringwood. Day can’t come soon enough that they ban it, can only be a matter of time nowadays surely. Sorry and all that…

[eddyramrod]

I can't see anyone rebuilding that rear quarter just to smash it up on the track.  Surely nobody's that daft?

[bunglebus]

Nah I reckon it's the RHD one seen earlier

[sierraman]

A lot of these at racing meets you think ‘surely that was too good to race’ but when you look closer a shiny paint scheme hides a multitude of sins. Often there will have been 3 foot long sections of steel of whatever gauge to hand welded in the floors. To do it properly wouldn’t be economical. 

[Rustybullethole]

Having prepped more than a few bangers in my life its a chunk of work to get them race ready. Some people do really go to town. I personally use far more time, money and care restoring and keeping cars on the road. 

Lets not forget how many parts from dead cars keep others on the road too. 

Racers get a bad rep and lets not mince around it some are utter cunts. There are utter cunts in all walks of life too. 

Hands up i like banger racing. I like all grass roots motorsport and feel there's not many options for low cash racing but bangers is one of them. 

[Pieman]

Have asked on socials and that was indeed the Jaywick one.

[Crackers]

26 minutes ago, Pieman said:

Have asked on socials and that was indeed the Jaywick one.

You are obviously much closer to the facts than me - but I have my doubts personally. The rear quarter is way too good, and that's not the sort of panel you find from another car and "simply" stick on, plus all the swage lines and tail light holes are way too neat to be a DIY job. Not to mention it's become RHD, although I accept that racers do often swap stuff out of other car models like that quite regularly. 

[SiC]

6 minutes ago, Crackers said:

You are obviously much closer to the facts than me

Iirc Pieman does a lot of commentary over the PA at the banger tracks. 

[Pieman]

I used to yes, not as much nowadays as I am busy with a lot of other events.

[Dick Longbridge]

On 8/27/2023 at 2:04 AM, Dick Longbridge said:

He's done a lot of work to that rear quarter if so, as well as change it to RHD. I'm more inclined to think it's the UK car shown further up. Same bloke who owns them though.

Let's hope it's not @eddyramrod's mate's old car.

Turns out @trigger was spot on. 

The lad who raced it ended up welding a replacement rear quarter on.  I know opinions on racing are chalk and cheese, but bloody hell, what a huge effort just to wreck it again. I'm guessing the decent rear quarter and rear panel came from the UK car. 😑