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By Harms Way - 17 Years Ago
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Hi all,
I am new to this board, in fact I just found out about it,... Here is what I have,
This car is from the Dearborn / Detroit area. It's a ‘31 Model A roadster body channeled on a ‘32 Ford frame. It ran in the B/SR division as ‘424 The Blue Racer’ owned by Loren McCombs of Dearborn. It ran a 312 Y-block with a Hilborn fuel injection, but the most significant thing about this little roadster is that it Won the B/SR National Title at the 1964 NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indy, and from what I have been told it is the only modified to ever win a national title with a Y-block Ford ( is there any way to verify this ?). I recently acquired what was left of the car. A big ‘thank you’ goes to Dave Crain for reuniting this car with it's history.
I am looking for anything I can find, there was a picture in Popular Hot Rodding in Dec. 1964 of the trophy run, and a picture in the 64 Hot Rod Annual of Loren standing next to the car with the trophy,..... but that's all I know, any info you guy's can shed on this would be great.
The trophy run at the nats in 64
and how I brought it home
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By MoonShadow - 17 Years Ago
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What a great old blast from the past! You have to bring it down to Columbus, Ohio in September. Lots of old racers and race cars there! You have got to get it running again! If the history is correct the scrub(GM) guys would like to see it disapear! There are a lot of folks out here than should be able to help you with the project. Chuck in NH I'll be in Dearborn, hopefully for the Woodward cruise and then will be driving to Columbus from there. We have to get togather! Chuck
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By Harms Way - 17 Years Ago
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Thanks Chuck,
I live about 150 miles north of the Detroit area now, the other thing I am trying to verify is that it set a class record in 64, I just got in touch with someone that thinks they can connect me with the original owner. I will keep you guys updated with what I find out if anyone is interested.
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By Harms Way - 17 Years Ago
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*UP DATE*
Geez 4 posts on this thread and 3 of them are mine, Hope this is fitting in OK here, (Let me know if I am breaking any rules or something)
As it turns out I got a lead where Loren McCombs might be,... and hit pay dirt !,... I just got off the phone with him and he answered a lot of questions I had. But here is some cool stuff for those of you interested.
(1) Won B/SR Class at the 1964 U.S. Nationals Indy.
(2) Won B/SR Regionals at Dragway 42 Ohio 1965
(3) Was disqualified for B/SR 1965 at Bristol because this Model A
had a 106" wheelbase, was bumped to Altered class,... Loren
added a second front cross member at 103", both cross
members are still in the car.
(4) Went back to Bristol Spring Nationals in 1966 and Won B/SR
Class.
He still has the plaques and trophies and lots of pictures,.... and he just told me tonight he would like me to have them. I feel like I am on cloud 9 ,....
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By LON - 17 Years Ago
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Hey mate , If you keep posting photos & "History lessons " like that first one ,we will keep reading them ???? That sure is a piece of " Drag Racing History " KEEP ON POSTING . Regards Lon
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By Ted - 17 Years Ago
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Welcome to the site Harms Way. The Blue Racer came up on the old forums briefly and it's good to see that its history is being expounded on. Keep up with the information and any updates on its potential restoration or return to track duty. Here's the link on the old forums. http://www.y-blocksforever.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=1650
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By Harms Way - 17 Years Ago
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I thought I would give you some details on the engine as was told to me by Mr. McCombs,
He bought the engine in 1961 from a junkyard, his machinist thought
it might be a truck engine, blueprinted, they shaved the heads .035, and decked .065 off the block, Forged high dome pistons,13.5 to 1 compression ratio, knurled crank, bored out to 327 c.i.d., Isky cam,Hilborn Fuel Injection, custom built headers. all built by Leo Gonzales.( He said he got the biggest, heaviest most powerful battery he could find and mounted it in the trunk )
The transmission was a Mercury 3 speed that he said "was really long"
He said the driveshaft was under two feet long.
The rear end might have been a 57 Ford or Olds.
He bought the car as a running Hot Rod in 1961 with a Gonzales Flathead (that he blew up), Zepher trans & 40 banjo rear end. It was light green and had done duty at Eckles Rd. and Motor City Dragway.
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By PF Arcand - 17 Years Ago
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Harm: It certainly is great to hear about another major Ford Y-Block success story. Hopefully, you can do a resto on the car. There are many good people on this site that would be more than glad to help you out... Another similiar story, as I understand, it is this; In 1963, Ted Kramer was running a "B" Altered Roadster, powered by a Hilborn Injected Ford 312, in NHRA Div.3. In third place on the last day of racing, he came from behind to beat a bevy of mostly Chevy powered competitors, and win the Divisional Championship. Appropriately, his prize was a 427 Ford engine...
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By aussiebill - 17 Years Ago
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Hi guys, can i add some interesting news from the past also about another y block racer told to me by a friend in NY, Joe S. He recalls it like this; hi bill, funny i'm an old y-block guy myself had a friend back in the old
days that held b/street roadster and c/altered NHRA records using y-block power. his name was ron mindge it was a blue t-roadster all home built as were most hot rods. .......don't think that true's about it being the only y-block to win a national event maybe the only 312 ci but. i'mpretty sure ron won a national event in the early 60s. his engine was a 292 or 272...my
old brain forgets stuff...but i remember pushing the roadster up to the
starting line and being a good-for . i guess i was in my early teens. this
was also another couple of our gang held national records in am/s don noyes and aa/a ron scott ( i ended up driving for ron scott in the late 70s) don noyes won indy in 1965 and held the national record. ron scott won a few national events and held the record on and off. i was with him when he set the national record at Englishtown...and he went thru the lights backwards at 182 mph. !!!!!!!!!!!!! it was wild and such fun in the day........that's when everyone built their own car and could build all kinds of "trick" parts. i remember when don gartlis would put a rag over a part of the engine...to hide a part...well what gartlis was doing was just shaking the others up a bit as he never had anything special/new under "the rag" . also when ron scott had the national record he'd put a metal part of some sort on the frame and hook it to the engine...it never did anything but sure got people wondering. sometimes to make weight ron would fill his frame up with water....now that was a "trick" all of us are/were from the albany,ny area, man the things i remember !!!!! End description. This story may jog someone elses memory of racer Ron mindge and his y block racer. All the best! Regards aussiebill.
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By Harms Way - 17 Years Ago
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aussiebill (5/27/2007)
Hi guys, can i add some interesting news from the past also about another y block racer told to me by a friend in NY, Joe S. He recalls it like this; hi bill, funny i'm an old y-block guy myself had a friend back in the old
days that held b/street roadster and c/altered NHRA records using y-block power. his name was ron mindge it was a blue t-roadster all home built as were most hot rods. .......don't think that true's about it being the only y-block to win a national event maybe the only 312 ci but. i'mpretty sure ron won a national event in the early 60s. his engine was a 292 or 272...my
old brain forgets stuff...but i remember pushing the roadster up to the
starting line and being a good-for . i guess i was in my early teens. this
was also another couple of our gang held national records in am/s don noyes and aa/a ron scott ( i ended up driving for ron scott in the late 70s) don noyes won indy in 1965 and held the national record. ron scott won a few national events and held the record on and off. i was with him when he set the national record at Englishtown...and he went thru the lights backwards at 182 mph. !!!!!!!!!!!!! it was wild and such fun in the day........that's when everyone built their own car and could build all kinds of "trick" parts. i remember when don gartlis would put a rag over a part of the engine...to hide a part...well what gartlis was doing was just shaking the others up a bit as he never had anything special/new under "the rag" . also when ron scott had the national record he'd put a metal part of some sort on the frame and hook it to the engine...it never did anything but sure got people wondering. sometimes to make weight ron would fill his frame up with water....now that was a "trick" all of us are/were from the albany,ny area, man the things i remember !!!!! End description. This story may jog someone elses memory of racer Ron mindge and his y block racer. All the best! Regards aussiebill.
Thanks AussieBill, Is there anyone that can varify this?,... I have been trying to get ahold of Dave Crain to see if this is in the record books, but he has been Ill,............ can any of you other guys varify this ? I would be very interested to see if this is true. Thanks
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By Harms Way - 17 Years Ago
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Hey Guys,......
Hope you aren't getting bored with this,... but thought you might get a kick out of "The Blue Racer" being in Hot Rod Magazine this month (Oct.) in the "Barn Find" article.
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By Glen Henderson - 17 Years Ago
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I don't get Hot Rod anymore, but a buddy of mine brought his copy by this moring to show it to me. The roadster and Hubert Platt"s Falcon made that issue worth while, I might have to pick up a copy at Wally world. By the way I remember seeing the Georgia Shaker running a match race around 65 or 66, don't remember what he ran aganist, but that little car was bad quick.
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By pegleg - 17 Years Ago
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After seeing the photos in HRM, and being informed by one of the ah "experts" that it was weird even then, I am anything but bored. When do you start the restoration, and when will we get to see it at Columbus.?
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By Harms Way - 17 Years Ago
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I am still gathering the right parts, I just found a '56 Olds rear axle and a couple extra 312's,..... I want to have all the parts I need before starting on it,.... thanks for asking
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By pegleg - 17 Years Ago
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From the looks of the photos in Hot Chevys it seems the body will be the biggest issue. You have tapped into the "Mother Lode" of Y block parts and tech info here. If you are looking for Y Block help, I think we can offer that. I would not be surprised to see offers to help evolve as the project gets underway.
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By Harms Way - 17 Years Ago
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Thanks Frank,
Actually the tin work is something I can handle,... I learned hammer welding, pick & file, lead, and metal finishing years ago from a old friend,( hope I can still do it) what is scaring me is the Hilborn F.I.
unit, I have been able to find a couple but I am going to have to budget for one,.......
Is that your 57 Custom 300 ? in your avatar?,.... I have owned 3 in the last 40 years,... and I just found another (someone put in a 302/C-4), solid body but all the glass is gone,....
Thanks again for the reply,..... BTW I just got a call from Loren McCombs today, He is going to be in Michigan in a couple weeks and wants to stop by to see his old race car,.... I am looking forward to that.
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By pegleg - 17 Years Ago
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That is my F code 300. Raced as a pure stocker, best of 13.83 @ 105.6 at Martin earlier this summer. I just sold a Hilborn to Tom Kitchen in Fl. a couple of monthe ago. They aren't cheap. Hilborn still makes parts, does rebuilds and can convert them to electronic if you wish. But they're more expensive than a Holley. you might contact John Mummert in Ca to help you in the Y block rebuild or Ted Eaton, moderator this site. Both have pretty extensive credentials when it comes to Y's. Frank
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By pegleg - 17 Years Ago
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Get all the pictures you can from McCombs to help you restore it. Maybe you can get him to check out this site, might re-kindle some "Y block Fever"
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By bird55 - 17 Years Ago
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My buddy still has the Hilborn setUp we've talked about and you've seen pictures of. He plans to bring it to Columbus, so it's still for sale. It sure would be the perfect crowning piece for your project.
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By pegleg - 17 Years Ago
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There you go, Save your pennies,
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By Harms Way - 17 Years Ago
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Hot Rod Magazine contacted me early last summer and said they had seen it on both sights and would like to come take some pictures of it, it's in the current issue of Hot Rod under the "Barn Finds" article, Thats not really the big deal,...... but after the magazine came out I had a couple calls, one guy wanted to give me a 57 312 engine , than another guy called and asked if I still needed a Hilborn F.I. for it ! ,Well the F.I. is as rare as chicken lips,... so I jump on it,.......
The UPS truck just left, and this is what was in the box, a complete Hilborn F.I. set up, with all the pills, fittings, Valosity stacks, Magneto with F.I. pump, valley pan, all the fasteners and a extra cap. I was told this has all been sitting on a shelf in a basement sense 1962. This was the biggest hurtle I had to overcome,... well the parts collecting is going full steam, I hope to get started on this car in the Spring.
One more thing, the original owner Loren McCombs is in Mi. on vacation, and is going to stop by next week,... said he had a box of stuff for me.
Yes, That is my wife's Oak kitchen table,... and No she didn't know I did that.
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By bird55 - 17 Years Ago
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WOW. looks like you got a gift!
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By pegleg - 17 Years Ago
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Did you get the 312? Sounds like the pieces are starting to fall into place, now you have a PROJECT!! 
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By Pete's Panel - 17 Years Ago
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Parts on the good table, is that better or worse than running them through the dishwasher!!!
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By Harms Way - 17 Years Ago
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I got a call last week from Loren McCombs (and his wife Pat) the owner/ driver of the B/SR "The Blue Racer" that I currently own and plan to start restoring in the spring,....They were in Michigan visiting some friends and wanted to stop by, It was the first time Loren had seen his old race car in 41 years, He got a big kick out of it, He was poking around and telling me a lot of stories about several parts and pieces on the car,... I don't know which one of us had the better time.
As things started to wind down Pat said here these are for you,...
It was Lorens 1964 NHRA Championship Jacket and the Plaque he got in the mail from NHRA along with a stereo album of the soundtrack from the 64 Nationals.
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By unibodyboy - 17 Years Ago
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That is quite possibly the coolest thing i've ever seen.
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By pegleg - 17 Years Ago
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Harm, or whatever your real name is, I believe you have been officially HOOKED!  welcome to the "dark Side"
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By Ol Ford Guy - 17 Years Ago
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What a great story for everyone involved, thanks for sharing it, and the pictures with us. Keep us up to date on your progress with the "Blue Racer" project. It sure would make a neat show display with the jacket, patch and photo's.
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By yalincoln - 17 Years Ago
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say guys, is it my immagination or is that a y-block in the other car in the orriginal post. i'm getting old and my eyes are getting bad. have a nice day, wayne.
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By Unibodyguy - 17 Years Ago
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Harms Way, I can't believe you came accross such a find. And to also have the jacket, trophys, and driver of the car all together, you are truely blessed. Anything about this project you post, I think we'll all read!! That is so cool. Michael
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By Daniel Jessup - 17 Years Ago
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WOW!
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By Harms Way - 16 Years Ago
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Hi everyone,....
Thanks again for all the interest, I have been sick for quite a while and haven't been on the computer for like 4 weeks,..... just a little update that I find hard to believe myself,... I might have stumbled across the original 312 that was bored and stroked out to 327 c.i.d.,..... I have yet to see it , but from what the guy tells me it sounds like it,... I have a couple clues to go by when I finally get to see it,..... this project just keeps getting wilder by the minute.
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By pegleg - 16 Years Ago
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Are you originally from the Detroit area?
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By Harms Way - 16 Years Ago
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Yes,. I am originally from the Detroit area and have lived in Michigan all my life, I am a member of the MHRA, Road Knights. I have been into Hot Rods for a lot of years,... but this car (and a unfinished 57 T-Bird) is the only cars I have with a Y-Block.
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By pegleg - 16 Years Ago
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thought so, someone told me. or I read that you'd done radio in Detroit. I was originally from there. We're all really watching this, maybe one of the neatest projects concerning Y Blocks in a long, long time. I, personally can't wait to hear and see it run!
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By Hollow Head - 13 Years Ago
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Anything new on this one?
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By The Master Cylinder - 13 Years Ago
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Hollow Head (11/7/2011)
Anything new on this one?
Seppo, I see "Harms Way" over on the HAMB occasionally and have asked him a few times about it. The only response I have gotten is "You have a good memory".  No info on the car though. He goes by the same name over there.
I see him mostly in the "Vintage Days Gone By" thread http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428585
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7115659#post7115659
Of course there are only over 6 million posts in that thread now...
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By Y block Billy - 13 Years Ago
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I have been wondering how this has been coming along myself, we got to get him back over here with some updates.
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By Harms Way - 13 Years Ago
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Hey guys,...
Sorry about the long time,... But like they say, "sometimes Life gets in the way" Somebody brought up the Blue Racer over at the HAMB,.. and It was suggested that I drop a note here,....
So here it goes,... (at the bottom will be a link to the entire post on the HAMB At the end of that thread, there are a couple links to the related threads,.....)
Thanks for the continued interest,....
"The Blue Racer" B/SR #424 "A" Roadster"
This is what I wrote a couple days ago on the HAMB,...
Thanks for the interest guys,.... As for progress, Sorry to report that other than collecting parts, pretty much nothing has happened with the old girl. When I look at this car, I always wonder, how much would be too much,.. or not enough.
Frankly,... I am dead in the water , with respects to, even approaching a restoration. I have recently thought about putting it on "The Auction sight" But really don't know,...
Either way, a two time National Champion should be restored and put where others can see and enjoy it. With as much as I have to do on my plate,... and slowing down a little each year (yep,.. ol' Harms Way is getting older) ,... I just don't see this car taking priority in my life's "list of things to do".
But !,.... Who knows what tomorrow will bring !
If you would like to read more about the Blue Racer,.. here are a couple links,...
Loren McCombs reunited with his "Blue Racer" after 41 years
Thank You HAMB and Hot Rod Magazine !
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By mctim64 - 13 Years Ago
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Good stuff! Thanks for the updates! Now get back to work!
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By jrw429 - 12 Years Ago
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Looks like this piece of history is looking for a new home. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=727850
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