When I lived in N.W Chicago area back in the 70s, I decided one day I wanted a big shifter ball for my Toyota Carina, so I drove all the way downtown to Warshawsky's. They had just what I wanted way high up on a pegboard display, but it was the only one in stock. Since I had come so far, I insisted they retrieve it. Long story short, to get rid of me the oriental counterman (warehouse was located near chinatown) eventually climbed up using a payphone for support, it ripped off the wall, and he fell and broke his leg. After the ambulance hauled him away and I still wouldn't leave, someone finally knocked it down with a broom handle and I caught it in mid air.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Warshasky's/JC.Whitney back in the 60's used to carry just about any manual trans gear for any car, Zephrys included! I had 26 tooth Zephyr gears in my '48 which were great with the warmed-up flathead. After I installed the 312 with an adapter and Hurst motor mount from Honest Charley, the trans EXPLODED one day and I went to a T-10, shortened '57 driveshaft and a '59 Edsel 9" rear end!



Whitney also sold used engines. Nowdays they mostly carry over priced junk! I don't know how they stay in business.



Anybody remember Gratiot Auto Supply in Detroit? They had fair prices and a good selection of Hi-Po Ford stuff too.



Honest Charley's was the best all around source of speed equipment back then.


FIGHT CONFORMITY! 

I grew up about a hundred miles from Chicago so we all bought a lot of stuff from Warshasky's/JC.Whitney.In those days you could go to there warehouse and pick up your order.Lots quicker than parcel post.I also still have some of  their old catalogs.In the 50s as far as I remember Honest Charlie's was the only place to get Smitty's steel packed mufflers.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

ford nut:

I also have an old HC catalog, also a JC Whitney when they were about 6x9 inches.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Anybody remember Honest Charlies in Tennessee? Or how about Warchowski in Chicago? They sold parts out of same warehouse as JC Whitney. I still have an old catalog from Honest Charlie- wish I could buy at those prices today!

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.

Guilty....my '65 442 had the turnouts with pipe caps right behind the header collectors - and the Channelock's in the foot pan behind the front seat.....

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Cables to open from inside the car? Wow must be nice to be rich! How about black pipe welded to the exhaust pipe with a plumbing cap that you took off with channel locks (or hammer and punch). Only the high end customs actually had lakes pipes and they were hardly ever uncapped. If they were even functional?

Also the "friend" at the airport that would sell you some Aviation fuel on occasion! Since high octane gas was still available out of the pump I'm not sure how much the avgas helped. Used to go to the "dial a grade" pumps for what 108 octane or something like that. Only on race weekends though it was near 50 cents a gallon.

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

I'm surprised no one has mentioned:

#1 Putting a screen under the carb. It was suppose to atomize the fuel better. They even sold little fan assy. that were to do this.

#2 They had a module that fit into the dist. cap before the coil wire that was suppose to increase your spark.

#3 And even the injector spark plugs or the plugs with 2 or 3 ground electrodes. Was suppose to increase hp by 5 to 7.

#4 Installing exhaust cut-outs, some with cables to open and shut from inside the car.

Oh those were the days!

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.

When I was a teen(Im only 37),I had 65 comet cyclone with a 289,I put some model airplane fuel in my gas tank,dont remember how much .It had 20% nitro in it.It was good for an extra blast of power.Never had any problems.                                                                               

55 fairlane gasser 312 /c4, 57 f100 292/c4, 52 mainline gasser 302/t10 4speed

The Avanti V-8 produced 240 horsepower from its 289 cubic inches. This was the normal R-l engine. For a few dollars more the R-2 option could be had with a Paxton supercharger on the V-8 putting the Avanti in the same performance league as fuel injected Corvettes and the sleek Jaguar XKE sports cars. The hotter Avanti R-3 used the same engine block bored out to 304.5 cubic inches. Still hotter was the R-4 with dual superchargers.

The Avanti II had a 327 Corvette engine.

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.