Expert
Posts: 2003
Location: Branson, MO | Good question! Here is what I almost think is correct and for some reason, I believe manual transmissions were used for racing. Maybe not the special ones used today built specifically for NASCAR, etc., but maybe even truck transmissions were adapted - 3 speeds were more than likely used with floor mounted shifters.
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Expert
Posts: 1288
  
| Lads --
According to the last "Chrysler 300 Club News," at the 1961 Daytona Speedweek, the 300G's would have finished 1-2-3-4 had not the windshield moldings on three of them blown off. The rules required that the cars finish their speed runs in the same condition as they started. Still, Greg Ziegler was first with a speed of 143.0 while the official numbers 2, 3, and 4 (all Chevys) finished at only 133.1, 132.6, and 130.0 respectively. Ziegler's and the other three G's all had the "short" long rams and 3-speed manuals with floor-mounted shifters. Ziegler's speed was actually third highest as Fauble turned 145.9 and Fisher 144.1, while Koechling came in at 142.3. What's more, numbers 5 and 6, were also 300G's, but regular ram TorqueFlites, and were driven by Jack Russel (125.8) and Charles Gilman (125.0).
I believe the 1961 Chrysler 3-speed manual for V-8s was the A745. I don't know how it held up otherwise, but it was notoriously finicky on the drag strip, bending and even shearing synchro pins. It cost the Ramchargers their chance to win the Top Stock Eliminator honors at the 1961 NHRA Nationals when Al Eckstrand missed a shift, though that '61 Dart Pioneer did blow off the eventual top stock winner in a non-official grudge match later in the day.
In 1960, Ziegler's F Special was top at 144.927.
Bud Faubel passed away in December 2013 and he was quite a drag racer as well as driving on sand. His "Honker" was wild in the '60s. He was also a fighter pilot in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.
Joe
Edited by Sonoramic60 2016-04-16 1:16 PM
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racing 61 300g at daytona
