Nascar in 1970

[nitrometal]

Sorry that I haven't been on here for a few months.  We moved to a new house and I now have a big garage (instead of a storage unit) to play with the Superbird.   

I thought that I'd ask you experts with your broad wealth of knowledge about those little details that would make my Petty replica a little more accurate and realistic.  What I want to concentrate on are the items that are clearly seen and not worry about the internal goodies like engine parts.  These gizmos don't need to be functional. They just need to look like they belong there.

What I would like to know if this technology was available in 1970 and were the top NASCAR teams using them (even in a limited capacity).

In no particular order...

Dzus fasteners (I want to aluminum skin the door panels, etc.)
Window Nets (weren't they more like tennis nets at this time?)
Multi-view rear view mirrors
Oil sump systems
Rear end coolers
Steel braided hoses
Dual shocks
Different colored/ different rate coil springs
Reserve or overflow tanks (for radiator, power steering, etc.)
Custom built racing seats
Five-point seat harness
Racing steering wheels
Custom Pedal assembly
Gauges (Stewart-Warner, right?)
Dashboard switch panels
Hubs or axle caps/covers (similar to what they use now)
Electronic ignition (like MSD or something)
Fire suppression system (or was it just a fire extinguisher?)

I have the bathtub intake (thanks to Howie!), cowl induction intake filter box, A-pillar trim (thanks to Larry)  and window braces.  Anything else that you can think of that I missed?

Phil

[RAC95054]

I'm almost certain they all used a 5-pt harness, and I don't believe window nets were yet mandatory in 1970 (so some/most cars had nothing).  I'm pretty sure there was no in-car fire system, other than an extiguisher.  I think steel braided hoses were in use then, and I'm sure they were using (redundant) electronic ignition systems then.  I can't say for sure on any of the other items, though.

[THE CHARGER PUNK]

Didnt petty wreck his roadrunner in 1970 and they were mandatory after that cuz petty was found unconcious halfway out of his car after the wreck-MATT

[Ghoste]

The dual shocks were being used by then.

[RAC95054]

Didnt petty wreck his roadrunner in 1970 and they were mandatory after that cuz petty was found unconcious halfway out of his car after the wreck-MATT

Yep.  Not sure how long after that wreck they made it mandatory, but it was likely late in the season, and they probably had to rig something until the better solution was created.

[Highbanked Hauler]

Ned Jarrett(sp) accidental set his off his fire supression system in a 66 Ford and it filled the inside of the car so they were around then. but i don't know if it was a whole system

[Carl1]

No coil springs on Mopars. The cars that did use them usually only had a piece of tape with the rate written on it.

Dzuz fasteners were rarely used on NASCAR cars, they were more of an open wheel thing

The first window nets were like Tennis/Fish nets with about a 1" nylon web around them

Rear end coolers with blowers mounted on them were used

Stainless hoses with Aeroquip fittings were used for almost every line

Dual shocks were used on bigger tracks. Usually Gabriel with tie rod ends on them rather than bushings

Radiator overflow tanks were vented into the headers to prevent water getting onto the track. No anti freeze was allowed...too hard to clean off the track

No power steering at that time. Big tracks 24:1 ratio small tracks 16:1

Seats were normally fiberglass with a bit of padding

Steering wheels were still more often than not a big diameter stock wheel with padding and electrical tape...lots of it

The pedals were usually stock ones bent to suit the drivers preferences

The ignition switch had an old military type cover on it that you had to flip up to turn the switch on, then just hit the cover to switch off

Everyone used the SW gauges usually 2 1/2 "

The electronic ignitions were what your car maker had, usually orange box for Mopar, Delco Remy for GM

The fire system was by that time a Halon bottle with lines running to the rear trunk area, drivers compartment, and underhood. A big activation push button on the diagonal bar next to the driver

[Highbanked Hauler]

Some of the Mopar seats were out of an  A100 van

[THE CHARGER PUNK]

And the shifter typically used was a hurst unit from 63-4 dodge's

[nitrometal]

Thanks a lot guys.  There's a lot of really good stuff here.  Everyone is a big help like usual!   

I thought I had read somewhere that they used A100 van seats but a racing seat would look so much cooler.

The only thing not answered was the oiling system.  Didn't they have dry sumps by then?

Any other things that you can think of?

[Bandit72]

didn't they run both exhaust pipes out of the passenger side? i think i saw that somewhere

[Carl1]

Dry Sumps were a must. At that time they were only made by Weaver Bros in Van Nuys CA, later relocated to Carson City NV. The tanks were about 4 gal. mounted right behind the drivers seat, to help keep the weight on the left side.

I never saw a A100 seat in any Nascar car. They were fiberglass buckets with big wings on the right side to keep the driver from sliding out. Earlier 50's-60's cars had big pass car stock buckets with extra bracing and padding

Yes both pipes ran out the pass side to keep the heat as far from the driver as possible. They were usually 4"-5" squashed into oval shape to give more ground clearance where they passed under the frame.

The mirror rules changed a few times. You could run a wide (A pillar to A pillar) one with lots of mirror segments installed at an angle, you could see cars half way up your car at a glance. They were outlawed because they helped too much in blocking. By 1970 only a stock type mirror was allowed in Grand National ( Cup).

They ran 22 gal fuel cells ( although some creative guys could get a bit more in). Dry breaks were just coming in, before then there was a couple gallons of race gas spilled on each pit stop...Amazing there weren't more fires.

[nitrometal]

Thanks again.  Hey Carl1, where did you get all these specifications?  Where you there at the track?  Have you done a lot of research on this period?  Or do you have lots of reference material? 

Speaking of reference material,  I lost out on a bid for how to set up a stock car for racing in 1970.  I think it was authored by Steve Smith.  I did pick up a book of his from 1974 the other day and it has some great stuff in it but I'm sure there was some major changes by then.  Is there anything out there besides the typical magazine articles?

[Carl1]

Unfortunately I wasn't smart enough back in the day to save any reference material. I have to rely on the gray matter, which can be a bit mixed up at times especially when it comes to dates. I was there, mostly on the west coast.

Steve Smith books are pretty good, stuff didn't change very much, or quickly. Just look at today... there hasn't been a carbureted car for probably a decade, yet NASCAR still runs carburetors.

Some of the best info came from Mopar. They had lots of Bulletins covering a lot of handling and other subjects. I think Larry Rathgab was the head of that department. Petty Enterprises was the distributor for Mopar's Oval Racing stuff. You may still find some info from them, for sure they would have Richards cars in their museum.

[nitrometal]

Petty Enterprises was the distributor for Mopar's Oval Racing stuff. You may still find some info from them, for sure they would have Richards cars in their museum.

He told me that he has a ton of photos and etc. in the museum that need to be organized.  Maybe I should volunteer for that job and make some copies for us!   

[Ghoste]

A call to the Nichels or Owens families might turn up a lot too.

[nitrometal]

A call to the Nichels or Owens families might turn up a lot too.

Will they talk to a nobody like me?    If so how do I contact them?

[69_500]

I'll tell you a great way to get some information, attend the Monster Mopar show in St. Louis that is coming up this fall, or Talladega in '09. I personally have picked up a ton of information about these old cars, just from listening to the men who raced and worked on these cars when they were new.