Ray and George Bowers joined the Philadelphia Modifiers Street Rod Club shortly after the club was formed in 1955. The Bowers Boys were well known at eastern Pennsylvania dragstrips. Their rear-engine '34 coupe got them banned from the eighth-mile track in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, in 1958 because it was too radical. George (on the left in the black and white photo) and Ray (on the right) had better luck with this Fiat-bodied dragster, which ran a 346ci Olds with a crank-driven blower, and had rear slicks stuffed inside the body. The Twistmobile still holds the record for the defunct Altered C Class (10.56/155.6), set in Petersburg, Virginia, in 1961. The brothers retired from drag racing, but are still hot rodders and very active members of the Modifiers to this day. Ray's current ride is a 350-powered '50 Ford convertible he built from scratch. George drives a chopped '40 Chevy, built by Ray.
Thanks to Modifiers member Tom Hover for sending us these pictures and the info on the Bowers Boys.
Mail your vintage photos of you and your hot rod, along with a brief story, to Tim Bernsau, Rod & Custom, 774 S. Placentia Ave., Placentia, CA 92870, or e-mail them (3x5 inches at 300 dpi) to timothy.bernsau@primedia.com. We are unable to return any submitted material.
Way To Go, Kid!It covered 14 states and spanned two weeks, and when the 2006 Great Race was over, driver Dave Reeder and navigator Sawyer Stone were the winners. Not only did this grandfather/grandson team-competing in a 1916 Hudson-win the $100,000 top prize, but 13-year-old Sawyer became the youngest Grand Champion in the 98-year history of this world-class rally race. The Great Race will celebrate its centennial in 2008 with a 35,000km, New York to Paris "Great Race World," with a prize purse worth $1.5 million. The Reeder & Stone team is already making plans to compete in that event. By then, Sawyer will be almost old enough for a driver's license.
A Cool MillVintage treasures are still out there. Brian Benzing from SO-CAL Arizona sent us a notice about a cool engine that ended up in their shop. This Ardun converted Flathead was found neglected in an old trailer park not far from the Phoenix-area store. Rumor has it that this old Flattie-with homebuilt headers, and twin magnetos, and the remains of the original intake-has been asleep since the '50s, when it powered an old circle track or drag car. It went on display in the SO-CAL showroom, where it got more attention than a Martian baby or a crying statue, and is now part of a private collection in Wisconsin. Will it ever haul a race car again? Hope so.