Modified was a cool class. It was powered by high winding small blocks a few big blocks and a few VW's w/ clutches most had 2x4s ,ported heads,any compression, kind of a back half car.It used to run on national records for the handicap start but later went to an index system. Finally got to be an expensive class and was replaced by super gas. I still miss it.

 

Actually it was just added to the Comp Eliminator class so those cars would have a place to continue to race ( Had several Modified eliminator cars and thats when I went into Comp)....Super gas was a new class by itself....

 

The 55's were long gone when I was interested in the class(70's).By then it was little pro stock motors in heavy Camaro's running E thru H/MP.There were almost no limits on engine mods so it was a very expensive class and hard on drivetrain components.

 

Bob Mortons Pizza Hut Car 1980 Camaro

 

Basically it was a weight to cubic inch class, sorry I can't remember what the breaks were though. It was also run on national records for each individual class I.E. A/MP, B/MP etc. During the course of the race day you raced heads up against class cars and then for the "ELIMINATOR" you ran against the other classes and either took or gave the index spot. We ran a '55 210 chev. W/a Pontiac/Olds rear that was school bus yellow in the early sixties with a 331 C.I. SBC
4 speed MUNCIE and until we could afford G/Y Bluestreak slicks we ran "ATLAS BUCRON" tires. The car had a fibreglass hood and fenders and was classified as a C/MP class car and ran somewhere in the 12 second zone as I recall. Won't swear to it but I believe that was it. It did get expensive though since you ran against a national index and there was always someone willing to spend more than the next guy just like Pro Mod today.
Hope I helped and didn't confuse the issue.

Bob Blasi
BLASI Racing

 

bob morton was one of, if not the best driver i have ever witnessed. he was brutal, but he got every last hundreth out of what ever he was driving. he was one of my idols as a kid, along with dale ruff and ernie bridger. when i went to canada to purchase someday lady, linden bodnard, the previous owner, could only talk about bob morton and his rpm display at the us nationals.

 

Yeah, Bob is a Long time good freind, and your right. He is into Stock Car Stuff now, and is where RCR got Clint Bowyer from. BME engines in Independence Mo. He still does all my work.

 

Below is a pretty cool story about Modified Production. What's really cool is that Mike Edwards was the last Modified Production Champion 1981 and now is your new current 2009 Pro Stock Champion.

http://www.competitionplus.com/index.php/drag-racing/feature-stories/1490?task=view

 

Below is a pretty cool story about Modified Production. What's really cool is that Mike Edwards was the last Modified Production Champion 1981 and now is your new current 2009 Pro Stock Champion.

http://www.competitionplus.com/index.php/drag-racing/feature-stories/1490?task=view[/QUOTE]

Pretty cool article! I guess Mike was the man back then and is the man again right now.

 

Here is a great thread with many famous cars from Modified Production. Great look at some grass roots drag racing nostalgia!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=348502

 

awesome links. when i get done loading all these pics up i'll post a few, probably take some guys back. the photos are from 69-around 74 or so.

 

I used to build Dick Moroso s MP engines in the early 1970s. Worked @ a Shop in Nitro,W.Va. called Jim Minnick Entp.[during my yrs of college] Jim and Dick had a working relationship @ the time. If you look on the rear quarter panel of the Vett in the Moroso catalog you can see the Minnick sticker. Jim was an NHRA top gas [another long lost class] who held records and won the nationals when held in Tulsa. Dicks engines were approx 292 cu. ins. I could go on, but those were the days. I am 60 yrs now,Jim and Dick are gone from this world,questions like these bring back memories and good thoughts.

 

You really should check out this link then inJalopy Journal. It has a few pics of Moroso's M/P Vette.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=348502

My family's E/MP 69 Firebird ran against Dick a few times. I distinctly remember running Moroso in 73 or 74 at the US Nationals in Indy, and we redlighted against Dick. The old Moody, Jones, and Dougherty Firebird is also shown in this link. My stepfather, Sam Jones, still builds racing engines at 71 years old, mostly for sprint and midget teams, but other types of racing as well under the business name, Jones Engineering in Washington, Indiana.

 

Modified eliminator was a weight per cubic inch class had everything you could imagine running in it. Think I still have several old rule books. I think I got almost every year from 67 or so to 86? would have to look to be sure. My dad ran G/MP it was 13.5 pounds per cubic inch. We won the 1980 US nats and the 81 Cajun nats. When NHRA did away with modified some of it went to comp and some went to superstock while some were just eliminated all together. Sure miss those days!!

 

also in the early years it was run off the national records but in the latter years they went to an index system G/MP was a 10.95 index

 

292 in a '55 was 11.20's @124 in early 70's , Alex had it on the cover of national dragster a few times

Pea Green '55