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Rusty Monday: Rusting Wasted Race Cars

These cars were once something. They were rubbed and polished and finessed to look good and run like stink. Now there is that sweet smell of decay. They’re rusting, wasted drag race cars. Quarter mile terrors for fun, entertainment, and a small profit, that are no longer wanted and needed. They’re too cut up to …

These cars were once something. They were rubbed and polished and finessed to look good and run like stink. Now there is that sweet smell of decay. They’re rusting, wasted drag race cars. Quarter mile terrors for fun, entertainment, and a small profit, that are no longer wanted and needed. They’re too cut up to restore back to original. Too expensive to be put back to their days of glory. Rust is their fate. Rusty Monday is their redemption.

So they sit and rust. That’s perfect Rusty Monday fodder. And let’s be honest; most racers never got rich from these escapades. So today their owners are probably not in any position financially to bring these race warriors back to their days of glory. So they sit. And rust.

Some will get discovered and brought back to their racing pinnacle. So they’re not destined for the scrap heap. Afterall, they’ve made it this far. So let’s see what time and a lack of money have wrought. 

1965 Plymouth Lightweight

Rusty Monday drag race warriors Plymouth | Facebook

We only got limited info on this drag race warrior. Competing in the Super Stock class this was a very special “lightweight” Belvedere sedan. The lightweight part was due to it having its doors, trunk lid, front fenders and hood acid dipped. From the factory. This ate away a certain amount of material to lighten them up.

And yes, it also made them much more delicate. Nonetheless, the weight reduction and 426 Hemi power made them potent on the quarter mile. Rare, highly desirable, and just plain cool, this one will ultimately see a full restoration to its former racing self.

1962 Corvette

Rusty Monday drag race warriors 1962 Corvette | Facebook

Many Corvettes saw strip action throughout the 1960s through the 1970s. This one looks to have been potent. Magnesium wheels, straight axle up front, and slicks sticking out in the rear, this was a strip terror. To lighten things up there are no bumpers, but there is a Moon tank peeking through the grille. We would guess and hope that this won’t be restored to its stock self but instead bring it to its apogee as a gasser or fuel altered monster. 

1967-69 Camaro

Rusty Monday drag race warriors Camaro | Facebook

This is rough. Fire was obviously not kind to this old Camaro. We’re unsure what this was as it is too involved to be anything from the late-1960s so we’re assuming it is a later Comp Eliminator or Pro Mod? At this point we’ll just say it was a Camaro drag car that burnt to a crisp. There’s a lot of work here that looks wasted.  

1967 Mustang Fastback

Rusty Monday drag race warriors Mustang | Facebook

The Sugar Shack II. Probably a local track terror but it looks like it was potent. That hole in the hood made room for some injector stacks? Or maybe a blower? The Cragars still look shiny and the paint doesn’t look that bad. Maybe this was retired recently? Who knows? We’d sure give it a shot at a second life either as a street racer or strip terror. It looks the part either way.

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