Pictures of the Super Pumpkin 57 Chevy under restoration

[martin-d]

I’ve just realized I own a piece of Super pumpkin, not from Billy’s day’s but from the Pete Devlin/Dave Mingay’s days. I bought & still have the front wheels as in the 2nd pic down, the Cragar S/T ‘s off Dave in the early ’80’s 😀

[dinoKeymaster]

Pete ,Raff & Ola NOW ODF Members …Shipping out a Box of Dover Goodies to Sweden TODAY …Including Nostalgia Drags Shirts .Watch for the little ‘surprises’ I packed guys !

[peter-lilja]

Hi Martin!

Really nice information, indeed. In our effort to bring Super Pumpkin back to the old specs, we are trying to source parts that belonged to her back then. Ola have found the rear axle, wich we thought was a ´57 Olds but according to Billy are supposed to be a ´57 Pontiac. Have to see if we got the wrong one or if it just was wrong info. Don´t know the difference between them. Must learn. So, here is the question to come: Are the wheels for sale? Send me a pm and let us know. Do you have any other information to share, please bring it on. We have no info at all from the Mingay´s days.

Take care // Peter

[dinoKeymaster]

This is Funny…Europe talking to Europe on DDS.com 😉

[patinaParticipant]

Peter to the best of my knowledge a 57 Pontiac has leaf springs (I have one here in front of me) and a 57 Olds has coil springs. The center sections are the same and interchangeable, 29 tooth splines I think. The axle lengths MAY be the same I can look it up. The Pontiac housing is what you want it virtually bolts in. The more desirable 59-64 Olds/Pont center section is a 31 spline with thicker axles and can be shortened to fit a 57 housing. Hope this helps. If you have any questions just e-mail.

Pat

[martin-d]

quote Peter Lilja:

Hi Martin!

Really nice information, indeed. In our effort to bring Super Pumpkin back to the old specs, we are trying to source parts that belonged to her back then. Ola have found the rear axle, wich we thought was a ´57 Olds but according to Billy are supposed to be a ´57 Pontiac. Have to see if we got the wrong one or if it just was wrong info. Don´t know the difference between them. Must learn. So, here is the question to come: Are the wheels for sale? Send me a pm and let us know. Do you have any other information to share, please bring it on. We have no info at all from the Mingay´s days.

Take care // Peter

Hi Peter
If you are now going to return it to Bill’s period then these are not the wheels for you, if you look at the pics, the ’72 pic shows what appear to be Centerlines on the front (single bolt pattern). The car appears to have come to the UK with slot mags on the front, then the pics of when Pete Devlin ran it ,it is running the Cragars I have (dual bolt pattern), so guessing Pete might have put them on. Steve (plumpcars) should be able to tell you more of that time.
Heres another pic for you, from this thread on Super Pumpkin http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=1861

[dinoKeymaster]

Great Site Martin …I just Registered on It …Visit it Guys !

[billy-casey]

Patina is 100% correct … thats is the exact setup I used until I installed the summers axles and spool which was also 31 spline … the new weak link then became the driveshaft and trans … excelcior garage in mamaroneck , N.Y. made me a thick wall shaft and HD Ujoints and put in a super T-10 and the drive train problems were solved … Billy 😀 😀 😀

[billy-casey]

In later 72 I was running a modified VW … he crashed in front of me , when I hit the brakes hard at the top end I blew out both front Moroso tires and damaged both wheels . Crager was not making the single bolt patern any longer at that time … The duel patern Crager is the way I sold the car… Billy

[peter-lilja]

Hi guys!

Thanks to everyboby for the information. Pieces of the puzzle is coming together. The Pumpkin has evolved under a long period of time, so it´s sometimes hard to say what parts is right or wrong. We are now getting a bigger picture of it all. No matter what era, all information is highly valuable.

Thanks again // Peter

[anonymous]

I know that I built up a diff for the car with a set of streetable gears. What I can’t remember is if I put them into the original centre piece or whether Pete had obtained a spare one. I suspect that he had obtained a spare one and kept the spool set up as well. This means that I can’t say which diff was in the car when Pete sold it.
When Pete bought the car it had the dual hole wheels on although I think that Mullens ran it with slot mags on at one time. (It also had a Mopar motor in!)

[gramdog1Participant]

Hey Casey, a Mopar motor in your Chevy? Only thing worse could be a Ford. 😆 😆
Just ask Bossguy.

[billy-casey]

all you guys are macking me throw up 👿 👿 👿 😆 😆 😆

[anonymous]

Sorry Bill! 😳

The confusion with the rearend could be because over here we tended to refer to them as Olds/Pontiac, named from the centre section rather than the casings. We didn’t have as many of them about as you guys did although a number of racecars used them until the 9” gained popularity.

[kingsbolt]

Billy –

You mean all those nights grinding to make a crash box was all in vain ! Also no restoration would be complete without Mike’s and my name on the pit crew. Ha ! Ha !

Ron

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