Informal survey for oldtimers February 06, 2022 12:07PM
Survey for people who were around in the '80s and before:

What were your favorite legacy Super Stock and Modified classes (meaning 5,7,9.12 SS and 5,7,9,mod and 12 open. For purposes of this informal survey, the 12 open is grouped in with mods).

Personally- for the SS, it would be either the 5 or 12. If I had to choose, it would be the 12 SS. What a great class back in the day!

For mods, I feel like the 9 mod was the best balance. Almost all the mods that ran the 12 open ran the class, and some of the mods that were tough in the 7 mod but didn't run the 12 were competitive in the 9.

What were your favorite legacy SS and mod classes?
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 06, 2022 02:51PM
I'll fit this poll pretty good,and give some reasoning for my answers.
For ss I'm gonna make 2 choices
The 5 ss,because it had the most colors and the closest models that were used near me geographically meaning everyone in my county and adjoining county's has driven a few of the models.all brands were represented too,and both fuels

Next choice is the 9 ss,the 9 had 400 series motors,with larger frames,with 9 out of 10 were deere,ac,ih,not many fords,and very few mm..

Mods I'm picking the 5 and 9.5 had 1-2 engines with a home builder thought process for the most part.

The 9 had anything and everything.

Pulling should have stayed with 2 weights for the small frame tractors,and 2 weights for the large frame tractors.in the early mid 80s when the 400 series motors got in the 7 as that killed the 5 class imedantly,most 5s would hook the 7 and be somewhat competitive,but when the 400 series got in they had no chance,and wouldnt travel for 1 hook,,would you ??.same kinda thing happened to mods,just took a few years longer.

If I had my way the ss would be 5500/300 series motors/370ish cubes.

And 7500 any block available in a twd 540 cu in
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 06, 2022 11:31PM
My opinion was, and still is, the heavier the class the better.......back then, that is.
I liked to see them strain going down the track, as far as "straining" goes , of course.
Now a days, it's not so much about pulling, but I liked the heaviest classes back in the 80's, but that's just me.
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 02:18PM
Quote
patches
The 5 ss,because it had the most colors

One brand I never saw pull live is a Wards SS. It would be cool to hear one of those flathead chryslers.

I remember seeing a type of tractor called a Leyland in an ole Puller mag. Not sure what those even were.
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 04:47PM
Quote
The Original Michael

The 5 ss,because it had the most colors


One brand I never saw pull live is a Wards SS. It would be cool to hear one of those flathead chryslers.

I remember seeing a type of tractor called a Leyland in an ole Puller mag. Not sure what those even were.
At one time I owned a version of those tractors.
By today's standards they were a component tractor,and 100 percent legal.i believe a few ntpa pulls were won by those type of tractors,once again in the 5 ss class
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 05:35AM
I'm not an old-timer, meaning I was born in 2005, but I've been around the block a couple of times. I feel the 5 ss had the most colors, and I like the 7 ss because the heavy and the light tractors could each balance out and be competitive against each other. For the mods, more engines=more fun.
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 06:34AM
I have watched pulling for 45 yrs, pulled myself for about forty. My best pulls were ones I won unexpectedly, or over much bigger engines, or made a full pull with just perfect speed, power, weighted right and won by a huge distance. Having said that, by best experiences watching are also similar types pulls where the class winner is extra special awesome pulls compared to others in the class, with just the right combinations of speed, weight placement and driving skills, sound under power being a factor as well.. A pull where the vehicle spins and doesn't achieve much ground speed and little distance is boring.but a 320 or 305 pull that makes "SHORT WORK" of it is best in my opinion, in any class, have witnessed some garden tractor type pulls the same caliber that were entertaining. HEAR THE POWER, FEEL THE NOISE !!!!!!!!!!!! An OLE ALUMINUM TANK V8 ENGINE in a homemade Mod did that sometimes local to my area, was a thrill to hear, unique sound, and Power, occasionally made a very hot run.
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 06:37AM
5500lbs super stock, more variety, all tractors had a chance to win, and most could weight up to the 7500lb class .
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 11:03AM
5500 SS hands down, would love to see the current class go back to 6000, would make for a far more interesting show and give a diesel a fighting chance. Think of Ross’s motor in the light class.
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 06:51AM
It still doesn't seem like it but I fit into the old timers category. When I was a kid I remember guys pulling in all different weight classes. Some families would even have a "light" tractor and a "heavy" tractor and the "light" pulled in the 5 and 7 classes (occasionally the 9) and the "heavy" tractor would run the 9 and 12 (and occasionally the 7).

I don't think I could have said it any better than patches did. I loved the 5000 or 5500 Superstock. I loved the smaller framed tractors, the 300 series motors and even the 4-cylinders that hooked in the class just filled that class with so much more variety. The only downside to the class were the sleds in those days... there were times when those heavy old weight transfers just didn't work well for that class because they started so hard out of the hole. It wasn't at every event but I do remember times when they just couldn't get things rolling like a modern sled can. That class is why I like the LLSS so much... it's mostly smaller framed tractors with great variety. It's also why I wish the LLSS was lighter... because the lighter it is the less HP becomes the main factor and the more setup and driving matter.

The 9500 super was always a great class, but it just lacked the variety of the LSS... however, it was the class that would occasionally attract a few National pullers and that was always a fun surprise.

The Light Mod here in Western New York (WNYTPA at the time) was a decent class, but all of those guys would also run in the heavier Mod class so it was almost more fun to see those guys jump up and still be competitive. Seeing a single engine Mod get in a pulloff with a 3-engined Mod was always fun.


Jake Morgan
Owner, PULLOFF.COM
Independent Pulling News


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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 07:45AM
I have also loved the lighter classes in both the SS and Mod. The color in the light SS class made it very exciting. And I love the lighter weight which makes it a real driver's class. However there's something to be said about those old Mod that ran 6/7 engines, really amazing stuff.


Dick Morgan

www.PULLOFF.com
Independent Pulling News
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 08:02AM
I always liked the heavy classes the best. The 22,000 open was a good show. Back before all the cookie cutter tractors.
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 09:10AM
FarmFest in Minnesota in the mid -to late 80'zzz,Mods at Lake Crystal, natural amphitheater for viewing, several Allisions pulled, were sorta interesting, -WAIT FOR IT, UNTIL THE Banter Bros, Yellow Banana hooked, More Power, More speed, More Sound, It Got Everyone's Attention !!!!! 6-7 engines can't remember, but the hook was out the end compared to the others. Love the sound of the big cubes and torque, but can't beat the rpms and efficiency of the automotive type. I remember it well, my young son watching with His grandpa, tried to inhale a whole Snickers candy bar and was joking.
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 09:27AM
-55 SS. Too much color, too much variety for it not to stand out.

The Mod class in all its' weight variances is a marvel. Slinging engines to move up in weight class at an event was hard work for the crews but a testament to the competitive nature of those pullers, it seems a foreign idea compared to the current, minimal variations in machines. I was a teenager at the height of those classes, seeing the 6 and 7 engine machines in person left a huge impression on me though I was a SS guy then.


Bryan Lively -

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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 11:53AM
Lyon mcvvay had supper banana. And if remember right he had two of thin just alike
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 11:58AM
Spell check sucks. Lyod mcvvay
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 12:54PM
I remember days when Danny Dean, John Klug, Tommy Dickerson, and The Bergs and others ran 7500 and 9500 SS and it was great competition. I liked the 7200 mod when Banter ran 4 and then added couple more to run the 9200.
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 01:16PM
Now you guys are working on me I was around all those guys when my dad pulled with them all in the 70s and 80s
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 12:56PM
Lloyd McVey, Super Banana, other tractor was Tiger something, can't remember. I love the smell of nitromethane,it smells like victory.

The red parade in heavier Super classes put a smile on my face. Solid Junk was solid entertainment,kept the competition on their toes.
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 07, 2022 02:08PM
Quote
EFV
Lloyd McVey, Super Banana, other tractor was Tiger something, can't remember. I love the smell of nitromethane,it smells like victory.

The red parade in heavier Super classes put a smile on my face. Solid Junk was solid entertainment,kept the competition on their toes.

Little Tiger. It ran through 1975 or so, then McVey dropped back to one tractor.
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Re: Informal survey for oldtimers February 08, 2022 03:31AM
I've been around pulling for 58 years....I always liked the 5 SS and the 12 SS classes plus the 5000 and 7000 Mods...
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