For nearly half a century, there has been a story that the tail fins on a '59 Chevy can cause the rear end of the car to lift at speeds of 100 mph or so. The fins on the '60 model were re-designed to prevent this. I have heard this forever, but have never actually seen it or knew anybody who can claim first hand knowledge of this happening. We have all just accepted this as "Gospel" and I would like to know if there is any truth to this story.
The fins on a '59 chevy are nearly horizontal. They start at the center of the car and vee out toward the sides and overhang the sides by several inches. If you are interested, go to collectorcartrader.com and check the '59 out. they are different!
Well Harry, you might be right, however, that "59 that I posted the picture of is for sale for $24,500. I am curious about the myth, but I don't want to spend the money to find out you are wrong and I end up with a pile of twisted red metal. I can only hope that the boys with the big budget get curious and settle this for good. As I said, I have heard this story for years and years, even longer than the '65 Impala and the JATO rocket myth!!
I posted almost the exact same suggestion about 3 years ago, ive heard that there is actually a home video from 1959 or the early 1960s in which this happens. But i dont see how this is possible because I have also heard that once the back wheels are off the ground you loose control of the car, and at 120 (the speed this is supposed to happen at) it becomes a really nasty wreck that has even killed several people.
These wings are not going to create lift. Certainly not enough to pick up the back of this sled. The back third of that car probably weighs as much as a Festiva.
I can see the rear end of the car getting sloppy at 120 , if you could manage that speed , but I don't think it is so much a matter of lift .
Pulling a box trailer in a strong headwind will cause it to be buffeted as the air passes around and over it , there must be other posters here with that experience . Nearly all of the 59' Chevy's weight is made up of the front portion of the car . It had a stubby nose and a long sweeping tail which is mostly empty passenger and trunk space .
The only visible difference I could ever detect between a 59 and 60 Chevrolet , is the tear drop tail lights were replaced with three circular ones . The designers might have given it a stiffer suspension on the back , but I never looked underneath one to see .
Back in those days cars were redesigned every year, some years more than others, A 60 is simular to the 59, & the fins are not as pronounced, but 1960 was pretty well the end of the short-lived tailfin on all cars. One good reason for a redesign was that 1957 & 1959 were the only years that Ford outsold Chevy.
"These wings are not going to create lift. Certainly not enough to pick up the back of this sled. " quote Jeffbro He's right,------if otherwise than airplanes wouldn't need wings so large.
He came in fifth in the 1959 Daytona 500 driving a 1959 Chevrolet . I am sure the engine was modified and the body was stripped a bit , but for the most part they ran stock bodies.
If it was going to fly anywhere it would have taken off here for sure , these cars could run at 150 mph or better .
I still think it was probably a bear to steer but, one of his fans might might know if he had any remarks about the 59 Chevy's handling.
It should be noted that although the Pontiac and the Oldsmobile had vertical fins , the body symmetry was exactly the same , A driver who raced any two of these could tell you more .
Ummmm hey im new to posting things here but i hope i can start i new car idea here to yours. ok do u think its possible to get you car to fly up and have the front part of siting on a hydro post? i came across this picture and its really strange.
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He came in fifth in the 1959 Daytona 500 driving a 1959 Chevrolet . I am sure the engine was modified and the body was stripped a bit , but for the most part they ran stock bodies.
If it was going to fly anywhere it would have taken off here for sure , these cars could run at 150 mph or better .
It would definately have to be modified, the largest engine available was the 348 with triple carburetors rated at 315 HP. A stock one probably topped out at a little over a 100. The 409 was introduced in 1960.
He came in fifth in the 1959 Daytona 500 driving a 1959 Chevrolet . I am sure the engine was modified and the body was stripped a bit , but for the most part they ran stock bodies.
If it was going to fly anywhere it would have taken off here for sure , these cars could run at 150 mph or better .
It would definately have to be modified, the largest engine available was the 348 with triple carburetors rated at 315 HP. A stock one probably topped out at a little over a 100. The 409 was introduced in 1960.
My grandmother had a 1969 Mercury Marquis with either a 454 or a 460 (same as my great grandfather's '63 Continental), and it could do 120 easily, but, at the time, there were few roads in the area that you could accelerate to that speed.
To put this in its proper perspective it will probably create a myth unto itself .
I tried to get solid specifications for an old school modified hot rod Ford flat head V8 from the late 30's
The best hit I got ( because everyone treats it like a trade secret ) were the specs for an 85hp flat head v8 completely modified , bore and stroke changed custom oversized pistion and rings and modifications to the head and probably a few other things he did not bother to write , produced approximately 335 hp
The modern record is held , by a 1938 supercharged flat head v8 with the works, overhead cam etc , that produces 700 hp and has a top speed of 300 mph .
I know technically Stock cars ( because it was not Nascar yet ) were supposed to be more or less stock, but you can bet even your 348 would have been " special " and probably had more horses than met the eye .
Giving a 409 to a gear head in 1959 to modify would have made him more happy than the gifts from all the holidays combined I bet .
