Last time I was at a demo derby was in the 70s - and they were smashing up 50s and 60s cars. The surprise tough cars were Rambler Ambassadors, and 53-54 Chevys with the Blue Flame six that would run well after the radiators ran dry. The perpetual winning cars were 60-61 Fords and Mercurys. Not sure why, but the same guys would show up year after year with another Merc or Ford and win again. Of course they were good sandbaggers too, but stayed in it. Hardest hit I ever saw was a 64 Ford Galaxie vs. a 59 Ford Galaxie. Now these were whole cars, not bottomless messes like that "Trump" car. The 64 took a running reverse at the rear end of the 59, and bent the whole rear end straight up in the air. This was why the gas tanks had to be removed - the gas was in a beer keg where the back seat used to be. Amazingly the 59 kept going, and the 64 got hung up on one of the telephone poles that were used as a barrier... and he burned rubber for 5 minutes which obscured the whole arena and stunk up the place. Never saw a big Chrysler or Caddy do very well. Most often heat winners were those early 60s Fords and Mercs. I have a fairly decent 68 Monaco I've had almost 20 years - paint faded out a bit and it could use a refresh, but cars like that are popular to demo even when fairly clean. Back then they actually had rules - all glass and trim had to be removed, but "all crashes must be made in reverse" seems to be a cancelled rule because as far back as 1980, guys were deliberately front hitting. Also "no deliberate hitting of the driver's door". I think reinforcement was allowed for the driver's door for safety but nowhere else. And another rule... you catch fire and you're out. I witnessed a ridiculous indoor derby in which an Olds Toronado repeatedly caught fire, was put out, and continued. The thing was so badly officiated that cars were disqualified but not even told they were out - the arena was full of exhaust and smoke. I think it was October 1981 at Cincinnati's Riverfront Coliseum... home of the Who Concert Crush. Worst run fucking dump of a venue there ever was. Had multiple name changes and management changes. They disqualified cars because they "might damage the coliseum floor". I suppose they had a hockey game the day after they filled it with dirt and crashing cars. I don't want to see a derby with a bunch of plastic front wheel drive cars, but I don't want to see now-valuable 50s, 60s, or even 70s cars smashing up. Still - back then the derby was the only sport that ever caused me to lose my voice. I always rooted for the Chevys to beat the Ramblers, although the Fords prevailed anyway. Hard to scream for your favorite over all those V8s belching out of those iron manifolds... or straight out the heads once the manifolds get knocked off. Anyway thanks for the connection to my teenage years. I have some photos I took of the derbies in 1970, 71, and 72.
@@DemolitionMissions LOL, just realized this was your channel. Theres alot of old derbies you can find on youtube. My pictures were all polaroids and they fade to nothing over the decades. Can barely make out my 1963 ford. I replicated the car in the old DDF8 game , which ironically , plays exactly like an old stock derby.
i grew up in the derby life. now these days would waste my time or money. small tracks an bunch of other crap. now its like watching peeps look for a parking spot at walmart
I have been in this for 14 years I have one lost. I won the rest of them. Saturday was a muddy derby In Marshall Michigan I did good Next I have one behind my shop After that I am going to eagle days
I hear what your saying about those old Fords, gives new meaning to the saying "built ford tough", they still were inti the 80's & 90's , now you see derbies with 80's & 90's Lincoln Town Cars & Mercury Marquis, those cars are tough as nails! Alot of those old Chrysler Imperials from the 60's were basically "tanks" too.
It wasn’t really hitting much maybe the judges were tired of the bagging. Realistically the Lincoln was the hardest car out there. There’s no way the old iron was strong unless they were bought down south and I doubt anyone would be running clean old iron at a local fair
Not what I call stock. The last stock demo I was at, the cars were really stock. We broke the glass out of the cars, then put them on the track, oh and had to put a secondary gas tank in the back seat area, but that was all. That was stock. this is not stock to me.
