Last week I went to look at a 1920's Essex coupe which was parked in a barn in western NY and came across the vintage drag race car, stock class, 1952 Studebaker coupe called "The Maggot" once owned by Pete Megal of WNY. It was a pretty popular car and won many race's. He also ran in the Indy nationals placing 2nd in M class. He ran at many WNY and southern Ont track as well as Englishtown NJ and others. He drove the car to all the race's, then raced the car. He had a big part in a protest for more prize money at Niagara Dragway which forced the track to close for a year.
When I walked by the stude in the barn it had a look like it wanted to launch from where it has sat for the last 10 years. It was stored 20 years before that. It wanted out of the barn and I could tell, it seemed to ask me why I was going to look at that old tin can when "The Maggot" was right there, (cocky as ever). Anyway I looked it over and found a no rust complete 52 stude with home built wheel well headers, homemade traction bars, holes drilled in the rear wheel wells, and many other tricks to lighten it up. Last ran about 8/10 years ago. When the owner told me about the car and the paperwork to prove it I bought it.
So, I am looking for any info, stories and pictures of the car. What I would like to do is collect as much as I can on the car and owners history. I have taken many picture so far and plan on photo documenting all the tricks Pete used on the car. I am taking it to local drag racer Kirk Perry to see about getting it running and will post pictures when I can. Balonybob
When I walked by the stude in the barn it had a look like it wanted to launch from where it has sat for the last 10 years. It was stored 20 years before that. It wanted out of the barn and I could tell, it seemed to ask me why I was going to look at that old tin can when "The Maggot" was right there, (cocky as ever). Anyway I looked it over and found a no rust complete 52 stude with home built wheel well headers, homemade traction bars, holes drilled in the rear wheel wells, and many other tricks to lighten it up. Last ran about 8/10 years ago. When the owner told me about the car and the paperwork to prove it I bought it.
So, I am looking for any info, stories and pictures of the car. What I would like to do is collect as much as I can on the car and owners history. I have taken many picture so far and plan on photo documenting all the tricks Pete used on the car. I am taking it to local drag racer Kirk Perry to see about getting it running and will post pictures when I can. Balonybob