Modifiers' History
the short version... page 1of 2
(click on the highlighted areas for photo's from the past)
The Philadelphia Modifiers, established in the spring of 1955, by a group of local rodders. Some were members of Hell's Angels Car Club, a hard core group who's only acceptable paint job was (PRIMER). There is a story told of a rodder with a 36 Ford that had a beautiful peach paint job who repainted it in "hotrod primer" (dark gray) to join. They met at Rose Auto Parts store at Rising Sun and Wyoming St. in Germantown from 1949 to 1954. The club was run informally in the beginning with the President often acting as secretary and treasurer. Club rules were you must be 18 yrs. old to join, your car must be at least 20 yrs old (which established our early iron format). The NSRA establishing the pre. 49 format which was then adopted by the club. The club elected officers a President, Vice- President, Secretary/Treasurer at first. Secretary and a treasurer along with a Public Relations officer which became the MASRA Representative in 1983.
The first president was Charlie Wise who with four or five others organized the club, (it is said he voted himself in). As an old member, Charlie, was the heart and soul of the Modifiers till his death at age 32 in 1964. A logo of a(red) flat head 27 Ford Roadster modeled after Charlie Wise 's car, with Philadelphia on top and Modifiers underneath shown in script letters (shown in the picture below). Club plaques were made up and presented to members if they had running cars (still presented today).
Charlie's
car lives on..
Rodder also raced their cars at local drag strips. Drag strip like the 1/8 mile in Hatfeild and Langhorne or at Convair Field in Allentown Pa. Later at the 1/4 mile of Vargo in eastern PA or Atco and Vineland NJ.. Most of the car were dual purpose. a few were race only.
Shortly after organizing we moved into a garage built in the 1920's, in the Frankford section at 4249 1/2 Orchard Street, Philadelphia Pa 19124 Ph #742 9939. It was only accessible through a narrow alley way thus the 1/2 in it's address. The club paid ninety five dollars a month rent in 1975. This is where members constructed many Hot Rods (as they were known back then) as well as race cars. Cars like MY SIN a 32 Ford powered by a 313 cu. in. blown flathead owned by (T.G.) Tony Tierno. A 34 Ford Cpe with a rear engine Olds or the competition coupe owned by Ray and George Bowers. It was powered by a 346 cu. in Olds fitted with a 671 blower which was crank driven. They established the class record in 1961 at Petersburg Va. drags turning a 10:56 at 155.6 mph. The record still stands because the class was later dropped. The "Bowers Boys" are still active (very active) members of the Modifiers.
In 1977 the garage burned down, several street rods and most of the clubs tools and equipment were destroyed in the fire.
