When you start talking about FE's and the golden years, the Total Performance Years, the all or nothing years, one of the names that will always pop up is Hubert Platt, a Southerner that was as tall and cool as a glass of sweet tea with a drawl that left no doubt as to his heritage. His story is well documented so what we are covering here is one of the many tribute cars built in his honor. This particular tribute replica is of his most iconic ride that first gained him national notoriety, an altered wheelbase, wheel standing '65 Ford Falcon, the "Georgia Shaker III" built by Sonee Hall and Kelvin Cannon. In October of 2015 one month after Hubert's passing Sonee approached Allen Platt, Hubert's son, with the vision of building a tribute car of his father's to race against his best friend Kelvin's tribute replica of Huston Platt's (Hubert's younger brother) '65 Fastback Chevy II, the "Dixie Twister." Allen enthusiastically agreed and the recreation of the Platt brothers famous grudge matches from the sixties began. After eight months of building the car was debuted at the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green, Kentucky in June of 2016. Now that the recreation was complete the plan was to have Allen and Rocky (Huston's son) in the driver seats to recreate their father's famous match races. It took over a year and two engines to get the Falcon dialed in, but in August of 2017 Allen took over driving duties and participated in exhibition match races against his cousin at the last five races of the Southeast Gassers Association's 2017 race season. These match races were a huge success with the fans and plans were underway for the 2018 season when unfortunately Sonee fell ill. As his heart condition worsened and he was put into Hospice care he sold the car to Allen with the understanding that his purpose of preserving drag racing history would continue. This season Allen has raced three of the first five SEGA races, but not without carnage, the sacrifices on the altar of speed have been a 4.11 ring and pinion at Shadyside Dragway in April and then the traction lock unit at Knoxville Dragway in June. Allen has since upgraded to a 4.56 gear and a lightweight spool which seems to have cured the problem of harnessing the power to the rear wheels. It's been a real dream come true for these two cousins to be able to recreate what their dads did over fifty years ago and a big treat for drag racing fans as well. There are no words to express the gratitude Rocky and Allen have for Kelvin and Sonee for making this dream a reality A little backstory on the progression that brought on the original car: in 1964 Hubert was one of the racers lucky enough to receive the 13th Ford Thunderbolt from the factory, but then in '65 was passed over for one of the new A/FX Falcons. Undeterred he began building a Falcon of his own in his single car basement garage. With the help of his partner, Larry Yates, they put a 427 with two fours in a virtually stock Falcon which still had its full interior. The car was named the "Smallest Georgia Shaker" and was a terror on the drag strip beating the factory sponsored cars. In mid 1965 the altered wheelbase craze was in full effect. Once again to keep pace with the factory Hubert returned to the basement garage to modify the Falcon even further. During the transformation the car received an altered wheelbase where the rear wheels were moved forward ten and half inches and the A-arm suspension was replaced with a straight axle front end two inches forward of its original center. The interior was gutted and a five point roll bar was installed. The 427 received a set of Hilborn injectors and was ran on alcohol and nitro. The recreation was named the "Georgia Shaker III." This car helped launch Hubert into super stardom giving him top billing at drag strips across the country..This car is a tribute to that incarnation , powered by a a 427 pushing 488 cid and drinking enough alcohol through Hillborn straws that it should be attending AA meetings. A set of Edelbrock heads topped by T&D rockers are being jacked by a .700+ Crane Cam roller bumpstick. A set of Dougs headers round out the go fast goodies. and play the song of horsepower so sweetly. Allen rows the gears with a Hightower 4 speed directing the ponies to a 9 inch rear. All this sums up to mid 6's at over a hundred in the eighth mile not shabby for a car based on 50 year old tech. Treat yourself to a amazing show checkout a
SEGA event and see Allen keeping the Platt name blazing down the track.
Editors note: My father was a fan of Huberts even attending one of his Drag Team classes in Florida in 1969. My entire life a picture of Pop and Hubert looking over the fender of Pops car has hung on the wall of the shop. for my dads 87th birthday I took him to Knoxville for the SEGA race and to see the car and meet Allen Platt .Allen was very kind and took time to listen to dads stories. it made his birthday. so a big thanks to him and his wife .
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| Pop Cain and Allen Platt |
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