An update on SHUTDOWN
Since 2013 was the 50th anniversary of the release of this Beach Boys hit, its time to shed some light on the history behind the song. Shutdown was inspired by an actual race, held on a road in the oil fields of San Pedro, California. One of my past co-workers went to Hawthorne High School with Al Jardine and Brian & Dennis Wilson of Beach Boys fame. Al and Brian went with Don, (my co-worker) to San Pedro to race. This was late 62, as the song was recorded January 5, 63. A 62 Dodge Dart 413 Max Wedge went up against a 63 Corvette Stingray, which very likely was Dennis Wilsons car. (63 fuel-injected 4-speed Stingray) -see the album cover of Shutdown Vol. 2". AT THE TOP OF EACH GEAR, THE MAX WEDGE WAS POPPING & BACKFIRING. THE PROBLEM WAS LATER TRACED TO A CRACKED COIL TOWER. Brian wrote a song about the race, and as they say the rest is history. I hope this bit of real history puts to rest any doubt about a Max Wedges Ram Induction proven ability to move down the quarter-mile quicker than a Corvette with a fuel-injected engine sittin under the hood and My Stingray is light the slicks are starting to spin, but the 413s really diggin in (sounds like a holeshot for the Dodge!!) So, when your Chevy friends heckle you about the MOPAR that got shutdown, tell them the real story.
Note: song lyrics in "quotes
P.S.-The next week there was a re-match between the Max Wedge & the Vette. With a new ignition coil, the Max Wedge beat the Vette by 2 car-lengths.
I just wanted to set the record straight by revealing historic facts that somehow have been omitted from American musical culture. Based on a personal account from an eyewitness (Don, my co-worker), the BBC documentary Dennis Wilson, The Real Beach Boy and the Beach Boys website.
www.thebeachboys.com
Bryan Harris
FEEL FREE TO MAKE COPIES OF THIS TO SPREAD THE WORD TO THE MOPAR COMMUNITY
Since 2013 was the 50th anniversary of the release of this Beach Boys hit, its time to shed some light on the history behind the song. Shutdown was inspired by an actual race, held on a road in the oil fields of San Pedro, California. One of my past co-workers went to Hawthorne High School with Al Jardine and Brian & Dennis Wilson of Beach Boys fame. Al and Brian went with Don, (my co-worker) to San Pedro to race. This was late 62, as the song was recorded January 5, 63. A 62 Dodge Dart 413 Max Wedge went up against a 63 Corvette Stingray, which very likely was Dennis Wilsons car. (63 fuel-injected 4-speed Stingray) -see the album cover of Shutdown Vol. 2". AT THE TOP OF EACH GEAR, THE MAX WEDGE WAS POPPING & BACKFIRING. THE PROBLEM WAS LATER TRACED TO A CRACKED COIL TOWER. Brian wrote a song about the race, and as they say the rest is history. I hope this bit of real history puts to rest any doubt about a Max Wedges Ram Induction proven ability to move down the quarter-mile quicker than a Corvette with a fuel-injected engine sittin under the hood and My Stingray is light the slicks are starting to spin, but the 413s really diggin in (sounds like a holeshot for the Dodge!!) So, when your Chevy friends heckle you about the MOPAR that got shutdown, tell them the real story.
Note: song lyrics in "quotes
P.S.-The next week there was a re-match between the Max Wedge & the Vette. With a new ignition coil, the Max Wedge beat the Vette by 2 car-lengths.
I just wanted to set the record straight by revealing historic facts that somehow have been omitted from American musical culture. Based on a personal account from an eyewitness (Don, my co-worker), the BBC documentary Dennis Wilson, The Real Beach Boy and the Beach Boys website.
www.thebeachboys.com
Bryan Harris
FEEL FREE TO MAKE COPIES OF THIS TO SPREAD THE WORD TO THE MOPAR COMMUNITY
