On the Turntable: Brett Moore’s NASCAR Grand National 1959 Plymouth and 1956 Ford

Welcome to On the Turntable, our story series showcasing the vehicles that are on display on the rotating turntables inside our Retail Super Stores in Tallmadge, Ohio; McDonough, Georgia; and Arlington, Texas.

When you’re the son of a NASCAR Grand National racing great—like Brett Moore is—you’re bound to end up with a passion for the industry and a nostalgic appreciation for the vehicles that define the sport. Especially if your dad is Bob Moore and those vehicles include a 1959 Plymouth and a 1956 Ford that ran in Grand National competition back in the day. 

After a lengthy racing career that lasted from the early 1960s to the mid 1980s, Bob Moore and longtime friend and team race car builder, Stewart Seymore, purchased and rebuilt several of Moore’s Grand National and short track dirt cars. The Plymouth and the Ford were their favorites of the eight cars the duo rebuilt as a tribute to the many people that helped Bob Moore during his racing career.

Brett Moore recalls, “He and Stewart Seymore located them and rebuilt them from the ground up. They were in terrible shape. Today you can eat your dinner off the hood.”

The “Big Plymouth” with its 383 c.i.d. big block was also apparently a favorite of Richard Petty, who called it “one of the fastest race cars in the South in its time.” The King later penned his signature on the driver’s side roof in honor of the owners and drivers that built the car. Brett Moore was in attendance at this event and spoke with Petty personally about the vehicle.

“At the Byron-Middle Georgia Raceway Reunion a few years back, Mr. Petty attended and spoke with us about the Plymouth and how it was to race," Brett explained. "He spoke highly of the car that dad had rebuilt, was sorry to hear of dad’s passing, and autographed it on the spot. Nice man.”

Petty was one of many big-name competitors that raced against Bob Moore in his twenty-plus year career that included 10th place finishes in the 1968 Dixie 500 and the 1968 Augusta Speedway 250. Moore also raced with Bobby and Donnie Allison, Cale Yarborough, Buddy Baker, David Pearson, and Wendell Scott.

The 1956 Ford, or as Brett Moore jokingly refers to it, the 55.5, was originally owned by Buddy Green and Hughie Hammock. It was rebuilt in a style that makes determining an exact model year a topic of endless debate.

“The front end (from the firewall forward) is actually the front end of a 1955 Ford," Brett said. "From the firewall back, it's actually a 1956 Ford body. As I understand it, the only difference in the two years of Ford producing this car was some extra chrome on the '56. Since race cars of the day removed all the "extras," it is my understanding that many race cars in the late '50's and '60s were built something like this.” 

The rebuild also included installation of a replica 289 c.i.d. Ford V8 and painstakingly exact hand painted lettering and numbers.

Brett Moore continues to honor the legacy of his father as a member of the National Vintage Racing association—an organization founded by Bob Moore and Stewart Seymore in the mid 1990s.

“Really a bunch of fine people that love to share stories of cars, tracks, and friends. They also like to go really fast, sitting in a roll cage and turning left” says Moore with a laugh. “It’s great fun getting out there with many of dad's racing friends and letting people remember his cars.”

After all, whether you’re a professional or a novice, in the words of Bob Moore you just “pull the harness tight and the gas is on the right.” Then hang on and go.

For more information on the National Vintage Racing Association visit NVRAracing.org or connect directly on the NVRAracing Facebook page.