Historical TECH: Mooneyham & Sharp 554 Fuel Coupe!

I'll start out by saying this is one of my favorite Hot Rods or all time. Call it a Hot Rod, early gasser, Fuel Coupe or whatever it is part of the history of hot rodding.



Without a doubt Gene Mooneyham's "554" 34 Ford Coupe was the king of late 50's early 60's fuel Coupes. The 554 actually began life as a 34 Sedan, owned by Gene mooneyham and Carl Johnson running the dry lakes in 1951. A year or so later the sedan body was traded in for a Coupe body, and at Bonneville ran a 127.29 with a Flattie.

As far as its early drag days go, they ran as high as 133.60 mph at Saugus and also ran strong at Famoso, Long Beach and Santa Ana. Its was chopped 3 1/2" for its drag days by Carl Johnson, who gave up partial ownership in 1959 when the Flattie blew.

Thats when Al Sharp jumped in and with one of his famous Chrysler Hemi's. It was a 1951 Chrysler 331 jumped up to a 390 fed by a nitro mix of 60 to 70 percent. Inside was a Clay Smith 284-model cam and Forgedtrue pistons.On top was a GMC 6-71 Blower fed by Enderle injection. A Sharp Engineering Flywheel and Schiefer Clutch brought power to the wheels.



The Chassie was built 1927 Franklin Sreering Box, and a 1937 LaSalle tranny. The front axle sported a 4 inch dropped axle with 1940 Ford Spindles, Brakes were 56 Lincoln Drums, naturally for the rear only! The wheels are of course Halibrands adorned by 8.20x15" M&H slicks. The rear axle was a Halibrand quick change center section with a Cook Spool.




Speeds really took off with the Sharp Hemi, 148 in 1960 to its best run of 8.91 seconds at 170.77 mph!!!



The coupe was sold in 1963 for the princley sum of $3,500 to Emmit Smith. It ran as the " Freeman and Son" Coupe starting in 1964.



Years later it was restored and became an instant hit on the nostalgia racing circuit. It was bought by Jerry Moreland and then donated to te Garlits Museum were it sits today.



Hoped you enjoyed this short historical essay - please by all means feel free to post additional pictures or info you have on this historically significant Hot Rod!

 

Love that car!

Got to see it run when jerry Moreland was taking it to Garlits museum. They stopped at a nostalgia race a Firebird here in Phx.

Did a full pass, just like the old days. Smoked the slick for morer than half track!

What a memorable day. Beautiful car.


jerry

 

There are some very early pictures of 554 on this site, when it still had fenders:
http://www.gassermadness.com/norms/Coupe-Sedan/index.html

 

That coupe ruined my life. When I worked at Mooneyham Blowers I got to hear plenty of stories from Gene and the Driver Larry Faust. I can remember when I saw a picture of the 554 in an old Hot Rod magazine in high school it was love at first sight. One of my all time favorite cars.
Jimmy White

 

Heres the one with fenders - THANKS!!!

 

Would love to hear from our own Slickmick - his father is the one and only Al Sharp!!

 

That is the ultimate drag car, thanks for the history lesson. Matt

 

Thanks for the History lesson. Good stuff!!

 

Anyone have any more info to share on the "554"

 

Pictures

 

And then there were the cars that were influenced.

 

Super info Levis!! Not to go O/T but on the Gasser madness it shows a pic of the So-Cal Coupe and it said the car was crashed and Alex's son in law was klilled in it??? Never heard/knew it was crashed.....BTW Sweet pics from that link thanks 22 Track!!

 

A big THANK YOU Levis for the wonderful overview of the old 554. It was, is the most ass-kicking '34 I've ever seen. I would live to see it again one day, outside the museum and smoking on down the quarter-mile.

Now, I've got a question, which seems appropriate for this post. What ever happened to Jerry Moreland, listed as one of the previous owners of the 554? I know that quite some time ago he had Tom Vogele build him the "World's Fastest '40 Ford Sedan." And it was fast. But, after that I don't think I ever saw or heard from him again. Anybody know?

 

Maybe Slick Mick could fill us in

 

When Freeman bought the 554 he went into partnership with Press Bailey. It ran under Freman and sons/ Press and sons. the car was a reck when it got to our place. It was kept the same color and #. You just had to keep the tradition going. Damon Fudge drove the car most of the time. That coupe seldom lost,.
Fudge drove a couple of other cars for my dad also. I came here looking for pictures., still looking.

 

Great piece and photos.

Many thanks for posting.


In the pic with fenders, was the car yellow?

And perhaps was numbered 25 on the door in big letters?

There was a similar full fendered coupe numbered 25 that ran San Fernando in the late 50's.
Chrysler engine, seemed like it turned right around 125.

I remember Moon discs instead of the recording flat discs.

The top chop on 554 is just right.
Perfect for a five window on the street - or strip for that matter.

I wonder too how the number came about?
Luck of the draw, an assignment or does it mean something in particular?

Again, good stuff....

 

The 554 came from the lakes, that was the number it was assigned. When Gene went to repaint it, (the metallic blue) The numbers were still visible, so they decided to just re-paint the 554 back on. I got to hear alot of stories of the 554 from Gene and Larry, It was an amazing car and Larry Faust was an amazing driver! I sure had a good time working at Mooneyham Blowers, One of the reasons I went to work there, was so I could get a good history lesson.
Jimmy White
Jimmy White

 

The best thing Ive read on here today! Thanks man.

 

Great history lesson, thanks for posting.

Saint

 

INCREDIBLE thread!!
The 554 is one of, if not the baddest 34 coupe.....period!

Thanks for taking the time to post this.

Tony

 

Everytime i go to Gartlits i literally just stand & stare at that car in amazement. The history behind that car is mindblowing and the overall presence just gives me the chills which not too many cars do...that coupe just flat out f@cking rules!!

 

The famed 554 car will be on display at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum for the exhibit opening of the 75th Anniversary of the 1933-34 Ford Model 40. Exhibit opens Jan. 23 and runs through June 2009. Other legendary hot rods on display include the Pierson Bros. coupe, SO-CAL Speed Shop Coupe, California Kid, Jake's coupe, and the Eliminator Coupe.

 

wow, thanks for posting, thats gotta be one of my all time favoites.

 

perfect balance of form and function

 

I got to see that car in person at the garlits museum, it is a truly stunning car.
I would love to have seen it blasting down the track.
I had heard the story before of the numbers showing through after paint,if a car ever had soul this would be it!
nice post!

 

Wow! Thanks for the magazine pages Kev. Had not seen that before. Gene's coupe wasn't one of my favorite race cars, it is my all time favorite race car. I followed Gene and the coupe all over So Cal in '62 and '63 when he was defending his #1 Jr. Eliminator spot. Jr. Eliminator was for cars 9 sec. and above. Gene knew it would run deep in the 8's, but also knew just how to detune it, and Larry knew just how to drive it to run consistent 9.0's. The only sad thing to me is that the coupe wound up in Florida. It is a west coast car, and should be in the NHRA museum here in Ca. But, at least it's alive and well.

Here is a drawing I did in '63 when I was supposed to be paying attention in drafting class.

 

One great hot rod!