This is a photo of The Aborigine! A Jr. Fueler driven by my friend Tim Lent. This car won the UDRA meet at Lion's a couple of weeks prior to Bakersfield- and numerous meets between 12/65 and 5/66. Tim Lent, Vaughn Raviart and crew worked their way through the entire field at the '66 Fuel & Gas Championships and made the finals. Tragically, the showdown between The Aborigine and Les Allen's outstanding Stinger (a dragster defeated numerous times by the Aborigine) never happened. A careless mishap, while pushing the vehicle back to the pits, damaged the Aborigine's front end beyond quick repair. This trophy is likely either for runner-up or for 'top speed' set at the meet for this eliminator class? The Aborigine's records set in May '66 for E.T. and top speed were only bested while Tim was serving in Viet Nam later that year. A nice overview of this important yet nearly forgotten Jr. Fueler can be found in the August '66 issue of DRM. I am very interested in any info or photos of this dragster- including this one!
This is a Jr Fuel car that Ed Allison and I ran while we were in high school. Chassis was built by Walt and Rudy Bier, 120" wheelbase.
There is a nice account of you guys in the 5/6/66 issue of Drag News. I'm guessing you have a copy or 2. My buddy Tim Lent driving The Aborigine beat Standard Electric in the Jr. Fuel finals that night with an 8.14. Your 8.27 that weekend was a screamin' time for April 66 that likely would have won on almost any night that summer- strong work!
Gustin & Kramer Jr. fuel dragster. Around 1968-69 Lions Dragstrip Possibly taken Photo by Les Welch Driver Fred Kramer Crew Chief Jerry Gustin
The last comment on page 6 about Can anyone name this one? about Gustin & Kramer Jr. Fuel Dragster should appear on page 3 next to the picture that asks Can anyone name this one? Sent from Windows Mail
Larry Downs in the Downs & Hexemer car in about '69 at Niagara Dragstrip. Also, the Downs and Hexemer car in 1968 in a friend's driveway. Then the car in the staging lanes at Niagara in 1969 with Corky Hibbard, Fred Hexemer and Larry Downs.
These were the day's when drivers put on a REAL SHOW for the fans. Maybe that is what is missing today with all the electronics driving the cars and telling it when to shift and when to do just about everything else. I think all the Nostalgic races going on around the country that race cars from the 60's with NO ELECTRONICS are really on to something and they put on a GREAT SHOW!! Just my opinion. Jimbo
Thanks Marty, I guess there has been more water under the bridge than I remember!!! BTW--what class was Busby's twin motored car running in? Visited the Sanders boys pit a few times at Bako with their nostalgia car, nice guys.
Busby briefly ( very ) ran the car in top fuel, with two DOHC Ford Indy car motors. He got them cheap when they banned them from Indy competition, sold them back for BIG bucks a few weeks later when USAC reinstated them.
this is our dragster,(near lane) the best we can tell it's from 1964-1965, it had a baby olds rearend in it. I've heard various stories about it, but can't confirm any of them. it's a 140" W.B.and the only additions were the extra bars in the cage, other than that it's all exact copy from the old car.right down to the scoop.(had too many repairs to fix) it's on alky with a carburetor, bunch of junk thrown together, it runs consistent 8.15- 8.20 @ 165-168 MPH depending on the weather. Hoping to get educated,and run some nitro in it next year.. Danny's speed shop, duplicated,and improved the chassis.
Kerry, sorry, I'm not too knowledgeable on the subject. You might pm Marty Strode, he's up on these kind of things.
Just noticed this topic . Really love old jr fuelers . When I ran in the 60s it was the least expensive way to go fast . Mine was a 427 big block Chevy . In the east coast we ran 3 lb / ci rather than 310 ci . Internally all Chevy except for cam and pistons but plenty of massaging . Nitro was $3.40 a gallon . 3.78 flathead rear with mag banjo and Buick axles with Mercury axel gears . The challenge was to get the nitro to release it's oxygen with the limited cylinder pressure in an unblown engine . All the cr you could get . Decks milled till the heads and valves left marks on the pistons . Learned later that Gene Adams secret was pistons with very thick domes and get them as hot as possible before the run . This photo was at Island Dragway . http://www.motorsportsinnovations.com/Bvile-pics/bs-fed-1969.gif
Another great find that somehow I missed over the years. That was a spectacular class and your pictures of the machines is really appreciated. Thumbs up.
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