Sorry...it still is. How fast has it been ? I don't recall its speed/ET at Hot Rod reunions that it went to while Mike was still alive to tune it. Pretty sure it went a bit lower than the 9 second bracket. I know it had some "teething" problems, but I also know it was pushing the air pretty hard too. Mike
The 554 ran 172 at 8.92 in 1963. In the 80's, with modern tires and slipper clutch, Gerry Steiner drove it over 180 in the 8.30's. I personally watched Gene and Larry defend the No.1 spot on the 1320 Jr. Eliminator list at tracks all over California for over a year. There was no fuel coupe, or roadster, that could run with it. While the 15oz. coupe certainly is badass in appearance, it never came close to that blue '34 in performance.
it was neat to get instructions on how to leak down a barrel valve an learn about pills, etc from a hero like Ronny Hampshire and friends...
here is the result of chasing the short wheelbase altereds… I hope to have it on the track this coming spring... with 20/20 hindsight, I should have had a partner... this stuff is to durn expensive to build period perfect..
Brendan Murry on the right (in the red shirt) adding his expertise. The motor sure sounded better after this group chimed in. Roo
Nice job. I hope you are planning to get some wheelie bars on it. With today's track prep you'll stand that thing straight up in the air, which, in-and-of-itself is not horrible. Its coming back down that can be problematic. Been there, done that.
23 altered T, In looking back at the pictures I see two iterations of Pure Hell. Is the one with a legal cage, fire suppression, and crash bars on the tank a tribute car able to make passes, or is it a later iteration of the team?
yes, it will have wheelie bars, this was a pic the day that the 427 was burped off.. still a ways to go for this spring..
The newer car is NHRA legal for their nostalgia series events and lately has been driven by Brian Hope whose dad steers the Rat Trap Bantam. Bradford's Fiat and Hough's Nanook also race regularly and all of these cars are capable of low six second runs. The Winged Express and the Callen family's restoraton of the Jackson's High Heaven along with Leon Fitgerald's Pure Heaven have also been regulars at Bakersfield along with the most recent iteration of Mike Sullivan's Fiat although it was recently replaced by a new T roadster. And lastly the Burkholder brothers, long a staple of the cacklefest fields have almost finished a new Fiat that is legal to race. Note that all of these cars are true short wheelbase fuel altereds, not funny car based "transformers". These photos are just a few of mine from Bakersfield (CHRR) in 2015/16 Roo
The extra nose in front of the Burkholder Brothers Fiat is a mistake that was turned into a show sign.
The Jalopy Journal
