Projects The Original "Purple People Eater" dragster 1957

wow what a kool pic of all the club jackets! mark you and russ have hit it out of the park on bringing back this history.... I sure hope the younger ones can get on board to keep the history alive.

 

Those are all Ontario clubs Stogy..... at that time some of the local clubs came together to form the O.T.A. (Ontario Timing Assocation). Each club would take a turn to run a drag racing day at Kohler with the help of other clubs. O.T.A. ran up to about 1960 when it changed over to the A.T.A.O. (Automoble Timing Assocation of Ontario) which was still run by car clubs. By 1963 the ATAO was gone and soon in a few years it was a NHRA track.

 

Our guys of the ELTA (East London Timing Assocation) or also known as the "Disciples of Speed" have been perserving and show casing Ontario's rich drag racing for many years. It's pretty cool when we get so many out to our anual event (ELTA Summer Bash & Big Go Drags) and see younger hot rodders having a blast running their cars and rubbing elbows with alot of the original guys from back in the day who always come out for the hot rod/drag racing reunion part of the weekend event. This year its Aug. 9 to 11 at St. Thomas Dragway. You can tell by our ELTA shop....we love the history.....lol.

 

I love this Kenny Kroeker shot of the "Purple People Eater" sitting in the old black smith shop with that xray effect of seeing the new chassis through the old original fiberglass body..... it really captures how cool these early dragster were. It's just too bad the old dragster can't talk...lol.

 

Fantastic thread and thanks for that and a very Rich History lesson indeed...

 

B&W ghost shot

 

FE, please keep this post going. Anything related to the early days is So interesting to All of Us. Thanks again, Carp. Oh, by the way, my favorite color happens to be purple. Those club coats must have been Special!

 

Mark, glad to see you got a thread started on this. Such a cool piece of Ontario drag racing history! You're an excellent caretaker.
Looking forward to seeing it roll down the track this summer...

 

Thanks loudbang...the black & white looks very ghostly.

 

Will we see it at Cobo?

 

The story about the purple jackets that the Galt Strokers wore was that no one back then had alot of spare money. One of the local clothing stores had some purple jackets that they couldn't sell and it wasn't long that the Strokers made a deal to buy them for a great price. Soon after that the song "The Purple People Eater" came out so it all came together nicely for that club colour of purple...lol. The old Kohler track actually played over the loud speakers the song , "she's a one eyed flying purple people eater" everytime the Strokers brought the dragster to the starting line... another cool fact.

 

Still working on the dragster Paul....I'm shooting for 2020 for Detroit. Do you remember many years ago, I and the rest of the guys parked near your Nomad and your friends downstairs at Detroit?.....man where do the years go...lol....loved your 55 brother.

 

Rare colour film of the dragster at Kohler Dragway about 1958.... too cool!! Look at the size of the crowd!!

 

Yes, I do remember! Great bunch of guys. Would still like to get some guys from here and come to your open house. Love the dragster project!

 

Thanks AJ for the kind words.... hope to have the dragster moving under her own power for this years ELTA Big Go brother.... truly blessed to beable to bring her back from the grave to the track. Hey brother...here's a picture from a few years back....lol....you remember that guy!

 

Paul, it would be outstanding to have you and some of your pals up for the action at the ELTA Summer Bash and Big Go Drags..... let me know....it's always a blast..... we get lots of friends up each year from the USA.

 

Here are some of the "Purple People Eater" dragsters original trophies from the 1950's plus a cool Kohler jacket.

 

FE, I Still have that 45! What a blast it must have been to be there and have that played over the pa. That video is kind of special, too. Many of the youngster wouldn't understand what's going on, Too Cool.

 

Saw this in The Rodder's Journal and you know what came to mind?!

 

peeing in unison ......?

 

NOPE has TWO wheels , single axle tho.....

 

Wow.....it's threads like this that kept me coming back to the HAMB when I first discovered it. Great hot rod history! It's so cool you rebuilt the dragster from a "fiberhair", deserted body, some photos and memories of the guys who were there.

 

I hear ya brother.

 

will have to talk to some of the boys for a road trip up to the show in august! would like to meet you guys!

 

Thanks Rocky...glad your diggin the post..... I really feel very bless to be the next care taker of this cool piece of drag racing history. It's extra cool to have some of the original builders and driver still here in their 80's feeling 25 again when they look at the "Purple People Eater".

 

Rich.....that would be outstanding if you make it up..... it's always a fun weekend with great people and cars. Please let me know if you can make it for the Summer Bash & Big Go Drags.

 

Thanks for the pics. My Dads club name was the Slo Pokes. I will call him this weekend . I have more time to talk and talk about your dragster and the club cars. They had the '32 club car plus members raced their own. Neat pics of trophy's , jacket . Very cool .

 

That guy had free time, and change to spare... Not sure what happened to him.

Looking forward to the Big Go again this year. Plan on camping for the weekend. You boys know how to put on a good time.

 

Hi Mark. I have really enjoyed seeing the progress of the Purple People Eater dragster from initial acquisition and right up to present day status. When talking to the Galt Strokers did any of them ever mention why the dragster has such an unusual body style and why that particular body style was chosen? Nothing wrong with it, just much different than the mainstream type of dragster body most commonly seen back then. I am also curious as to what the body was made of, as it has to be either fiberglass or aluminum to withstand the elements for such a long time. That original Kohler jacket is really cool. It is a great piece of early Canadian drag racing history.

 

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