Projects The Original "Purple People Eater" dragster 1957

Nice to be making some progress on the old dragster this week.....my old pal Dave at Classic Upholstery finished off my seat cushion, Rich down at the shop is still working hard on the old body and I'm buffing the 63 year old original belly pan aluminum.

 

A classic picture of the dragster around 1958....... great lines.

 

Hey Mark!! Glad to see progress. See ya at Autorama?

 

looking good Mark!

 

Hey Pete...definitely hope to see you in Detroit.....we'll have some cool rides downstairs...it's coming fast brother.

 

The old panels are starting to line up pretty good....still lots to do.

 

Looking smooth and tight so far.

 

She is cleaning up just fine.

 

sure looking good mark! give us the dates for this years drags! trying to make it happen, im typing on computer with a broken leg at the moment, but i want to make it this year! rich

 

Hey brother...take care of that leg and congrats again on the awesome coverage you and the dragster received at the Roadster Show this year..... it was outstanding. I'll keep you in the loop.... I'd still like to get a cool picture of both our cars together sometime....take care and thanks for the kind words.

 

With the body panels all on with the tires... it's looking like a dragster....lol.... still lots to do but it's coming along.

 

Starting look like it’s old self . Keep on keeping on .

 

Looks great.

 

Nice

 

I got a new coat of white on the old 60 over 354 hemi...just putting it back together.

 

Nice 2.0

 

Still making head way on the restoration of the old dragster lately ....here's a few recent pic's .

 

That racer is looking sweet.

 

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Thanks brother.....I'm getting excited to hear her run....lol.
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I bet that first varoom will keep your motivation up .

 

Looking great Mark! Can't wait to see the final product! It's gonna be so cool!

 

Thanks brother, it's been a fun adventure ......... hope your all doing well.

 

looking good mark! this dam virus is really messing with us bad down here! hope you all are good there!

 

We're in the same boat up this way brother......but I think there's some light at the end of the tunnel. I'm still looking forward to hooking up with our drag machines in the future for some photo's and fun times. I hope you and your family are all doing well.

 

Richard and I tested fitted the body panels in the shop and I couldn't resist sitting back in the drivers position....lol.....it's such a time machine, I thought about how Andy Marsh the original driver must have felt when lining up in front of the flag man at the old Kohler Dragway over 60 years a go.

 

wow its coming right along looking great

 

Hello,

That is some nice work on the body and frame. Of all the choices on finishing to the final product, I hope the color and flames will remain. The flames just give your FED a historic look as it was, back in those early days. I had fun drawing and changing the original one I did a long time ago. It is hard to get the exact specifics of the original FED, but hopefully it came close. The original one I did was a bluish tint. This one is a “Purple People Eater” FED, flames and all…

Thanks for creating a nice thread on your exploits of the project. Hopefully, we can all see it finished. Since we are “locked in place” despite the little protests that will cause more cases, it will give you more time to head for the finish detailing and the fire-up.

Jnaki

We grew up on the West Coast during the same time period and liked all aspects of drag racing. Now, it is history for all of us to remember those good times. Great project and good luck.


https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/friday-art-show-3-1-19.1141570/#post-12977236

 

Thanks Butch.... I'm still hoping to fire the old streamliner dragster this summer.....stay well pal.

 

Wow Jnaki....great work on the dragster drawing, you certainly captured the look that the dragster took on in it's later years. The Galt Strokers had the dragster flamed up for the indoor show circuit back then. It was a hard decision to pick what look to go with .....the dragster did go thru about 5 different configurations. I've chosen the 1958 look with the purple paint with Strokers along the side plus the direct exit exhaust pipes out the side not traveling back towards the rear tires. Who knows, after a few years I can always take the body off and do the flames. The kool part is the guy that flamed the dragster back in late 50's is still alive..... Kenny Kay....he was only 20 then and is now in his 80's. Thanks again Jnaki.....awesome picture which I will certainly add to the book I'm writing on this long lost but now found dragster....... much appreciated brother. Here's a picture about 5 years a go when I had the dragster mocked up at the Ontario Drag Racing show, you can still the old flames on the back of the body and the other picture is of the dragster showing off it's fresh flame job at the Welland Road Beavers car show late 1950's.