Hot Rods Top Banana Style Slingshot Dragster- Marty Strode-Chris Kopp.

And this is all being Oxy-Acetylene welded like originally? I thought I saw a joint that was brazed. I have read that Colin Chapman brazed all his race ch***is because it allowed post race damage repairs to be made easier. Just another amazing project you are helping to come back to life!

 

There are some brazed repair joints. I gave the gas welding a try, and was concerned about ruining this ch***is. So I used larger filler rod and washed it around with a Tig. Just couldn’t take a chance. It’s going out for sandblasting tomorrow, to nib up the new steel, for paint.

 

Got it all s***ched together, and checked the dry sump oil tank for fit. WOW, what a piece it is, haven't counted all the rivets yet ! Firewall and ch***is tin will be installed tomorrow, and then back on the '29 !

 

Wow, that's a lot of rivets. What a work of art though. Looks like something from an older aircraft, they riveted everything on airplanes.

 

Oh, My!

 

That is indeed a true show of craftsmanship by whoever built that tank! Simply amazing, and so cool!

 

Nice save Marty! And the tank, Wow!

 

When I see all those rivets, I think of the cowboy movies from the 30's. Like my Great Uncle Glen.

 

You think maybe the riveter didn't know his spacing tool could expand?

 

Wow, Marty, the ch***is sure looks different from when it was hanging on the wall when Chris and I were there in August. Absolutely beautiful workmanship. I'm glad I got to see it before

 

Now you're primed for a "Bird Cage" Maserati

 

A whole lot of pipe there !

 

I got my part of the Cisitalia done, the body still fits ! Tomorrow it's back on the '29RPU.

 

Crazy hatchet collection never noticed before. & a few knives. Trust u never get earthquake

 

Not hatchet - what was I thinking - meat cleavers. Popular in Pennsylvania Dutch land

 

The collection is over 190.

 

A big lesson from the movie Gremlins was, Don't mess with mom in her kitchen.
Don't Mess With Marty In His Shop!

 

The pic sith you standing behind the car make it look like the Flintstone Flyer

Back to the RPU!

 

WOW The Top Banana project is a superb tribute to Hank Vincent. He would be proud. I grew up in Castro Valley, which is next to Hayward. Santos and Stapleton owned S & S Automotive in Hayward. Somehow Stapleton gets left out of these discussions. Santos always gets linked to the Banana and he should, but so should Stapleton. He was a key person in the engine building process. Santos was also a master machinist. I became good friends with all of them and often crewed with them. I was a flunky. I traveled with them to events all over California. We were at the Smokers in Bakersfield when Garlit’s appeared. When you were with a dragster like the Top Banana his car did not impress you. One of my flunky tasks was to get into the Top Banana after Hank made a run and drive it back to the pits. Hank was a quick-change expert. He never wanted to be seen without a hat. When you are a twenty year old kid all of this was big deal stuff.

I am impressed with your project. Obviously it has become a labor of love. The nostalgia is wonderful. Fortunately for me I was visiting my parents in Knights Landing when Hank had his tragic accident. It was a tough time for all of us. It was a long time ago but if my memory serves me correctly, George Santos’s wife was Hank Vincent’s sister.m

 

nice history there-'garlits didn't impress'--oh man!

 

Bud, I have known about you since 1972. My brother Jerry had a newly built rear engine Sand Dragster and we showed up at Bakersfield. It had a blown alcohol Chevy, and being new to blowers, he had the belt tension as tight as he could get it. Well, when the engine made some heat and everything expanded it broke the blower front cover, due to the swing arm Delta Drive. We thought we were dead in the water until some local said, "you need to go to Bud Frasier's place, he will fix you up" ! Sure enough you did. I am sending you a private message, and give you my phone numbers, I would be delighted to talk to you, about the Top Banana, and the other projects you have been involved with.

 

Don’t see where I can access private messages. Look forward to a conversation. Those days were special times in my life. Point me in the right direction!

 

@James (Bud) Fraser , at the top of each page are six banners. The second from the right is the envelope, used to send a private conversation.

Welcome to the HAMB.

 

Thank You.

 

I did have a great visit with Bud, as he gave me a call. He was not the Bud that helped us at Bakersfield in 1972, but he filled me in, with more information about Hank Vincent and the crew that ran the Top Banana ! The power of the HAMB !

 

I went down to Chris Kopp's place to help him tack weld the halves of the tail section together, and got to see the wonderful progress he is making on the body. I will be picking it up next Thursday to take to the Portland Transmission Show. Hope to see some of you there !

 

T-shirt style, plus choice of old straw hats, and innovation, know's no boundaries!

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Wow Marty! Chris is really moving on the metal work! Love seeing his torch welding on the aluminum body!

 

I have some short videos of the welding, I need to get a handle on posting them ! See you Sat.

 

@earlymopar ,Would you have the name of the artist that did the cutaway picture?