History Drag cars in motion.......picture thread.

Feb '69 SS/DI had 2 different covers available. This one and another issue with a burgundy Merc (Ford?) in place of the dragster. The only time SS/DI did this. Anyone know why this was done?

 

The pack is pretty large. Call Jim Diest. I'm sure the old boy still has the dimensions in his head, and can rattle them off. Be sure you have plenty of time to kill. He gets pretty long winded on the phone.

Don't know that there was any different feel to the steering. The pull is straight back, and if you have the anchor point in the correct relation to the CG, it should keep going straight. Jim used to do calculations on every car he built a chute for, and would give you a dimension for the centerline of the anchor on the frame. That also told him how long to make the shroud lines. There wasn't much time to analyze the steering feel. The ass end was only airborne for a split second, and I was more concerned with my shorts at the time!

 

406 sbc, 780 cfm holly 4bbrl ,4000 stall conv, ford 9" 4:86 Gears,

 

Nice Shot of Jack Merkel's blown BBC Willys from 1968. That car featured an fiberglass shell, albeit of normal proportions. In 65-66 Merkel was da man, venturing from upsate NY and arriving at Indy causing mayhem with bored/stroke 327 a/GS partial steel 33 Willys

 

Yep, the ribbons are cool too. WCD is right about the packing time. Even with experience it was hard to pack a 16' ring slot in less than 15 minutes. All the shroud lines had to be straightend and be sure no tangles. Then carefully gather them, and the back board in the pack had rubber bands that the lines had to be tucked into to hold them neatly in place. Every time the chute deployed some rubber bands broke, and had to be replaced. Then the envelope had to be folded just so, and the pilot chute had to go in perfectly straight so the spring didn't slip off to the side.

It was these very characteristics that prompted the development of the Tri-Form Safety Company's tri-form chute. Think of a chute shaped like a Dorito chip. They featured three shroud lines and could be "stuffed" in the pack, much like tossing your dirty shirts in the laundry bag, with complete carelessness and abandon, and yet gauranteed to open every time. I believe Jack Carter and Craig Breedlove were involved with the company

 

Tom Ferraro, among others, drove this converted fuel altered, once cloaked with a Fiat shell, but still sponsored by Genuine Suspension

 

eastcoast57, glad you dig watching the car march down the track! I can say it always keeps me excited myself.

Dave Uyehara tumbling down Jack Williams Way...


Oswald/Uyehara at Fremont 76

 

Jack Carter came around Ak Miller's shop one Saturday afternoon while we were getting Dad's Mustang ready for Bonneville. He had one of his new tri-form chutes in a pack. He was going around all the So Cal shops trying to sell the new idea. Jack Lufkin was readying his Kurtis framed, one piece bodied Corvette for it's first trip to the salt. Always being "budget minded", after hearing carter's spiel, Lufkin ordered one. Always the kidder, Ak commented" what the hell will that little thing do? You might as well toss a pair of your shorts out behind you"!!

God I loved Ak Miller. He could find humor in any situation.

 

Here's mine. Hate the delay in digital cameras, but you can see a little smoke coming off.

 

Cool Comet...I have a 61 on the back burner and I am going to gasser the shit out of it.....yeeeeee haaaaw!!! Can't wait.

 

Is any on here have a 3/4 front shot of the panic top fuel car.

 

king camaro at Bison ND,

 

more fun at Bison

 

This wasnt part of the King Camaro series belonging to Dean La Pole was it? Or just another of the same logo. The Dakota's had lots of quality cars. Wasnt the Hot Sauce Vega flopper from this neck of the woods?

 

is this one of the same or just a catchy name..... i talked to a local guy that was involved with said camaro....and have heard it was one of the loudest fuel cars out there at the time....

 

WCD,that actually was a Geare/Trotten/LaPole car,but didn't last long.Very few photos of it floating around aout there.I think you're right on the other car,maybe from the Fargo area ? Dennis Doubleday

 

Some one should take all these fantastic pictures and make one hell of a book, or reference CD! (I am too computer stupid to do it!)

 

Where's that picture from? Looks like the starter's shirt says "Missouri Valley Timing Association"...?? Possibly the old Gateway track???

 

the picture of Keith Farrell's Willys, looks like it was taken at Indy..
That's our Fiat ,also running BB/A in the background.

1939fiat
(Rick)

 

fred was who i talked to..... had some pretty cool stories to tell....