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

Dean,
Acknowledged.
Glenn - in Louisiana

 

Glenn, Tony could have been running nitro at the '59 March Meet. It was, in fact, "The US Fuel & Gas Championships", and was not an NHRA sanctioned race. But still, he wasn't running close to 180, yet.

 

Tony was running a high percentage of nitro in '59, ran an 8.99 in the 170 range, pretty stout for a car that was built at least ten years before the '59 meet. In '59 he met Art Chrisman in the final (run at night, with spectator headlights to light the track). Tony was ahead of Art, who had a wounded car (only ran 140mph), but Tony spun on the sandy track. In '60 he blew the front-mounted blower, sending the hood high in the air...we were all relieved to see him climb out. The beautifully crafted blower ducting looked like someone put a grenade under it. Later he ran a top-mounted blower, but the car was not competitive. I have always wondered what happenened to it.

 

This is a great thread.I check this one faithfully each day looking for never seen before pictures.
great stuff,keep it going..

1939fiat

 

Everything in ONE photo-dragster,coupe,roadster,motorcycle,early flamed roadster, stude,Woodie-Nostalgia at its Best!

 

Garlits likes to take the credit, but I'd say Red Greth and Lyle Fisher had the rear engine deal working pretty good with their Speed Sport roadster long before Garlits ever thought of building a back motored car.

 

Garlits doesn't even try to take the credit. The media gave him credit for the first succsessful modern rear engined dragster, which is correct. Just some months before Big Daddy's car was on the cover of Hot Rod, another rear motor fueler was too; but was not succsessful, probably due to the too-fast steering issue.

 

If that's the Paul Gommi deal,I wouldn't go so far as to say he walked away,but he did survive it and it would have to rank right up there on the most brutal crashes ever list.

 

I didn't know the technicals on both cars...they do look a little similar in photos. Thanks for the great info!!!

 

This picture speaks volumes of the era that was about to surface. On one side, the classic blown Willys gasser, at one time the fastest full bodied car, superceded only by a dragster. Largely built by local hot rodders. On the other side, a modern bodied counter part, the funny car, whose consturction and design was impart, the by product of Detroits best.

 

Photo #1



Photo #2

 

Garlits "breakthrough" car was 20 some-out years after the first rear engined cars appeared.
This was a photo that I took at LIONS in about 1963 and it, also was one of many, many that proceeded the Garlits rear engined car.
Garlits car was innovative because it highlighted in dramatic fashion the reason to go to a RED.

 

One of my all-time favorite '64-'65 Falcons!