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

Rick has a good point...take nothing away from Garlits (I used to drive to Bakersfield to get him M&Hs when he was in California)...and he does not claim to have built the first successful rear-engined fueler...there were several, including the "Pawnbroker" that Pat Foster mentions in his story, Duane Ong won the Long Island AHRA Nationals (or maybe the Springnats??) with it, before Garlits built his ... Mark Williams of Denver also built a rear-engined fueler that did well but usually ran locally and didn't get much press...and then the Coleman Bros, noted in an earlier post, the various Sidewinders, Speed Sport, etc.

Again, nothing against Garlits, but just to correct a too-common belief that he was first with a successful rear-motored fuel dragster...(but, to his credit, he did kick butt with it!!)

 

Yeah, I've seen that car plenty back in '66-'67. Now I'm clear on it.

 

.....notice the class designation.

 

now that is a nostalgia funny car !

 

Somebody please post a pic of the LA Hooker car. Dave Condit has gone to the Top End. RIP.

 

Sorry to hear..RIP Dave

 

Thanks for the pic, Bucksnort. The Beaver Bros and Condit Bros were the pure spirit of real drag racing.

 

R.I.P. Dave...

 

One of a kind. God speed Dave.

 

I'm only 18 and wasn't fortunate to grow up with this kinda stuff, so if you could bare with me I have a stupid question.

What were the e.t's normally on the top-fuel dragsters back in the day?

 

depends on when "back in the day" was...

My favorite period was mid-60's, so I do remember Greer-Black-Prudhomme turning 7.77......and I'm thinking this would have been about 1963, at San Gabriel

 

Yes mid-60's, and thanks

 

In short, a fueler from back in the halcion days of drag racing couldn't qualify for a modern pro stock meet. But I wouldn't walk across the street to watch a modern pro stock event, I'd go across country to see REAL '60's fuelers again.
The Winged Express? Simply the most awesome drag car to watch, ever, IMO.

 

The "Greeks" 204mph (wink, wink) record setting car....

 

Great pic! I hope I'm half as cool as the GREEK when I'm pushing 80yrs. Check out the trick housing on the trailer for a spare chunk.

 

Hurst Hemi Under Glass - National Trail Raceway - June 4, 1967

 

In discussing the history of succesful rear engine attempts, I am reminded of of Ron Vaughts rear engine jr fueler dubbed Outcast? Anyone have the particulars behind this car?

 

Proof that even a blown gas motor can go awry. Man, did I love the the top gas dragster class. And Bob Noice was one of its better exponents.

 

This is one of the best shots ever. The butterfly plates are flat indicating that the the driver has his foot pushed to the floor. And you can see the focus of his eyes through the goggles, as he grasps his donut size steering wheeel to keep the car in his own lane. And the air speed is so strong that its flattening his face mask. You wont see this anywhere else.

 

You mean Vaughn Raviart's "Outcast Jr." It was built by a really good friend John Shoemaker (R.I.P.) in the mid 60's. The idea came about after the consumption of a few beers.

 

Get a copy of Chris Martin's Top Fuel Handbook. It's one of the best sources of this info that nearly nobody knows about. I believe that Hot Rod Nostalgia sells them for about $10. Totally worth it.

 

New photo's of the new Black Beauty being rebuild on WWW.BlackBeautyRacing.com

 

LOL, man did I drop the ball on this one, in terms of the name anyway. And yes, thats who I was referring to. It was a sweet looking little car. I was it once at OCIR in 69 or so.

 

Rea & Evans....