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

Thank You !

 

I know there is alot going on in this picture,but it's the front end dynamics that confuse me the most.What is going on with the front end?

 

My apologies, Howard, if I spoke incorrectly. It's obvious we were referring to different instances of that image.

 

This is all I could find on the internet. I'm sure someone here will have more info.

Robinson had recorded his quickest time ever, a 6.50, at the AHRA Grand American Series opener three weeks prior to the NHRA Winternationals and decided to make a last-minute trip to Pomona to take over for Dabler, who felt uncomfortable in Robinson's new ground effects-equipped car. After recording a 6.77 that would stand as low e.t. for the day, Robinson encountered chassis twist on a later run that forced the bicycle tires to spin off the front wheel. The car veered into the right guardrail, breaking into multiple pieces, and Robinson succumbed to injuries later that evening in a Pomona hospital on Feb. 6, 1971, at age 37.

Robinson's death brought tribute from many of his contemporaries and brought back memories of John Mulligan's death at the 1969 Nationals. Said Don Garlits, "If he had survived that horrible wreck, he'd be an engineer on some team right now. Pete was always on the edge of the envelope, and I always had respect for him. Pete just didn't stick somebody in his car when he had some idea. He was the test pilot, just like Chuck Yeager or any of them. He took the risk, and there's a lot to be said for that. I did too, [speaking of his clutch explosion at Lions in 1970], but I survived mine and got to come back and see what I did wrong. Pomona got Pete, and the sport really lost something."

 

Guess we're just a couple of mixed-up Old guys !

 

I never knew the car was equipped with a Tork-Master. He got a lot of miles out of the car; debuting in late 65 and running until the end of 1967 or so.

 

I was trying to remember who else had those Rebel wheels and it finally hit me: Gene Conway's Firebird. Took me a while to find an image...

 

Taking the 392 from the Destroyer Jeep made this purported GM based product a sign of things to come. That being when all floppers became powered by a Hemi of some sort.

 

Did this later car have the jeep's chassis, or was this an entirely new car for Conway?
Tom S. in Tn.

 

Yeah, this was back when NHRA started getting down on "open top" cars like the Jeeps, the LWB Flying Dutchman Dart and the Melrose Missile.

 

#29824;
" Pomona got Pete, and the sport really lost something."

........and so did Ga. and Div II. He was one of the regions biggest T/F bidders ever.
This was just not wire wheel country. Tom S.

 

Those Rebel wheels may be some of the best lookin' ever.

 

No the Jeep was to sold to a guy with by the name of Gene Coleman I believe. He raced the Jeep in AA/FC for a year or so but later converted it to a bracket-1 car where it was raced it for years. The car you see here was the former Bloomin Bullet Camaro of Marc Bloom. The car though featuring all fiberglass shell was one where the front end lifted off and doors operated. It also had a square tube style chassis. Conway replaced the Camaro front end with a Firebird. He also ran the car with a blown Chrysler not the inj BBC that Bloom ran. Conway sold this car in 69 where it was raced in the injected gas funny car circuit under the helm of Gary Wells I think. He called it Wells Fargo. In 69Conway ran a more refined tubular model Firebird bodied rig and dubbed it Hemi-Bird. Wheeew...and there ya go!

 

Duke,that's good info.I never knew this was the old Bloomin Bullet.The first photo was a Mike Ditty photo,and so is this.You can see the cars has been stretched here.Didn't know this became Wells' car either.Thanks. DD

 

And here's a shot of Bloom's car:

 

And to bring it around, here's Conway's '69 Bird:

(Drag Strip Magazine, April 1969)

 

Of all his cars, the Hemi Bird served as my favorite. Yea the flammed Vette was his most competetive and Conway over came the Corvette curse with it, but this was my favorite nonetheless. Note on the spolier the Western Airlines motto "The Proud Bird With The Golden Tail."

 

LOL..Dennis you never to cease to amaze me as it seems you glide across all internet boarders pertaining to floppers. Your confirmation always serves as irrefutable endorsement that a purported claim about car's history and heritage is true. I wouuld like to find a shot of Well's car, espeically in color. But such photos of the inj circuit are rare espeically from the formative years of the class. Even more rare treat is the shot of Bloomin Bullet racing the rear fuel burning Willy's P/U at Riverisde.

 

I did it again just a few minutes ago. I try to do this every Sunday, anyway it's a pretty neat shot of Vern Moats' Bantam AA/A check it out.

http://www.twintownterrors.com/ol-drag-photos.html

 

I got hired by WAL in 1976.Great airline to work for and great time to fly.Not like today...

 

Ha! Check it out, it says "Proud Bird with the Golden Tale"! Did he misspell it or did he do it on purpose to avoid copyright snafu's with the airline?

 

Good observation. I think you are right on the different spelling.

 

Tim;I have some pics(negatives,actually) of the car from 1973-4 from Tri-City Dragway in Saginaw,Michigan. Was it still bodied as a '72 then? I seem to recall that it was,but that was almost 40 years ago,and the 1970's were,well,fun, I think. I've got a bunch of negatives(but not the pics) from that track/time-frame;please be patient and I'll try to find them and get pics made.

 

That's Ron Abbott from Albany,NY area in the Hellzapoppin' Chevy digger.
Still around,think he has a glass business.
He was runnerup at '63 Indy to Big.Last year of gas,I think.
Got some pics of him at South Glens Falls from 1966 match racing Garlits.
If I am wrong,I am sure you guys will straighten me out.

 

Jim Brisitte at The Pond?

 

BRISETTE ON A BOOMER!! Love them top end shots from the pond


TH