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

No, it's not Eddie...on "TwotoGo" there are photos of both of his twin Pontiacs:





While on "TwotoGo," I found an ID to the car I posted above....Dave Dangerfield from Youngstown, OH, who ran this twin Pontiac until he transitioned to a fueler...tragically he died in it...here is the story from Don Ewald's site and a picture of Dave:


"These five shots are of Dave Dangerfield from Youngstown, Ohio. Dave started out drag racing a gasser in 1958, by about 1961 he had moved into dragsters, in 1962 he ran a Pontiac twin engine rail and then went with a Pontiac single engine rail and by late 1965 he had made the jump to AA/FD with sponsorship from the Dog House Restaurants (a small chain of hot dog shops in the Youngstown area) . In Jan. of 66 he was headed for Pomona and stopped at a strip somewhere out west (I believe in Ariz.). I have been told that Dave never wore a mask with filters, on a pass at this track he was supposedly over come by the fumes and passed out and was killed as the car kept accelerating till it crashed. I doubt if anyone of this group has ever heard of him or about this crash.
This first photo is of Dave in the stripped shirt."
Photos and Commentary from Ron Pollock

 

Not Eddie Hill. His twin used the engines as a stressed member of the frame from day one.

 

The inspiration for Yellow Fang?

 

This car, from Reno, was really well designed...had a Cord independent rear suspension with, I think, and Olds or Ford center section....

 

Here are more pictures of the fin car above, and a caption from Don Ewald:





This 1956 effort of Brent Tyler and Warren Welsh was without a doubt one of trickiest setups of drag racing's first decade. It had a Cord front wheel drive differential turned around and the ring gear flopped to use as a rear end. Swing axles, Morris Minor torsion bars, 392 Chrysler with a torque converter, Novi blower, home made fuel injector, twin I beam front end, etc, etc. Brent was somewhat of a mad scientist with Warren the test pilot. Brent never, never built a conventional car or boat.

 

Beebe Bros and Sixt (post Vinson's involvement) with Mo in the seat when he was know as the "King of Garden Grove" (pre Zookeeper days). This must have been right at the transition to the "Fighting Irish" version of the car following Dave Beebe giving up the seat due to work commitments.

Roo

 

NHRA Nationals, maybe '55 -- Lloyd Scott in the twin engined "Bustle Bomb" against the Green Monster.


Bernardini Brothers roadster, really early Santa Ana...later it would run as a street roadster, has been found and restored


Atlanta's Pete Robinson, racing a Potvin-blown Olds in the other lane


SWC at Fremont, starter is blocking the view of the other Willys


Kenny Lindley's "Misfire," before the purple and yellow paint, early Potvin blown Chrysler, with one of the first Hilborn injectors for a 6-71.


Not many dragsters older than these, shows why they were called "rail jobs" for years. This was Saugus, which opened around '53 and closed shortly after San Fernando opened in '56. While both cars have roll bars (well, sort of), it looks like helmets were optional.

 

Cool, the Super Mustang? in motion!

 

Anyone remember a digger named “The Sparrow”

I have a fellow tell me he was a member of the crew and the Sparrow was rear engine before Garlits.

Would love to see picture of it.

 

There were two other Pontiac powered side by side Twins: Jim Davis ( injected ) and Billy Cousins ( blown ).

 

That may not be Eddie Hill, but it sure is his chassis design.

 

It doesn't look like this twin has any front suspension system...

 

'56 NHRA Nationals


the remains of Jim Nichols dragster after the blown clutch cut it in half at the Nationals...Jim walked away, but not before he asked if he or Prudhomme had won the race.


Walt Knox, far lane, racing Jesse Van Deventer; Jesse had the weight distribution but Walt had the power, and won the race for Middle Eliminator, NHRA Nationals


Unknown, at National Trail, right south of Kirkersville, OH....it was the home of the Springnationals, but too many cars going off the end of the track was one of the factors that caused NHRA to change locations.




Kansas, not sure of the date....ok, it's just a couple of relative stock cars, but cars like these were the backbone of early drag racing, and the justification for drag strips, get guys off the street and onto the drag strip to race


Two SoCal racers who traveled north to race


The caption was "Forsberg & Hubbard," but I'm not sure that's right...Half Moon Bay


But this is Forsberg & Hubbard; 8.54 is pretty good for that time, and beat the blown Chrysler in the far lane


Ratican, Jackson, and Stearns, "Sleepy" Ron Stearns driving, sponsored by Reath Automotive


Adams & Harris at Detroit


Fred Cerutto from Northern California

 

Another Eddie Hill feature.

 

More great Vintage Memories from the past.

Jimbo

 

In post 43813, the Merc and Plymouth relative stock cars. What were the Xs on the windows, maybe tape for safety or a class designation?

 

Yes, it was supposed to keep the windshield in place in case it broke...sometimes they also taped the headlights...I have seen a lot of stockers run but never saw the windshield or the headlights break...guess they were just making sure...

 

Thanks, putting tape on the glass is something I had never seen