According to Ivo, Kent built the ch***is himself. The little dragster was featured in the movie "Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow" for a brief couple of seconds
Video of the car running at LIONS https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=d705...1dHViZS5jb20vd2F0Y2g_dj1iV2xvYVFHS2YzRQ&ntb=1
From the "MORE FUN - LESS CYLINDERS" article on page 64 of the June 1959 issue of HOT ROD Magazine: photos by Edward Gulley
Hello, These photos were in the late 50s and in 1959, making something lighter was the thing. Cut down fenders, no fenders, holes in the frames were a part of the process. But we thought the same thing when we saw the top speed record FED from Chicago roll into the Riverside Raceway pits in 1959. 1959 Chris Karamesines and the famous “Chizzler” wowed everyone including the Westcoast racers that had never seen the FED up close and personal. It was all reported in the Drag News weekly papers for Top Eliminator wins, the speed records and consistent low e.t times. (of course, most Westcoast folks doubted those recorded times.) 1959 But, as the old adage is/was, if it is safe at 180-200 mph in the quarter mile, then it can’t be a problem at lower speeds in the 4 cylinder race car cl***…YRMV Jnaki My brother and I (and the talk around the “Greek’s”pits) were amazed that the front axle was so modified, going at the speeds “The Chizzler” recorded.
Hello, The Road Kings were almost everywhere in those early days of drag racing action. There probably were many different weekends that they raced at San Fernando (home court) then traveled to the plentiful So Cal dragstrips, especially Lion’s Dragstrip in those early days. They were trophy winners in most of their 4 cylinder cl***es at most places. We saw them at Lion’s Dragstrip a year or two later and their penchant for ch***is that had the look of a Ch***is Research TE440 style roll cage. That style of race cars were set up by quite a few top builders and got lots of ink in the local Drag News weekly paper. Kent Baber, Road Kings 4 Cylinder Cl*** FED Lion's Dragstrip By the time we saw and filmed the little White FED, it had a more streamlined look and the performance was better. NOTE: The later version was actually in a 60s movie with Tommy Ivo and his cars (+ a Road Kings connection). Within the first second of the Kent Baber’s FED film clip, it is in a small wheelie. He is a little crossed up and then lands straight. I had never noticed that before. Good eye… Thanks, Since the White FED is similar to Tommy Ivo's Red, Injected, Buick FED ch***is, it follows the adventures of Tommy Ivo and the Road Kings. Nice bit of history... NOTE 2: The racers were very young in 1959 when the first ch***is and motor were seen in the So Cal area. Black cladding then red cladding and finally the record books had no chance to recover. Prudhomme was born in the same year as my brother and in 1959 he was 18. Lion's Dragstrip Pit action between time trials. By the end of 1959, the twin Buick of Tommy Ivo was setting records and was one of the fastest FED Race cars. By early 1960, Don Prudhomme had his first Buick powered single engine car. But, with Stromberg carburetors and not injectors. We all had to start somewhere. Throughout the West Coast drag racing history, the ch***is received a blower, then a Hemi with a blower in its different appearances. Finally, the power overcame the short ch***is, so the next development was taking place…and history progresses.
The Jalopy Journal
