Hot Rods The ALTERED thread

Getting in and out of one of these Fiat bodied altereds must be a real joy.

 

Many of the old cars had bodies that tilt much like a funny car. If the body is stationary, all you do is step on the wheel, then to the top of the tire, swing a leg around to a step that many had, then rotate around and put your happy ass in the seat. remembering not to sit on the belts. Topolino bodies are not that big inside so crew members can help if needed. Sort of like a monkey and a football if you get my drift.

 

And some have doors also!

 

Gabby Bleeker.

 

IIRC "The Jewell T" was run by Davis and Ingram, and was sold to Ron Zavarella from Connecticut after "The Nationals". The car was then stolen, and has not turned up since then, at least as a complete car. There are rumors of where it went, but no positive proof.

 

The original "Pacer's" car is in upstate New York. I spoke with George Snizek a couple of years ago at Bruce Larson's get together. George told me that he had seen the original car, he could have bought it back, but was not happy with the condition of it, so he built a replica

 

I think that is Walt Knox from Detroit.

 

True. But I defy anybody to enter the roll cage by going through the door.
Many years ago, I used to take my RPU to the local track Friday Nite Street Drags, where I used to clean up against many of the lesser prepped true street cars. After some locals complained that I was winning too much the track instituted a rule that the Friday street drag cars were for "door cars only". I promptly took a sabre saw and cut out the embossed steel door outline, added door jams, hinges and latch and showed up the next week to race. The door opened up to a mass of tubing, useless for anything but complying to the new rule.

On the inside of the door I painted a message "GOT DOOR?" just because.

 

HA! Love that. Did they really think they could beat you if you had a opening door? LMAO.

 

We were talking about Fiat Topolinos.
Quite a few had doors that were opening.

 

That looks like the back room/prep area at the Lions Museum. Worth stopping in if you’re in the area.
I’ve always liked that little Fiat, glad to see it’s still around.

 

The car has a great story also. The longtime current owner, Jerry Rushing, was a crew helper on the car when he was a teenager.

 

Wow, I didn’t know that. Great that he was able to get it and save it.

 

It looks like Dave Benjamin had a AA/FA entered into Top Fuel, a not uncommon occurrence in that era, as the best AA/FA cars could run with the big dogs, albeit maybe not as consistently straight.

 

FF, in the days of the 96"-100" cars, they generally ran straight...
sometimes straight right or straight left.

 

You are correct. Actually spelled, Knoch.