http://bangshift.com/blog/video-196...s-a-kid-gassers-garlits-nitro-perfection.html 554 when owned by K&G and run at Atco
Still looking for this old car of mine - anyone seen it? Thanks - Ted (htb001@gmail.com) Photo - Englishtown, circa 1987-8
Hi, I am the guy that builds the engines. My engine is also in the original car as we sold it to Gerry Moreland before we ran with them at Indy Goodguys race in 1989. That was a cool deal, it looked like you were seeing double!!!!
Story is elswhere on this site but, for this thread - found and reaquired the car July 2013. Walt Austin owned it and it was out in Tacoma. It was not run since we ran it back 80's at Goodguys events and seldom started. Missing some things but it's un-changed in all the years. After lots of going through it and fixing "stuff", we fired it up a couple of weeks ago and will take it to Epping, NH for the NHRA NE Nostalgia's, Sept 12-14, 2013. Next year, we'll put back on track for exhibitions. Some vids! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT8_ZtjoZn4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTU5glq5yvA
134 Fuel Coupe at Pittsburgh Dragway Reunion, Sept 28 held at Pittsburgh Raceway Park (formerly Keystone) in New Alexandria, PA. Mark Becker on left, Ted Brine on rt.
any one have shots of the 32 primer black with flames hot rod from hell. i saw it run in the mid nineties. i believe it burned to the ground at a race in mo. it had a glass body and a iron 92 on fuel.
In the late 80's I had the opportunity to restore the AA/FC of Mooneyham and Sharp 554 coupe. Just working on that car, I would catch my self day dreaming about all it had seen and been threw.When it was finished I was approached to go on tour with it and drive it in the Nostalgia Drag Racing Tour that was going around the country. I jumped at it, and for 2 years I had a blast. When we were done it went to the Don Garlits museum. I honestly don't know how many passes I made in it, but we went every where. We went all the way to New Jersey south to Florida, Indianapolis and every where in between. We ran it hard, it would blow up, catch on fire, and give me memories I will never forget. It was a very hard car to drive, a normal pass would be in the low 11's, 176 mph smoking the tires all the way threw the lights. I never wreck it, but came very close many times. There was no tach, I drove just like those guys did back then. No front brakes, just a hand brake for the rear, to control the rpm of the engine and a clutch pedal to slip the clutch to keep it from bogging the motor, no transmission, direct drive. If you ever got a chance to see it run I don't think you would ever forget the sound it made, it had a sound of it's own. It was the way the headers were made. For insurance reason, I suppose, we were never allowed to race against each other, It was strictly exhibition. Well, one weekend we were at Sacramento Raceway and the Champion Sport twin engine dragster was there after being restored. These two cars were usually in the final race for Top Eliminator. So they let us race, I wanted to beat him so bad, but I got crossed up and he went around me, but I never completely lifted I stayed with it, straightened it out, and smoked the tires all the way threw the 1/4 mile. I will never forget that race! The next race we put the motor on kill, we normally ran 60% nitro and 40% alcohol. We tipped the can and bump the timing, but it didn't work, the old 392 gave up. I swear it felt like the car came off the ground when it blew, parts of the blower went threw the blue Plexiglas grill insert and the bottom end destroyed itself. So, I thought I would share this memory with you. Ken http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz8MhmS8A20&feature=youtube_gdata_player YouTube - Mooneyham and Sharp
Are you talking the Dawson Demon AA/FC that ran around the Midwest in the early to mid 90's? The only pics I have on the computer are kinda crap quality. I have a picture of the demon at my parents house when it was black with blue scallops fading to purple. I have to scan that next time Im there.
After a quick search I found a video of the last pass of Dawson's Demon.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIkn6j_XJpc&feature=youtu.be
Ken - I hope that was not the engine Paul Gold and I built for my 134 coupe? Jerry Moreland approached me about selling him an engine and I told him we had one that might have been in the K&G version of the Mooneyham car when they owned and ran it on the east coast. I pulled that engine, crated it up and sent it to him. We ran together at Indy at a Goodguys deal in 89 and he invited us over to hear "our" engine that was in his coupe. Very nice gentleman and I understand he passed away. We had the same issue at Indy. The cars were to make side by side passes but insurance issues prevented that from happening.
When we went to Indy, it must of been your motor. I probably met you there but I can't remember for sure, that was a tough week. I went to Indy for that week end then flew to Milan, Mich. for a Wensday race then back to Indy.
slayer thats it thanks. i never saw that video before. that was one of my favorite hot rods ever. so sad it got destroyed. there was just something about it that i was attracted to. it was kind of rough crude machine totally purpose built. while others were racing dragsters with donovans this car shows up with a flamed paint job and a iron 92. the car ran against the rails and was able to make a race out of it. the other bad ass fuel coupe that is a favorite and from just down the road is nitro neils dodge coupe. both cars left a huge impression on me.i just kept thinking now those are real hot rods.
Dawson's Demon was a bad ass hot rod and always entertained the crowd. That was a steel bodied car. We used to make the trip to Wentzville twice a year for their nostalgia drags and the Demon was always a highlight. It was awful to watch it disappear over the hill on fire. I believe Rex Stevens worst injury was burning his hand on the door handle trying to get out. The Demon didn't fare as well. I wonder what Rex and Jerry Dawson are up to now.
Speaking of Nitro Neil, anyone have good pictures of it? Nitro Neil's blue and white scalloped comp coupe was a total bad ass. What ever happened to it?
neil is a good friend of mine. we go to several car shows a year. we will be at the iron invasion next week. he still has his car. he brought it to the grove for a cackle thing a few years ago. his dad had a stroke and he has spent a lot of time helping him. he bought a 32 ford coupe that ran out of california on nitro with a jimmy six. he has it mocked up now with a 392 blown. we are trying to figure out a duel fuel system to run it on the street with gas and nitro. i do have a killer shot of his car standing straight up almost flipping over and the car was several hundred feet down track. if you are going to the invasion pm me and i will bring it. at the first midwest hot rod reunion in columbus neils car and dawsons car and the orange crate were there. that show just ruined me. the next spring i was on nitro in my altered wheelbase car. does anything survive from the dawsons demon car.
two other super bad ass coupes from the midwest are drastic plastic and the chicago fire. they used to put on a hell of a show at the grove on memorial day and labor day for years. i just talked to tom motry owner of drastic plastic and he said they just set the all time record for a fuel coupe. i want to say around 5.3 sec. dont quote me on that but i think thats what he said.
From several other forums I gather Jerry Dawson still has the remains of the demon in his shop, and would like to rebuild it at some point. I would love to see that happen.
I have pics of Nitro Neil racing Rat trap or Pure Hell from the SS reunion in VA about 1996. Neil invited us into his old Winnebago for hot dogs about midnite. He and Defeo came by our pit to borrow beer about 2 am. My brush with greatness. We were running my coupe and this dragster.
The demon was a fiberglass car. Body by Skeeter Burnette. The burned up remains are sitting outside of Skeeters old shop. Just south of Columbia Il on Rt 3.
Dave, pretty bad. I wanted to buy it just because of what it was. He said he wouldnt sell it. But he has a mold to make more.
Here are a couple of pictures I took of dawson's demon and his opponent in the fall of 1994 at Great Lakes Dragway.
The Jalopy Journal
