The first one that comes to mind is the Michigan Madman EJ Potter, who raced his SBC powered bike (pic1) But in Europe there was a guy called Les Fields that had a SBC powered bike too, and Volkers' Buick 215( Rover3500). (pic 2 & 3 )
Other car engines they used were NSU ( 1st pic, Blown ) And Hillman, a small all aluminum SOHC engine. (2nd pic Blown), ( 3rd pic Twin engined!)
Walley Pushkey rode an injected chevy powered bike in Australia. I saw him when he toured New Zealand in the mid 70's. He had it up on a stand at the start line and would wind the engine up and lean forward to get it off the stand and the rear tire would make contact and he would be off with a huge smoke show! It was an awesome sight!! I even saw him lay it down one time. I'll find some pics to scan and post later. I also remember a VW powered bike.
The VW engine was also used in one of the wildest Dragbikes of them all. Clive Waye built several versions of the Drag Waye. A VW powered Slingshot Bike...
Other wild machines were the "Bikes"( ?) from Sean Walche and Angus McPhail. The rider would lay down in front of the engine that was mounted sidways in front of the rear tire. Wild Thing, Sean Walshe (pic1 & 2) Angus McPhail the rest of the pics. I know there is a Jockey Journal, and I have posted about Car engined Bikes on it before. But I figure they fit here as well because of the Car Engines...
Saw Wally a few times at SPIR. Nuts. There were a couple of other guys with SBC bikes here too. At least 3 also ran VW engines in the fuel bike cl***es in the early/mid 70's, Thorley, Cook and someone else I can't think of.
Both Stan Pobjoy and Joe Cook ran VW powered Top Bikes in Australia in the 70's. I have some pix back in Australia but none here that I can scan, Roo
How about the world famous Wisconsin Roadog. Not a drag bike but still cool. http://www.factoryfat.com/roadog.html
Ah, Wild Thing & Jade Warrior, they bring back some memories! Two more examples of true British madness. I can't remember the times they were running, but anything over 100mph with your chin 12" off the black top has gotta be pretty exhilerating!!
This bike is in Wa...or it was. It's usually at some of the bigger shows. I first saw it @ 14 years ago in an art gallery in Seattle...."Pepsi challenge" was the display, I believe.... Absolutely INSANE......I wanna ride it!
The Jade Warrior had a Ford BDA in it. Which was probably the most succesfull 4cyl in racing in its day. So it must have had plenty of power... Another cool feature about the Jade Warrior was that it used the exhaust stacks to pull a vacuum under the bike, ****ing it down, which gave more grip... Lots of creative thinking in that machine...
there was a guy with an 303 olds motored drag bike looked a lot like potters but not him. Saw it a few years back at epping,we talked about Boss Hog bikes and he said power was never a question back then getting the thing to connect was!And don't forget Norm Gabowski's Six Pack Corvair/Indian crossbreed!I'm trying to smooth talk a friend out of one of his old Goldwing frames to try and build a sort of copy.I've wanted to do that since I was knee high to nothin and saw it in Car Craft !now if I can just figure out a ****** setup ?
They used to bring this nailhead powered bike to New England Dragway in Epping NH a few years ago and do some exhibition runs with it. It was pretty cool to see. I'll post some recent pics of it from home.
The Jalopy Journal
