When’s the last time you saw a Dragmaster and a Ch***is Research dragster, both restored, both rolling, parked side by side like two old gunfighters waiting on a war that already ended? Tardel dug these out of the dust and brought them back from the dead. And of course, they’re already gone. Some lucky ******* got there first.
It's nuts how light these things are... I can pick the Dragmaster up myself, no strain, and the Ch***is Research isn't much worse. The Dragmaster feels like it's built out of exhaust tubing and prayer. Those *******s were out of their minds.
The Dragmaster frame is Martin and Nelson second generation design, that was known as the Dragmaster Dart. They offered those in mild steel and chrome moly. Their first design, commercially available frame had parallel main tubes and was kinda boxy looking.
Being from Detroit and reading this post about lightweight dragsters made me think of the Logghe Brothers and the Giant Killer which was an unblown small block Chevy dragster weighing in at under 1,000 pounds. It ran near 100% nitro. I watched it run at Detroit Dragway numerous times and was always entertaining. I believe it was the first unblown dragster to break into the sevens. It often lined up against Top Fuel Blown Chrysler dragsters beating them outright. The Giant Killer was always off the line first and when it did loose was overtaken just before the traps. Of course this was before the days of highly prepped tracks and when dragsters smoked the tires the length of the track. Here is a short YouTube:
By the later 60's the cars were getting real light. A friend and I bought this 1968-69 Fuller Jr. Fueler in 1986. With an injected 331 Chrysler it weight 1070 wet. The owner ran the first 50 p***es with a SBC, then he installed the Keith Black 336" Chrysler. It had a 7/8" bottom rail and a 1-1/4" top rail, aluminum SPE clutch can, Mag center early old rear, and Romeo Palamides 4 slot mags on the rear. The front suspension amounted to a small rubber biscuit on the front axle. I ran it at Fremont,Ca in May of '86, after I shortened it 25" and we installed a 6-71.
Hello, "ALMOST GROWN” We grew up watching and listening to the injected SBC FED of the Tapia Brothers, rumbling through the long side pipes. It was a family affair going to and from the weekly drag racing from their home nearby the Lion’s Dragstrip. It did not take too many family members to get the lightweight SBC FED to get up and into the pick up truck to get to the dragstrip. No ill handling trailer necessary as it was place easily into the bed. The folks in the pits were always surprised to see the family taking the SBC FED coming out of the bed onto the pits area. Who is that kid, at the fence, with the Pendleton shirt on watching the action? Jnaki Also, during this time period, the pits were bustling with all of the early FED race cars arriving and competing against each other. Yes, we used to also see the original Dragmaster Gold FED coming up the freeway to race at Lion’s Dragstrip on a weekly basis, too. But, I found a sound recording from the 1959 Nationals of the original Dragmaster making a run many years ago. So, I edited it into my old 1959 film of the Dragmaster lining up and making a run down the local Lion's Dragstrip. It fits well as each run is as good as the other… Turn it up! It is real sound... It was fun watching those new innovations in race cars show up and go fast. In this old film I took, The development of the Dragmaster ch***is allowed others to follow suit. YRMV Even the fastest Hemi powered FED, Cyr And Hopper, saw the advantage and had one made for themselves. March 1960: Then they went from the world’s fastest Hemi to the world’s fastest SBC powered FED. Cyr and Hopper, Dragmaster Ch***is, World’s Fastest Chevy powered FED. DRAG NEWS 1960 The new challenge was a Potvin styled 671 in front of an SBC motor, in a lighter, Dragmaster frame. Instantly, it became known as the “Worlds Fastest Chevy.” at :31
I own the last Logghe altered built at LSC. I've had to run Dragmaster rails at nostalgia events. Great photo ops for the fans.
I was with a dragmaster car in the 60s while stationed in California. B dragster, injected chevy with 3 speed that was shifted down track. Our car was right on the record holder. We were to run Chico Brashini in finals. One of his pit crew was pretending to examinee our engine up close for some reason. Anyway, must have been a coincidence, but on the line one plug wire came off and we lost.
Hello, Here is another film I took back in 1959-60 of an injected SBC Dragmaster Ch***is race car. Perhaps it was the one that was not supercharged and was injected. at :21 sec. Jnaki
Getting to hang out with HAMBer Frank Morawski ( fibergl*** Frank ) over the years, I got to help with the Carrillo roadster restoration and then with the 1964 Roland Leong A/D . While we were having a roll cage certified on another car by NHRA, we asked the tech to check the frame on the dragmaster ch***is. He said it was just a little more than exhaust tubing. Amazing It was beautiful when finished I did a post on this dragster 15 years ago while I was still at the ch***is shop. There are a detail pictures of it inside and out if anyone is interested Projects - One More for Frank Morawski... Updated... | The H.A.M.B.
Albrich, ****rod and Floyd, Vancouver, Wa. TE-440. Jack ****rod owned the ch***is, Jim Albrich the Fuel Chrysler, and Earl Floyd was the driver. 1962.
1070# wet? That's crazy light, especially with a Hemi. I'm guessing that was prior to anything even close to today's NHRA/SFI certification? Lynn
Hi Marty, Makes a fella nostalgic for the 80's! I see Jack ****rod keeping an eye on you, and I believe the guy walking through the foreground in the white and red shirt is Ron ??? [something or another, can't remember his last name]. Him and his boys were mainstays of that Northwest nostalgia FED deal in that era.
Mid 80's was a unique time Private tears Vs Factory & big sponsored backing . NHRA changed . Look for & support Out Law track's Its a wild ride looking down track tilting your head looking between Valve cover & side of blower **** on rear , legs straddling the can , one hand on ****erfly the other on brake & hopping both tires grab equal 60 ft out sawing the wheel back & fourth 660 start hazing the hides , finish line bouncing up and down. $7,000 in 1986 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $21,269.53 in June 2026 . A used Hemi parts now if need to purchase Now in the 12 to 16 k A dum of Alky in 86 about $70 now $600 plus.
Cost to build and race was all the more reason that when I built my FED I wanted it to look like "1968 all over again" but opted for a mild SBC. It's mostly bracket racing these days so going "kinda fast" but still not breaking the bank on the build or upkeep made perfect sense to me. Being more of a "builder" than a die hard, dedicated racer I have the car for sale so I can start another project. You can find the ad for my FED by clicking on my profile. Lynn
I asked Mr. Nelson why all the dragmasters started out at 96". He said " That's how long exhaust sticks were".
That's my old buddy Ron Gorans, he ended up buying our "Ruthless" Don Long car, (my Avitar) for a couple of the boys to drive. Great Friend.
My new one is 98" WB, looking forward to weighing it when complete. By early Dragster standards it will be on the heavy side, as the body is .063 thick.
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