More junk I don't need...Kent Fuller dragster???

damn Kevin don't holdout on these guys!
Show'em pix of the goodie box and have yer daughter type out the story!
That in-out box is the toughest.
TP

 

Yea the front end looks pretty similar to the Vagabond, which Fuller built.

 

I,ve seen a lot of diggers but I am no help to you on this one where the top rail kicks up with a bend at the upright that supports the rear housing. That is a unique feature, someone should be able to identify it for you. I will advise you to replace the rear hoops with one piece tubing, those butt welds are suicide if you were to crash. Great Cackle car as is though. Good find - Goldy

 

The rear bars that are cut off were push bars. They were used to push start the engine instead of carrying the weight of a starter, battery, cables etc. it's old skool stuff !! Goldy

 

Kiwi -

I saw these pictures on the Standard 1320 group last evening. Fuller is a member and lurker there. I expect you will be hearing something definative fairly soon.

FWIW (not much - LOL) I'm guessing its not a Fuller. That doesn't mean its not a nifty car. Cool find.

 

For what it's worth, I just showed this to Ron Covell, who worked with Fuller for years. Here is his response: "... - Although it's hard to say with certainty, there are several features on the car ... that don't match any Fuller car I've seen. For example, Fuller used a particular triangular shape to cap the transversely mounted torsion bar for the front axle, and the shape of the triangular pieces on the car you sent me is different. Further, there are large-radius bends on the top chassis rail just behind the motor - I've never seen Fuller use that style of bending."

 

looks shakey,on the rear hoops. Those cars were setup as a 3 pt. cage. the buiders thought the top rear bar would tie it together'good enough'. I would weld fully, gusset, and update the cage if you plan on driving it. those old frames really are fatigued,from bouncing on old open trailers. A full heat treat,with the entire frame in an oven,would probibly cost well over just using it as a copy for a new frame. Be carefull, what you decide to do to it. A mild steel frame would work well with the pop body..

 

I look forward to hearing from Kent Fuller for a definative answer but I will not be the least bit dissapointed if it isn't one of his. I love the thing no matter who built it. I am not worried about the rear joint either as I don't plan on racing it. That upright is .120 wall by the way so that cage was stouter than most for it's time. I can't really imagine it ripping apart easier than a solid upright with the top rail coped and butted to the sides of it as I think it would rip on the outer edge of the weld either way but I'm no engineer. I don't have the finances to make a running car out of it but I do have almost enough parts to mock it up nicely. Some time in the future I think I would enjoy the project of building a body for it , a nice chute pack tail. I like The 37Kid's idea of a roadster body alot but I like the chute pack tails just a little more. Maybe both. I really like the looks of Tom Willfords dragster so I would like it to end up similar.
Zibo is referring to a reverser I got with it along with a couple of clutches, brake parts, steering box, butterfly wheel, Airheart master cylinder and a few other things. I don't want to use that floater Olds rear end. I have another Olds housing I can use with conventional axles and I have Cragar/Airheart rear disc brake setup that will be perfect. I will be selling the Rearend in the pictures . I agree with Goldy that the bars out back are most likely a push bar setup but not the original one. Most from that era have much simpler push bars.
Groucho....Must have been a different body, this one was never close to a freeway and was out of sight. Thanks for the replies guys!

 

Kev,

A buddy of mine from Carpinteria has been looking for a frame to measure up/photograph/geek on to build his own SWB rail (yes, it'll get a swept up chute tail) to run at West Coast nostalgia events. Of course, being a Mopar guy, he's figuring it'll get an injected B-motor...at least at first.

PM me if it'd be cool to have him come by and size this chassis up - it's just different enough to appeal to twisted bastards like us. Right now he's restoring a bunch of Zagato-bodied cars at his Ventura shop, and is itching to work on something that doesn't have to conform to factory specs and concourse judging.

 

Kent's wife posted on the 1320 group that Fuller had looked at the photos and said that he did not build this one.

 

Thank's Crowerglide, I wonder who did. It was definately pro built. I can't wait for the CHRR. I'll be checking them out closer than usual. I will also E-mail the pics to Don Garlits Mr Sharp at the NHRA museum.

 

wow that frame is so cool -geoff

 

Here's a comment from the man himself

"Nothing on this car is a FULLER. Nothing!!!"

Fuller

Lee...

 

Think Goldys right about the push bar...some just had one bar in middle hanging out for push board to contact.