Who Built the First Narrow Chassis Funny Car..?

Took this at a swap meet last year. Don't know which "Rambunctious" car is was, but I know he had a round tube chassis car in '68... Is this a T-Bar chassis? Obviously the cage has been cut off.

 

Garlits always got the credit, but as Fletcher's daughter, I must say, my info has Dick Fletcher as the inventor of the first narrow chassis Funny Car as well as the rear engine design. That's my take on it. Any comments?

 

Dick Fletcher built the chassis for the Mr. Ed owned by Art Whipple and Ed McCullough. Although not as famous as some of these other names, he was quite the innovator and known for his exact, straight to the millimeter, chassis.

Fletcher also built the chassis for the 2nd Mr T Corvette (owned by Ed Wills if I remember correctly). The first one wrecked because the chassis wasn't exact.

Correcting myself: Mr T was owned by Vic Morse. Dad (Fletch) was working with Ed Wills at the time the Mr Ed has burned on the way to a race and Ed Wills and his team rebuilt the car for Art Whipple and Ed McCullough so they could be out again racing in something like 10 days. We lived in Clovis, CA at that time and I think Ed Will's had his shop in Fresno, or right around there.

 

It was JOHN BUTTERA for sure

 

I asked Jay Howell about this on another group (he's a member here too) and his reply was
" The first narrow chassis FC I remember was the Ramchargers Woody Chassis in 1970."

 

Though not necessarily narrow, the dragster inspired roll cage and other dragster touches were put in place by Pat Foster on the Mickey Thompson Mustangs in 1969.

The cars had shocks on all 4 corners but early in the going the rears were just decoration as they were solid not too far into the program.