This one seems to have been put together in the late 70's or so, but there are some great sound bites from Garlits as well as some excellent footage from a late 50's or early 60's drag race. The music is terrible. "It's like being... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
Thanks for the link. I think 4 motors in a car not so good. But on a plane thats is still a great ideal.
Only after 4 engines does it get ridiculous! I love it. Was that TV Tommy? Cool little piece of history.
I always thought Cha Cha seemed a little jaded,but I suppose times were tuff for her back then. Big Daddy looks like he's havin' a bad hair day. I've had a few of those. That white coupe gettin' pushed up in the vid is bitchin'!
Thanks For The Memories Ryan.great Clips. (quick Story) Garlits Used To Come To Helena, Al In The Mid To Late 50's Good Looking Rail But He Always Had A Hard Time Beating A Local Guy Named Bill Mullins. Bill Had The Most Crude Looking Ugly Ass Rail You Have Ever Seen. He Used A Bent Coat Hanger For A Gas Pedal With A Loop That He Put Over His Big Toe And Pulled Rather Than Pushed. Garlits Rarely Won And I Know He Was Very Frustrated. Thanks Again For Bringing Back A Lot Of Great Memories.
It was sure nice to hear the "voice of NHRA" Steve Evans on there. I have not heard his voice in a while. Thanks for the clip. Steve Glucoft Amocat Speed Emp.
Thanks for the video. I don't have many heros, but Garlits is one of the few who qualify. He did it all...developed his own engines, chassis, drove the tow truck and the race car, developed new technologies, one of the first touring pros, reshaped the sport, etc., etc., etc. Being chosen the #1 most important guy in NHRA racing, I guess other fans share my admiration. My favorite story was when someone said he could no longer compete in NHRA racing....so he came back and won the Championship. I don't know what he is like on a personal level, but he knows what commitment and determination is, and has been willing to pay whatever price was necessary!..............Da Man!
What the hell is wrong with the music!!!???? Three window coupe was always one of my favorite songs. You just have to be old enough to appreciate it. Great video Ryan. Don Garlits was always one of my heroes. KEEP THE MUSIC!!!!
I couldn't agree with you more. And the funny thing is, when someone becomes so successful at what they do, that's when all the shit talking starts. He wasn't very well liked at the time, mainly cuz he kicked most guys asses! I've always looked up to him, he has accomplished so much in drag racing. I thought it was a great video, and I liked the music.
Thought this belonged on this thread. 1957 April HRM "Post Entry" column. A then pretty much unknown Donald Garlits letter complaining about the lack of coverage in Florida Drag Racing. Guess he figured the best way to get noticed was to win.
Garlits was right about Florida. We were like Rodney Dangerfield, we didn't get no respect. I was the flagger at the Golden Triangle dragstrip when Garlits went 160 mph before anybody in the country, but we weren't NHRA sanctioned and no one ever heard of it. We were Garlits practice track because we were about 20 minutes from his shop on Nebraska Ave. in Tampa. He drove out about every weekend he was in town and pick up a $100 Top Eliminator check. He hated flaggers, and we weren't too fond of him. We all mellowed over the years.
A great source of information about Garlits, his origins in drag racing, some of his innovations, that letter of April 1957, Wally Parks' infamous ride on the car, & more is the book High Performance, by Robert C. Post....a GREAT book. Get it through the library if you can't find a copy; it may be out of print, but I saw the paperback version in Borders 2-3 months back. It has stories about many other icons as well.
Funny isn't it, traditional hot rodding doesn't encompass music but it does most every thing else! This is real Hot Rod music, not the psycho billy shit everyone seems fascinated with today. I would love to see all of that, the Don and Tommy are two of the best, just slot in Tony Nancy and it would be perfect! Thanks for posting this Ryan. Doc.
Thanks---Damn, I want to be 20 years old again!!! I want to be there, in the pits, feeling that hot, hot, sun, smelling the fuel and the burning rubber. The waves of sheer unGodly NOISE of of engines with open headers winding up---I want---I want---
I'm not really into "hot rod" music of any generation to be honest with you... In any case, I thought the footage and the words by Don were the highlights...
I've met Big Daddy on a couple of occasions and he impressed me as being a real nice, down to earth guy. One winter day my wife and I, along with the kids went to see my mom in Ocala. My son Bryan, about 4 years at the time, and I went to Garlets museum. When we got there, the place was pretty deserted. It looked like it might have been closed. We found a bay door open so we went in. Don and a young guy were there working on Don's race car. He came up and shook our hands and had the other guy give us a guided tour of the museum. I bought a souviner aluminum rod that he had autographed, that had come out of one of his engines. The price? A princely $5.00! Before leaving, Don kindly let me take a photo of him holding my son. He later autographed the photo at a race in West Palm Beach, and said that he remembered the encounter. I have been to his museum a couple of times since and it is much bigger now. If any of you other gearheads are in Florida at any time, the museum is a must see. In fact, if a choice has to be made, skip Disney World. I'm sure the wife and kids will understand.
Sometime in the 80's I was in Kansas City at the nationals and Gartlits was there. We watched him grenade every time he came up for qualifying. As the Sat night session was winding down we went over to observe. When we walked up it looked like someone had died. Garlits called all of his crew over and told them" I know you want to go to the motel and relax.But we came here to win and if we leave this car here in pieces we will never get motivated enough in the morning to get up and get it together. Now lets all do what we came here for and I'll let you sleep in in the morning." Not one person said anything they started scrambling on the car. We came back in the morning and they rolled the car out of the trailer and ran good .I think I would have liked working with him,knowing him, and learning from him. To me he is a hero .
Quite a few years ago there were very few Early hemi's being built or still being run In Australia( or anywhere else as it happened),the only guy , apart from Bob Walker, who could help with Advice was Don Garlits. A truly nice guy . but I am more impressed with Shirley Muldowny...whooooa... hot!!!!
I read that Don had a new/retro dragster for exhibitions and fun, now that he is retired. I would love for him to show up at the hamb drags. He'd prolly do it if all the star-struck crowd would just let him be himself and have fun....
There's a feature on his newest dragster in the new Hot Rod, I believe. It has a new 392 in it, looks kinda odd but bitchin at the same time.
I posted these not to long ago. Don's new Rat Rod Said he is building much like one of his earlier cars he used to race around the area.. They were having fun fitting new rubber and glass when i was there a few months ago. Jdee And an early car from inside...