It's been over a decade since I first reviewed "Cool Cars, Square Roll Bars" - a book written by the former editor of Hot Rod Magazine, Arnie Shuman. It remains one of the best kept secrets in Hot Rod publications. The book houses story after stor... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
It looks like the engine is tipped forward. That's something I am pretty sure I have never seen before. Like I said Ryan, I love those 389's. The wheels on my roadster are going but I surely am not crazy enough to cut the car in half. But I do like this type of thinking. It almost crazy enough to work! I might check that book out. I like the title.
Ryan, Thanks for the great post. When I take my late Grandfather's dragster to car shows (See below for link / info on the car), I try to emphasize the creative engineering that these early pioneers of drag racing put into their cars. You could not simply go to the speedshop and order a bracket or part, you had to look around your garage for what might work, grab your buzz box and do a little fabrication.
Very neat !!! Back when you could not say cookie cutter !!!.....You can still build and think innovative.......Littleman
Another very interesting article Ryan. Thanks!..................That steering shaft is a tad bit deadly in the event of a crash tho!
No Corn Boy, I think that's the dashboard. Outstanding 3rd Gen Hot Rodder! You have inherited and preserved a legacy that "Newbies" like me can only aspire to emulate.
Bill, that car is a wonderful piece of history. How great that it has survived and you can show it and let folks see what drag racing was like when the cars were built in peoples garages by the hot rodders. How far we have come and how much has been lost from the original concept.
Well Ryan, you just cost me $20 on Amazon! There was actually one copy available. Can't wait to read it. 3rd Gen Hotrodder, thanks for sharing that link, very cool it survived and even cooler it wasn't "overrestored".
If You love hot rods this book is the best on East Coast Hot Rod History written by real hot rodders . A must have.. just google - "Cool Cars, Square Roll Bars"
I have to agree...the book I have had for some time and everytime I pull it out there is something new...as for the Dragster? Well you can't get much cooler than that.
Yeah, lots of information on the early days of East Coast rodding. Arnie and Bernie did a great job on the book and it ended up needing to have a second printing as the first sold out Some of the stuff in the book, shows the trials and errors of early hot rodding and the ingenuity that it took to make it all work in the long run. There are more than a few of the cars in the book still around. Some still owned by the original owners/builders. Paul Aldrich (out of Mass.) has restored a couple of the early Front Engine Dragsters in the book (I beleive one was the Bannister bros-can't remember the other off the top of my head.) Sure we all love the nitro burning Hemi's at a cackle fest, but how about a hot flattie in the original slingshot? Cool stuff for sure. The only other books I like nearly as much are those from Albert Drake. If you want a good read, try to find a copy of "The Dominators". this book is a written recount of a club from the east coast, and all the nonsense/fun they had in the early years of hot rodding. More of a hot rodidng paper back novel-a cross between a history lesson and a Henry Gregor Felson book. Good stuff
Some years ago I was introduced to Dave Sanderson's widow, a lady named Pearl and was able to get the movie reels of this car being towed to Detroit. I have the film put on videotape, a copy for me and a copy for Pearl. Many folks have searched high and low in seacoast NH to find if this car survived but I guess it didn't. Incidently Pearl's second husband, a machinist named Dan Cook, built supermodified race car chassis in a shop at their home. I think my copy is now in the collection of Reg Bernier in Nottingham, NH who has quite a collection of early dragsters and funny cars there.
I got to meet Arnie back when the book first came out at York. I asked to buy a copy and he told me to wait. He came back later with a signed "Author's Copy" that's numbered. That book is in my vault of special things that, if my house were to catch fire, I would run back in for! Great book. If you can find a copy, buy it! Spike
I got my copy at one of the Ty-Rods Old Timer's Reunions.Arnie was there and had a few copies for sale.A friend of mine told me I should get one and I said I would when I finished striping a car.He went over and bought me a copy and Arnie inscribed it,"You must have really great friends!" The other book mentioned(the Dominators)I bought from the author at a car show somewhere in Massachusetts.Pretty interesting read on early hot rodding in Massachusetts. Can't recall how Dave Sanderson died but I have a picture around somewhere taken at Sanford Maine of the Speed Sport roadster and next to it is a 59 Dodge convertible with a poster taped to the side advertising the Dave Sanderson Memorial Drags.Must have been around 63 or 64.
Thank you to all for the nice comments above about my late grandfather's dragster. Yes, I know that I am a very fortunate grandson.
Dave Sanderson passed away at a young age.in a swimming accident in Greenland, NH I was told by some of the guys who knew him. He was an innovative builder and I would have liked to see what he might have built had it not been for the unfortunate circumstances. Long before I moved to NH.
Just got a copy of this and it is a must have in gearhead's library. I know it's going to eat up large chunks of time for the next couple weeks. Thanks for bringing this to my attention!
Just received my copy as well. Bought it on Amazon and it even came autographed. It is a must have for old drag racing photo 'junkies'. Ryan, thanks for making us aware of this book.
Hey mickey144 2, how about doing an introduction. You have the credentials thats for sure. Welcome to the hamb anyhow.
Not to steal the thread but it's good to see an old '50's Hot Rodder Reg show up here on the hamb. There is a picture of Reggie Bernier and his rear engine Hemi powered Model A coupe in Cool Cars and Square Roll Bars. Probably the only A/Comp car to fall off the trailer at freeway speed, do a endo & land on all fours in the woods. Unbelievably it still competed at Sanford Drags the next day. More unbelievable was that the oxy /acetlylene tanks complete with gauges stuffed in the cockpit exited while the car was inverted and didn't explode. Yep, that was real '50's Hot Rodding.
He seems to have dissapeared again... What happened ? Having grown up in Portsmouth & Greenland NH I was following that discussion closely. I still have family in Greenland.
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