Front Engine Dragster - Zorbas Ghost

This dragster project started in the fall of 2002. I had always wanted to build a f.e.d. and talked about it with friends. Then one day a friend of mine Mark (stlouisgasser) came over with a March 1965 Hot Rod magazine. In the magazine was a article showing a step by step build up of Ed Pinks "Old Master" fueler. The car was being built at Don Longs shop. Real nice article with a bunch of photos. So thanks to Mark I had a real good idea on how to pull this off.
Now armed with the instructions on how to build one I started collection things I would need. I called Mark Williams and ordered two round back dragster shoulder hoops and a roll bar (only one). Then bought a pair of Halibrand magnesium rear wheels from a friend of mine named Tim. Next I placed a want ad in a local news paper looking for front wheels. And that came thru. A side note on the front wheels;Tim called and was checking on the dragster project and to make a long story short, the front wheels use to be his. The rears I had bought from him and these fronts use to be on a dragster together. And by chance they found their way back to each other. Now I had a pile of tubenig and the wheels. Time to get started on this dragster.
During the build up of the frame I kept looking at the old Hot Rod magazine. And found my self checking out the old classifieds in the back. Wow a bunch of cool stuff. There was one ad that had a Dragmaster dragster for sale in St. Louis (my town). But the magazine was 37 years old. In the ad it mentioned the mans name that owned it. So I dialed 1411 and asked information for this guys number. They had one and I called it. I asked for Tom, and it was him that answered the phone. Then I asked if he was the same guy that had a dragster back in the sixties. It was. We got to talking and he invited me up to his house to check out his scrap book. Man that book is to die for. He has done it all; dragbikes, roadsters, road racing and of coarse the dragsters. Left his house that day with more inspiration. Then a few weeks later he called and said he had done some digging and found a bunch of his old dragster parts. And set a day for me to look at them. Boy what a long couple of days. The day I went , when I left I had bought from him the following; Moon tank, Thompson timing cover, blower crank hub, blower pulley, CAE direct drive, Edelbrock blower intake, 35 lb. billet steel flywheel, and his complete Diest fire suit. This is the stuff he had on the car that was in the ad 37 years ago!
So I went on to continue building the car. And Tom would keep in touch , checking progress and tell me drag racing stories from when he was doing it. Then about the time the dragster became a roller for the first time I thought it needed a name. I got to thinking that sure was a funny way that I came upon meeting Tom and buying his old parts. I felt like they had been buried away for 37 years and by a chance phone call they got a second chance at life to all be together again on one car not swap meeted and going to 8 different owners. The name of Toms dragster was "Zorba The Greek", so I named mine "Zorbas Ghost".
Well then my dragster got put on the back burner. Thanks to a room addition at my house and then two consecutive hot rod projects (37 dodge truck and 29 model a sedan).
With the sale of my sedan in Oct. of 2006 I decieded that it was time to finish the dragster. I gave Tom a call and told him I'm back on the dragster and asked if he wanted to build the motor. He said yes. Tom is 73 years young and keeps busy helping out with the street rod crowd in St.Louis, building motors and machineing stuff. He also helps on a Jr. Fuel f.e.d and lots of other projects. So there he was assembling a motor with a bunch of his old parts 40 years after the car was gone.
Last nite Tom, my bud Biggen and John(Toms dragster partner from the sixties) fired this mother up. Wow what a nervous time for me , you know brand new motor fire up. But everything went great. Sure was a long time in the making but here it is. My plans are to make 1/8th mile smokey passes in it. By the time the H.A.M.B. Drags comes around I should have alot of seat time in it. The car still needs some finishing up like new steering links and stuff like that but it is real close now. Long live the front engine dragster.

 

oops, heres the photos. That is Tom and I

 

Pretty cool story.
It'll be fun to see in person.
I can't see the photos.

 

Great to hear you fired it up and everything went good. Now I can't wait to see and hear it in person.

 

very cool and a great story.

 

Now I've got a woodie.That's a cool digger.

 

What a nice story. Thanks for sharing it. I'm still grieving the sale of my own "lifes dream" racer (a gasser), but your story made me feel better. Savor your time with Tom and the Ghost - two powerful messengers from the soul of hot rodding. I think you're in for a really fun summer...

 

Awesome story and a GREAT looking dragster! Good luck with it.

 

Hey Kev it looks close to what you have.

 

I often look at my old magazine classifieds and wonder.... Great Story AWESOME Car!

 

Kick-ass deal, man. Great story and a really nice looking car! You hit the "look" from "the day" square on. Can't wait to see it at MoKan.

Do you know what brand of body that is? Don't see many "chute-pack" style bodies like that anymore.

Take care - and have fun!

 

OK, now you gotta post a little film clip of the thing running so we can all hear it.....

 

Best story i've read in a long time....love the name...she looks bitchin! Can't wait to see her at the drags!

 

That car is right on the money, looks like it came out of a time machine. You need to bring it over to the Nostalgia Pro Comp Association meeting here in Indy later this month. You may not be able to make runs in it there but I know that the racers that run with that group would be blown away by the car.
Is that a Kellison body (or one of the many knock offs?)

Roo Man

 

That is cool. Super story. Tom's stuff must have been a blast to have gone through. I'm sure he is as stoked to help out on the dragster.

Keep this updated.

 

Sweet car! Great story too. I'm sure you are going to make a lot of your own memorys with it. Keep us updated.

 

Great story! Congratulations and keep us posted.

 

God you gotta love it. Great story and killer car .
I will be looking for it at the Hamb drags.

 

That story kicks ass!!!! Awesome to see vintage parts actally being passed on and used. In a perfect world the story would come full circle by having the "old guy" suit up and do a burn out for old times sake! Great read and congrats on your build.

 

WOW thats it wow

 

It's about time........looks awesome.

 

Thanks everyone on the comments. When I was building the car I sure was worried that I wouldnt nail the look I wanted. I sure love the comment of Roomans about the time machine. This thing still needs alot of work like brakes plumbed, the clutch put in(it is in the mail now) you know bunch of little things. When we fired it Thurs. it was only 45 degrees so being a blown alcohol it was a little tempermental. This is my first blown , injected car so I have some learning to do. But Tom and abunch of my friends have them and are more than willing to help. The body is fiberglass and I dont know the brand. I found it on E-bay,and was the only bidder! I would love to post a film of it running but dont know how, and I dont have a video recorder.
pic of the inside.
and of Toms Dragmaster

 

Neat neat neat!!!

I've been working on mine (on and off) longer than you and I just called to schedule my chassis certification - so I can imagine the excitement you are feeling (I haven't fired mine yet - but I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel).

Keep us posted!!!

 

Bitchin digger.

 

Cool story and great looking FED. Cant wait to see it at Mocan !!!!

 

Great story and way to keep at it, finding Tom and his old parts was really a chance in a life time. On a side note there's a little Greek resteraunt up here called Zorbas maybe I could look into picking up a shirt for ya if ya want...lol

 

Great story and it's amazing how things come together when your not afraid to ask a simple question.

 

The orange 22 car is the first Dragmaster chassis I've seen with a chute-pack body on it.

 

lBB41- Could always use a shirt. Would gladly pay for what it would take to get me one. Large
HemiRambler - hope everything goes the way we all want it to at certification.
Johnny Fast- Tom made the chute pack body on that car. Once I asked Tom, " is there anything you dont know how to do?" and he replied " heart sergery, but I'll give it a shot".
Took the day off today from working on stuff then Easter tomorrow. Monday back at it.




Another photo different angle. With different scoop I am thinking about finishing.

 

Brian,
Just read your post and thread REALLY COOL . It was great seeing that beast run yesterday also hanging out and swillin' a few brews with you and biggun. as always anything I can help with let me know.

BABY BLUE II