Flatheads! Hemis! Nailheads! Pontiac's! Chevy's! Dragsters! A tour of Don Garlits' !

more here

 

and some engines...

 

This is the end ! Hope you find something in this that may help you in your HotRod project

 

Dude, I went camping in Ocala over the weekend and after living in Florida most of my life I finally went to the Garlits museum for the first time. God, I'm lame.

As car guys we're all lucky that he's held on to all this stuff so we can actually see it in person instead ofjust on the net. Seriously, if he sold all of that shit on e-bay he'd be a billionaire.

And I want the NASCAR nailhead for the Riviera. 600 horses out of a naturally aspirated nail. Amazing. Looks bone stock too. Scary.

If you're in Florida don't miss it.

The funny thing is that Don actually lives in that little house as you're pulling into the museum.

 

It is the most amazing place.
Don's blind mom used to greet people when they went in, unfortunately she died a couple years ago, she was a sweet woman.
If you have never been there, you are missing out. It's a must see for any gearhead regardless of his particular tastes, there is something for everyone but for hot-rodders it's nirvana.

 

I cannot wait to get down there.

 

I've been wanting to go there for YEARS. Thanks

 

as a guy who knows very little, museums fascinate the hell outta me. these pics are sweet.

had a couple quick questions regarding a few things that puzzled me (i hope i attatched the pictures correctly):

1.) on the teal-colored engine, the valve covers facing straight up and down looks funny to me. is that a y-block? always heard that term, but never really knew what it looked like.

2.) on the red-colored block...is that some sort of blower attached to it? i've only seen blowers sittin on top. maybe a supercharger? transmission component?

3.) the last one just boggles me. 2 engines...side by side?!?! are they linked together by some sort of belt or gear, or do they run indepenedently? i don't really even know what to ask here...any info on this one would tickle me to death.

thanks in advance for anyone who chooses to educate me

 

Glad to help.
To answer your questions:
1. That is a Buick 'Nailhead' Engine, made in 322, 364, 401 and 425 CID.
2. That is a Supercharger, that is driven off the front of the crankshaft.
3. Those are twin Buick Nailhead engines that are coupled to a bellhousing arrangement.

 

Awesome Pictures! Thanks for sharing.

 

One of these years I've gotta do a 'East Coast tour'......

Thanks Glenn, appreciate the effort to post all those for us.

Cheers bro,

A

 

WOW....great pics Glenn...almost like being there! Love the old dragsters.
And the set of Federal-Mogul copper heads for a flatty....I know a Hamber has a set.....pretty damn neat!!!

I remember all of that.....I know Warren Johnson was almost unbeatable until the Dodge guys showed up.....he was always bad mouthing the Dodges for BEATING him....coincidence???
Kinda like Pro-stock in the 70's when the NHRA pretty much outlawed/restricted the Hemis (because of their dominance) into not being competitive...I mean, most of the spectators were Chevy fans...who wants to see a Dodge win anyway??? Conspiracy theory??? Aww...maybe....

 

wow... cool pics, thanks.

 

Thanks for posting the pics. I was there several years ago, spent several hours and could have spent several more, there so much to see. Did you notice the top speed of the Bug? 130, no way would I do 130 on a set of frame rails.

 

Thanks Glen for taking the time to post all those pics, that was a real blast seeing all tht stuff. Now I want to go even more now. Maybe next year I'll do the turkey run then head over to Ocala and let the in-laws have Thanksgiving without me.

 

Man, I gotta go. I really didn't know how much history was there. Every HAMB'er should make the trip.

 

I can't stop drooling......

 

I almost forgot how much stuff was there...thanks for the pictorial reminder. I took my mom by a few years ago (I think she was 85 at the time) and even she enjoyed it. That place and Don Garlits are real American treasures... every gearhead owes it to himself or herself to make the trip to Ocala before they die!!

 

thanks for posting these....i hope to make it there someday

doug,
are ya chicken??

 

thank you for posting these, the shots of the intakes and engines on thier own was enough for me to ingest. much appreciated.

 

that blown poncho is bitchin

 

Big's place is the best. I've been there many, many times. Went first in the mid '80s, when I was about 5. It wasn't even technically open yet. My Dad stood me next to this mini-dragster with a go-cart engine in it and was taking my picture. Don comes up and says "It'd be a better picture if he was sitting in it." So they plopped my in the seat and snapped my pic. It was pretty cool for a little kid. My Dad has idolized Big since the '50s. He was an amazing racing innovator. Hell, we'll see one Big's ideas, originally banned by NHRA, vindicated this year at the GatorNationals, the mono-strut wing. He was only about 15 years ahead of his time on that one.
The pics are great but you have to see this stuff in person. These pics don't depict even half of the contents. The engine room in the back is completely amazing. Every hot rodder should make at least one pilgrimage in their lifetime. I try to go about once every other year.

 

All great pics, that cut away HEMI picture is an education in itself. Many thanks.

 

thanks for taking the time to post the pics

 

Your welcome fellas, I hoped some would find some neat ideas in it.

 

Thank you so much for posting this. wow. I gleaned a couple cool ideas as well.

 

My Dad built that mini dragster you are talking about. It was built for the Bainbridges from western New York. It ran at Lancaster Dragway in the early seventies. I think it's the first ever "junior dragster"

 

I can not stress this enough. If you've ever raised the hood on a car or changed a flat tire you HAVE to go to THE museum for a look see. I've been going there since it first opened as my inlaws retired to Florida many years ago. We stopped either on the way down to their place of on the way back and were fortunate enough to experience the place starting with just one small building to what it's evolved into today. On all but a couple of occasions Don was at the shop (right on the property) or in the gift house on the phone talking to people all across the US either making appearance dates, ordering parts for the restorations going on or just chatting with old competitor/friends. His wife was always at the gift shop along with his mother and daughter on most occasions.
With the passing of my in-laws I haven't been there is a few years and am anxious to go again. We all should be grateful to Don for having the foresight to build and expand this facility . Without his vision I can't imagine how much of the things there might have been lost, cannibalized or changed loosing much of the history and evolution of drag racing.

Frank

 

Thanks great pictures!

 

Thanks for the pics!