Dorgan’s Draggin’ Bird

I’ve been doing a good amount of parts shipping lately. Cardboard boxes have become my sheetmetal and my tape gun is my new welder. My printer is my paint, and my laptop is the cloth-wrapped wiring. When I buy labels, I’m turning the key.

I like sending out parts almost as much as I like receiving them. It always feels good to clear space and, when a little bit of money comes in, it gets me daydreaming about future projects. As I’ve been preparing my boxes for the post office this week, I’ve decided to try out something different.

You’ve all seen newspaper packing before. Now, I’ve been adding duplicate magazines in the mix. Not the treasured Rod & Customs, Hop Ups, or Honk!, but rather the materials that are borderline off-topic for the H.A.M.B. Even though they aren’t filled with hot rods and custom cars, I do make sure to leaf through them before they make their way to their new owners.

In the stack, I found the October 1967 issue of Hi-Performance CARS. Not much to write home about when it comes to early iron but, oh man, is it a drag racer’s delight. Near the end of the book, I came across an article titled “BIOGRAPHY OF THE OLD ’BIRD” by Joe Oldham. It opens with a shot of Motor City legend Bill Coon’s SOHC-powered T-bird, and proceeds to dive into the model’s storied history.

What really caught my eye, however, was the car pictured above—an absolutely wild baby ’Bird built for the drag strip. It’s everything 13-year-old model builder me could have wanted, with its straight axle, American mags, massive tube headers, and rough-and-tumble appearance. The wheelwell radius is spot on, and the builder gets extra points for the tach on the dash and the chrome hoop roll bar. Note the ¾-ton truck rear end.

The best part about this thing? I had never seen it before. It’s a new one to me, and I figured it was too good not to share. So, I’ll wind down the week by asking you this: do you recognize this rare Bird?

—Joey Ukrop

Photo from Joe Oldham. Looking for more drag-Bird inspiration? Check out this thread here.