History Drag cars in motion.......picture thread.

Yes, along with the general configuration of the chassis and the front axle.

Roo

 

^^^^^^^^^
Awesome set of photos Tommy.

Roo

 

Evidently this is currently under restoration--hopefully with the later candy red paint and gold leaf lettering.
Interesting that both the Panella and Mazmanian Willys were originally plain red with yellow lettering before the candy and leaf.

Roo

 

It looks like someone had a change of heart on the color on their Kellison dragster

Roo

 

This may be the first of Joe's "Twiggy" top fuel cars. Out of the Chicago area Joe was the runner up in top fuel at the 2007 NHRR in Columbus, OH and was still running his J. Ed Horton NT/F as late as 2010.

Roo

 

Al Bergler's More Aggravation AA/C. This is most likely the second color scheme for the car. The first was plain red and this one is an orange/red with white. The car is probably best known in its restored form with bright yellow paint.

Roo

 

Interesting quarter elliptic front suspension on this car

Roo

 

Definitely a Don Long car but there is not enough body to be able to identify it

Roo

 

Dick Huffer's car out of Chicago. Driven by Champaign, IL's Carl Johnson

Roo

 

Yea, back when out of the proverbial box experimentation was key.
I fully understand the need for "spec." cars today, but the past was a cool time to be around.

Mike

 

Don't know how long he kept the carbs.

 

Hey T,
After his disappointment at the first, 1959 Bakersfield Smokers event, they traveled North to Kingdon. By the time the races were on that following weekend, he had a 671 with the carbs on top. Now, that was the start of his 671 on the Hemi motors era. I am sure the West Coast competition was an eye opener for his racing group.
Riverside
We saw him in December 1959 (Riverside Raceway) and again in March of 1960 (Bakersfield Smokers' March Meet #2). By then, he was fully powered (671 + injectors) and a lot faster than in the original 1959 Bakersfield Smokers Meet. It also started his episodes with the Giovannoni Cams era, too.
Bakersfield 1960
Jnaki
The saying goes...the rest is history...

 

ROO: In the late 50's and early 60's he was still in Seffner running the speed shop and they did indeed test the car at Twin City Dragway in Oldsmar, Florida and the Nelsen Bros. were doing the machine work at that time.

For some reason Art Malone was driving for those test sessions back in those day's.

Geter Nelson himself told me about building the Hemi motors and helping out with the machine work
Jimbo

 

Ohio George testing at Muncie Dragway. View attachment 4462172

 

Looks like a Chassis Research LW106 chassis. Joe Jacono ran one in Top Gas. Chase

 

For years I've worked with Ernie Hashim's daughter Janice in Bakersfield, but didn't know the relationship till she saw me wearing a Famoso Speed Shop jacket and told me about her dad. After Garlits saw Hashim was using a blower, he asked Ernie about getting one. So Ernie gave Garlits a blower. When Hashim was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, Garlits told Janice he'd never have been who he was if her dad didn't give him a blower back in the day.

Another. Ernie received a call at his house from Ed Iskendarian, who wanted Ernie to build him a blower. Ernie told Ed he didn't have a mill to do the needed work. A short time later Ernie answers the door, Iskendarian had bought and delivered a mill so Ernie could build him a blower.

Different times.

 

Hello,

The whole Don Garlits West Coast Tour in 1959 is best summed up in this excerpt from WDIFL article.
“After a humbling defeat at the first Smoker's Meet (in March of 1959) at Famoso, Don Garlits hastily equipped his "Swamp Rat" dragster with a supercharger and won the next big race at Kingdon two weeks later.” WDIFL

As West Coast drag racers were happy with the results at the March 1959 Smokers Race at Bakersfield, Garlits started to do some changes to be more competitive.

After the new 671 was added, he was off to Kingdon for some racing in Northern California.
KINGDON 1959


“After incurring burns at a race at Chester, SC. in 1959 Don was unable to drive and his friend Art Malone, pictured here with Don, took over the driving. Don also changed over from the 8 carburetor set-up he had used previously, to a Hilborn two-port injector. With the ability to tune the car more accurately performance immediately improved. At one of the first outings with Malone in the seat at Sanford, ME. on August 23, 1959, the car set a new Standard 1320 speed record of 183.66 MPH.” WDIFL


Jnaki

The rest is in the history books.

 

Glen Yearsley photos

 

Glen Yearsley photos.