I actually just purchased the white 1956 Ford Courier you see chasing Ol'Noisy down the track. I'm in Arizona. Confirmed its the actual vehicle of the team. Like to see if Red is interested in the car... needs to be paired with the roadster at Garlitzs' museum in my opinion. Sent from my SM-G930T using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I own the original push car... the 1956 Ford Courier. Just picked it up last weekend! Wasn't sure it was related until we saw SpeedSport Automotive under the white paint. It's the real deal. In need of restoration but what a find!! I'm in Arizona. Sent from my SM-G930T using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I own the original push car... the 1956 Ford Courier. Just picked it up last weekend! Wasn't sure it was related until we saw SpeedSport Automotive under the white paint. It's the real deal. In need of restoration but what a find!! I'm in Arizona. Sent from my SM-G930T using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
After admiring Red's scoops for 50 years, in 2014 I finally got one. Hand made by Red from the original mold. He signed it on the inside. One of my most prized possessions!
Great story.... I spied the roadster at CHRR 2014, one of a number of iconic hot rods I have now seen in the "flesh"...
Since Don Maynard and the Greek were such good friends, I am sure that is how he got the got one of the Speed Sport scoops for his fueler and used it for years I also got to see it run at the early ' Smokers ' meets at Bakersfield, one off cars like that is what made the meets such a great draw and we all have such great memories of those days when the pilots would be smoked in leaving the line ' Priceless ' Last edited: Jan 28, 2015 D.N.D., JAN 28, 2015 !REPORT! SHARE POST#44 LIKE + QUOTE REPLY Gary Dubach ran a Speed Sport scoop in his 33 Willys. (Bones-Dubach-Pisano) "Chizler Too" was painted on the grill shell. No one has ever been able to tell me the connection, if there was one, to Red, Don, or the Greek. .....growin' up leads to gowin' old, then to dyin', and dyin', to me, don't sound like all that much fun.........John Mellencamp 1983 DEAN LOWE, JAN 28, 2015 !REPORT! SHARE POST#46 LIKE + QUOTE Hello, In reading this thread from back in 2015, here is a short video of the Speed Sport vs the Chizzler at Riverside in 1959. It is included in the “Chizzler Total” clip. It is fast, so look quickly. (Check out the scoops…) If they were friends, they raced like it was all on the line at this race. The Speed Sport Roadster was one of the coolest race cars around. They went all over the USA to race and they did it against the top FED racers of the time. Jnaki It was one of our favorite race cars. There were many rear engine copies and versions, but we will always remember the original one. It impressed this teenager on that all day race at Riverside Raceway in 1959. It was truly loud and fast. Speed Sport Roadster total clip: Chizzler Total Vs Speed Sport:
I was always impressed by the speeds of this little rear engined roadster with the one of a kind(?) scoop. It must have sounded wicked!!
Great shot of Speed Sport vs. Tony Waters -- two great roadsters that took on the dragsters and often showed them the way.
Awesome, it showed the front end of the Speed Sport 56 Ford Courier push car I now own. Was looking for a clear shot of the bumper. Sent from my SM-G930T using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Hey KPS, Here is a screenshot of that Ford push car from Bakersfield in 1960. Jnaki They had a 59 Pontiac push car at Riverside in 1959.
Perfect. The Pontiac was limited use, the Courier was the main vehicle and originally was baby blue with the Speed Sport logos on the panels. Sent from my SM-G930T using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Way off the subject, that purple and white blown Packard station wagon in the background of the bottom photo in Post #72 was a real terror in the Stock classes at Colton. Now, back to originally scheduled postings . . .
I have always thought this was about the best design since I read about it whenI was reading the little books as a kid! Since then I have seen it in person at Bakersfield a couple of times ! It's a great car
Here is what's left if the 1956 Ford Courier push car. Plenty good enough to save.... Sent from my SM-G930T using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Can't get a pick to show clear enough... going to wet sand soon to get through the white overpaint to the logos. Sent from my SM-G930T using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The blown Speed Sport & Gene's 554 fuel coupe were the two best non-diggers of all time Plus they both had the best sounds with the pipes going out to the rear DND
Note the scoop cover in the photo above. The Lords was the car club that Red, Lyle, and Don belonged to in Tucson as kids.
Cool car. Well worth the save. Make sure you run a y-block and dont down grade to a 302 and c4. Sent from my SM-T805Y using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Thanks Ryan for firing the lil' grey cells on 'what's my favourite race car'. The Crawford/ Duthie photos are so good, thank you both.
"The blown Speed Sport & Gene's 554 fuel coupe were the two best non-diggers of all time." Don't leave Tony Waters' roadster out of the "best" list. He held the national drag racing E.T. record (and speed, too?) at one time.
Bump to an old thread, due to the Pima Air Museum interviewing Red Greth with the roadster in front of a B-29 "Sentimental Journey". https://www.facebook.com/PimaAirAndSpace/videos/435152614570742
I have always liked this car, but I will be a little contrary and say that I think the best looking drag car ever built was "Ike" Iacono's 6 cylinder GMC powered dragster. It is interesting that is is a contemporary of this car and was also orange. Did anyone notice the number of orange cars in the video? It must have been a popular color, especially among racers
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