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

As noted in an earlier post of this car...NOT...the "Twin Bears". No "s" after Bear.
The car was/is named the "Twin Bear".
The current owner, in the white t-shirt in the middle and lower picture.






Donnie Johansen debuted the running version of the restored Howard Cams "Twin Bear" that was campaigned in the early 60's by the late great Jack Chrisman.


Mike

 

From Rob Kinnan's story on the car for the "Hot Rod Archives" from 2010;
"One of the tastiest specimens in the Golden 50 stable of historic cars, notable since it won the very first Winternationals, was the Howard’s Cams Special, later known as the Twin Bears (often mistakenly referred to in the singular)."

Kinnan talked with Mike Cook who recreated the car along with Donnie Johansen so I think that he may have the story straight. The later version of the car (post the plywood body era) had artwork of two bears on the nose as seen here and hence the name.



Tom Madigan's "The Chrisman Legacy" book also has the car as the 'Twin Bears" and his info came from the Chrisman family who were closely involved in the car's history with Jack driving to numerous victories.
Just speculation, but maybe the car was originally called the "Twin Bear" as it was somewhat of a behemoth and later the artwork was added and it became the "Twin Bears"

Roo

 

See Roo's post above...here is the full picture of the cowl...I rest my case

 

Hello,
The latest photos that I took of the "Jack Chrisman Corner" at the 2017 Price Transfer Lions Museum opening/gathering was taken before the show and during. It is the same cowl or front nose cone from the old days. The race car had the look with the plywood, as it was popular at Lions back then.


But, the white "Twin Bears" nose cone was sitting adjacent to the FED.

Here is an oddball description: The race car nose cone says "Twin Bears."
But, for conversations and writing of descriptions for stories, the moniker of Twin Bear is acceptable. Noting that it is one race car description... So, no need to get the old panties in a tizzy. ... EXAMPLE: "I wrote a story about the Twin Bear winning at Lions Dragstrip back in 1960 and it did not have the white nose cone."

We are all old time hot rod/drag race guys with memories like stones...They are thick and full of facts. We need lots of support from the other, true, proven facts to keep the flame alive and preserved for future generations.

Jnaki


This is not a grammar lesson as noted in other HAMB threads.
Nixed by Moriarity.

 

Interesting.
I got this info (singular Bear) from Don himself..!? I'll have to ask about this.

Mike

 

Hey M,
If you were talking to anyone about the race car, the term TWIN BEAR will pop up as it is a description of the actual car. But, you cannot show two bears on the nose cone with the title: Twin Bear....as there are two cute bears. It is all a moot point.

Donny Johansen probably told you ... "Oh yea, the Twin Bear was a fast race car"...etc. Since it was describing a single race car. The grammar usage of Twin Bears would not apply to that conversation... "Oh yea, the Twin Bears WAS a fast race car." It was a single race car and in any conversation, would be described as a single entity... Twin Bear.

Jnaki
If I had put 1960 Lions Howard Cam Twin BearS single injector...on the You Tube description, I would have comments like...
"Twin Bears means two bears..." "It is a single race car, etc." "Why do I see only one race car?" The grammar police however wrong, would have a field day.
So, it remains: 1960 Lions Howard Cam Twin Bear Single Injector

 

Hmm, so the Mooneyes dragster should be called Mooneye.

Mick

 

Hey L,
It is a company with two eyes in one sticker and corporate logo... But one race car... one company. It is a trademark name. It was changed over from Moon Equipment Co. to Mooneyes USA, dropping the whole name to MOONEYE... OOPS, MOONEYES for shortening the full corporate name and ease of identity.

Jnaki
One of the original SEMA founders in 1963.

 

Vineland dragstrip Vineland New Jersey 1962

 

on its way to Atco.. stop at the Cross Keys Diner in New Jersey..
the bent bolt cars were east cost regulars for many yrs..