ANYONE ever seen this vintage dragster It was built in San Diego in the 1950's Believe the owners name was Ron Shoemaker http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos...661643261895_1261594482_1814803_1387062_n.jpg
Don't know the car. It looks killer! I don't know if this is the one Royal is talking about but here ya go...
Yikes...ok. Then I'd suggest going to the store, stock up on food and drink, either move the PC or laptop to the bathroom (to save time) or use a bed pan, take the next week off from work, and search the "Drag Cars in Motion" thread! It WILL be worth it...but if you don't have anywhere to work on your car all winter you will find a whole 'nother level of depression.
It kinda looks like the Ruddy-Weinstein & Red Ardun powered Bantam. The chassis and the push bar are almost spot on. Now, if people would caption their photos in the Dragcars in Motion thread i could post a picture for you.
Yaaaaaaawwnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!! Ok guys I finally found it, taken at Riverside. By the way what day is this?
looking at both photos , and now I am wondering which photo is the earlyer verson? Looks like it changed a lot over the years.
Well chances are they didn't take a section of roll bar off the car, so the one with the added piece to provide some head protection is probably the later one... Also, I seem to remember when NHRA made everyone stop running hub caps, and Moon's were considered hub caps.
I think it might be Jess Vandeventer (sp.??) He was from the San Diego area, and might have won one of the eliminator categories at the NHRA Nationals...there is a picture of this car from the rear on the Drag Cars in motion thread. It's not Ruddy and Weinstein car, that was Bantam bodied, and went to Bernie Coughlin after Ruddy and Weinstein sold it...Bernie ran a fuel DeSoto in it.
Jess Van DeVenter out of National City, Calif (next door to San Diego) ran a car very similar to this in the B/MR in the early 60's
NO DOUBT IN MY MIND... this is the same car The bump up on the roll bar must have been added. Going to do some research on the name you all provided & see what I can find. My father "Terry Chenowth" built this car. The owner raced it for a while & then it was sold. Pops said the new owned won a NHRA event with the car. Thanks a million , you guys are the BOMB. I'm still looking for the JERAULD-BARBER Belly Tank Lakester. You all did such a great job with the dragster , maybe you know where this is today, If it still exists......
Did some searching & the car looks to be Jess Van Deventer's Dragster. I found Jess on the internet & he lives here in the San Diego area still. I got a Email address & a phone number. Sent him a email & I will call the phone number in the morning. Will let you all know what I find out thanks again Here are 2 more photos
I spoke with Jess Van Deventer today on the phone. The photo that I first posted is the car he drove to many drag strip victories, He said he still has all the trophies & albums of old photos. I plan on getting together with Jess & having a good LONG talk. The photo I first posted was taken before Jess owned the car. He said it was most likely Jack McClenaghan car when that photo was taken. I'm trying to contact Jack McClenaghan to see what info he has on the car. Jess said the car in now owned by a guy on the east coast & it is in unrestored condition. Jess has tried to buy the car but they don't seem interested in selling the car. Will post more info when I get it Here is a photo of Jess Van Deventer half way down the track at the 1961 US Nationals Of corse he won the race
ROOTIE THANK YOU VERY MUCH for the photos. I'll have to get a copy of the Magazine. All the photos are great , but my favorite is the one of inside the car. The gas pedal was one of the parts my father hand crafted , but there is a funny story about the gas pedal..... My Father ( Terry Chenowth ) took his shoe & traced it out on metal & cut it out. Then he drilled it to lighten it. The letters CS were drilled into the pedal. It stood for CHENOWTH - SHOEMAKER. But they use to joke it meant CHICKEN SHIT Racing . In the photo you can see the letter C but the letter S is partially blocked by the frame tube. I just got off the phone with one of the old guys that originally built the car. Jack McClenaghan , he told me some great stories about the car & he has photos of the car being built in my Father garage in Imperial Beach Calif.. I plan on going to see Jack & I'll get copies of his photos. Jess Van Deventer also has more photo. The photos will be here as I get them Again my thanks go out to all of you guys on HAMB. You have made my day with the stuff you have posted about this vintage Dragster. I have spent many years with just the one photo, a few stories & very little info. Now I have a album full of photos , I talked to one of the original builders & the guy that made this car famous. YOU GUYS ARE FAR OUT....
Jess VanDeventer won the NHRA national points championship in perhaps 64 ? in that car.I think One way he won was have bob Baugh from Springfield,Il race the car mid summer. He could run for points on Wed and Saturday at Alton Dragway,and somewhere else on Sun. You got points for class and eliminater wins,and the car would win both three times a week.That roadster was dominant in Mod Rdstr class The guy with the black 57 Chev raced with us too ,Bruce Morgan,who was also running for points and I remember him winning the title and car but maybe a different year.Old guys have fuzzy memories.
COOL. thanks for the info. I'm planning on meeting with Van Deventer soon. He lives not far from me. Going to document all the info I can & get copies of all the old photos. Also going to meet with one of the original builder of this car Jack McClenaghan. Jack , Ronnie Shoemaker & My Dad , Terry chenowth built this car in our garage in Imperial Beach Calif.
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