That was GREAT ! That's for the time to watch a truly GREAT drag racer that has done so much for the sport of drag racing . Don is one of my all time great idols in the drag racing world for all he has done and what he stands for . A truly honest man . Would love to see a full length movie on Don Garlits and all he has done till the day he retired from drag racing . Thanks again for that great video ! Retro Jim
Thanks for that; I love to listen to Big Daddy talk. He's one of the main reasons I still love drag racing.
Like Big daddy says... "We knew it would go fast, but not that fast!!" The man is a legend.... thanks for sharing!!!
Great to watch a video that doesn't have the drama crap that is so prevalent on tv today. Don has lived a life that is the story of hotrodding from the early days. I was his nemisis in the day back in Florida when I was the flagger at Golden Triangle drag strip. When you speak of Don Garlits, you should give much credit to his wife, Pat, who was there through it all. One of the nicest people you could ever meet. Great video and I really enjoyed it.
This is a very good point, both Garlits and Munro did there own engineering and Don was the person who year in and year out kept moving ahead of the competition by brilliant thinking and turning those ideas into reality. The rear engine car is his most obvious innovation but Don was ahead of the curve for his whole career, what a tough racer and brilliant engineer.
A bit of trivia for all you Don Garlits fans. Don once told me the best thing he ever did was run a Chevy engine. O.K. this will stir up the Mopar lovers but it is true. Proof is in his museum. In the late 50's he and his brother Ed built a Chevy rail. I forget the exact number, maybe Swamprat III. He said before the week was up the heads of Chrysler got in touch with him and made a deal. They would keep him supplied with engines if he went with them exclusively. The rest is history. The Chevy powered Swamprat is displayed at the Museum!
The hardest thing about doing this project with Don, was only having a short time to interview him. When we first meet he told me that I could have a hour of his time. He told me, "Brian I have been doing this for a long time, if you can not make a 30 min video out of me talking for a hour I don't know what to tell you." He was so right! I have a longer version that is just over 30min. This was one of the only video I have done that I can still watch over and over. He is just a lot of fun to listen too. I learned a lot from him in the few times we got to sit and talk. I am glad everyone likes it. hopefully soon I will get the longer version out for you guys to see.
I live on the east coast of Florida, and try to get over to the museum as often as I can. My wife and I were there a few years ago, and Don's mother was in the restoration/hot rod part of the museum, and we talked with her and listened to boyhood stories about Don and his cars for almost an hour. Holy cow, talk about an entertaining conversation. It is something I'll always remember. I believe she passed away a few years ago. Don came by after a while to take her to her house, and I got to say hi to him and get a pic with him. I'm originally from New Jersey, and was at Island Dragway when Don first went 200 mph. There will never be another one like him, no doubt.
What I call the Flathead building at the museum is the most incredible collection of 50s' stuff I have ever seen. Tons of hemis too--early fuel mixing machines--service station paraphenalia--just too much. I had a flip video, a digital camera, and my Iphone camera all going at the same time. I was like a mad man flitting around in there! What I never knew or (remembered?) was that Don had a brother who was also a big time racer and they had a speed shop in Tampa together when they first started. Fantastic place -- that museum!
Thanks for the heads-up regarding the video... I genuinely enjoyed it... I admit to being interested in anything and everything "Big Daddy" related... He certainly deserves his own feature film-- Don Garlits is know for innovation and his ability to think "outside the box" (hence the "monostrut" wing)... And while so much drag racing history is marred by excessive drug and alcohol abuse (way beyond "normal moderation"), it's Don Garlits who lives his life on the straight and narrow, and it's my opinion that just because of that fact, he's not a "square" or a "wet blanket", he's simply a man who is strong enough to have his own convictions and the integrity to stick with his beliefs... And of course, speaking of his beliefs, when it comes to UFOs and extraterrestrial life, Don is a firm believer-- Below I put a link to a youtube video where he spoke to me regarding his belief in UFOs and extraterrestrial life, you're welcome to check it out... "The Doc" (Celebrity Drag Racing Authority & Visionary)... <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Af4hZaHGduA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I met Don in either 71 or 72 at National Speedway in East Center moriges, L.I., NY My Race Car had Blown the Spiders in the Rearend I had the Car Jacked up & pulled the Cover Down looking to see what Happen and see the Spiders Blown & I hear this Voice asking me did I use the Moroso Spiders I turn around and I said ow my god it was Don under the Car with Me. that was the First Time I met him and since then while I Had my Speed Shop an Still Racing I was Mistaken for Him & I would tell people Nope I am not Him even though we Look similar, Thanks for the Video Brings back Memeroies!
4 years ago, I was sitting on the aisle at the Gatornationals, when Garlits comes-up the walkway, and sits across the aisle on the end, 3 rows behind us after 15 minutes of doing nothing-but signing his autograph, he switched places with a friend of his 3 seats from the aisle, so he could enjoy the day
Great interview. Thanks. I have spoken to him twice and came away amazed at his memory of events many years ago.
I met Don a few years back when I lived in Ocala Florida. Right up the street from where I lived, there was a place called Rosie's that had car shows in the parking lot frequently. Don arrived in a 40 ford coupe with a 392 Hemi stuffed in it. Great car. We hung around with Don and BS'd for a couple hours about what a job it was shoe horning that Hemi into the coupe . Told us a story about his first hot rod with a flathead he modified an intake for. He evidently sold it or parted it out. Then at some later time in his life, he decided to recreate the car and was looking for a specific intake to modify and he found the one he modified years earlier at a swap meet and bought it back. Really really nice down to earth guy. He invited us over to his place to check out his Museum. Nice stuff....I was at Englishtown NJ. when he went over backwards and then drove back up the track.My cousin got it all on film, I wonder if he still has it?
I had the pleasure of racing with Don in the 90's, and got to spend a lot of down time talking with him. Although most people know him for his racing exploits I can tell you that he is a true Hot Rodder and as knowledgable as anyone about the early days of Hot Rodding. He has an impressive collection of cars and stuff, and his photobook is unreal. He once told me that by "1950 the only reason you had a flathead in your car was because you didnt have a job". He is also the most gifted pure mechanic I've ever met, and thats considering Dale Armstrong, Dick Lahaie, and Alan Johnson. He told me some amazing stories about the major mechanical advances he developed and how he thought them up. He was always one full step ahead of the other smart guys in the room, and they knew it.... port injectors, 2:90, 4 disc, reduced ratio steering, 290", on and on. He can be hard to approach at Drag Races as he is such a celebrity that everyone wants a piece of him. That being said if you catch him outside of the drags he can talk about hot rods for hours. If you ever shake the mans hand you'll realize what a tough old man he is. Don and Pat are also very nice people in general. I really enjoyed the oppurtunity to get to know them. - Topping
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