Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: Mickey Thompson's Monster... Continue reading the Original Blog Post
Beautiful car! I've never seen much written up about Thompson's Monster. I believe I've heard Ivo mention that he got plenty of advice and insight from Mickey when he was designing and building his four engine, four wheel drive dragster, Showboat.
I just had an older neighbor give me some old Hot Rod magazines. One of which was that one! August 1961
I remember reading this Hot Rod issue when I was...........12! Mickey was wayyyyyyy ahead of his time. Is the story of his strange death in HAMB somewhere? 6sally65
Ah, back in the day when there was people who would try 'experiments'. Hot Rod would trumpet them, they'd run a few times then usually disappear if they didn't crash. Multi engines, rear engines, sidewinders with chain drives, 4WD, exotic motors, streamliners, all sorts of stuff. Occasionally somebody would make it work; Jim Lytle's Allison-powered '34 Ford sedan comes to mind and of course Garlits' rear engine top fueler. But for every success, there was many failures, even among the 'big names'....
Mickey Thompson had a brilliant mind to concoct all his creations but it took his sidekick to bring them to fruition. I don't believe many of his legendary cars would had the success (or maybe even been built) if there had not been a Fritz Voigt. I was at many shows where he was at later in his life but didn't understand how vital he was at those times. I regret not finding out until after his passing or I would have been one of his fans talking to him.