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

From George Klass...the PVTA Special at Pomona, one of many in a series of well constructed dragsters...this was '54 or '55, before the slingshot design took over. Not sure who is driving, but think that Dawson Hadley built the engine...PVTA Jay, you must know a lot about this car...notice not only the hot rods in the background, but also the water well, one of several on the Pomona property (which was and is the parking lot for the LA County Fair). There was a pumphouse at the end of the track, but it was gone, I think, when I first ran Pomona in '62.


This is a later PVTA car, think that Chuck Griffith drove this one..one is the Starlite series, later Dragmaster frame


NHRA Nationals, no ID on cars



Koenig and Sundin sedan, usually ran an injected Chrysler, this shows a blown Olds with the sidedraft carb setup that Joe Reath used on the Raker's Car Club Chrysler...Koenig and Sundin and the Rakers both had Reath sponsorship so this may a merging of two projects, one the car and one the engine. It looks like the blower is driven by a single chain.


Cook & Bedwell national record holding car, looks like the Midwest, though the car was from San Diego. Emory Cook and Cliff Bedwell did run the ATAA national meet at Alton, IL, losing to Garlits.


Zane Shubert at Lions, this car could run with the Chryslers for a time, Zane crashed it into the guard rail...wasn't hurt, Chet Herbert, his sponsor drove up to the crash, leaned out of the pushcar window, saw that Zane was ok, and offered to build him a new Chrysler powered car...Zane accepted and that was the rough end of this car. It has been perfectly recreated.


Another from George Klass, Fremont, but no ID on car...Looks like this was during the brief leather driving suit days.


No ID on this C/A, dates back to the early days when you could drive your altered to the track, race, and then drive home again (if you didn't break it)...this car still has headlights, generator, etc for street use.


Caption says it, Santa Ana, opened in January 1950...not the nation's first drag strip (Goleta was first), but the nation's first regularly scheduled drag strip, open every Sunday until it closed in 1959 (well, almost every Sunday, C.J. Hart tried to run on Christmas Sunday, almost no body showed, but ever other Sunday).


This is captioned "Chicago drag racing," but it might be Michigan. I think that the winning deuce might be that of famous Michigan hot rodder Bill Waddell, who was the first competitor from east of the Mississippi to win his class speed at Bonneville in a Crosley coupe.


Master's Dragliner, note the Ford woody that they used as a push car, painted gold and red to match the dragster color


Frank "Ike" Iacano, this car set records almost everywhere it ran, injected GMC. This is Pomona








I think this is Tom McEwen at Lions in Gene Adams car, probably '64...most likely early in the day as neither the stands or the starting line are crowded...later into the day both would be packed...


Santa Ana, April 1957 when Life Magazine paid a visit, and took some photos from a helicopter. Bader and Ferrera, left lane, blown Cadillac-powered Crosley, racing Hart & McCandless, blown Chrysler.

 

Looks like Arnie treed Cookie like a coon!!!!

 

Pat, I remember seeing your MG/Chevy running at Dover mid '60s. That's a badass little car.

 

On the verge of motion. Check out the fellas behind the car.

 

I am looking for Steve DeTar I have some of his dads old speed parts .

 

Did you do a search for him? He's posted in this thread a lot....

 

Sorry for the double posts. Sometimes my pc locks up and when it comes back some stuff doesn't show up at first.

 

It's -1 degree here as I'm typing. Sorry, my little rant for the day. Please delete if you feel the need.

 

really feel for you guys up in the east.....y'all sure getting more than ur share this year.....

 

The carbs Joe Reath used were actually up draft carbs from WW II tank engines. I don't know about the Rakers car, but these carbs were used on the Vulcan's club Vicky

 

Was the ChevyII the one painted two different colors on each side?

 

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