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

He's from CT and has a primered austin gasser with his father. Is with the NETO group. Thats what I know.

Pat

 

Some from the revived "Gasser Madness" site, originally started by Byron Stack...not all the links have been restored but there is still some good stuff there...


I didn't know the full story on this until now. Chuck Finders built it with one of Tim Woods engines to help Stone, Woods, and Cook keep up with bookings; it was called the "Dark Horse." Once that partnership ended, Finders partnered with Bill Altizer and Neal Kibler and set the B/GS record at 146. Once SWC blue, it was later painted red, here it is at Fontana.


Busse and Fout AA/GS, from the Jim Farnsworth collection, he normally shot at Iowa tracks...not sure where this is


Bob Bernardon from Maryland...'39 Chevy, was really finished as a street car, notice no paint or lots of decals, but this car did set records at many tracks


Ron Mandella at a National meet. He lived in Temple City, CA, and sometimes drove this wagon on the street. I was working on my B/FD in Altadena when I heard this throaty roar coming down the driveway and it was Ron in this car...barely muffled...he had some interesting stories about John Smyser of the "Terrifying Toronado" fame, but not to be repeated here....later, when the Shores & Hess car was sold, Ron took up the driving job



Here is Ron driving...Note the early McGuiars sponsorship...Barry McGuiar was a Pasadena guy

 

Harvey James was racer from my small town, he had this 33 coupe with a 3/8 X 3/8 Flathead. He wanted so much to beat Bud Parham's "T" roadster, he built a belly tank with the same engine, and still didn't get it done. Bud was a legend in this area, he built quick change conversions and was a master fabricator. One of Bud's employees was Keith Randol, who would go on to build the "Orange Crate", and be a great Indy mechanic.

 

THANKS MARTY!
I've been waiting years for this, the history of the old home states drags and hot rods. The stuff that haunts the back of my memories of childhood, barely recalled but there.
GREAT STUFF!

 

Ron Mandella was one of all-time best friends, may he R.I.P. The very rare factory-built Max Wedge station wagon that he bought new from Milne Brothers in 1963 (one of fewer than a dozen that was factory built) and campaigned successfully before moving on into AA/GS with Jim Shores, was responsible for a number of us staying with the sport for the last 50 years. Thanks for posting those pictures.

 

Looks like Dover Drag Strip.

 

Gary, I am working on getting an 8mm movie of Scappoose Drags, If I can get it transferred to DVD, we will get it on U-Tube !!!!!
P.S. I finally found several of my 8 & Super 8 movies taken at Mac, Woodburn, Madras, and PIR, they will be going off to be transferred.

 

Washington's Bob Bedell

 

Northwest Frantic Four - Welfringer (Lynn), Zatchovich (Terry), Squires (Mel) and Eaton (Marshall).

 

Norten Brothers-Washington

 

Washington's Rich Rogers

 

Unknown dragsters at Puyallup drag Strip 1964.

 

It is.

Pat

 

Might have saved this photo frame here so excuse if it is a repost but it is one of my favorites!

 

I'll look for those! There must be hundreds of unseen pics and even movies out there still, DON'T let them go to waste folks!

 

Found some old photos from the '57 NHRA Nationals, here's the site

http://hdeshazo.com/okla1957/okla_drags_pg_0002.htm

I have seen this photo but don't remember whose it is


These guys were from Houston TX and had won a C/C class trophy...the car was red and was in HRM but I don't remember the owners


No ID


Walt Sandoval, far lane in the Bantam, Dodge powered, Creepers Car Club, Santa Ana. Don't know who he is racing but the Bantam won as they won class at that meet, B/C. It only ran 109 but it looked a lot faster


This rear-engined car was from Wisconsin, had a Chevy 6, and was on the cover of R&C, built by Bill Hofer and driven by Jim Williams, hit 132 MPH, pretty stout for a 6 on gas....


This is a long shot, but this might be Roger "Mud" Sharrigan in the Nomads Car Club Chrysler powered car, from MA....corrections welcome!


Melvin Heath from Oklahoma. Melvin won the '56 meet on fuel, but the '57 meet was gas-only, Melvin did not win that year


This is probably the final for C/D, Masters Dragliner, far lane. I think that the car in the near lane is Walt Markley from Massachusetts, driving the "Berkshire Beetle," Desoto powered. Better memories may correct me, but I think that Walt won the race, Dragliner won best-appearing car....


Bobby Langley, from Texas, 392" Chrysler


Melvin Heath again


This might be Bert Looney's "Poky Okie," Olds powered, built in only 6 months, anybody else?

No ID on either...the dragster almost looks like the Chuck Griffith PVTA car but I don't think it is, not a Chrysler engine for one thing

And the winner is: top eliminator, Sampson, Dillon, and Mudersbach...Lefty built the lightweight chassis, Joe Dillon the big gas Olds, and Buddy Sampson drove. This car evolved into the twin that Lefty took to California and raced for years under Herbert Cam sponsorship.

 

Thanks, Pat. I didn't think it was the Bill Coleman from the former Coleman Bros. Speed Shop in MD, as Bill is retired. He still does some small projects and that sounded more than a small project. Kinda interesting there's two Bill Coleman's so close on the East Coast involved with hot rods.

 

So glad to see Bob Bernardon's "Jolly Dolly" get some recognition. It was a kick-ass Chevy gasser with show car looks. It was featured in a Hot Rod Yearbook. Sadly, Bob is no longer with us, but the Jolly Dolly still survives.


Jolly Dolly in '57. Bob Bernardon on the left.


Jolly Dolly and Bob Bernardon in '65.

 

The "Nanook" Altered is now in the new "World Of Speed" Museum in Wilsonville, Or, the Grand Opening was yesterday, Dave Hough was there, next to Jungle Pam and a couple of Jungle Jim's Funnys. Danny Thompson and Mickey's "Challenger 1" were there as well. For anyone traveling Interstate 5 near Portland, it is well worth the time to stop.

 

Pappy Hartman was the blown Pontiac expert in the Northwest, he built the engines for the 180 mph Slo-Poks, Angel and Grim AA/D, his own A/R would always run 150, pretty fast for 1962.

 

Same car, before and after...and no ID...I posted a picture of the latter version earlier, and still no ID...all I can figure is that it was a Central California car because both pictures are taken at Santa Maria, I also have one at San Luis Obispo...I have looked through Drag News in the late '50s but can find nothing...a twin with blown Chryslers...someone has to know!...and the guys over at Two to Go would also like to know...(by the way, it was called the "Grave Gambler.")


296ardun. IN REGARDS TO POST #42175
I HAVE ONE OF THOSE "IMAGES OF AMERICA" BOOKS, TITLED
"HOT RODDING IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY" by TONY BAKER.
ON PAGE 42 THERE IS A PHOTO OF YOUR MYSTERY A/D.
SINGLE ENGINE VERSION. CAPTION STATES (shortened version),
BESIDES BEING IN THE "DUSTERS", FRED DANNENFELZER WAS ALSO IN THE
"GRAVE GAMBLERS" CAR CLUB......................392 C.I. CHRYSLER HEMI...........CHAIN DRIVEN
..................FRAME AND BODY HOMEMADE. ETC. ETC.
PAGE 96, PHOTO OF SAME CAR WITH DUAL HEMI'S. OWNER: FRED DANNENFELZER.
HOPE THIS HELPS.............................................TOM

 

Indy.

 

This picture is beyond awesome. Love it.

 

Thanks!! Fred Dannenfelzer is a name familiar to the land speed community, as he has competed at the lakes and Bonneville for many years, topping 300 mph numerous times...lots of information on Fred and the Grave Gamblers Car Club (I thought this was the name of the car, didn't realize it was a car club) in the book that Tom cites...I tried to download pictures but they won't copy...here is the link (if anyone knows how to copy and post pictures from it, please do):

https://books.google.com/books?id=NDKrBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41&dq=fred+dannenfelzer&source=bl&ots=AA6x83Dkvk&sig=PrmsEQvepyC2q0DXYRwe3zBpZrA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pAI9VevsD8ajsAXijICwDg&ved=0CFsQ6AEwDA#v=onepage&q=fred dannenfelzer&f=false

I did find a couple of pictures of Fred and another Grave Gamblers car:





The power of the HAMB! Sooner or later someone comes up with an ID, it matters because these early pioneers deserve some credit for their contribution to our sport...thanks again, Tom!