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

anyone have info on this SOHC car

 

Halstead, Dunlap and Fuller, from NoCal. It was a both a fuel and gas-burner, here is the story and a quote from Bill Dunlap on it, from Don Ewald's site, and a couple of pictures:


The new dragster was known as Halstead-Dunlap-Fuller and it had multiple personalities: sometimes it wanted to be a top gas dragster, and then at other times, a top fuel dragster. And, it was also quite fickle about what kind of engine block made the horsepower. One day it would demand the adored Chrysler hemi, and in another moment, the temperamental but powerful Ford 'Cammer'. Though a winner from the time of its debut in 1967, it was probably best known for being one of the two cars involved in the infamous footrace between Bill and Walt Stevens at the 1968 Hot Rod Magazine Meet at Riverside. The team raced extensively on the West Coast from 1967 through 1969 competing more and more as a top fuel dragster as time went on. John, tiring of the expense of nitro racing, decided to put a gas motor back in it. But Bill, by now totally hooked on the nitro experience, decided to move on and find another fuel ride.

BILL: To my knowledge, the H-D-F car was the only gas dragster on the West Coast to have a Ford 'cammer' in it. It ran consistent 7.7s and 7.8s which was a quick time for a gas dragster in those days. We also held the track record for speed at Half Moon Bay with a run of 196 mph. But, it also had its dark side with oiling and bearing problems. Once we took it to Irwindale Raceway for a top fuel meet with Ed Pink in charge of the nitro tune up. We pushed down, fired it up, and staged to run. However, when the oil gauge suddenly showed zero pressure, I started frantically waving at Ed to get his attention. He came over, reached in, and grabbed the throttle and gave it a good whack; then did it again! I thought, "Holy moly, this thing is going to come apart". Finally, he gracefully allowed me to shut it off. It turned out that we had no oil pump as the shaft to that unit had been sheared off. This was just typical of the gremlins that plagued the 'cammer'.

 

Sorry to have to correct you again mate but this is actually the first Fighting Irish car run by Beebe and Mulligan. It started life as the Beebe Bros, Vinson and Sixt car and evolved over the years to the pictured configuration. It came to Australia with Kolb and eventually "expired" there after being converted to a rear engine configuration. Currently being re-popped in the initial configuration by Robert Morris and there is a thread here on the HAMB about that project.

Roo