I was comissioned today to start helping with bringing the Fred Hurst Barracuda back to its original glory. The car was removed from the original Willy's chassis and put on the chassis you see here in the pictures. We will be changing this chassis back to its original configuration. The car will have a injected 426 HEMI stroker motor and clutch flite trans. Fred Hurst will be inducted in to the Hall of Fame in 2 weeks and the car will be there, just mocked up. Another cool tidbit is that the guy who originally did the lettering still has the original stencils for the car and will be re-applying the lettering. Lots of work to be done, but what a neat piece of racing history.
Jet Doc- What a car and project!!! I actually remember seeing Fred's Willys at Indy and Muncie (my parents' strip) when I was a kid. His stuff was ALWAYS top shelf. Congrats to him on his honor and to you on your involvement with this project.
Stuff like this popping up is why you can't miss a post on here. That is going to be so cool. Keep us updated.
KOOL !! Returning and old drag car to it's Glory days. Always thought those rear wheel wells looked funky
i remember talking to fred about the car probably 5 or 6 years ago ...when it first became avalible...a guy named tim kelly called about it...when it was still in last state....a lot had changed since he had owned it...quarters / and chop to name a couple......it had only had 3 owners at that time , best i remember.....fred being the first (builder) ....dave turner / bill reoll ....and the guy that had it for sale....it sold a couple times since then ....i think scott had it 4th.....ron was probably 5th....and from there i do not know....i figured dauber would be on board on the resto.....as bill and dauber have already done the opel....keep the pics and updates coming......brandon
Damn, it's good to see vintage cars that survive and get revived to their former state. So much history has been lost, it's nice to see some carry on.
I remember talkin to some guy with an orange olds who said he was restoring this car, I'm glad to see it's actually happening. It may have been a previous owner
just got a call .....looking for any and all pics of this car....as for previous owners.....was it ron from mich. ...? he had the gasser museum of sorts in his garage....lol....brandon
Glad to see someone finally getting this car back to snuff. This car and Big Johns vette were the best looking drag cars of the time in my opinion. I really hope it doesnt just sit in a museum though, it needs to be out and be seen and heard so all can enjoy it. Im sure a lot of the younger guys have never seen yet alone heard of this car before. Keep em coming guys!
i just joined up an ran into this thread. my buddy owns the Fred Hurst car. I bought the orange Olds from him this summer and it is being restored to its movie/magazine glory. He is working with the old Hurst crew to get the car totally correct. As you can imagine, they are OLD, so it takes time. He is hoping to have it done in 2008
I lived up the hill from the Hurst's when I was in Jr. High and his son was a friend of mine. At that time Fred was driving his 70' Cuda and when he fired that thing up and blipped the throttle the whole neighborhood knew it (the good old days) From a visual perspective his cars were some of the cleanest, sharpest ones around.
Seriously one of my all time favorite cars from that era. I wish my work had the interest in doing stuff that far out in their diecast lines.
Here are a few pix of Fred Hurst that I took in June 1967 at South Glens Falls Dragway in upstate New York.He was running with the Midwest Injected Funny Car Circuit. I don't know how to get anything but thumbnails but just click on and use the zoom,but you already knew that.I didn't till afew minutes ago.
I remember seeing them rebuilding the engine in this car in the motel parking lot in Indy back in the day. It's a visual picture I will never forget.
what ever happened to the rebuild of this car? i was contacted about painting this car and haven't heard any thing since? is it still around?
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