My Dad worked at a Meyers and Leiber sign shop in Phoenix,AZ. with a guy named Eddie Pauling in the 70's, he had a black 68 Cougar rear engine funny car called the "Whinemaker". Dad used to take me and a few neighborhood kids to go see him run at Beeline Drag way. Anybody have any pics or info on this car? Thanks Spike
I've been in the Phoenix area since 1962 and went to Beeline a lot in the 70s. I don't remember that car but, I do remember Beeline quite fondly. Still have a few small trophys from there. I have an original 1968 Firebird Funny car body from the day in my collection. Steve Barcak www.pontiacheaven.org <DIR>Hosting 11th annual Pontiac Heaven, show, swap, drags, party and all around good time. Saturday April 4, 2009 at Speedworld near Phoenix, Az Also hosting- 7th annual Nostalgic Show and Go! and swap coming Sunday April 5, 2009 to Speedworld. Phoenix, Az </DIR>
Yes! It was a rear engine Cougar. I have a few pictures and a story on it. I'll see if i can find in the next couple of days. They ran at Beeline a lot! John
Here's a quickie scan of it as shown in the book "Funny Car Fever" by photographer Stev Reyes. Excellent book with lots of great pics of vintage floppers.
Hey APPLEKRATE!! I guess you are not that familiar with BEELINE.My Dad raced out there to back then and he knew of that car too.Awsome pic of the WineMaker too!!
"Hey APPLEKRATE!! I guess you are not that familiar with BEELINE" Not sure why you would write that but, I am very familiar with Beeline. Steve www.pontiacheaven.org <DIR>Hosting 11th annual Pontiac Heaven, show, swap, drags, party and all around good time. Saturday April 4, 2009 at Speedworld near Phoenix, Az Also hosting- 7th annual Nostalgic Show and Go! and swap coming Sunday April 5, 2009 to Speedworld. Phoenix, Az </DIR>
Steve, Where did you find that Firebird ?? It is too cool and I would not do a thing to it appearance wise.........
Kerry, I don't want to hijack the thread but briefly, I got it from a funny car collector in Atlanta. It has bounced around from owner to owner for over 25 years. I've had it since 2003. On the Winemaker, looks like a 392 in there, probably have to be direct drive too? I don't see room for the trans in that car. I bet it had to be a handful to drive with the driver that close to the front wheels. Was it wrecked? or what happened to it. It seems Jim Dunn was the only person to successfully run a back motored flopper. Also, with the horizontal headers, tires and chassis, it looks more like the 68-69 era flopper than a 70s flopper. Of course, not everyone was able to run the lastest stuff. But, it looks older than a '70s funny. Steve <DIR>Hosting 11th annual Pontiac Heaven, show, swap, drags, party and all around good time. Saturday April 4, 2009 at Speedworld near Phoenix, Az Also hosting- 7th annual Nostalgic Show and Go! and swap coming Sunday April 5, 2009 to Speedworld. Phoenix, Az </DIR>
Found it! From E.T. magazine1968. Fiberglas Trends Cougar body with stock Cougar grill. Says this is the second WhineMaker built by the crew . Weights 1,675lbs, cost $10,000. Runs 175mph in 8 seconds. Rear engined Chrysler 1957 392 bored .030 M/T rods and pistons, Isky cam, Hilborn Bug Catcher (injector in facing rearward) and GMC 671 blower, King Balancing . Direct drive with Hays double disc, Chassis 124" wb. with 1.5" .049 4130 chrome moly tube frame, solid mounted engine, Narrowed Olds rearend with 3.90:1 gears, M&H 12.50 X 16. Ed Pauling drives, Chief mechanic Bill Brawer and crew Ed Phillipps. John
Thanks for the info JMP49c, Just what I was looking for, some build info. I believe that is the car that got me into this obsession, oh well I'm livin it and lovin it now. I met a guy at Arizona Differential named Bill Warren his brother worked on the car too , I'm going to talk to him some more when I get a chance and possibly get more pics and info to post.
There was just a neat rear engined 67 cougar on Ebay too but I can't remember what the name of it was. I'll see if I saved a picture. I think I screwed up and forgot to save it before the auction ended.
I think there are some snaps of it in the (gigantic) "Drag cars in action" thread. Maybe toward the end?
I remember seeing a funny car called the Winemaker as a kid. I thought it was a dark red color but not sure. I would have seen it from about 1970-75. The people's house where I saw it being worked on several times was off of about 32nd Ave and Cactus road on the south side of Cactus. I always saw it late afternoon early evenings I never got a real good look at the chassis. The body was what caught my attention. The garage door on the house had a frame in the front of the door in black trim catty corner from each other. I was trying to find a vintage photo if the car so I could replicate it in an HO scale slot car body for drag racing. Thanks for the info.
Ed Phillips in Phoenix has recreated the earlier version of The Lil Ol Whine Maker. It was also driven by Eddie Pauling, and he has made some hits in the recreated car. A few years back I was at Ed's house looking at the car and if I remember right , he said the steering wheel was the only piece from the original car.
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