I was standing just to the right of the track when this happened! The grandstands were only about 20 feet away back then. It was chaos.

I think I was born 20 years too late but I love the altered cars. Got to see Pure Hell at Indy a few years ago.

Ohio George Montgomery
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Think I posted this one before
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286542051.jpg

Cammer
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286542128.jpg

Altered Thunderbolt or Fairlane at least
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286542179.jpg

Polaroid Swinger! LMAO. That's it.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286543109.jpg

Possibly the camera that started the 'self-produced' porn industry. (previously, if you took that roll of film to the camera shop - they would call your parents) But with that camera - anyone could be Russ Meyer.

( Personal note to Sandra M. - I burned those photos, so....rest easy.)

Very cool. We used to buy most of our stuff through Jim Green's Speed Shop right here in Lynnwood. It's still open, but it's moved about 20 miles east to Monroe. My neighbor and good buddy is actually still his head machinist.

Jim won the Funny Car "World Championship" in '71 or '72.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286544221.jpg

The other local hero was Jerry Ruth, running Top Fuel out of Auburn. He still has a shop down there, too, building absolutely stunning street rods.

When I was actively racing in the late '70's and early '80's, Jerry would show up on a Saturday morning with his Top Fuel car on a trailer behind his pickup truck. With no more than a bunch of tools, a few parts, and a drum of fuel in the back and a couple of buddies in the front. He would typically make a couple of testing and tuning passes over the course of the day, then head home. He lived right down the highway from SIR. He ran a Funny Car for years, but we will always remember him as "our" Top Fuel World Champ.

This was Mert Littlefield's 70 dart at lyons.
Mert passed away a couple weeks ago.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286562706.jpg

edit, picture won't post. Oh well.

Wow.. I very likely saw you race!

Have a bunch of 35mm film from OCIR, including a nice shot of two jet cars launching at night.

If you have a shot of a Gold 1964 Olds 442, that's most likely me...Irwindale and OCIR were my home strips while campaigning that and a B/GAS 55 Chevy.

More greats!!!!!!!!!!!!!http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286577157.jpg Blue Max
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286577166.jpg Candies & Hughes
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286577179.jpg I think we have a problem
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286577197.jpg Chi-Town Hustler
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286577211.jpg Mountain Monza
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286577222.jpg The Hawaiian
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286577234.jpg Tasmanian Devil
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286577246.jpg USA-1

And then there were the Big promotional races that Irwindale Raceway (and when Irwindale closed OCIR took them over) used to have....Remember the shows; "64 Funny Cars" the ALL AA/FC nights or the "Fox Hunt" where ladies got in free....Hot Damn there were a lot of hot chicks and great music between rounds there for that promotion. Way back in the day, Irwindale even had an "ALL ALTERED'S NIGHT". And a big purse then was $500, and the loser usually got $100....and that was for Top Fuel (AA/FD)....The US Nationals at Indy paid the unheard of purse of $2000 for the Top Fuel Winner.

Do you guys know about H.A.M.B. ?

Isn't that some vintage car drag race?

Here's one more blast down memory lane for my WEST COAST friends....how about the "Ridge Route Terrors" James Warren, Roger Coburn and Marvin Miller....Warren, Coburn & Miller's "Rain For Rent" AA/FD

Ooppss for got these:http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286579765.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286579783.jpg Warren & Coburn v Shirley "CHA CHA" Muldowney

$5.00 via paypal to first original photo of "The Trojan Horse" AA/FC
P.S. "Don't call me Cha Cha!". She hated that. Connie started that just to get under her helmet on race day.

Here's a site for us "old" guys....and the young guys who missed all the fun

70s Funny Cars - Photos and info on over 500 funny cars!

Awesome site! Another one that I'm addicted to.:cool:

Yes she did hate it, but she actually had it painted on some of her early T/F cars.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286584731.jpg "CHA CHA" on front of the cockpit

and her funny carhttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286585033.jpg she dropped the "CHA CHA" nickname in 1973, after she said "There is no room for bimboism in drag racing"

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Connie own the race team when she ran AA/FC?

yes he did, if you look at the quater panel behind Ms Muldowney, you can see where "Bounty Huntress" is lettered...in more or less reference to Connie Kalitta's nickname the "Bounty Hunter"

Though Kalitta owned the team, the car belonged to Muldowney, who had purchased it from Kalitta...they then teamed up for Match Races, much like the Mattel Hot Wheels team of Don "The Snake" Prudhomme and Tom "The Mongoose" McEwen.

Those "Match Races" were headliners and big money makers for the drag strips.

I remember one in particular at OCIR, when McEwen blew his engine in the first round of a 3 round match race with Prudhomme. Between rounds, McEwen installed the backup engine, which he promptly blew in the next round. Prudhomme loaned McEwen his spare engine for the final round, because all us fans came to see a show....Prudhomme beat McEwen in the final round. Back then, there wasn't the BIG BUCK$ that is involved today. Those guys were showmen, and they certainly put on a show

Doheny and Fullerton Trojan Horse

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286590699.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286591444.jpg
No explanation required
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286591511.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286591636.jpg Magic Mufflers Altered Lions Dragstrip 1970
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286591656.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286591691.jpgDoug Thorley
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286591702.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286591761.jpg Gene Snow before he became "The Snowman" and part of the Mattel Hot Wheels Team
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286591823.jpg
Charlie Allen before he took over running OCIR

Excellent Thanks Any details of when and where the shot was taken?
PM your paypal addy and its on its way.

Durbin and Sartwell used to campaign an early (67 or 68) camaro on the east coast called Sea Terror. Well, Sartwell is Jim Sartwell, not to be confused with his son James aka Jimmy Sartwell who races VW's.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Sartwell (Sr) a few years ago when I was working in Maryland. What an amazing fellow! Kind of interesting that he was actually a Porsche mechanic. His job was to train technicians to work on the cars, most particularly the engines. That included the Furhman engines. He still had one of his "teaching" engines. This was a '69 E (maybe it was a 70 E) that had never been in a chassis. Torn down, reassembled and tested for teaching only. Probably not a whole lot of 69 E engines out there that have been dismantled repeatedly but never in a car - LOL!

I was so enjoyed the afternoon I spent talking to him that when I got home, I bought a very nice model of that Camaro - the Sea Terror, just to remember him by. I think about Mr. Sartwell now and then. I hope he's still around. Very cool guy, a genuine old-time good-as-they get car guy.

angela

I have that picture...got it online this morning.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286592361.jpg

Here's a link: Free of Charge. Thanks anywaySmileWavy
70s Funny Cars - Round 2

Boy this thread brings back a lot of memories!

Go to the H.A.M.B. forum and there is a thread with over 1000 pages of drag race memories.

Yes sir, a whole lot of memories...I think we are dating ourselves with this thread. Here are a few more of the long forgotten "Exhibition Cars"http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286634275.jpg Hurst Bonneville 2+2
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286634288.jpg 442
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286634331.jpg442
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286634343.jpgTerrifying Toronado
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286634355.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286634371.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286634387.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286634402.jpgcheck out the direct drive!!!!

Just a couple of twin 425 Olds engined cars...loved those engines, lots of torque

Jeff... The nitro ban was in effect from 1957 to 1963, when Wally Parks allowed nitro for "exibition purposes" at the 1963 Winternationals, but nitro was not alllowed at the 1963 U.S. Nationals. The ban was finally lifted in 1964.

Paul,

I really wish I had the time. Am swamped as it is and only rarely have time for PPOT these days. At least now with the 911 back on the road am spending some good time on the tech side!

Joe A

Dick Landy always put on a great show

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286648922.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286648941.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286648959.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286648973.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286648995.jpg

Gene Snow drove the RRRReevellution for Revell models, IIRC.

Been fighting that argument with a certain water cooled fan on Facebook. He still thinks that he has a race car. Oh well, I was young and foolish 45 years ago myself!

Another story at Lions.......
On Wednesday nights they had "Run What Ya Brung". Whatever car you had and wanted to run the quarter. You got in line way back in the pits and slowly moved your way forward. There were two lines, and the car you were sitting next to back in the pits was probably NOT the car that would be next to you at the line.
I was in high school, 1966, and had a VW bug with a bursch exhaust (lookout!). I would uncork the muffler and it would sound really mean! I worked my way up to the starting line and looked over next to me...........A A/A Fuel Altered Anglia! It was SOOOO loud I couldn't even hear my car running. Edged up to the line, Xmas tree, yellow, yellow, GREEN. As I went into third gear (at about 40 mph) the Anglia was crossing the finish line.....about 10 seconds before I got there.

Way too much fun!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286672516.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286672529.jpg

Say hi to my Uncle Dick. His 324ci Olds powered 40 Ford ran in the low 13s & about 108 mph, IIRC, This was back in 1958ish. The occasion of this photo was at a sports car track, Bay Veiw or Shelton, for the Seafair Trophy race. A group of hot rod guys used to enter the race each year with one of their cars just to harrass the sporty car types and it was Dick's turn. Jerry Grant drove it and It was in first place into the first corner (mission accomplished, me thinks:D).
The brakes went first then gears in the trans till just 3rd was left......so they pulled it out of the running.

Uncle Dick passed a few years back. He is the reason I'm a gearhead.

I was into drags from age 13 till I went into the Army in 68. I qualify as an old duffer. ...... http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286675317.jpg