"Fuel Dragsters - We Did It For Love"
Home Page VII

This page is the last shots to be rotated off New Pics Section.

"Powers & Riley" - AA/FD - Atlanta, 1968 - Marvin Smith Photo

Don Ewald - "Adams, Akins & Ewald" - AA/FD - Lions, 1968
Nice RCS car. Ran out of money. Heard that before? - J&M Racing Photo

"Nasty I" - A/FD - York U.S. 30 Dragway in York, Pa., 1963
"This first of two cars built by Don Kilby and Paul Osmond, proprietors
of a suburban Washington body shop called Modifications Unlimited (located
in Kensignton, Md.) Osmond was the driver. It was 'tuned' by future Wheeler
Dealer chief wrench Dick Burgess." Bruce Wheeler - Bob Plumer Photo

Oh, the legends in this shot! - "Drivers Meeting" - Ramona, 1965
I'm sure the ID's on this will change rapidly. As it stands now, Wayne King has the
most correct answers: Jerry Baltes, Tom McEwen (hand in box), Kenny Safford (sitting),
Emery Cook, Tommy Allen, Bob Mayer, Dave McKenzie, Tom Hanna, Dick Lesheen,
Guy Cope, Don Ratican, Norm Weekly, Tom Gaide. More ID's to come.

Legends? We got more - "Rocket Science" - 1965
"Another from the archives that illustrates better than words the absolute laboratory conditions required to assemble your hot rod. This picture came to me in the mail a couple of years ago no note, no nothing, but I'm pretty sure it was from Baltes. He does that kind of thing. It was taken in Shubeck's factory in Ohio. What's happening here appears to be the assembly of heads (on the floor) for one of the lesser known and briefly raced versions of "The Frantic Four". Left to right; Lee Owens whom I first met in '58 when he raced a Chevy powered '40 Ford sedan with the late Jimmy Nix (shown here standing to his left). Lee was a sidekick to Nix until Jimmy quit racing the first time. Perhaps 25 years. I'm not sure either of them had a marriage that lasted anything close to that. Continuing, (on the floor) Jim Fox, Ron Rivero, Norm Weekly, Dennis Holding (back to camera, they being the Frantic Four all of whom, not knowing me from Adam, helped me race the first time I hauled to Pomona by myself), and Bill Steiskel who was Shubeck's business partner. Standing far right is Jerry Baltes. Note the sawhorse with boards workbench, the Polish valve grinder (lapping stick), the Pyrex kitchen quart and the fact that everybody's wearing a coat to supplement the climate control system. You can't see it, but I promise you, there was some pretty good karma in the air." - Tom Hanna

Don Ewald - "Smith & Ewald" - AA/FD - OCIR, 1970
One cool thing about havin' a website - you can post your own pics.
Photo by Jere Alhadeff

Don Ewald - "BankAmeriCar" - AA/FD - Bakersfield, 1968
Photo by Jere Alhadeff

Ron Goodsell - Sid Waterman's "Clearspark" -vs-
Tom Hanna - "Blair & Hanna" - AA/FD's - Ramona, 1963
Bob Hardee Photo

"Cook & Bedwell" - A/D - 1958
The frame rails are Buick driveshafts, the nose was made of steel in a sheet metal brake and the body tail section started life as a pair of '40 ford rear fenders. Can you make out the stock dipstick?

Tony Nancy - "Superior Ind. Sizzler" - AA/FD - Irwindale, 1971
One of the last fire burn outs. They were banned. Wonder why? - L & M Photo

Pete Millar - "Chicken Coupe" - AA/FC - Albuquerque, 1965
Fuel Coupes were really neat. Fuel dragsters with a coupe body thrown over the cage.
Pete was responsible for all the great "Drag Cartoons" and the famous
"ISKYtoons". Guess what... he's coming back to get the new guys!

"Parachute" Eddie Potter - "Sudden Death" - AA/FC - Lions, 1966
Another Fuel Coupe. This was arguably the lowest budget fuel car in
drag racing history. Dollar two-ninety-eight invested. - Pete Millar sent pic.

"Wanna stop?" - Photo and commentary sent by Tom Hanna
"Surplus drag chute impact can be better illustrated with a picture of the real
thing in action. It gives a better perspective of their relative size.
At speeds below 180mph or with a heavy car these things had considerable
merit. They were cheap and durable. Problem was, as the cars got faster
and lighter their opening impact seemed to grow exponentially. The key
was not to drive into the thing. It would teach you (rather quickly) to
back off first, grab a little brake then pull the ring.
When Simpson introduce the cross-form chute, he did the world a favor.
They were softer, lighter, and much easier to pack."

Kenny Safford - "Safford, Gaide & Ratican (Sour Sisters)" out on
Tom Hanna - "Hanna & Blair" - AA/FD's - Ramona, 1963
"Sour Sisters" car had very unique cockpit - don't think I'd have gone there.
Bob Hardee Photo

Bob Downey - "Howard Cam Rattler" - AA/FD - OCIR, 1967
This is a great header flame shot. - Jere Alhadeff Photo

No Info, Neat Shot - A/FD - Denver, 1965
Another of what were called "Giant Killers". On occasion they would
give the blown cars a run for their money - and sometimes take it!

"Tom Hanna" - AA/FD - Ramona, 1964
Photo by the late Bob Hardee. His shots were always the sharpest around.

"Bruce Crower" - AA/FD - Fontana, 1964 - Photo by Al Yates

One of lifes great pleasures is having a supercharger blow up like
a bomb in your face. This is the aftermath of one such explosion.

Pete Robinson - "Tinker Toy V" - AA/FD - Indy, 1969
Great shot by a great friend -- Bob McClurg.

"Mark Williams" - A/FD
"Mark probably would shoot me if he knew I was posting this picture. Mark
Williams' first dragster taken at Continental Divide Raceway on September 30, 1962."
"Pete" Garramone Photo (and quote)

Tom Hanna - The Master at Work - Tom Hoover's AA/FD
"This is the Hoover car in process. I did a shorty body first so they
could race the weekends, then they would bring it back so I could hammer
on it during the week. This car replaced one that was stolen. They were
pretty broke getting back in operation so I agreed to take payments.
Every month like clockwork Pop Hoover would have a check in my mailbox
for $105." -- Photo and quote from Hanna

Colorado's answer to Tom Hanna? Not even close.
"Here's a pic of Ron Bement's efforts at building dragster bodies for
Colorado diggers. We're talking pre-1968. This is Jere Wilson's AA/FD in
progress at Bement's shop." - "Pete" Garramone Photo (and quote)

"Jere Wilson" - AA/FD - CDR, 1965 - "Pete" Garramone Photo

"Not much to say here. This is the finished Bement body on a Mark Williams
chassis that ran successfully here in Colorado." - AA/FD - CDR, 1965
"Pete" Garramone Photo (and quote)

Val LaPorte - "You caught a what?!!!" - AA/FD - 1965
Can you say, "Chute failure?" Most tracks had sand traps... not Florida. Palm Beach International Raceway (Now known as Moroso Motorsports Park)

Don Ewald - "Miller Auto Parts" - AA/FD - Lions, 1967
The car wasn't pretty, but it had a killer Ed Pink engine. - J & M Racing Photos

Jerry Boldenow - "Cassidy & Boldenow" - Tulsa, 1967 - *Bob Plumer's Archives*

Butch Budd - "John Dearmore" - AA/FD - 1970
A beautiful car: Roy Fjastad chassis, Hanna body, Nat Quick paint,
Tony Nancy interior, Keith Black power. 195" wb.

Perrenot Bros. - "Lightning Construction" - A/FD - Green Valley, 1959
Travis Perrenot Collection

Don Ewald - "Buzz Miller Construction" - AA/FD - Lions, 1967
This car was built for somebody REALLY tall. Had killer Ed Pink engine
but chassis was somewhat suspect. - J&M Racing Photo

Leroy Goldstein - "Ramchargers" - AA/FD - Phoenix, 1969
Other: Ron Goodsell in his 4-wheel independent suspension Woody car.

Don Ewald - "Olsen & Ewald" - Jr. Fuel - Lions, 1966
890 lbs. WET -- 301 Chevy on 98% = 194 mph. They were a Left Coast rage
from 1965 to 1969. They were fun, cheap and a great training ground for
the move up to AA/FD. Most everybody drove one over the years.