This has noting to do with the boisterous claims of MXA. Rather an acknowledgement and endorsement of your referencing a quote by Tom Hanna. I have seen his work over the years. Stuff was too pretty to be subjected to a racing enviromnent
Rather an acknowledgement and endorsement of your referencing a quote by Tom Hanna. I have seen his work over the years. Stuff was too pretty to be subjected to a racing enviromnent
.... notice how I'll take any excuse to steer a thread off of Jody the poser and the MXA chuckleheads, while directing it towards someone with REAL TALENT who lets his work speak for itself. ;) It's a gift. :laugh:
Hey Rich,
Do you have any idea of what numbers that car ended up running in the 1/4 mile ? I never looked at an old style dragster before. Did you guys notice where your "boys" sit in relation to the differential :yikes:
Your astute observations and estimation of possible severe injury is what prompted the racers to refine rear engined cars. More then a few guys became disemboweled from clutchs, axles, etc exploding in their lap. Fires in your face are a given
The 1970s opened badly for Garlits when a transmission explosion -- in the fatefully tagged Swamp Rat XIII -- in the final round of an AHRA national event in Long Beach, Calif., cut his car in half and took a portion of his right foot with it. That was the last straw for Garlits, who had been sitting behind the oil- and fire-spewing supercharged, nitro-burning engines for more than 10 years. Having already reached a speed of 240 mph two years before, Garlits was faced with quitting or making the novel rear-engine dragster design competitive. He chose the latter, resulting in his second major accomplishment.
Exactly one year later at the race where he was hobbled, Garlits took his rear-engine Swamp Rat XIV to the final again. Several weeks later, he became the first to win an NHRA national event with a rear-engine dragster when he set the Top Fuel class on a new course by winning the Winternationals. Within two years, the front-engine dragster was extinct. Garlits' first rear-engine dragster not only rejuvenated "the Old Man's" career -- he was 39 -- but revived the class at a time when the danger of the diggers and the surging popularity of the new Funny Cars had Top Fuel on the ropes.
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