[Jerry H.]

Let's revive this thread. Here are a few pics I picked up from over on the HAMB:

[poison heart]

Never seen that 2+2 before. That's cool

[Steve Barcak]

Thanks for posting a pic of that Jadestone green 61 Jerry. That is what mine will look like as it is that color.

Here are some from my stash, do not think these have been posted yet.
Infinity 4 while it still was running Pontiac power.



Another pic of one of the Thompson Dragmasters. This one has the 'mystery' heads that look like 1971 455HO (even though it is about 1962).


Here is an injected Poncho digger with custom injectors on the rollers (running quite fat I might add), that I have not seen before. Looks like from the mid 70s to mid 80s to me.


This is, reportedly, Infinity 5 after Don Gay sold it to Bob Riggle. can anyone confirm?


Another pic of the Eddie Hill twin known as the double dragon in '64 with his purple GTO in the background. Note full body and long wheelbase as it evolved into.


And here is another identified slingshot with Pontiac power. My guess is around 1960.

[Craig Hendrickson]

Here's a picture of H-O Racing's 1965 Tempest "Renaissance" 326-powered at Irwindale. In 1973, it ran mid-11s in NHRA-legal E/MP (11lb/CID).



Here's a picture of H-O Racing's 1974 Trans Am 455SD-powered at Pomona Winternationals in 1977. Later in the year it set the National Record in SS/KA at 11.31sec at 118.9mph.

[Brent Flynn]

Originally Posted by Brian Baker

Truman Fields will enjoy this shot:

http://public.fotki.com/mastermodele...85a.html#media

This is what im talkin about...! Ive looked up to this guy(Truman Fields) all my life. Roy(RIP) and Mike Mckinney ran this car in E/S from 1976-85 roughly, and won all kinds of events. I watched Mike drive this car to Stock Eliminator Final at Columbus, Ohio in 1985 at Spring Nationals.... kicked everybody's ass... ran 11.70's all day. Probably runnin a little slower than normal, but, he drove flawlessly.

[muscle_collector]

Originally Posted by David Holmberg

Jk's 69 TA, this one was a RAIV original car. Ran 10.90's- 11.00's, and drove it to the track...

was that car sold new in florida? who is jk?

[65nss4spdGTO]

Here are a couple of pictures of Ray Bisig's 1959 Catalina, White Warrior. For those of you who don't know Ray, he's been a long time Pontiac guy also partnering with the late Dave Johnson on many race cars through the years. Ray also owned one of the original 1963 swiss cheese cars. Ray is a long time family friend and still races a 1962 Tempest.

Calvin Hill
Hill Performance
708-250-7420

[poison heart]

That is too cool

What class did he race? I looks like D/S? I guess that's D stock? but he ran high 12s?

[billygoatii]

I remember the Ray "Medicine Man" Bisig. "Run You Must or Eat My Dust".

[60man]

Originally Posted by Bill Eveland

bttt

Just saw this post. That amost looks like John Thropp's 57//??

[65nss4spdGTO]

Originally Posted by poison heart

That is too cool

What class did he race? I looks like D/S? I guess that's D stock? but he ran high 12s?

Ray raced many classes, one class he raced was Unit Stock, he was able to get away with running "solids".

Calvin Hill
Hill Performance
708-250-7420

[poison heart]

Nice, what is unit stock?

[70Steve]

This was on ebay.

[greggutknecht]

Its hard to believe they use to race indoors.Met Ray at Rick Johnsons trailer at the grove a couple years ago and got to hear some good stories.Greg

[77 TRASHCAN]

Hey 70Steve,
Do you know who's car that is in pic, on fire???

Anybody know???

The maroon 57 looks like it has Iowa plates

I've enjoyed these pic's!!! waiting for more !!!

[Steve Barcak]

Originally Posted by 77 TRASHCAN

Hey 70Steve,
Do you know who's car that is in pic, on fire???

Anybody know???

The maroon 57 looks like it has Iowa plates

I've enjoyed these pic's!!! waiting for more !!!

Sure, it was Lew Arringtons 'Brutus' GTO funny car. At the time of this photo, it ran a 392. Cause of fire was a trans explosion. Driver was not injured if I remember correctly. Must have been a mess for the track officials to clean up. The location was Lions Drag Strip in Wilmington, Ca.

[70Steve]

Thanks for the detail Steve B. I knew it was Brutus, but not where or when. Do you know who was in the "Hot seat" at the time of the pic? Very lucky to get out of that unscathed. When did they convert to the 392?

[Steve Barcak]

Originally Posted by 70Steve

Thanks for the detail Steve B. I knew it was Brutus, but not where or when. Do you know who was in the "Hot seat" at the time of the pic? Very lucky to get out of that unscathed. When did they convert to the 392?

Not positive on the driver but, it was most likely Lew Arrington, Sr. Do not know exact date of 392 swap but, was early in the cars life. They had some valvetrain problems with the Pontiac HEMI and due to the many lucrative match races available to them at the time, siimply switched to a proven combo with the 392. Remember, it was a very different time back then with 3-5 match races a week ( that paid well by the way), if you could meet that demanding schedule.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Thanks Steve.
Arnie was at the GTOAA event in Wichita. There was a round table forum with he, Jess Tyree, Jim Wangers, Craig Hendricksen, John Clegg, Art Peterson, and a couple more.

Arnie had described a fire incident that looks like the picture in question, I've never seen him run in the olden days, so I had no clue, I was too young, although I grew up in Iowa, not too far from where he is in Illinois.

[Steve Barcak]

Originally Posted by 77 TRASHCAN

Thanks Steve.
Arnie was at the GTOAA event in Wichita. There was a round table forum with he, Jess Tyree, Jim Wangers, Craig Hendricksen, John Clegg, Art Peterson, and a couple more.

Arnie had described a fire incident that looks like the picture in question, I've never seen him run in the olden days, so I had no clue, I was too young, although I grew up in Iowa, not too far from where he is in Illinois.

I was too young also but, I have extensively studied fast Pontiac powered drag cars all my life. I bought my first Arnie Beswick b/w poster at the age of 8 and still have it. Arnie did have a bad fire caused by a trans explosion, probably similiar to the Brutus deal, in his '64 White GTO. This must have happened in the summer/fall of 1965 or possibly winter 65/66 ( before his Tempest was ready) as is that is when he was primarily running that car with the blower, etc. His biography on tape says he was hospitalized and, after that, began wearing a fire suit. To me, those were the most exciting and dedicated years as a Beswick fan as he decided to stick with Pontiac power after the GM racing ban ( where most other GM racers switched to Ford/Merc/Mopar. He starting running a blower and running nitro to take on the factory cars of other makes. Arnie was also the first to put a late model door slammer in the 9s at York US 30 against Ronnie Sox in early 1965.
That is the only major fire I am aware of that Arnie had in the day. Of course, he had another very bad fire recently with his chev powered N2O GTO. Not sure when, maybe 5 years back? That is scary stuff and I am glad he came through all of it OK.

These are the reasons why NHRA requires trans blankets or SFI cases. Because of these rules, it is fairly a rare thing to see a bad trans explosion with resultant fire and injury in the last 20-30 years.