My Top 5 Early Funny Cars (2 Viewers)

TopFuel@Lions

Nitro Member
Here are my top 5 early Funny Cars and why, caution, this is not a re-post, lol. In no order.

Doug Thorley's "Doug's Headers" Corvair of 1967. This Gary Slusser tuned beast had some kind of year. The car looked great with it's tinted dark windows and a very unique paint scheme. Had such a great stance and looked fast. The car stunned many in the summer of 67 at the west coast tracks, some thought his times in the summer at Lions were bogus, they were not, Pappy got ticked at the popcorn clock accusations and from what I recall Pappy helped Thorley go to Indy and win over a stellar field, whipping cam dude Joe Lunati in the final. Then Doug had a awesome fall and early winter in So Cal with great performances including the first and very intense Manufacturers race. Got to sit in the car at Lions.

Pete Seaton's "Seatons Shaker" Corvair. This Michigan car was a crowd pleaser as it put on a "real" show when in town. The car also had just a bitchen paint job that was perfect for the era, fast looking. The car ran hard no doubt due to the driving of Terry Hedrick. The car came alive after Del Heinert departed the seat and they added a supercharger. (not a blower people) Hedrick was such a animal with the car and how Pete did not cringe or could afford Hedrick's animal driving was something. The huge wheelie he did at Lions and Irwindale and the great performance at O.C.I.R. during the Manufacturers race, winning all 3 of his rounds. great car with those blue tinted windows.

Jack Christman and that sweet candy apple red looking Kendall GT-1 Comet. Another car that was serious every time Jack suited up in that very silver fire suit with very white night time flames coming out of those "weedburner" headers. Went to Indy in 67 and stunned the S/XS field with that 7.67 that was best of the year up to that point. That car was gorgeous, fast, well prepared, and very feared thru out the nation.

Al Vanderwoude's very cool "Flying Dutchman" Dodge Dart. Another car of that time period with a fabulous paint scheme. That car maybe was the burn out king of smoke in late 66 and all of 67. Al would get that Hemi fired up, pull up about 15 feet of so from the line and from a stand still, just bury the throttle with smoke consuming the drivers compartment and even billowing out the front wheel wells. One night at a 8-car match race at Beeline it was warm and still out, the smoke never dissipated from the car before the run. Car had a cool rake to it, lot's of flames and put on a good show for the fans.

Norm Krause and the "Mr. Norms" Dodge Charger of 1967. Easily one of the top 5 performers of all in 67. This Gary Dyer driven beast was a serious threat whenever it was unloaded off the ramp truck. The car would E.T. and MPH with any car in the country. Fall performances in California up and down the state confirmed this car was a player. This Charger was not a "boat" like the 66 versions of this brand. Another car that so impressed at the 1st Manufacturers meet. The car would do great smoky burnouts and left the line so strong.


TopFuel@Lions
The anti-reposter,lol
 
So many to choose from.

Blue Max
Jungle Jim (Any of them)
Gene Snow Snowman (Again, pretty much any of them)
Tom Hoover's Showtime cars
Jim Dunn's rear engine funny car, even though I hated when the rear engine dragsters started taking over.
 
Pete Seatons 69 Corvair "Seaton's Super Shaker
Roger Lindamoods 69 Color Me Gone Charger
Big John Mazmanians 68 Candy Red Barracuda
Gene and Ron Logghes Warhorse 1969 Mustang
Any Blue Max mustang
 
From 1975 it's the AA/FC of Ed "The Ace" McCulloch Plymouth Duster body plastic fantastic
To many others to list

1632352944380.png


Racer_80s-_web6541.jpg

BB/FC Chuck Beal in the seat "The Beal Mobile" Plymouth Arrow
 
Last edited:
How about all the wild BB/FCs from the '70s? My favorites include:

Dale Armstrong's Alcoholic
Veney's Vega
Brad Anderson's Duster/Demon (not sure which it was)
Joe Amato's Gabriel Hijacker Monza
Ace Manzo's Monza

These cars were all extremely low slung, often you could see the base of the blower sticking out of the hood, and the drivers knees were up in the air because of the lay down driving position. There are actually many more from that era, as they all followed that formula for awhile.
 
Lions had an injected alky F/C class. Both Armstrong & Veney ran that class. Good stepping stone for blown alky or nitro. They put on a good show, raced SoCal tracks mostly.
 
How about all the wild BB/FCs from the '70s? My favorites include:

Dale Armstrong's Alcoholic
Veney's Vega
Brad Anderson's Duster/Demon (not sure which it was)
Joe Amato's Gabriel Hijacker Monza
Ace Manzo's Monza

These cars were all extremely low slung, often you could see the base of the blower sticking out of the hood, and the drivers knees were up in the air because of the lay down driving position. There are actually many more from that era, as they all followed that formula for awhile.
1632412890874.png

Ken Veney in the seat of his Ken Cox built, Knees in the face BB/FC. Read a Veney interview years ago
that this style of chassis was uncomfortable and it hurt his back. I really dig this style, cool looking.
When I was at all the big funny car shows in the 1970's at Seattle, it was always Veney or Brad Anderson
and later Chuck Beal in the BB/FC final
 
What about "Wild Wilfred" Jim?



TopFuel@Lions
Oh man, "Wild Wilfred" Boutilier he put on a great show. Good running BB/FC
Saw him win the 1975 NHRA Fallnationals and a couple of booked in shows
all at Seattle. This got me thinking about a letter that was being passed around
the pits at Seattle in 1976 or 1977 ( It was 1977 ) I found the letter. This is why
he is called "Wild Wilfred"

1632442324350.png

"Wild Wilfred" in the seat of his Chevy Vega body BB/FC

1632442231877.png
 
I vividly remember standing on the starting line during my tenure at Englishtown when this car ran, it was the hardest leaving Funny Car I'd seen at that time. Terry was an animal behind the wheel, his dry-hops were the best in the business.

Seaton.jpg
 
I was hoping that a Corvair would make the list. This car had an all iron engine, would give the Chryslers fits.
 
KRLA! Waaaaay back in the 60's and 70's, that was one of the best AM rock n roll stations in SoCal. Lessee, KRLA, KFWB, KDAY (all AM) & a few others that I can't remember. But those 3 were set on the car radio. Also remember KRTH, FM, from the early 70's. Played 50's music at first. Inspired me to get an AM / FM radio installed in my Pinto. Was so used to AM, that it blew me away to listen to FM. Two speakers.... heh Oh, I'd gone to a car show in LA & Wolfman Jack was there & KRTH (K-EARTH 101) was doing the broadcast, and that was how I found out about the station. I used to hear Wolfman Jack on XERB in Del Rio, Texas (well, the station was on the Mexican side) and we'd listen at night, when I was in Roswell. Also KOMA from Okla City at night - better music than the local Roswell stations. :)
 
KRLA! Waaaaay back in the 60's and 70's, that was one of the best AM rock n roll stations in SoCal. Lessee, KRLA, KFWB, KDAY (all AM) & a few others that I can't remember. But those 3 were set on the car radio. Also remember KRTH, FM, from the early 70's. Played 50's music at first. Inspired me to get an AM / FM radio installed in my Pinto. Was so used to AM, that it blew me away to listen to FM. Two speakers.... heh Oh, I'd gone to a car show in LA & Wolfman Jack was there & KRTH (K-EARTH 101) was doing the broadcast, and that was how I found out about the station. I used to hear Wolfman Jack on XERB in Del Rio, Texas (well, the station was on the Mexican side) and we'd listen at night, when I was in Roswell. Also KOMA from Okla City at night - better music than the local Roswell stations. :)
My dad and I went to a car show back in the early 70's, I saw the Wolfman too, cool
Were those shows called World of Wheels?
 
Hmmmmm Could have been World of Wheels. I just remember it being somewhere in LA. Maybe Convention Center or something like that. Car shows were starting to make a come back then, so early 70's.
 
Ways To Support Nitromater

Users who are viewing this thread


Back
Top