All of the pictures on this page were taken by Geof Hauser,
I am very grateful to him for the opportunity of reproducing them here.
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Click on any image to get the bigger picture |
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The black and white pictures on this page
were scanned from contact prints, so as usual I apologise for the quality which
has nothing to do with Geof's photographic skills. |
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Rick Fielding in one of a string of cars he called Imagination. This one was number 5 and featured a Fiat Topolino body by Pat Cuss, 1558cc Lotus twin cam, Godfrey Cabin supercharger, a home made injector, an 84" chassis and front wheels off a Lambretta scooter. |
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Mike Aitken (then editor of National Drag Racer magazine in his 1969 TVR Tuscan named Grasshoppa Express. The car, a 3000cc Ford with goodies from Weslake, Bull etc set a new record for modified cars at Santa Pod in late 1972 with a 13.32/105 pass. |
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Keith Harvie's beautiful fire-brewed B Modified car which he imported from the States in late 1972. He then promptly blew the engine to smithereeens even before he left the pits! No real problem - he just imported a brand new L88 block and all the bits and pieces ready for 1973. With Acceleration Archive contributor Barry George wrenching, Keith ran in the 11's at 120 mph. |
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Bruce Brown in the 454 inch Chevy-powered injected Age Machine dragster. This was a car with some pedigree having been built by Allan Herridge and originally owned by Peter Bennett. It had the engine from the Hillbillies Topolino, a slider clutch by Don Beadle, and the name Age Machine was suggested by the Gleadow brothers. The car then passed to Dave & Roz Prior, Liz & Ollie Burns and then John Wright and friends. |
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Geof Hauser has provided an ID for this Go-Kart which belonged to Ken and Derek Penfold who lived near him at the time in Harrow, Middlesex. Geof says that some of his earliest trips to the Pod were cadged with them. |
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From one end of the scale to the other, there is no mistaking the Castrol-sponsored Skilton and Frazer top fuel dragster. |
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This Dave Chester's Mini-bodied competition altered Poacher 2 which was powered by a 3.8 litre Jaguar straight six (like most of the other altereds of that era). |
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This 1969 Lotus Elan was raced by Bill Marshall and had a 1558cc Lotus Ford engine with all sorts of trick parts from BRM. This propelled it to 15 second ETs which was quick enough to win Top Street on a regular basis. It would probably have gone quicker if Bill hadn't insisted on 5 trumpet air horns, burglar alarm, electric aerial, radio-cassette player, chromed fire extinguisher, Corbeau seats and custom fitted carpet! |
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The car hazing its tyres is the Houndog
4 top fuel dragster powered by a blown Cadillac and driven by Mike
Hutcherson to 9 second and 140 mph performances (not bad considering it was
without the benefit of wrinkle wall slicks). The other dragster has an Allard
chassis and front-mounted blower and may be Doug Harler's machine. |
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This looks like a Jaguar-powered dragster against a Ford Mustang. This start line shot again emphasises the changes which have taken place at Santa Pod. |
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Clive Rooms has come up with details of these cars which are C/CA7 Bluebottle which had a 3442cc Jaguar engine and was driven by Phil Carlyle; and B/CA11 Sidewinder driven by V (Vern?) Foale with a 3721cc blown Ford Flathead. Clive thinks the photo was taken in 1970. |
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Dennis Priddle on a lap in the Hot
Wheels-sponsored Priddle, Riswick, Gane and Stanford Top Fuel Dragster. |
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Thanks to Clive Rooms again for telling me that C/CA13 was driven by John Williamson and was powered by a 3800cc Jaguar engine. The body was from an MGA sports car which would be considered sacrilege these days. |
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The team of Niggell and Fromm travelled all the way from Sweden to race this Ford Capri-bodied methanol-burning injected funny car. Its body was taken from the same mould as the Gloworm car below. |
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Gloworm was another early funny car with a Ford Capri bodyshell. This one was entered by Santa Pod Raceway and was driven by Roy Phelps. It featured a 427 cubic inch blown engine on nitro. This car was one of several drag cars which were released as die-cast models by Corgi. Others included Silver Streak, the Hot Wheels Top Fuel Dragster and the Wild Honey competition altered. |
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At a time when street cars were not as
entertaining as they now are, Gunne Back's Frighten Chicken Corvette was a real
stand out. I remember how it used to leave the line with tremendous rearwards
weight transfer and then wipe the floor with just about everything. |
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There are quite a few pictures of Metronome on the site, it must be one of the maddest cars ever. Take a tiny 3 wheeled Bond Bug, add a 4th wheel and a top fuel engine from the Firefly dragster and this is what you get! Only Mark Stratton could have come up with this. Steve Cryer would have been driving at this time. |
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The Opus One competition altered was campaigned by the famous Stones' drag racing team and was driven initially by 'Big Daddy' Dennis Stone who had relinquished the wheel to son Dave by the time this picture was taken. |
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All material on this site is copyright |
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That's all folks! |
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