71 Harrell F/C anyone know of its whereabouts

[davenkc]

Steve,
The switch to Chrysler power was the 71 cars,
The Camaro was using Ramcharger power and the Vega used
Ed Pink... (a pink elephant as they called it )

[menmyfcs]

I thought I would chime in here. Dave is darn accurate on these cars. I spoke to Bob Gibson a short time ago when the subject of this car and 1 other one came up. he told me then that they knew it wasnt or could not have been one of Dick's cars. The fact that all of Dick's own Camaro funny cars are accounted for makes it even more simple. As Bob and I laughed. Every time a Camaro funny car gets found people all assume that its a Jungle or a Harrell car.
The Clyde Morgan car had a Fletcher chassis. It was stolen and never seen again.I will have to ask Christopherson what happened to the Vega. It was a Hardy car and had the later style cage. The only car Dick had like that was as destoryed as Dave said. Valeries 69 car had the 70 body on it for a while then the later car came which became the 71.
The 67 Yenko car is in Michigan, Clary has the 68 and Val has the 69. Dave again was right. Dick and the car I was driving for Mickey Thompson were both switched to Ramcharger Hemis about mid 71. We also both had Ed Pink Hemis at Indy that year. I wish I could remember what I did today as well as 30 years ago. Dave Libby scares me with what he can recall. Dale Pulde

[JChlupsa]

Aloha and welcome Dale. Mahalo for the insight and the History Lesson or should I say Harrell Lesson :P

[68l30]

Dave/Dale thank you...Aside from what is clear now,what was the initial reason for the change to Hemi power? I am amazed by the role of Hemi,and respect it,but with the success of the program they had with Chevrolet what was the initial gain in e.t/h.p..? Was there a WOW factor after the switch or "just" another updated car for a new season? Truly an inovative time in racing leading to total domination by the Hemi..


Steve

[Chevy454]

EXCELLENT question 68l30! It's like you were reading my mind!! I'm curious too, Dale, if there was a noticable difference (seat of the pants, et/mph, whatever!) when the switch was make? IIRC, wasn't '75 the last year a BBC won an event in Top Fuel?

It's bloomin' amazing what they are doing with those cube-limited elephants in TF/TFC these days...

[68l30]

I believe Jungle was the last to use a BBC and still compete..

Steve

[Mr70]

There's a GREAT 6 page Full color Feature article in the June 2004 Hemmings Muscle Machines about the Jungle Jim F/C Vega,and Don Garlits finding of it.

[menmyfcs]

The difference between the Chevy, the Fords or even the early hemi were nite and day compared to the 426. The fact that Mopar was making parts for it to be run like this was another plus. You could run 75 degrees of timing in a 426 compared to maybe 55 on a Chevy and not crack heads or cylinder walls and ease of working on them was another. Fire was the next concern. I can always remember racing the Coke Cavalcade & running against Kelly Chadwick & Ray Sullins. The Chevy car would leave good & Kelly would say, "Man, I never saw you! I knew I was on a good one, then all of a sudden I would see the nose of your car & away you went". Ray Sullins came from the Harrell camp & was a big asset to Kelly. You could actually feel the difference on a burn out.

Dick had to change just like we did with Mickey Thompson. You had to be competitive to keep your name out there and have the sponsors. As you see today, GM and others still back cars that have their body on it (if you can tell what they are)! Remember, GM claimed they were not involved with racing, although Dick, Kelly, Jenkins, Smokey Yunick & many more were getting truck loads of parts. They were consultants that channeled their work through other areas,
which gave you all the cars that you are collecting.
On the other side, you had shops like Keith Black, Ed Pink and the Ramchargers carrying the Mopar banner & building race engines.

I do believe the late Jim Bucher was the last BBC to win in the fuel ranks. From about 71 on, the wins were pretty few a far between. Overall, Dick was most proud of the street cars, but he loved racing that funny car. The plan was for someone else to take it in the 72 season & for Dick to focus more on the street cars.....time ran out too soon

[sYc]

Amazing that you could tell the difference just doing a burnout. And 75 degrees of timing in the Hemi, unreal.


Here is check from Dick to Ed Pink for some of that "Hemi Power".

[menmyfcs]

I am sure that check is one of many. That Hemi just has brute torque.I was driving the Dougs Headers car in the summer of 70 when Kelly had to be back home and I drove his car one nite at US 30 in Gary Ind. Kellys was a high compression low nitro % like 70%.and a 3.60 gear The Dougs car was a Low compression high nitro car 4.10 gear. both cars could run the same but felt a bunch different.
When we we be at the Motel after a race Dick would normaly have some street car with him. He had a Vega that they just did a small block conversion on. We were having fun playing with it and Dick said he had to go. Later he came back with a suit and tie on took the car. next day he said it paid off. he got an order for 20 of them.