''Bushwacker'' is a pioneering
streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor " bullet trains". Less commonly, the term i ...
slingshot
A slingshot or catapult is a small hand-powered projectile weapon. The classic form consists of a Y-shaped frame, with two tubes or strips made from either a natural rubber or synthetic elastic material. These are attached to the upper two ends ...
dragster.
[Taylor, Thom. "Tognotti's Goldfinger/Bushwacker", in "Beauty Beyond the Twilight Zone", p.31.]
Originally built by Pete Ogden as
''Goldfinger'', the car had a
wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...
with
dropped front axle and bicycle wheels, and an aluminum body (hammered by Arnie Roberts) which left the engine exposed but fendered the
slicks.
[
The car was acquired by Don Honstein in 1965, repainted, and renamed ''Bushwacker''.][ Driven by Ron Welty, who built the car's ]supercharged
In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement. It is a form of forced induction that is mechanically powered (usually by ...
Chrysler hemi
The Chrysler Hemi engine, known by the trademark Hemi or HEMI, refers to a series of high-performance American overhead valve V8 engines built by Chrysler with hemispherical combustion chambers. Three generations have been produced: the FireP ...
, ''Bushwacker'' competed at three NHRA
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a governing body which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsport sanction ...
March Meets (at Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city in and the county seat of Kern County, California, United States. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, which is located in the Central Valley region.
Bakersfield's population as of th ...
[Taylor, Thom. "Roddin' @Random: Take 5 with Shirley Shahan" in ''Hot Rod'', April 2017, p. 16.]) and at local races before being sold again.[
In 2006, it was restored.][
]
Goldfinger
''Goldfinger'' was a pioneering streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor " bullet trains". Less commonly, the term i ...
slingshot
A slingshot or catapult is a small hand-powered projectile weapon. The classic form consists of a Y-shaped frame, with two tubes or strips made from either a natural rubber or synthetic elastic material. These are attached to the upper two ends ...
dragster.[
Built by Pete Ogden to promote Tognotti's Speed Shop (]Sacramento, California
Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat, seat of Sacramento County, California, Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento Rive ...
), the car debuted at the NHRA
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a governing body which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsport sanction ...
March Meet in 1964.[ It had a ]wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...
, with dropped front axle and bicycle wheels, and a gold-painted aluminum body (hammered by Arnie Roberts) which left the engine exposed but fendered the slicks.[
Power came from a ]supercharged
In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement. It is a form of forced induction that is mechanically powered (usually by ...
Chrysler hemi
The Chrysler Hemi engine, known by the trademark Hemi or HEMI, refers to a series of high-performance American overhead valve V8 engines built by Chrysler with hemispherical combustion chambers. Three generations have been produced: the FireP ...
built by Ron Welty.[ The car was driven by Lyle Kelly, and turned in low-8s e.t.s at over .][
]
References
1960s cars
Drag racing cars
Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
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