Saturday, May 31, 2014

Mr. Norm's Super Charger, and why it's a Barracuda


After the 1968 season the race car needed a rebuild due to the fire at the US 30 dragstrip, so another mini charger was built on a Logghe chassis with a Fiberglass Trends body that was 10 inches narrower than a stock body. Any look at a new flopper makes the observer keenly aware that the bodies are only slightly similar to the model they are based on, but narrower, and with a lower roofline and narrower roof.

Until the NHRA got it's nose out of joint at Indy, and rolled out the rule book that stated only minor departure from factory boy width specs were allowed, and the 10 inch narrower body was out of spec for a Charger... but not a Barracuda.

So back to Fiberglass Trends, and Ron Pelligrini wrote out a reciept for "One Barracuda body with custom alterations to make it look like a Charger"

I effing love that. The NHRA didn't. Mr Norm even had the grill painted like a Barracuda and had a fish painted on the fender, but it wasn't getting over the NHRA at Indy, and though it was pointed out that a Funny car isn't a car, it's a piece of fiberglass, and rules about cars don't apply, the NHRA banned it, and later that winter changed the rules.

on the topic of fiberglass floppers, the first wasn't the 1966 Comet Calientes, it was a 34 hot rod, the Big Al of Jim Lytle built in 1963. He also invented the first 4 disc racing clutch. The Arfons were using a 3 disc.

image from http://www.moparmax.com/features/interview/iii_12-norm-6.html

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