Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing

[gkabbt]

My Wife and I just recently returned from an extended road trip down south.
I had told her that one of my destinations was going to be Big's Museum in Ocala, FL. Only been there once back in 1987.
I was hoping that Big would come in so I could chat with him. He did come in and with him was current Top Fuel hotshue
Steve Torrence (Capco Contractors) and his crew and they went straight to Big's office.
I guess the Capco team was in FL doing some Winter testing as they had 2 huge Semi's in the parking lot.

I finally had enough time to to get the pics lightened up and resized and have just uploaded them to Photobucket.
Sorry, some of the pics are still on the dark side.
I'll be starting a camera class at the local Comm College next week to finally learn how to use my camera.

Here's the link:

http://s947.photobucket.com/user/GKABBT/library/Don%20Garlits%20Museum%20012014

Grab some refreshments and have plenty of time as there are 412 pics.

This one, I call "Bitchin", is my new wallpaper:



Bought a REALLY GOOD book: Diggers, Funnies, Gassers & Altereds by Bob McClurg. I recommend VERY HIGHLY!
   
As always with my pics, I hope you enjoy!

Gregg

PS
I was going through some of the threads today and saw the post by LandSpeed Louise about Pat Garlits.....Very SAD indeed!

[gkabbt]

While at the Museum, I was looking at the pic at Lions when Garlits trans blew up and it got me thinking about someone.
I don't see him in the pics but what was the starters name that wore the Cowboy hat? If I remember correctly, he ran a AA/GD car.

Gregg

[Bob Drury]

  Larry Sutton

[WOODY@DDLLC]

I was turning wrenches in Ocala when the museum first opened and have been there two more times. This is one of those you MUST go out of your way to see places! The Smithsonian of drag racing! 

Thanks for the new pix Gregg!

[tauruck]

Gregg, nothing wrong with your photography.

Great pics. For me that's my tour right there.

Thanks man.

[gkabbt]

BOB - Thanks for Larry's name. I've been racking what few brain cells I have left for a few weeks on that!  

WOODY - COOL STORY and I agree 100% with the go out of the way and MUST SEE statement!

Speaking of the Smithsonian, got this off the net a few minutes ago. I remember this from the magazines back when and always liked it.
I think I remember they fired it up around 7:00 AM for this pic. How cool would it have been to be in DC for that?



Mike - Glad you liked the pics. I thought of you a few times while I was taking them.
Now I hope you see why you NEED to go when you get over here!

I think I have posted before that I lived in So. Cal. from 69-72 in what I call the Golden Age of drag racing.
Slingshots were running their best numbers ever and then the advent of rear engined cars.
The meets at Lions, Orange County, Irwindale, Pomona and Ontario.....Man what Good times!

So cool to see John Wiebe's slingshot and the 001 Donovan block. On the placard for his car, it talks about his historic 6.17 pass.
I was at Lions for that race and saw him go up against Prudhomme's yellow feather rear engine car. Both cars ran 6.17 with
Prudhomme winning by a small margin.....D-A-M-N GOOD DRAG RACE!

Always good racing when Garlits would tow out West and battle the Cali guys - FE or RE!

Sorry to ramble on but this place is a TRUE walk down memory lane for me!!!!!

Gregg

[Peter Jack]

Boy, did that set of pictures ever bring back a lot of memories. Thanks for the trip Gregg! 

Pete

[rouse]

Don't take much time to realize just how inventive drag racing used to be. The folks that have their cars represent in the museum goes to show how far Hot Rodders have contributed to the automotive world as a whole.


Thanks for the post

Rouse

[jacksoni]

One of my brothers who has been part of my crew was recently in Ocala and also went through this museum. There are a lot of not racing cars there as well, a great looking museum.

Included also is the flathead powered streamliner the Garlits brought to the Salt in 1988 to get into the 2 Club. Large crowds around to spectate and to see the famous man.

My son and his cousin, aged 13 and 14, though neither being gearheads, had spent enough time hanging around my car to pick up a few tidbits wandered over to the Garlits pits early in the meet. Watching the crew work on the car, they opined that the tires (which were very close to the body work) were going to rub. You can imagine the reaction - pretty much "get away from our car you stupid kids".. sometime later on wandering by after a run they rather cheerily noted the crew now with tin snips making more room in the body work for the tires that had rubbed. I doubt that they said "I told you so" (at least not out loud)

Anyway, LSR and the salt is different as we all know...

[Stan Back]

Gregg --

I gotta believe the "Golden Age" goes back a little earlier -- when there were multiple ways tested to get the job done.  Multi-engines, multi-brands, multi-layouts.

I also remember Garlits' first west coast trips and his cars.  Most of the cars then, including his, didn't come up to "museum standards".  I liked 'em better that way.  Old pictures of his flathead rail don't seem to translate to what's presented.

Stan

[Bob Drury]

  Back in the Early seventies, even the "Big Names" like Don Garlits had to tour and Match Race to make a living at Drag Racing as their were few if any large sponsors (most went with the "new" Funny Car craze).
  It was big news in my hometown of Eugene, Oregon that Don was  coming to town to headline a multiple car match race at our local 1/8th mile dragstrip (Balboa aka Norpac Raceway).
  The day before the race I was (as usual) hanging out at Specialty Automotive Speed Shop (and whose Top Fuel Dragster I later crewed on) and in pulls Don and T.C. "Tommy" Lemmons (his long time friend and crewman).  
  I was astonished to see a dirty two wheel drive Dodge pickup with a low white canopy pulling a dirty single axle (if memory serves) trailer and needing a place to check the bearings in the motor.
  Bob McCutchan (the owner of Specialty Auto) welcomed them to use his shop and out rolled two "road weary" warriors who looked near death.
  Right there and then I realized that my dreams of being a professional racer of any kind were nuts.  Being a "Hero" was not quite all it was cracked up to be.
  We all just stood back and let them work, no questions were asked, no advice given, as we could see by their appearance that what they needed most was a hot shower, a good Home cooked meal and about 12 hours of sleep (none of which they were going to get until the tour was over).
  Although I have not always been a big time Garlits fan, I salute Don for making it all work, putting in the time, blood. sweat and tears and in gaining the well deserved media attention and Honors he has gotten.  He is, after all, the Big Daddy of drag racing and forever will be.
                                                                                                         Bob Drury

[salt27]

Bob,
 I hounded my dad into taking me to Balboa in 69 or 70.

Don Garlets was there and put on quite a show.

If I remember correctly, his throttle stuck and he barely saved it.

Feeling the percussion of engines in your chest left quite an impression on this 12 year old.

 Don   

[gkabbt]

Jack - GREAT story about the kids!    
When I first went there in 1987, it was only one huge room with the dragsters and two or three funny cars.
On this trip, I was VERY pleasantly surprised to see the other room additions that houses a more variety of cars from the sport as well as the engine room. I had not mentioned it in my previous posts and you are correct about the other building that Garlits has for the "antiques".
Towards the end of my pics are some of the cars from that building.
As you said, a GREAT looking Museum!

Stan - I use the term “Golden Years” as it relates to where the sport was and what I experienced in the 69-72 era.
No disrespect meant for the earlier pioneers.

Bob – Terrific story!   Garlits, love him or hate him, will always be Big Daddy!

Don – I know what you mean about the percussion in you chest.
Experienced the same thing at my first NRHA national meet…..The 1969 Spring Nationals in Dallas, TX

Gregg

[Jack Gifford]

Any of Ed Garlits' old stuff in Don's museum? Up through about '58, media coverage of Florida drag racing would show Ed's machine as often as Don's. I think Ed went to OHV V8 even before Don did. I don't know whether Ed is still alive?

[gkabbt]

Jack - Yes, Don does have a corner in what I call the "second" room of the main building devoted to Ed.
Follow the link in my original post and go to page 15. Near the bottom you will see a pic that has Don's white A/SA Challenger in it.
That and then the next fourteen pics are of Ed's cars/items and it ends with the pic of Ed and Don together.

Hope this helps,
Gregg