Aussie BB/FCs of the 1970s

By David Cook and Danny White

Bill Pound imported the outdated “Psycho” of Snodgrass and Manken. A 392 Chrysler Hemi replaced the “Psycho’s” blown Ford engine, and the car became known as the “Mirage.” Pound took the car out once and ran three nine second passes. Bill sold the car to Alan Walton. (Info and photo from David Cook; text by Danny White)

Ray Miles and partners Martin and Wileman built the “Shaker” Torana funny car in 1970. The green “Shaker” had to run the altered class because there were no funny car classes. An injected nitro Chevy powered the car, which ran nines on less than perfect surfaces. The car sat for years under a tree in Miles’ backyard, but has been redone and recently shown at a race in Sydney. (Info and photo from David Cook; text by Danny White)

Alan Walton bought the “Mirage” from Bill Pound and ran the car in Australia’s active AA/FA category. The car was a Fiat A/FA when built by Snodgrass and Manken in the mid-sixties. The team converted the car into a radical looking funny car with the addition of a ‘66 Mustang body. The car was not a big winner while in California, and it was way outdated by the time it made it to Australia. Walton replaced the car with a more up to date funny car in the late seventies. (Info and photo from David Cook; text By Danny White)

Roly Leahy bought this obscure American injected nitro funny car from Bill Pound, who had imported it from Lyle Larkin. Larkin raced the “Skrimper” Challenger in the Northwest United States. Leahy put a blown alcohol Chevy engine in the space frame chassis to race against the Aussie AA/FCs and visiting American racers. Leahy had little success against the nitro-powered cars.

Chris Large was one of the best BB/FC racers of the seventies in Australia in the 1973 Mustang Mach I called “Lil’ John.” The car was more up to date than the other alcohol powered funny cars. It had a narrowed chassis and Hemi power. (Info and photo from David Cook; text by Danny White)

Dave Lomas is caught in a wild photo getting way out of shape on his burnout. Lomas raced a couple of funny cars in Australia. The “Old Timer” pub, which sat next to Lomas’ shop, sponsored the “Old Timer” Capri. Some say Lomas’ team's focus was distracted by the closeness of the sponsor’s pub! For whatever reason, the team did not seem to run up to its potential. (Info and photo from David Cook; text by Danny White)

Chris Sirinotis had a beautiful Cuda BB/FC in the late seventies, but the car was outdated by the time Chris began racing it. The Chevy powered machine had to race the more powerful AA/FCs with little success. (Info and photo from David Cook; text by Danny White)

This picture shows the problem of racing an old alcohol car against a newer nitro car. It is the classic story of taking a knife to a gunfight. Kevin Christerson in the beautiful “K’ruption” BB/FC ‘70 Mustang is a considerable distance behind the “Sindicate” AA/Funny Car. The “K’ruption” borrowed the great looking paint scheme from the American “Black Magic” Vega. (Info and photo from David Cook; text By Danny White)

The tough looking “Van Demon” Mustang II of Robin Best had smoky burnouts down cold. Best’s funny car showed how much the alcohol cars had progressed by the end of the seventies. The Hemi powered “Van Demon” could run with most nitro funny cars of the time with seven-second time slips. (Info and photo from David Cook; text by Danny White)

Australia had its own “Jungle Jim” -- Jim Carter. Carter built the Chevy powered “Jungle Jim “ BB/FC Mustang II in the late seventies. He raced against the stronger nitro cars and the newly formed “Pro Comp” class. Jim also ran a Fiat body on the chassis. In the eighties, Carter stepped up to nitro full time. (Info and photo from David Cook; text by Danny White)