Buick Somerset (1 Viewer)

[Gone Dead Train]

ENCORE - DALE PULDE'S WARRIOR BUICK REMAINS AN ICONIC FUNNY CAR, 37 YEARS LATER | Competition Plus

Dale Pulde just wanted to be unique. In 1985, the world of professional Funny Car racing was in full swing with competition in the NHRA, IHRA (with only floppers and no Top Fuel) and to a lesser extent the ADRA (American Drag Racing Association, formerly AHRA) where mostly every other entry was...

www.competitionplus.com

Always thought the Dale Pulde Somerset body AA/FC was a great looking flopper. Saw the car at Seattle and Spokane
in 1985 and 1986. But we can't forget the late Ron & Val Sutherland's "Desert Rat" Somerset body AA/FC, with the
late Chris Lane in the seat. Chris had been driving nitro cars for years. The picture below is from Seattle 1986 (did not take the picture) big funny car show in Aug. No not 64 funny cars.
That was a distant memory, but nonetheless a stout feild of 16 AA/FC and 16 BB/FC. Bought the t-shirt and the hat pin
that day. The shirt has been worn and done years ago (sad) still have the pin (that's my pin)

AA/FC Seattle 1986

Let's take a trip back to Firebird 1986

Here are a couple of early nitro cars Chris drove. Cool guy to talk too, back in the day.

AA/FD Chris Lane in the seat. Can't remember who owned the car

AA/FC Chris Lane in the seat "The Phoenix" of Joe Pierce

 

[mick]

the somerset body still looks great today

 

[Cliff]

I well remember these cars (except the dragster). Phoenix based. Not too many fuel cars out of Phx anymore, except Johnny West.

 

[glofria]

the somerset body still looks great today

They certainly look better than some of these other "Nostalgia" bodies.

 

[jimbo]

In the article on Comp Plus a "forty inch front end " was referred to. What was that and why was it "not going to work"?

 

[glofria]

Found this one looking through the other thread:

https://www.autoimagery.com/gallery-image/1987-MM-Funny-Cars/G0000bgTYOxP8yfM/I00002aEKS4fdafY/C0000yMa.Ro_myX4

 

[glofria]

Is this another one?

https://www.autoimagery.com/gallery-image/1987-MM-Funny-Cars/G0000bgTYOxP8yfM/I0000hWVl7NB8I.U/C0000yMa.Ro_myX4

 

[Cliff]

Gino, this was The Woz. Spacing on his name, but he was a car painter and ran TA/FC for years. Always has really nice lookin' cars. The Shady Glenn was Jim Glenn, car owner, with different drivers over the years. Jim Adolph drove one of them in late 1970's. Bill Schultz involved in the car (Schultz & Glenn AA/FD).

70s Funny Cars - Round 40

A nostalgic look back at drag racing funny cars from the 1970s.

www.70sfunnycars.com

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Gino, this was The Woz. Spacing on his name, but he was a car painter and ran TA/FC for years. Always has really nice lookin' cars. The Shady Glenn was Jim Glenn, car owner, with different drivers over the years. Jim Adolph drove one of them in late 1970's. Bill Schultz involved in the car (Schultz & Glenn AA/FD).

70s Funny Cars - Round 40

A nostalgic look back at drag racing funny cars from the 1970s.

www.70sfunnycars.com

TAFC racer Mark Woznichak, Ontario CA

Shady Glenn AA/FC could be the late Ed Moore in the seat

 

[Chili]

Is this another one?

https://www.autoimagery.com/gallery-image/1987-MM-Funny-Cars/G0000bgTYOxP8yfM/I0000hWVl7NB8I.U/C0000yMa.Ro_myX4

Now I’m going to spend the rest of the day if not all weekend looking though old photos.

 

[ZWeinstein]

I well remember these cars (except the dragster). Phoenix based. Not too many fuel cars out of Phx anymore, except Johnny West.

Not too many but there are still a few, obviously Maroney with the big show car. Robert and Dylan Winefsky have the nitro moose altered. There is another fuel altered that I can picture in my head but cant think of the name or driver (I know, helpful) that I see at Firebird, Tucson etc. I saw a picture recently that Chris Thomson posted that someone was restoring an old Desert Rat funny car, do not know if they are local but I would imagine so. And of course if I hit the lottery Ill park my fat ass in a funny car.

 

[Al]

In the article on Comp Plus a "forty inch front end " was referred to. What was that and why was it "not going to work"?

IF I remember correctly, 40" referred to the maximum measurement from the front wheel centerline to the outermost point if the front of the body. Bernstein built his 86 Tempo with this built in, giving him an advantage with breaking the beams first, on finish line lights. When others ( like Roland Leong) saw that, they added "cow catcher" pieces on the front of their bodies, to give them the same advantage. These days they make their body latches do the same thing.

 

[Nunz]

Not too many but there are still a few, obviously Maroney with the big show car. Robert and Dylan Winefsky have the nitro moose altered. There is another fuel altered that I can picture in my head but cant think of the name or driver (I know, helpful) that I see at Firebird, Tucson etc. I saw a picture recently that Chris Thomson posted that someone was restoring an old Desert Rat funny car, do not know if they are local but I would imagine so. And of course if I hit the lottery Ill park my fat ass in a funny car.

My dad's buddy Greg Carillo out of Phoenix has a part time but very competitive TF car.

 

[ZWeinstein]

My dad's buddy Greg Carillo out of Phoenix has a part time but very competitive TF car.

Technically I think the car/crew are out of Colorado but yes they are very competitive for a team that only runs once or twice a year.