I was going to put this in the Garlit's thread, but it got locked. Glad Larry Sutton's was all over it.

[M Jones]

When Don returned to Lions with the rear engine car many big name racers were saying that Don lost part of his foot, But he must have lost part of his brain also. "WHAT IS HE THINKING" after a couple of runs. It changed to "LETS TAKE A CLOSER LOOK" at that thing. And that was with out a rear wing.
Larry Sutton---

Larry, it’s been said that the change was simply putting driver in front of motor, was the reason it worked so well because of driver weight being moved so far up front?

 

[Cliff]

I was at Lions when Garlits made the first run in the back motor car. Everyone wanted to see if it ran straight. It did, right down the groove. I think he ran like a 6.72 or like that, not trying to set low ET, just to show the car could run straight. He ended up in the final against Gary Cochren and Garlits was in the right lane, same lane he crashed in. Garlits later said it kind of spooked him, and he lost the race. Yeah, I think I would have been spooked too. The first time I ever saw Garlits car was around 1960. The car was on an open trailer and was at Wieand shop in LA. I was going to a high school by there, and we all went over to look at the car. We were all kinda speechless. heh

 

[Cliff]

Mark, your question reminds me of the 1971 Schultz & Glenn front motor car. The one that ran 6.41 twice in a row at Lions. Low ET of the world at the time. Anyhoo, the engine was out quite a bit compared to other cars. After they did that run, some of the other front motor cars duplicated the engine placement. At the time, I kinda thought S&G were putting the engine out front like a funny car, and I think it did affect the performance in a good way. Balance or? I'm no mechanic but Schultz was really smart, and they won lots of races over the years, Top Gas and Top Fuel.

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Mark, your question reminds me of the 1971 Schultz & Glenn front motor car. The one that ran 6.41 twice in a row at Lions. Low ET of the world at the time. Anyhoo, the engine was out quite a bit compared to other cars. After they did that run, some of the other front motor cars duplicated the engine placement. At the time, I kinda thought S&G were putting the engine out front like a funny car, and I think it did affect the performance in a good way. Balance or? I'm no mechanic but Schultz was really smart, and they won lots of races over the years, Top Gas and Top Fuel.

From the pages of Drag Racing USA magazine, May 1971

 

[M Jones]

View attachment 14853
From the pages of Drag Racing USA magazine, May 1971

View attachment 14854

Great info guy’s, thanks

 

[Dragracer]

When Don returned to Lions with the rear engine car many big name racers were saying that Don lost part of his foot, But he must have lost part of his brain also. "WHAT IS HE THINKING" after a couple of runs. It changed to "LETS TAKE A CLOSER LOOK" at that thing. And that was with out a rear wing.
Larry Sutton---

When Garlits showed up at Lions Tom McEwen had already ordered one.

 

[Dragracer]

Larry, it’s been said that the change was simply putting driver in front of motor, was the reason it worked so well because of driver weight being moved so far up front?

No, the car worked after Garlits and Swingle ran the car a few times and it didn't go straight. They went and slowed down the steering and it went straight down the strip.

 

[M Jones]

No, the car worked after Garlits and Swingle ran the car a few times and it didn't go straight. They went and slowed down the steering and it went straight down the strip.

I’ve heard that before about steering

 

[4onthefl4]

No, the car worked after Garlits and Swingle ran the car a few times and it didn't go straight. They went and slowed down the steering and it went straight down the strip.

That's correct.

 

[Cliff]

View attachment 14853
From the pages of Drag Racing USA magazine, May 1971

View attachment 14854

Jim, this was the Schultz & Glenn they ran before the 6.41 car. Wish I could find a photo of that one.

 

[Cliff]

Schultz & Glenn: 1971's killer team

Even though the main trunk of the Keeling & Clayton thread continues to grow, today I’m branching out a bit to address growing questions about a guy whose name has been part of the story even though he never drove for the team.

www.nhra.com

This is the 6.41 car.

 

[TSK]

No, the car worked after Garlits and Swingle ran the car a few times and it didn't go straight. They went and slowed down the steering and it went straight down the strip.

I remember reading about Garlits’ first pass in the back motor car when it did not want to go straight. He got out of the car and said something to the effect of, “I know what’s wrong and it’s an easy fix.”
He was excited when he knew what the correction would do.
It just further cemented his reputation as “The Man” when it came to his innovative knowledge and skills.
And the rest, as they say, is history.

 

[Percboy]

I remember reading about Garlits’ first pass in the back motor car when it did want to go straight. He got out of the car and said something to the effect of, “I know what’s wrong and it’s an easy fix.”
He was excited when he knew what the correction would do.
It just further cemented his reputation as “The Man” when it came to his innovative knowledge and skills.
And the rest, as they say, is history.

Never heard that version....
Don has said Swingle "found" the solution to the steering issue.

 

[M Jones]

Never heard that version....
Don has said Swingle "founthe solution to the steering issue.
fix

I think he ment the steering was the problem, and assumed it would a easy fix, he didn’t say the steering needed to be slowed down in Steve’s post

 

[LAZYC]

I think he ment the steering was the problem, and assumed it would a easy fix, he didn’t say the steering needed to be slowed down in Steve’s post

The rear engine car at first would not go straight when Don first ran it, he called Pat Foster and asked him about the rear engine Woody car that Pat drove and crashed at Lions, Pat spent some time in the hospital after the crash.
When Don asked Pat what the problem was Pat said the steering needed to be slowed down a bunch, if you knew Pat that sounds right, (Pat relayed that story to me when we worked together) Pat worked at Woody's and a bunch of other chassis shops, even his and Jim Humes own shop. He also worked for Toyota's racing division. A really smart guy and great craftsman. RIP old friend

 

[cknight]

Smokey Yunick told me that Garlits had called him (they were old friends) about his issues and slowing down the steering, and if that would also be his suggestion. Smokey agreed.

 

[Ramjet]

The rear engine car at first would not go straight when Don first ran it, he called Pat Foster and asked him about the rear engine Woody car that Pat drove and crashed at Lions, Pat spent some time in the hospital after the crash.
When Don asked Pat what the problem was Pat said the steering needed to be slowed down a bunch, if you knew Pat that sounds right, (Pat relayed that story to me when we worked together) Pat worked at Woody's and a bunch of other chassis shops, even his and Jim Humes own shop. He also worked for Toyota's racing division. A really smart guy and great craftsman. RIP old friend

Pat was a whole lot smarter (and an unbelievable craftsman) than most people knew about. He let quite a few people take some of the credit for his acomplishments. Sometimes when you are that good you don't have to "pat" yourself on the back. Pretty good driver too.