Swamp Rat XXX (1 Viewer)

[Mr. Fix It]

I'm interested in finding or buying a high resolution photo of Swamp Rat XXX in front of the Smithsonian Museum. I've searched the net and found many smaller and lower resolution photos, but not a high resolution version. Does anyone know where I might find one?

 

[Nick Name]

Have you considered calling Garlits?

 

[rckymtn3]

I love that shot. I remember when it was placed in the Smithsonian, I felt proud. Especially since it was highlighted as a scientific (materials and thermodynamics etc.) as well as an engineering pinnacle, coming together as a moving work of art.

I remember reading how he had to fire it up then clear everyone out for the photo, pressed for time due to the heat build-up and the watered down ground, it turned into quite an undertaking to get that shot right.

Good luck on the search. I'll check to see what the highest resolution photo I have. If you do happen upon a high-res I would love to get a copy. Would make a great desktop background.

If Big does have the image for sale, let us know....I'd be happy to buy a copy as well.

What I never saw was images of it on display IN the museum....by the time I made it there, all we really had time for was one full day at there, so we chose the aerospace museum.

 

[Just Paul]

It's sad the car is now sitting in storage, no longer on display. They won't let Big have it back, or even at the very least loan it back to him to show in his own museum for awhile.

 

[Eracer]

How about this one.

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[MW]

For sale from "Big" here---

Don Garlits Museum - Gift Shop

 

[Mr. Fix It]

$75. It would be worth it. I'll call on what size it is. Thanks! As to the linked photo, I found it earlier, but it is a very small file. I never looked at it closely. There is someone in the car no doubt holing the brake!

It does indeed make a drag racer proud! Only "Big" could have pulled that off. (At least in a fuel car).

 

[James]

I never noticed anyone in it before either!

 

[Mr. Fix It]

You have to wonder if he didn't at least think about hitting the throttle... I wonder who he is?

 

[DrRocket]

Oh man, I would have been SORELY tempted, but it probably would have put some serious hurt to those windows.

I'm guessing Big told the guy "Whatever else you do, DO NOT hit the throttle!!"

 

[.]

There is someone in the car no doubt holing the brake!

I'm pretty sure that's Bruce Larson inside the car. I could be wrong but for some reason that's what is in my noggin.

 

[MHayes]

Oh man, I would have been SORELY tempted, but it probably would have put some serious hurt to those windows.

I'm guessing Big told the guy "Whatever else you do, DO NOT hit the throttle!!"

Highlights from an interview with Dr. Robert C Post (he worked at the Smithsonian until 2010):

"They started it up early in the morning on the mall side of the museum, while it was still dark, to get the pics. But before that, I knew a guy who was good at smoothing things out all over town and they had to literally notify the White House and other buildings not to worry about it. It's not gunfire or anything."

"It was a black tie event, well, black tie for NHRA anyway."

"When photographs were being taken, one of our Smithsonian photographers was just dying to get him to do a burnout down the mall. Garlits would have probably done it, but it was just too much for me. Just starting it was enough. They wanted to make a poster shot, but it got too light, so he brought it back that night to make the famous poster shot."

 

[rckymtn3]

How about this one.

Thanks for the museum shot. Since it was displayed before digital cameras became affordable, there's very few shots of it inside the museum.

 

[sparky]

Seeing that car win the 1985 March meet is one of the highlights of any race I've ever witnessed. Big dominated that race. My personal favorite racer of all time.

 

[gtk]

I always thought that Swamp Rat XXX should have changed T/F forever, with 'Aero' as important as it is, the little front tires under the body and so forth?!? Did Walley change the rules up or did something else cause the consept not to evolve?
Highest respect for Big and all he brought to NHRA drag racing, he's an amazing guy.

 

[rckymtn3]

Seeing that car win the 1985 March meet is one of the highlights of any race I've ever witnessed. Big dominated that race. My personal favorite racer of all time.

I'm sure that was a typo (Gary Beck won the '85 March Meet). I do remember seeing SR29 at the '86 Winters, then later reading in ND how he debuted SW30 at Gainesville for the 270. It was an excruciatingly long wait for me to see SW30 at the '86 World Finals, but well worth the wait.

I always thought that Swamp Rat XXX should have changed T/F forever, with 'Aero' as important as it is, the little front tires under the body and so forth?!? Did Walley change the rules up or did something else cause the consept not to evolve?
Highest respect for Big and all he brought to NHRA drag racing, he's an amazing guy.

It did, sort of...for a few years anyway. There was a long list of cars that used the small airplane front tires, a few with cowling over them, most without, a few enclosed the rear of the car in some fashion (Head, Ormsby, Amato), most did not, some used the cockpit enclosure, then folks like Gwynn/Armstrong went the barn door version (if a little wing is good, a lot must really be good Budweiser TF which lasted a couple of attempts at qualifying -photo below-).... Arrivett Bros Streamliner was billed as the future of TF, and I only saw it do a brief squirt at Pomona. In the end, what "looks" quick isn't always quick. Look here for a few rare views of one of Amato's versions of streamlining. http://www.nitromater.com/nhra/30219-joe-amato-ground-effects-car.html

 

[DrRocket]

I think the small front tires are against the rules now.

 

[Mooseman]

From watching broadcasts from back in the day, the extra weight was the problem. Even with the aero tricks they were all too heavy. When you are trying to stay at the lightest weight possible adding anything at all adds weight.

 

[Bullet]

A small side note.... how many times did you see Swamp Rat XXX with an Enderle style injector on it like the one when the photo was taken at the Smithsonian? I never did.

 

[onfire]

A small side note.... how many times did you see Swamp Rat XXX with an Enderle style injector on it like the one when the photo was taken at the Smithsonian? I never did.

Never...........Had the 8 port Crower.