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Yellow Fang (dragster)

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Yellow Fang
Overview
Production1963
DesignerSteve Swaja (chassis)
Tom Hanna (body)
Body and chassis
ClassTop Fuel
Body styleFront-engined streamliner dragster
Powertrain
EngineBlown 398 cu in (6,520 cc) Chrysler hemi
Dimensions
Wheelbase153 in (3,900 mm)

Yellow Fang is a streamliner slingshot dragster.[1]

Designed by Steve Swaja (with some tweaking by owner George Schreiber and his boss, "Big Daddy" Roth[2]) and built by Jim Davis in 1963, the car had a 153 in (3,900 mm) wheelbase. The aluminum body, hammered by Tom Hanna for US$5000,[1] had a very pointed nose, canopied cockpit, and V-shaped "claw" tail, and was painted Diamond T yellow[1] with red lettering (hence the name). The straight front axle had bicycle wheels and wing-like fairings.[3] The engine, a blown Chrysler hemi (bored 0.030 in (0.76 mm) over,[1] for a total displacement of 398.6 cu in (6,532 cc)) prepared by Bill Demerest (but maintained by owner-driver Schreiber),[1] was exposed, as were the wheels.[3]

Early trial passes revealed problems with the cockpit canopy, and when Schreiber took over the driving chores, it was removed.[1] He raced in Australia and the U.S. on an exhibition tour during 1967 and 1968.[1]

The car now resides in the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, Florida.[1]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Taylor, Thom. "George Schreiber's Yellow Fang", in "Beauty Beyond the Twilight Zone", p. 36.
  2. ^ Schreiber worked for Roth, helping build Roth's custom cars. Taylor, p. 36.
  3. ^ a b Taylor, p. 36 photo.

Sources

[edit]
  • Taylor, Thom. "Beauty Beyond the Twilight Zone" in Hot Rod, April 2017, pp. 30–43.