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Vintage Fuel Drag Bikes

1M views 3K replies 270 participants last post by  JOHN HANSON 
#1 · (Edited)
This is a new thread I am starting dedicated to Nitro Fuel Drag Bikes. If you were involved with a Top Fuel or Junior Fuel Motorcycle team in the 50s, 60s, 70s and up to 1994 (25 years ago) we invite you to join in and share some of your memories. Or, if you didn't belong to a team but share our passion please join in too. There are other threads here on drag racing so let's keep this about "Nitro". My first fuel bike was an A/F Harley back in 1969. My last was the twin-engine Harley "Freight Train" that I retired in 1985. I will be sharing many fond and a few not so fond memories. This video was filmed in '83 and '84. The opening burnout was me and "The Freight Train" at the 1983 IHRA Spring Nationals in Bristol Tennesee. That was back when Top Fuel Motorcycles were occasionally invited to join in with the cars in a special T/F Motorcycle class. The rest of the video was filmed by my wife and is a little shakey at times but a treasure to me since it is the only film I have of my 21 year motorcycle drag racing career. For some of you it will be the first time you have seen a T/F Motorcycle started on rollers. I hope you enjoy.
 
#349 ·
Here is another shot of "The Deuce" taken from the back cover of Dwain's Triumph Tuning book.
It also has documentation of the NHRA race in Augusta when he set a new record.
I hope it can be read..If you "Dubl Click", It gets real big...

Dusty

z
Was that 9.71 ET at 141.85 in 1961 on Gas or Nitro...??
 
#350 ·
Joe...
That was on 30% Nitro...Dwain didn't start running high Nitro until the summer of '62. We toyed with some DiNitroPhenylHydrazine, and some benzine mixtures that summer also, but the safety factor was realized before it was outlawed. That's when he went to 50%, and then 65% nitro. I don't have any notes on those numbers, it's just from memory as to the ratios, but I think that is right.

Dusty
 
#352 · (Edited)
QUOTE=nefareous;650651]Hey Joe, Have you seen this auction on eBay the item # 180569250910 Is it yours ?[/QUOTE]

Yes I've seen it...

The only thing he list that are mine are the Fairings and he's painted the one that says "Rat Too", the Leathers and Carburetor...The picture's, I don't know where he got those...The frame was one my Son Built using the front half of one of my old singles... I don't know if those motor parts were part of that bike or not, I didn't build the motor for that bike my Son Raced and those Fairings won't fit that frame...

Many years ago he bought my Fairings, Carburetor and both pairs of Leathers...He owns a off road RV outfit in Northern California, he wanted that stuff to build a "Joe Smith Museum" and also in hopes to get me to move up their and run a HD High Performance Shop...I don't know if he bought that frame and motor parts from my Son or not, I know a couple of people have owned it...it has a Jack Shaft with it...high gear only when my son raced it, I believe it also had a John Gregory Clutch...

This was that frame unit when my Son Raced it...I don't think he has the Front Forks and wheel with the frame either...


 
#354 ·
Granddaddy Joe.

Is that your son Gene in the picture, or just the frame your talking about?

Looking at that ebay listing... the carb looks to be # 0003? Is that the 3rd F carb from S&S's George Smith?? Sweet.

Mike
That's the frame he built and that's my Son Gene riding it at the old Palm Dale Drag Strip in California...

That Carburetor is really a pretty famous one, that is the third one made and Leo Payne delivered it to me on a visit to California, all my Carburetor's were sponsored to me by George Smith Sr. of S&S Cycle...that is the one that was on the rear motor of The Double and it's a Dual Float Bowl set up...Leo had number one and I had two and three...
 
#356 ·
Joe,

I was at the first NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion in '93 or so and I believe that bike was on display. Am I right or was it another bike?
Frank,

I can't remember what year it was but we were there one year and Gene was running his bike...we did have one of my Old Original Singles sitting in our pit area with some picture display...it's been so long ago and it was a one time deal so the details are poor...it could have been around that year...
Other than that, you got me...
 
#357 ·
I've got some questions...

1. Why hasn't someone put a vintage drag bike group together, or has someone already tried? Goodguys VRA started something great for the cars, I think that the bikes may work too. There's plenty of people still runnin the old junk.

2. Who is a good Triumph guy to talk to, to get a baseline tuneup for me to start with? Gas, Alky, maybe nitro at some point.

3. What brand of chassis is in the attached photo? I thought it was a Kosman, but maybe not.
 

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#358 ·
#359 ·
I see it as a chicken and egg thing. Until a group of individuals put together enough bikes to justify a class no organization will do so. I have tried to stir some interest at the reunions but the reality is we are too old. It will be up to you yungins' if it happens in my opinion.

That looks like a Yetman frame.
 
#367 ·
Thought it was about time to post a picture of a different twin-engined Harley, that I took back in 1973.
I am sure that Joe or Frank will be able to fill in a few more details about the rider.

View attachment 54816
No takers on the rider of the double Harley, which is one to add to the multi-engined list Frank.
The bike ran at the 1973 Supernationals, ridden by Joseph Stadler, from Milwaukee. Don't know if it ran any good numbers - perhaps someone can shed some light on this bike.
 
#363 · (Edited)
Keith,

I have never before seen this bike or any other twin engine bike that the rider sat on top of the rear engine. I don't guess it worked very well or more would have been built. Plus, I am sure there would have been injured (or worse) nitro riders from engine explosions. It gives me the shivers just thinking about my reproductive parts.
 
#366 ·
It wouldn't worry me where the butt stop was located - you would never get me sat on top of one of those!:)

While waiting to see if anyone recognises the bike and rider in question, I have posted a picture from a sprint I attended last weekend.
I went along to present Keith Parnell with a framed copy of my picture of him clocking the first 8 second time by a European rider, which was back in 1975.
The picture was one that had to go into my book, but the transparency needed some restoring after so long - having been damaged by magazine staff at the time. At least I got it back, unlike some of my pictures.
Keith Parnell is on the right of picture.
Wheel Tire Land vehicle Vehicle Outerwear
 
#370 ·
Why is it that you always think of something just AFTER posting a message?
Had a feeling that I still had copies of National Dragster from the event, and it gave a best qualifying time for Joe Stadler of 9.35s. That put him as second alternate for the 8 bike field.

Frank - you have a couple of PMs.
 
#2,879 ·
The bike was owned by the Binnecki brothers who owned Warren Plating in Warren, Michigan. Tom Gaff was the last rider. He crashed bad when a wheelie bar broke supposedly built from a material other that Chomemoly. Bike was sold a few years ago. Tom Gaff also rode Jim Ludikers turbo SOHC Honda funnybike and then Chuck Kurzawa's Blown Alcohol Kawasaki laydown before riding the chromed Twin Shovel. Photos to follow.
 
#376 · (Edited)
Rough et Noir 2,

Welcome to this thread. We look forward to your contributions.


Danny F

The pictures you posted are great. I recognize A young(er) Joe Smith about 40-45 years ago in the top photo with son Gene; a grizzly bear size Marion Owens on his double Harley about 30 years ago in the bottom picture but do not recognize the bike/rider in the middle photo. ?????
 
#377 ·
It is with great sadness I report the loss of one of Fuel Bike's greatest builders. Most of you will not recognize the name Jim DiTullio or his nickname Puppet. But to those who raced it was a name we knew well. Puppet was the owner of Race Visions in Buffalo N.Y. Some of the most famous drag bikes in the world came out of his shop. Elmer Trett and Jim McClure were customers to name a few. Puppet's ideas from 20-30 years ago are incorporated in today's most sophiscated Fuel Bikes. He was one of the very few individuals who could come up with something in his mind and then sketch it out into artwork and take the drawings into his shop and construct it. In fact, he is the only person I have known who could do all that.

He had been ill for most of this year but was a fighter. I talked to him in the hospital about a month ago and he was still in good spirits. His body finally gave out today at age 67. He will be missed and his loss is incalulable to motorcycle drag racing. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. RIP my friend.
 
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