Not Mopar, but the engine is, 1971 AA/FC pics

I just stumbled upon this story and WOW. Awesome might be too subtle a word to describe my feelings. I appreciate you having a dedicated website for the car and documenting its restoration, and look forward to seeing more (and if possible much larger) pics.

Do you know who originally painted and lettered the body, by chance?

Pink,
I wish I knew. They got the mustang body from Kenny Hirata. I was talking to Kenny and Dave a few weeks ago about this very question. Kenny could not remember who painted the body. Nellie and Otis had the body lettered. Nellie can't remember who did the lettering either. She just remembers they flew someone in from California to letter it. She said it was a real big deal then. The lettering was gold leaf too.

Dave Hirata wants to paint the car because he remembers it from when he was a kid and his dads involvement with the car. So he will be painting it when it is ready to paint.

Rick

Here is an updated picture of the car as it sets right now.

Thats very cool. I remember that green Bob Banning Challenger real well. Ron

Very cool project.

I don't want to sound super negative here and I definitely appreciate nostalgia; but, I bet that if the original owner had a say in it, she would prefer the car be updated and raced. I can totally appreciate what you are doing but pictures can do a fine a job of documenting the history of the car. Updating it would allow you to enjoy the car the way the original owner did and carry on its legacy.

Nellie is actually happy that it is being restored. She would be happy if it were raced too. But, it is not every day you come across a car that is this complete and original. With the except of the body and the headers, everything is original as last ran. So updating it would almost be building a new car completely. I really don't need to race it to feel good about it either to be honest. More people in the racing world really want to see it left original than updated and raced too.

looks great!

Cool project and I remember the name Goins and Goins from back when I was a kid (14 or so at the time). Must have read it in some Drag Racing magazine, back then that's all I ever bought. Mom thought it was just for the cars, she never saw Linda Vaughns or Jungle Pams pics in them I guess

Glad you went with the Mach1 body instead of keeping the Monza body.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nu-Plymouth-Arro...=item19cc011f53


Have you thought about changing the ford body ?

Lucas,
You're doing the right thing by keeping the car original. There is no way you could update that chassis to be competitive in todays world of N/FC, you have to run 6.00's just to get qualified and usually 5.70's to win. The whole spirit of the class from the competition side has been ruined by the few that can outspend or out-tune the majority that have built N/FC's just for the dream of having and running one. The same thing happened earlier in the Nostalgia Top Fuel classes and now if you don't have a 78-79 Arrow, Firebird or the like, you don't have much chance of being competitive, so the guys that built the earlier 67-72 bodies are pretty much relegated to match racing or exhibition just to have a place to run. And since NHRA has seen that they can put on a show, they've stepped in with the Heritage Series since they can make money off of them and started slapping big show style rules,(carbon brakes, leahy boxes, etc.)driving a lot of the little guys out, which doesn't make sense, but we all know NHRA has a nasty habit of crapping on the little guys. Enough rant, keep posting and keep us filled in on the progress........

That is so awesome. Thanks for sharing Rick, I would love to see it in person someday.

Ronnie,
I agree with everything you said. Even if I were very wealthy and could run with those guys, I wouldn't do it with this car. I would build a purpose built car. A couple of my friends who are big in the racing world think the right thing to do is to keep it 100% original as much as possible. As I have stated before, the only items not original are the body, which, Donnie Reeves made from an original Fiberglass Limited body and the headers, which are the same make and brand (Cragar). The engine, blower belt, spark plug and wires, tires, safety belt and all the reset of the stuff is just like it was when it was last ran. It would not do any justice to change that stuff out to run it. The car will run, just not down the track!
Rick

Jones,
Your close enough, that could be possible oneday.

was that car from georgia?

It was in Georgia when I bought it. But they ran it out of Gary, IN.

Are you familiar with the car?

Rick

the car resided a few blocks from a good friend of mine..
i heard about the car a few times but never actually went and looked at it..

My Friend Milton Mills...said it was once offered to him for $5 grand..but it needed more work than he had the time for ....
but he often looked back at it and said..
coulda woulda shoulda..

this was in Marietta area of Georgia...

Looking at what you have now...I think any way you shake it you got a killer car...
I love the idea of a vintage flopper..

I just spoke to him the other day..I could ask him about it...is there anything in perticular you need asked?

cheapst

Hi Cheap,
I did buy the car in that area from a man named Sam. He bought it from Nellie Goins. She was the original owner and driver of the car. He introduced Nellie and I the day I got the car. Nellie and I have become great friends and she has shared a lot of info with me. I spoke with her two days ago. In addition to Nellie sharing info with me, Kenny Hirata shares info too. He help Nellie and Otis with the car. I have been able to build a complete history of the car, including pictures. The only thing I can't find is the best ET she ran. She can't remember, Kenny doesn't remember either and Otis is gone, I'm sure he would know if he were here. Nellie said she never broken into the 6's with it, but was close. She does remember her speed, which was 216. The ET is about the only pice of the puzzle I am missing at this point to be honest.

Your buddy passed up a great deal. When I got the car it was complete, hemi, lenco, blower and of course the car. Originally I was going to run it. However, over time I changed my mind. I could have parted the car out and made a ton of money on it. But, I made a promise to Nellie that I would restore the car to its original form. To me my word is my honor. Plus, the car is a part of drag racing history. There have been a few negitive people who disagree with this, but that has been less than three people. There is not another African American woman that ever, to this date, owned and drove a AA/FC. When she was driving there were only a hand full of women that drove AA/FC's too. I have received a lot of inquiries about the car and its history. Some from the NHRA Museum Manager, the Harraha's Auto Museum in Reno, NV and a few others too. I have open invitations to display the car at some pretty big racing venues once the restoration complete as well.

If your buddy knows anything at all, that info would be nice to know.

Thanks,
Rick

Another pic.....could have kicked myself when I got home to find there was a sweat smudge on the lens, after I had taken over 150 pics.....