When you think of the funny car bodies of the 1970s, what comes to mind? Split-bumper Camaros and big-body Mustangs? Vegas and Monzas against Mustang IIs? Arrows and Mitsubishi-made Dodge Challengers up against four-eye Firebirds? All of that is well and good, but there was a ton of creativity still happening in the world of fiberglass body molding in the Seventies. There was no need to look at the stickers to see what kind of car it was supposed to be…it might not be a dead-even match, but you knew if you were looking at a Pontiac or a Mercury…or even something as freaky as Barry Kelly’s Corvair. And that wasn’t even the far end of the deal…ever heard of the Flying Dutchman, a Funny Car done up to look like the 1968 Dodge Charger III concept car? We raided 70sfunnycars.com for some photos of the most random rides we could find, cars like Joe Godwin’s Lincoln Mark V, Marv Eldridge’s Javelin, and even a Volvo P1800-bodied flopper. Check them out!
If you want to see more photos of old-school floppers, check out 70sfunnycars.com…they have pages upon pages of photos!
Why we liked funny cars then, and don’t now.
The variety of car bodies is crazy. From cuda’s and challengers, mustangs, Camaros, corvettes, vega wagons, vw beetles, and some 1 off stuff from science fiction. No wonder funny cars used to be fun and exciting.
What? No Wonder Wagon Vega Kammback?
“The Destroyer” A topless stretched Bronco deathtrap.
What N/FC should be, but won’t.
I couldn’t agree more! I thought the reason for N/FC was to go old school!
I had no idea someone had tried a Volvo funny car. It works a lot better than it sounds!
There’s a racer in Sweeden who has raced Saab Funny Cars for years. He came to Australia in about 2013 and that was the first time in years he’d raced anything else. I think his name was Leif Helannder or something along those lines
I removed the body off M/Ts Pontiac at Rockford Ill. after a brief engine issue at the top end at the Mfgs meet. Fire crew couldn’t remove the body and ol Dale was get’n warm! Foster showed up with Setzers Vega with no motors able to run. Every block was holed. The M/T car was running a stock 426 crank and Dale had it dialed in perfect. Front halfed the car at Romeo Palamides shop after a bad wheelstand in Mich. I think? Wish I owned that body today.
Back when funny cars still looked like cars, not a jelly bean on wheels.
Hi, guys. Thanks for the shoutout. Jeff Thomas, Danny White, I and all of our amazing photographer friends are proud to bring you the 70sfunnycars site. We have one for the 60s and 80s too!