Help Who is this old drag racer ??

[bluhair]

For the last couple of weeks I have been trying to find an old drag racer.
Tried most all the search engines and search word combo's with no luck.
I know that you are good at this. I care to take a shot, it would be nice.

In the late 60's early 70's there was a low budget drag racer. He did not have a lot of money but was very inguenious and made some pretty weird project cars. Many of the cars were multiple engine.

The one thing that I have really been searching for is.....
This guy took a Volks wagen, put a BIG Electric Motor in it (No batteries).

To get power to the motor, he laid two long metal strips on the drag strip on either side of the VW.
He had two outriggers on the VW and these contacted the metal strips. I think he had an industiral generator connected to the two metal strips to supply power.

The guy did not set any super hot ET's or trap speeds but they were reasonably quick.

I really would like to know the guys name and try to find some old pics.

Thanks in advance
Charlie

[Brian Lohnes]

You are describing EJ Potter's act with his electric car to a T. He did not use a VW though. He used (I think) a Mini or an Austin American. I can grab a photo of it tomorrow. It is was Potter he would have towed down the track with a Ford truck. The trailer would have had two big cable reels on either side and an allison engine in the middle that ran as a generator. The car had electric motors at all four wheels and as you described, pickups that rode along those electrified cables.

He only ran the car a couple of times because he couldn't get any booking for it. I believe he built it in 1973 around the time of the first gas crunch.

If there was another one, I don't know it.

Brian

[bluhair]

Thank you Brian.
EJ Potter that's the guy. I remember the name now.
I may have some of the details wrong but he DID have quite a few backyard mechanic type cars.
Been burning a hole in my brain for quite a while.
I am retired U.S. Navy living in the Philippines. Not to many old drag racers here but surprisingly I do occasionally see some interesting street cars.

Thanks again.
Charlie

[Brian Lohnes]

Yep, Potter had a lot of neat stuff. The V8 Harleys, the Allison aircraft engine powered 1957 Plymouth and 1963 Dart Wagon, the trike made from a cruise missile engine, etc.

Totally cool that I was able to help!

Brian

[70chevyC-10]

Yes that was cool you could help - you are a Hot Rod Savant Sahib ------

It was only a couple weeks ago Brian ran a blog on the best of the Potters.