Vintage rocket dragster action (Sammy Miller!)

[Brian Lohnes]

No one has ever gone quicker and faster down a 1/4 mile strip than Sammy Miller in his rocket dragster. We're talking 3.50's @ 380 mph kinda stuff...and like 30 years ago to boot!

The rockets were one heck of a sideshow act at their peak, but when the market of ultra pure hydrogen peroxide dried up and the cars were banned virtually everywhere but Europe, they faded off into the sunset, but Miller kept on to become the quickest and fastest guy ever.

This is a vintage video of one Sammy and a record attempt at Santa Pod.

Spidey...he was a Jersey boy. Must be a hero of yours!

Considering that this thing weighed 1000 (maybe a shade over) stopping was not a huge issue, also the fact that there's no chance of a stuck throttle because it only gets enough fuel to make it down the track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mIfb4vIZOQ&feature=related

That is some AWESOME stuff right there.

Dieselgeek...I don't care how good you are, you ain't mega-squirtin' that thing!

Brian

[A/Fuel]

Re: Vintage rocket dragster action (Sammy Miller!)

cool stuff,

they sure don't make guys like sammy miller anymore.

[Freiburger]

Re: Vintage rocket dragster action (Sammy Miller!)

And our pal Atwell owns his old Vega F/C!

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Vintage rocket dragster action (Sammy Miller!)

Sounds like you need to start scaring up some Hydrogen Peroxide!

The funny thing is a hydrogen peroxide rocket car is a truly green vhicle that generates steam as it's only by product...aside from the cerebellum flattening acceleration.

Atwell is just crazy enough to drive the f'r too. I'll never forget the sight of his (real) Hemi Dart taking off ramps on Drag Week 1. The Andrea Doria comes to mind.

Brian

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Vintage rocket dragster action (Sammy Miller!)

slammin sammy miller
still holds the all time quarter mile record at [me thinks ] 3.35
englishtown legend like jungle jim liberman , bezerko bob doerr , benny the bomb

[A/Fuel]

Re: Vintage rocket dragster action (Sammy Miller!)

didn't he, while hanging out at a bar at half moon bay, come up with the idea of using a parachute on the back of car to slow it down?
i believe one of the test sessions included tying a chute to the tail gate of a old pick-up truck, while someone in the back tossed it out at a pre dissucsed speed?

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Vintage rocket dragster action (Sammy Miller!)

Not sure if you mean something more specific, but Bill Simpsonm in the late 1950's seems to lay claim to that title.

The story about chucking out the back of a truck (or some other odd vehicle) is part of Simpson's book and it's hilarious as the 'chute was so big it lifted the thing nearly straight up in the air.

Brian

[A/Fuel]

Re: Vintage rocket dragster action (Sammy Miller!)

ok, i wasn't sure,

i seem to remember a hot rod artical, called "worm hole" or something like that with a similar story.

i still remember his crazy nitro small blocks though.

[Shawn Anderson]

Re: Vintage rocket dragster action (Sammy Miller!)

I think the rocket funnycar is a Mustang 2, Met Steve Atwell at the Mid Michigan Motorplex once, seemed cool and put up with me drooling over the dart. Man I hope he runs that thing I would pay to see it

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Vintage rocket dragster action (Sammy Miller!)

romeo palamides probably - drag racing early genius

[fahrenschnell]

Re: Vintage rocket dragster action (Sammy Miller!)

That is too cool.....I wonder why that never took off like jet cars ???

I would love to see it...

Seth

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Vintage rocket dragster action (Sammy Miller!)

Seth,

The violent deaths were one thing....and the lack of fuel (90% pure hydrogen peroxide) was another.

I guess the other problem was that they didn't have the flash of the jets with the smoke and fire show. It was a blast followed by the big "woosh" and it was over.

Lots of strips didn't have scoreboards like they all do now and many tracks would not announce or would fibb on the elapsed time run by the cars, fearing reprisel from the insurance man if they did.

THUNDERLUNGS....WHERE ARE YOU!

I KNOW Jon Lundberg called some of these babies in action. One old salt I spoke to about 6 months ago said they would see numbers well over 300mph in the tower but the track owner would only allow him to announcer 275mph, so that's how fast it went...on every run.

Neat (but fairly short) chapter in history.

Brian

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Vintage rocket dragster action (Sammy Miller!)

NJ used to have a land speed limit of 300 mph = had to be adjusted
maybe it will make a comeback