This was the first car Liberman had that featured the "Jungle Jim" nickname. It was an altered wheelbase 1966 Chevy II with a steel body and fiberglass front end. It was all up hill from here.

The talened and flamboyant John Buttera spending some quality time with Pat Foster who, I'm sure, appreciated his T-shirt. This is below the OCIR tower.

The first Harry Schmidt Mustang (pre Beadle) at OCIR with Paul Gordon (local Texas shoe)...or maybe even Jake Johnston driving. Gordon drove at the AHRA Winters on the first outing. Jake paid Mike Burkhart to use Burky's car to get his license in. Burky signed off, and Harry pulled Paul out and put Jake in. The car pictured came off the ramp truck and crashed into a bridge abutment in St.Louis and was destroyed. Harry had a mini Mustang built to finish out the year.

Side note here: If you knew OCIR you know he is doing a burnout in the staging lanes the did a left turn onto the track.

Larry Barker in the "Psycho" Mustang that was another early funny car based on an altered chassis. The team of Snodgrass and Mahnken bailed out of the A/FA ranks when they got a sponsorship from Tom Sherlock Ford to build this 1966 Ford Mustang with a Ford wedge.

The Snodgrass/Mahken Psycho Mustang belonged to Pat Mahnken. It was formerly a Fiat Topolino w/427 blown Ford wedge. Add the body and viola, instant flopper. Driver Larry Barker built the chassis. They sold the car, sans motor, to an Aussie in late 1968. He crashed it when chute malfunctioned.

One of the many oddball bodies in the early days was this Rambler Rebel SST sponsored by Grant.

Dale Pulde in Mickey Thompson's 1973 Vega at Phoenix during the AHRA Winternationals.

Hayden Proffitt at Lions in his topless Corvair in late 1965. Car looked really slick with the roof, why he cut it off and put this butt ugle roll bar in is beyond me.

Doug Cook at Bakersfield in the Stones-Woods-Cook Mustang that was converted from a AA/G car into a flopper.