Hairy Canary!!!

[graluc]

Last year I used a 66 Plymouth Valiant as my daily driver. Nothing special, slant 6 auto car. The car needed an identity, but on the cheap. I found mention of a couple of 66 Valiants raced in the Trans Am series, so I was was going to clone one of them. After much searching, I couldn't find any pics, only the 66 Baracudas. The car eventually evolved into a loose rendition of a Hemi Dart. While reading the March Meet coverage in the latest Hot Rod, I spot a 66 Valiant Gasser in the back ground of one of the old black and white pictures. A little online searching and I found the Hairy Canary!!! Man if I had only found these pictures a year ago, I would have straight axled the Valiant. I've already got the axle. ;) Too bad the car is long gone, sold it to buy my Chevelle... man I miss that little car.

My car:


The Hairy Canary:

[Freiburger]

Re: Hairy Canary!!!

Yep, one of the midyear not-a-Stocker-not-a-Flopper funny cars. I bet Walt Reynolds knows the car, as he was a Goodies Speed Shop hanger at the time.

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Hairy Canary!!!

To me the early center steer funny cars are the ultimate.

Tom Sturm's "Just for Chevy Lovers" 1965 Chevelle is a personal favorite.

Brian

[HEMI]

Re: Hairy Canary!!!

I've got some old home movies I took at Fremont drag strip with that car in them.

[Fordplay0621]

Re: Hairy Canary!!!

I would drive that to work, 32 1/4 mile blasts and 32 more to come home.

[milkovich]

Re: Hairy Canary!!!

I have no idea why the rear window is vented but I love it.

Did the rules call for a back windshield but made no stipulation for venting? Was it a saftey thing or an appearance thing?

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Hairy Canary!!!

Since there are no side windows; I guess the vents were there to relieve the air pressure build up at top speed which could push it right out of the car.

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Hairy Canary!!!

Reb....you nailed it.

[milkovich]

Re: Hairy Canary!!!

I realize that, but why bother having the rear windshield if the rules say you can cut holes in it?

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Hairy Canary!!!

Milk,

This may sound completely insane, but if the rear window was out, the parachute may not have deployed correctly. I'm no aerodynamacist (nor a spelling champ as you can see) but if there was nothing there for a rear window and a low pressure area developed in that area, the chute, which doesn't appear to be spring loaded may have ended up inside the car. I'm literally taking a shot in the dark on that one.

As far as "rules" went for these cars, simply put, there were none. This was the "wild west" era of match bash funny cars (or Experimental Stockers/Factory Experimental cars) so pretty much anything went. This thig would have made it's living at match races as opposed to the national events we today.

It's a bitchin' piece.

Brian

[Chassisman]

Re: Hairy Canary!!!

So....what do you wanna know about Richard Hammons and the original Hairy Canary FC?......I happen to know JUST about everything........


And thats my Daughter driving Grandpas tribute car....The tribute car is also a lil famous...when retired by my Dad it had won 303 rounds of competition..from 1991 to 2005..it also collected 3 March Meet titles in Hot Rod....and 4 Goodguys Hot Rod/Street Macine National titles...not bad for a smogger 440 and low 13's.