Playland 1950's

[reederbuilt]

Does anyone remember a car they called "The Thing" at Playland in the late 1950's? Was driven by a guy named Bob Bruce. I remember being told that AJ Foyt said It was the fastest car with the worst driver. Gotta love AJ. I'm guessing every car out there that he wasn't in had the worst driver...

[darrellk54]

Sorry, I've been away for awhile. Butyes I remember that car. I think it was brown color and not only did they refer to it as "The Thing" which I had forgotten about, I am almost positive that it was also referred to as "The Barbeque Pit"? I'm not surprised that A.J. said it was the fastest car because If I remember it was cut down 32 or so Victoria body. It was probably lighter than anything on the track at the time. But about 60 years has passed since then and things are a little fuzzy.

 

Darrell

[reederbuilt]

Darrell,

Thanks for the reply - I've been away for a while myself. The car was a '32 tudor sedan cut down the middle and narrowed then cut the other way and shortened. The modified body was mounted on a sprint car of the day chassis that came from Ohio.

At least that's the way I remember the story. Apparently was wicked fast for the day and for Playland. Was built from a complete car that had been sitting at an old closed dealership for a bunch of years. Just threw the rest away… Carried the number 99 with a lightning bolt through the number and always maroon in color. The car was built by my dad and a stuck throttle almost killed the driver who was a good friend. Brave men in those days… My dad built several cars in the 50's and early 60's but I don't know much about the others. I do know that he also built a dragster or two that ran at the old Gulf Freeway drag strip at Dickinson I would love to know more from anyone who might remember anything about them.

Regards,

Reederbuilt