[cunningplan]

Just had this email from Steve Field how owns the Black pig (Ex Pony Express)

"we were showing our car at Basingstoke today when I got into conversation with a crew member from the other altered that was there, he was telling me that he had the Thunderbird body and chassis in his workshop for a bit ( I assume that he would have got it from the Hazeltons ) and then sold it on to someone who shortened the chassis and body and ran it as "Snakebite" sometime in the mid eighties, ring any bells ?. It's the first I have heard of anyone else owning the car, but it make a bit more sense of the timeline, I could never tie up the long gap between Reg breaking it and Mick bringing out Pony Express. I have no reason to doubt anyone who has told me their bit, but you know what memories are like, or would do if you could remember."

Anyone have any ideas??

[timetravel]

Here's some pics to jog your memory. First from 1986 at North Weald

NORTH WEALD AUG '86 013.jpg (38.04 KiB) Viewed 8479 times

Then Santa Pod 1987

SANTA POD AUG '87 018.jpg (55.18 KiB) Viewed 8484 times

SANTA POD AUG '87 019.jpg (61.65 KiB) Viewed 8481 times

Santa Pod 1988

SANTA POD APRIL '88 027.jpg (51.22 KiB) Viewed 8484 times

Santa Pod 1989

SANTA POD SEPT '89 061.jpg (63.48 KiB) Viewed 8484 times

[ritchi101]

hi dont know to much about the history of this car but looking at the pictures i noticed the name beeston,and i remembered a guy called dave beeston who lived near me in harlow essex,close to north weald who had a dragster this must have been his car,he never really ran it to much and according to a mate the motor in it was fairly tame,the last time i saw it it was parked up the side of a tyre fitting centre just outside harlow called jacks hatch garage,it looked pretty sorry for itself, maybe its not the same car but the name beeston is not a common name.

[ritchi101]

sorry i spelt the surname wrong but its the same guy if you know what i mean'

[fester]

yep that was him ,bog standard ford engine ithink ,at one meet they blew up the engine and put the tow vehicle lump in .How long ago was the body spotted ,as it could easily be reused in fuel alterd?

[ritchi101]

blimey id say i last saw it in the early to mid eightes

[cunningplan]

I don't know why Steve just don't join us, anyway, heres his latest email and I think he is right about the chassis, does not look anything like his, while I have seen a photo of Thunderbird with the body up and it looks like the one he has.

" Hi Mate, thanks for posting that, the photos are interesting but also a bit puzzling, I don't think it is the same car, I believe that it may be the original body but not the chassis. I have quite a few shots of "Thunderbird" some of "Pony Express" and obviously one or two of the mighty "Black Pig", all of these have several identical details that the "Snakebite" car doesn't, it's most obvious in the tin work but also the fuel tank and in one shot of "Snakebite" the sun is shining through the chassis and the shadows on the ground show a lack of diagonal bracing in the forward section where ours has every bay filled. There is also a shot of the back of the car which seems to show a different arrangement supporting the rear of the body.
I had always thought that Mick Hillier had told me that he got the roller direct from the Hazeltons but that might be my memory at fault and I wouldn't want to put words into his mouth as it were, I also thought he said he never had the body. I have seen another photo, possibly on the UKDRN site of a similar body, taken, I think, in France and although the paint is green with yellow chevrons and lettered with "Reg Hazelton" on the roof, when you compare it with the original shots it is altogether different. Were they going to rebuild it after the accident and stopped when they bought the rail ? was someone else going to build a "copy" even back then ? Was there another chassis that somehow got mated with the original body ?
I have more questions than answers, and the more I find, out the less I know

Steve"

[cunningplan]

Take a look at the tin work and tank.

[herb andrews]

Alan Loten was at the Pod this weekend and mentioned in passing that he and Brian Thomas bought the chassis direct from Reg, so thats sorted that bit out.
He also said who it was sold on to but I'm having a CRAFT moment, so it will come to me later.
Herb

[dragracerdave]

I remember Kenny Coleman having the body, it would be around the time that American Grafitti was in the Cinemas, Dave Grady & myself had the body & some slicks set up in the old ABC Cinema when there was a special showing of the film, Don't know what happened to it then, Next time I speak to Ken I will ask him.