[ukdrn]

Amongst the photo's from one of Tony Beadles photo albums that I have very kindly been leant
are a collection of shots taken in 1974 when Tony visited the USA.

It's no surprise that given Tony's passion for flatheads he attended a few events run by the UFRA.
I also have a few times slips so it's looking like Tony got a few runs in while in the US but I need confirmation so if
anybody has any information I would be interested to know if that's the case.

So here's some rare photographs of some fantastic looking flathead dragsters, 1974 style
All images copyright Jennifer Beadle

TB001.jpg (271.4 KiB) Viewed 11035 times

TB002.jpg (233.34 KiB) Viewed 11035 times

TB003.jpg (290.21 KiB) Viewed 11035 times

TB004.jpg (220.87 KiB) Viewed 11035 times

Some info on the UFRA taken from the H.A.M.B website
The United Flathead Racing Association was an organization that started in 1970 for flathead dragsters and an occasional flathead gasser. It was started by Larry Lee and Wayne Talley and ended up growing to 28 flathead dragsters with monthly races at such tracks as Orange County, Irwindale, Palmdale, Holtville, Carlsbad, Fremont, Vegas, and Tuscan. The finals were held at the Antique Nationals.

Tony's UFRA membership card
TB012.jpg (164.07 KiB) Viewed 11035 times

[ukdrn]

TB005.jpg (186.8 KiB) Viewed 11033 times

TB006.jpg (228.08 KiB) Viewed 11033 times

[ukdrn]

Some more

TB007.jpg (212.43 KiB) Viewed 10994 times

TB008.jpg (241.95 KiB) Viewed 10994 times

TB009.jpg (218.35 KiB) Viewed 10994 times

TB010.jpg (305.48 KiB) Viewed 10994 times

[ukdrn]

TB011.jpg (290.09 KiB) Viewed 10943 times

TB016.jpg (340.62 KiB) Viewed 10943 times

TB017.jpg (303.83 KiB) Viewed 10943 times

TB018.jpg (249.96 KiB) Viewed 10943 times

TB019.jpg (289.98 KiB) Viewed 10943 times

[Oldboy]

I remember (just) telling Tony in '74 sometime, that I had started building a front engine dragster chassis and was having a hard time finding a decent small block Chevy motor. A few days later Tony raced over to my house near Bristol with a brief case full of Flathead stuff, including all the photos from his visit with the UFRA. Tony was trying to recruit me for his newly formed BFRA and successfully converted me to the cause (he didn't have to try very hard).
He didn't mention racing with the guys in the U.S. but he did tell me some amusing tales about them all getting very drunk on strawberry wine!!, and staggering about in the dark on some deserted desert airstrip race track, trying to shoot coyotes or some such.
A little while later I sent Tony some photo's of my rolling chassis, outside the garage, to show him my progress, they were the only pictures I had of the car and subsequently I lost the negatives (remember those?) I wonder if he added the pics to his album ?
Sadly although the car was all but completed it never hit the track due to redundancy and numerous other factors, and even more sadly I never got to race against Tony, happy days though.

[ukdrn]

The album I have here is mostly Tony's trip to the USA with some other pictures that Jennifer kindly through in.
Maybe your pictures are in another album
As I said I didn't know if Tony just brought these back as souvenirs or if somebody gave him a ride just like Crazy Chris Hartnell got at Eagle field in 2013.

TB014.jpg (4.16 MiB) Viewed 10856 times

Probably completely unrelated but opposite the slips in the album are 4 professional pictures of this very nice little digger.

TB050.jpg (220.44 KiB) Viewed 10856 times

TB051.jpg (254.23 KiB) Viewed 10856 times

[ukdrn]

TB020.jpg (266.9 KiB) Viewed 10788 times

TB021.jpg (297.71 KiB) Viewed 10788 times

TB022.jpg (251.75 KiB) Viewed 10788 times

TB023.jpg (245.32 KiB) Viewed 10788 times

TB024.jpg (197.77 KiB) Viewed 10788 times

TB026.jpg (299.1 KiB) Viewed 10788 times

[ukdrn]

TB027.jpg (224.58 KiB) Viewed 10718 times

TB028.jpg (228.36 KiB) Viewed 10718 times

TB030.jpg (262.68 KiB) Viewed 10718 times

TB029.jpg (230.85 KiB) Viewed 10718 times

TB031.jpg (296.56 KiB) Viewed 10718 times

[timetravel]

quite a turn out wasn't it... love the T roadster with 12-spokes 'n' pie-crusts...

[ukdrn]

Big upload to finish .

TB033.jpg (211 KiB) Viewed 10937 times

TB034.jpg (292.89 KiB) Viewed 10937 times

TB035.jpg (252.93 KiB) Viewed 10937 times

TB036.jpg (236.6 KiB) Viewed 10937 times

TB037.jpg (319.13 KiB) Viewed 10937 times

TB038.jpg (344.5 KiB) Viewed 10937 times