Limited-Edition Print of 350 (13x19) prints
Signed and numbered by the Artist.
In 1966 the Ford Motor Company did reinvent the mousetrap, by building a 1-piece all fiberglass Mercury Comet Cyclone body. Obviously, these were the original " Floppers," and by 1968, the 1-piece flip-top body became the standard for Funny Cars.
Now Don Nicholson was the lead car for this Ford effort, and usually gets the credit for the first flip-top Funny Car, but the number two car in this project, driven by 25 year old Ed Schartman, was every bit the contender the leader was.
At the 66 "Super Stock Magazine" Nationals Ed's car was the fastest and quickest of the weekend running a best of 8.41 at 172.74mph. Ed was the heads-on favorite to win the race, and probably should have, but an minor oil leak got the car out-of-shape at the start, giving the win to "Rookie" Pete Gates. Gates now owned and was driving Nicholson's 65 Comet. Pete fitted the 65 car with injectors and ran almost straight Nitro, this allowed him to plow his way through a field of the strongest Funny Cars ever assembled. Gates had beaten Nicholson in the Semi's, and everyone wanted to see Schartman take-out the upstart in the finals. In the last round, Gates got half-second head start and was gone at the light! Ed's Comet had a small oil leak that dripped under the rear tires, causing the car to go sideways at the get go..
This green and yellow paint only appeared at this race as the Mercury Executives hated the green color.. .
