Another funny car arrives in Alton
 

Another funnycar now resides in Alton, MO, one with a very interesting history. Known then as “A Novel Nova” or “Instant Funny Car”, the car was built in the shop of Bill Thomas in late 1965. The car was featured in both Hot Rod magazine and Popular Hot Rodding in March of 1966.
According to BT, this car was a sister car to the “Bad Bascom” Nova, which later became “Retribution II” once Dick Harrell acquired it. After totaling RT II, Dick campaigned the well known Nickey sponsored Red 1966 Nova, which was being built in the BT shop at the same time as “A Novel Nova”. Because they were being built literally side by side, for the same purpose, serious drag racing, the cars are very similar. Of course the most unique aspect of the two cars, which this one is considered the prototype, was the bolt on tube front subframe, making it an “Instant funny car”. This car also has several other BT features, such as a hand crafted dash because the engine is “set back” several inches, Cheetah seats, fiberglass one piece tilt nose, doors and trunk lid.
Besides all of the neat history associated with the car, what really is neat, except for paint, the car is basically unchanged from the way it left the BT shop.
The car left CA sometime between 1966 and 1968, where it was raced in the Rockford, IL area. Appears to have had two paint schemes, the R/W/B one which is on it now and under that, Hugger Orange, possibly with stripes on the sides and/or top. If any one has information and/or pictures of this car, please contact me.

Hot Rod magazine, March, 1966.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...vaArticle1.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...aArticle2a.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...aArticle3a.jpg


As it sits today.

https://www.yenko.net/attachments/228425-HPIM0021.JPG
https://www.yenko.net/attachments/226894-car005.jpg
https://www.yenko.net/attachments/226917-HPIM0028.JPG

Re: Another funny car arrives in Alton
 

Nice move Tom!!! .
I was wondering just a couple days ago what had happened to that car after the postings a few months back. .
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif
~ Pete

Re: Another funny car arrives in Alton
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif Wow!

Re: Another funny car arrives in Alton
 

Sweet, I love tha build photos with the black nose, steelies and mags up front...BKH https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif

Re: Another funny car arrives in Alton
 

The interesting, or scarey part, depending on how you look at it, BT said the car would have been running an injected BBC while at their shop.


Guess we could have a match race of vintage BBC Novas, Novacaine versus Pscho.
https://www.yenko.net/attachments/173761-sb-1.JPG

Re: Another funny car arrives in Alton
 

way to go Tom. don't hurt yourself https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif

Re: Another funny car arrives in Alton
 

Both have a passenger seat. So Who's going along for the ride? Best of three?

Re: Another funny car arrives in Alton
 

Thank God he bought a nova. I was kinda worried he'd bought the Munster's herse. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

Re: Another funny car arrives in Alton
 

Very neat ride, congrats on picking it up.

Re: Another funny car arrives in Alton
 

[ QUOTE ]
Both have a passenger seat. So Who's going along for the ride? Best of three?

[/ QUOTE ]

Me first! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif