SWIFT AND TRUE LIKE A DART

Pete’s new Dragmaster Dart chassis ran at the ’62 Winternationals. Here in April, at Newton County Dragway, Covington, GA, Pete waits to run. The new Dart was nearly 200 lbs. lighter than the ’61 Nationals winner, with a longer wheelbase. M&H Racemaster 148 tires were favored. (Charlie Wilkins photo)

Dragmaster was already a very popular chassis make, but having both finalists for the ’61 Nationals Top Eliminator spurred sales. Jim Nelson and Dode Martin were also convinced that light and simple was the way to go. That meant parking their successful, side-by-side, twin Chevy car known as “Dragmaster Two Thing”. Although Two Thing had set Top Speed the last two years at the Nationals, winning was now more about the quickest ET.
Unfortunately, the ’61 Florida State Championship were postponed one week after a tropical depression and heavy rains socked-in Miami. The Nationals champs returned to Atlanta and Pete left soon after to pick up the new Dart chassis. He made a quick turn-around with the new chassis tied to the camper top on his ’58 Ford Ranchero push car. Their winning Dragmaster chassis was sold to a racer in Alabama, where it soon disappeared.
Meanwhile, other parties had taken an interest in Dragmaster. Soon after Indy, Dodge Division offered a generous parts subsidy if Nelson & Martin would run one of their new 413 Ramcharger “B” block, wedge-head engines in 1962. “Dragmaster Dart” was to be the name of the new 413 Dodge Ramcharger powered AA/Gas Dragster.

Dodge had also inked a deal with Don Garlits to build an all-new AA/Gas dragster using the 413, Swamp Rat IV. Built at “Don’s Speed Shop”, the new gas dragster was assembled at Garlits’ Tampa shop, on Nebraska Avenue. These two deals proved that Dodge was serious about their new engine, and winning the 1962 NHRA Winternationals.

Back in Atlanta, Pete and Bill found their new “Dart” chassis was longer in wheelbase and more flexible, to better plant new, softer M&H Racemaster tires. Best of all, it was lighter.

The race proven, blown small-block Chevy was itself being refined. The engine was completely refreshed and made ready for what promised to be a busy 1962 season. Harvey Crane was again called upon, and Harvey designed a new roller cam, plus provided a set of his new aluminum rocker arms and Harvey’s own newly patented roller lifters.

The new Dart chassis was further lightened with several new Pete’s Engineering Company magnesium engine components. When finished, the new car rolled across the scales at just 1,050 lbs., more than 200 pounds less!  It also carried a curious single rear disc brake system, instead of the traditional twin discs. The single disc brake was easily capable of safely stopping such the flyweight car, and saved 20 pounds. Like the previous car, the new Dart had a “locked” differential. The car moved straight ahead, even while braking with the single disc set-up.