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Panorama City Special (dragster)

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Panorama City Special
Overview
Production1955
DesignerMickey Thompson
Body and chassis
ClassTop Fuel
Body styleSlingshot streamliner dragster
Dimensions
Wheelbase97 in (2,500 mm)

The Panorama City Special is a pioneering streamliner dragster.[1]

Believed to be the first "slingshot" dragster,[2] the Panorama City Special (designed by hot rodder Mickey Thompson) had a full body, including skirted rear wheels, and a cockpit windshield wrapping around and over the driver.[3] The steel front wheels were covered by lakester-style wheel discs (Moon discs).[3] The car debuted in 1955, at the first NHRA U.S. Nationals at Great Bend, Kansas.[2] The wheelbase was only 97 in (2,500 mm).[2]

In its initial outing, it proved much slower than the competition, hitting only 142 mph (229 km/h), when others were reaching almost 150 mph (240 km/h). Later in 1955, however, it became the first single-engined fueller to exceed 150 mph (240 km/h), recording a speed of 151.26 mph (243.43 km/h).[2]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Taylor, Thom. "Mickey Thompson Panorama City Special", in "Beauty Beyond the Twilight Zone", p. 32.
  2. ^ a b c d Taylor, p. 31.
  3. ^ a b Taylor, p. 31 & photo.

Sources

[edit]
  • Taylor, Thom. "Beauty Beyond the Twilight Zone" in Hot Rod, April 2017, pp. 30–43.