Thread: new project "Scorpion 5"

Tweet

A buddy of my Dads is doing this car for the museum/shows.He has also restored numerous other nostalgia dragsters.

I love old fed's.

whats the history?


OBTW did someone steal the wheels out from under the burb?

[QUOTE=BigTruckDriver]A buddy of my Dads is doing this car for the museum/shows.He has also restored numerous other nostalgia dragsters.[QUOTE]

Maybe a very talented guy named Don Ross?

If so, he and a couple of other sharp young guys pit-crewed for John Ryan and me back in the early sixties. They later comprised "The Kids" racing team and did very well on their own.

Jim

Weren't the Scorpion cars from Texan Bobby Langley? Also, I seem to remember Danny Ongias drove one of them.

Yes it is Langleys' car , Don Ross is doing the restoration.

Is that a Garlits chassis?

Originally Posted by HOTRODPAINT

Is that a Garlits chassis?

Don't think so, Paint. To my knowledge Bobby did his own chassis work, engine work, and spectacular aluminum body work. Probably painting, too.

Of course I could be wrong but I don't think so.

You can't see a lot, but one of my postings some months back entitled "Early Dragsters, REAL Early" has a picture some really early cars, including what I assume to be "Scorpion I". (I'd give you a link but for some reason I can't get it to copy). Bobby and his wife are standing behind the rear of the car. The trademark scorpion picture can't be seen very well because a glare spot obscures it.

Don Ross built a beautiful replica of Scorpion I.


Jim

I can't help it! My curiousity got the best of me and I googled "Bobby Langley Scorpion", and found a history of his cars #1-6....check it out!

I thought this looked too much like the Garlits cars, such as the famous 200 MPH car, and I guess my eye is still good. Bobby (according to the website) built the chassis for #1-4, but used other people's chassis for #5 & 6.
_______________________________________________________________

(QUOTE) "One day Don Garlits told Bobby that this car was going to get him hurt. He said that if Bobby would pay for the tubing and parts he would build him a new car. This was the start of Scorpion V. Bob and Ruth campaigned Scorpion V around the country. They won the nationals at Green Valley in 1964."

You definitely do have a good eye, man!

I wasn't aware of the Garlits/Langley connection (my lame excuse being that my employer transferred me to New York before the last Scorpions made the scene).

Thanks for putting me onto the "Legends" article. I'm really not personally acquainted with Bobby Langley at all other than having visited his shop in Everman, TX, once, and occasionally being at a function he attended, but I was acquainted with most of the other people mentioned in the article.

Touching on your excellent "Things that ruined drag racing" thread, Bobby Langley is a great example of what men of his era were able to accomplish without sponsorship.

Those were the days!


Jim