​GMC Dragster

   Known in the early days as the “Jimmy Dandy” rail dragster, it was owned by Stan Hill and Jerry Rollema. Featured in the August of 1961 Hot Rod magazine, highlighting its triumphs on the dragstrip making 10 second passes at 140.6 mph. Shown in its current configuration, racer Al Teague and his brother, Harvey, successfully campaigned the dragster with a very similarly built GMC jimmy engine with great success. For both owners, the car would prove to be a perfect combination of power-to-weight ratio as they took advantage of open classes within their division. The rail dragster is typical of the ingenuity and competitiveness that characterized American drag racing in its formative years.

• Much to the dismay of the track manager, the original 93 inch chassis from Itow Automotive would give the car great weight transfer and amazing wheel stands. That “dangerous behavior,” would prompt the Lions track manager, “Mickey Thompson” to lecture Stan Hill in the pits about his driving style when campaigning  their all new V8 engine in the rail before selling it.​

• Al Teague bought the rolling chassis from a group in the valley who had purchased it from Rollema & Hill with plans to rebuild the rail but never succeeded. 
• Al & Harvey also ran 10 second passes at 130mph -140 mph through the traps on gas. Running 30% nitro the rail ran 152 mph and 9:60 E.T.’s at Fontana raceway.​
• So competitive, the jimmy six was successful against the very powerful 270 Offy powered rails, even beating E class dragsters with small block Chevrolet engines.
• Al and Harvey stretched the 93 inch frame to 110 inches to give the car better control off the line and keep the car firmly planted to the track without ballast.​
• The original axle set-up was converted to a Kent Fuller torsion bar suspension by Al & Harvey.
• Other original parts include the Crosley steering box, Dean Moon fuel tank and gas pedal.
• The rail now has a special narrowed Oldsmobile rear end with a magnesium third member in favor of the original banjo style rear end that previously resided in there.
• Fuel would be supplied from one of Stu Hilborn’s constant flow injection systems allowing them to change fuel set-ups on-the-fly.
• The modified Jimmy six is still revered amongst vintage drag racers as one of the most powerful six cylinder engines of its time