Object Details
maker
Oldsmobile Division of General Motors Corporation
Description
A funny car is a high-powered, computer-controlled dragster with a lightweight, molded body that somewhat resembles a production car. Bruce Larson and his crew designed and assembled this car in Dauphin, Pennsylvania. The body, which is made of carbon composite fiber, resembles an Oldsmobile Cutlass but weighs only 165 pounds. The chassis frame is made of chromoly (chromium molybdenum alloy) tubing. The aluminum engine burned a mix of nitro-methane fuel and alcohol and developed almost 4,000 horsepower. Larson won the National Hot Rod Association’s World Championship with this car in 1989. His top speed in the Finals was 278.55 miles per hour.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of Bruce Larson
date made
1988
ID Number
1989.0755.01
catalog number
1989.0755.01
accession number
1989.0755
Object Name
automobile, racing
car
Measurements
overall with body down: 4 21/32 ft x 5 13/32 ft x 20 27/32 ft; 1.42037 m x 1.6508 m x 6.3499 m
overall: 53 in x 58 in x 223 in; 134.62 cm x 147.32 cm x 566.42 cm
See more items in
Work and Industry: Transportation, Road
Sports & Leisure
Automobiles
Transportation
Road Transportation
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Subject
Engineering
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_1144680