Western Canadian fans of vintage Chevrolets can look forward to something very special — coming next summer…..
Colin Harris (Harris Hot Rods) has put together a Nostalgia Funny Car to run in the International Blown Alcohol Association in Western Canada and the USA. Colin, who lives in Fort McMurray AB is the brother to Ontario’s Kyle Harris who owns and operates a multi dimensional 3-car racing team based from Ontario.
Colin has a new ’55 Bel Air body sitting atop a brand new, Hartman Machine Works / Horton Race Cars 125” funny car chassis – built by Richard Hartman and J.Ed Horton in South Carolina.
Horsepower comes from a supercharged 540 CI BBC built by Atchison Machine Services in London, Ontario, backed by an Atchison prepared lencodrive transmission.
“Colin contacted me last spring after purchasing Darrell Webb’s ’70 Nova Funny car roller,” said Kyle Harris. “That car had running gear from Atchison Machine. We decided to bring the roller to Ontario to have the car assembled and finished which allowed time for Colin to focus on building his racing operation back west.”
“While the roller was in Ontario – the chassis was stripped and it was discovered that the chassis would not easily compliment the drivetrain planned for the build.” Kyle revealed. “So the Harris Hot Rod team enlisted the help of Rob and Bob Atchison to discuss the pros and cons of building a new chassis or the possibility of re-working the current chassis. After much discussion, Colin decided that a new chassis would be the best course of action.”
While Rob and Kyle maintained and raced cars of their own in the 2015 season, they also made time to head south to Horton Race Cars in South Carolina where Colin acquired his new 125″ Funny Car chassis along with the purchase of a ’55 Bel Air body from Richard Hartman.
Colin took delivery of the new chassis and ’55 Bel Air body in the spring of 2016 and brought the roller from South Carolina to the Atchison Racing headquarters in London Ontario. The car was meticulously assembled, wired and finished by Kyle with much help from Rob Atchison who took the lead on the motor, transmission and fuel system.
“Mike Popoff of Kustom Painting and Andrew Manning joined the effort,” Kyle added. “They took on the task of paint and airbrush and the final results speak for themselves. Everybody on the project brought their own talent to the smallest details — you have just got to see this car!”
Colin Harris also offered his special thanks to Atchison Machine patriarch Bob Atchison for all his mentorship and also to Dave Bankes and Tim Rodgers.
Posted by Bruce Biegler