Joaquin Arnett's original Dragster

October 6th, 2010

I am posting this specific information on Dad's dragster. It is the one that is currently in the San Diego Auto Museum with Diversity of Car Culture exhibit.

http://www.sdautomuseum.org/

This information below was published in 1954... see below.

Joaquin Arnett / Bean Bandit

Owned and built by Joaquin Arnett of San Diego, CA this neat little dragster has held top speed records at most of the Southern California drag strips at one time or another. Built strictly for drag strip competition, the car has an 84-inch wheelbase, very low frontal area, weighs only 1325 pounds ready to run. The 275 cu. in. Merc engine with bore and stroke of 3 5/16 and four inches is equipped with Edelbrock heads and three-carburetor manifold, Harman and Collins cam and magneto. The block is ported and relieved, uses 1 5/8-inch intake valves and stock exhaust valves. Fuel mixture is usually 50 percent alcohol, 50 percent nitromethane. Frame is aircraft strut tubing with a fabricated steel crossmember at the front. Front end assembly is ’37 Ford. Rear end is also ’37 Ford enclosing a locked differential and 3.78 gears.

Hot Rod 1954 Annual p40 & 41 (1)

Jackie...

September 27, 2010

I posted this on facebook the other day...

My father passed in his sleep at around 7:30am on 9/24/2010. It was a peaceful passing quiet in a comfy bed at Country Hills skilled nursing.

He taught me great things and was generous with his love toward me. I have missed him for 4 years when he became I'll with Alzheimer's. He was a mechanical genius & that is not just me bragging.

Many in the field of drag racing and metal crafts have told me this over the years. He was a great car-builder and built with my brothers 5 customs land speed racers. He holds racing records and took home many trophies.

He is in the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Florida along with my Uncle, Emery Cook. We will miss him deeply. It is sad those talents are gone. However, I find comfort in that he passed his skills on to his family and many others. I am grateful to the young Bean Bandits for keeping the legacy going. His original dragsters will be in the San Diego Auto Museum from October 1st through January 2011.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

There will be an exhibit at the San Diego Automotive Museum beginning October 1^st thru January 2010. It will include my dad's orginal dragster he built long ago. This event has given me the motivation to jot down the stuff about this car.

I want to thank; Kenn Colclasure, Marisela Duron & Carlos Debaca from the museum. They have helped rekindle my desire to continue on this blog. This is a chapter for me to complete. Wish me luck. So I will start here. Check out the car I believe that is Derby driving.....

Here I am in August 2010, where did the time go??

Well I have found some information on dad's original little dragster and will creating a new folder for this blog.

Hey Ya, see that I am making folders for information now. Thanks for your advice. :))

So this will be the section where I am pulling the information together.

To Begin: It was quite a surprise for me to see my dad’s dragster doing a run down the drag strip in Barona. Julio obviously got it running. I admit I had mixed feeling about it. It is a bittersweet thing for Mom and I. My father is not doing well just now, so it brought up some feelings of sadness. The fact that he could not reap the joy of seeing the car run. He would have loved this. He love working on the cars and racing so much. I really wished he could have seen this.

Thus, I have taken the liberty of embedding the video on my blog. I can watch it and share with my family and friends. Hence, a big Thank You to the person who shot the footage. I got it off of You Tube, and I also found it posted on this web site. The site also features many great photos of the "6^thAnnual King of Clubs Rockabilly event" held on July 12, 2010.

http://www.streetlegaltv.com/event-coverage/6th-annual-king-of-clubs-rockabilly-road-trip/