Even at 81 years of age, drag racing legend “Big Daddy” Don Garlits is still innovating and chasing the record books the same way he has for much of his life.

His latest effort, however, won’t come from behind the controls of a nitro-burning, Hemi-powered Top Fueler, but in a brand new “Swamp Rat” of a whole different kind.

In early 2013, video surfaced of the 17-time world champion making shakedown runs in an electric-powered dragster in Gainesville, Florida, near his home in Ocala, leading many to wonder what Garlits, who has raced Chrysler Hemi-equipped race cars since the early 1960’s, — save for a short stint in a turbine car —was up to. It was later learned that he, along with famed chassis builder Brad Hadman and Las Vegas native Mike Gerry, were teaming up on a new venture aimed at breaking the 200 MPH barrier in the 1/4-mile using renewable battery power. 

With virtual silence emanating from the “powerplant,” this is certainly a whole new experience for Garlits, but one he’s excited as ever to be a part of.

The trip officially unveiled the dragster, dubbed Swamp Rat 37, at the SEMA Show in Gerry’s hometown in November in Lincoln Electric’s display, giving the world it’s first official look at the complete dragster that is a Garlits project through and through, what with its aerodynamic nose that envelops the front wheels, the swoopy bodywork covering the battery packs, and the mono wing wing support ala his Swamp Rat’s 32 and 34.

The dragster is powered by a 1500 amp array of lithium polymer batteries that will be built by High Tech Systems LLC, developing what is said to be the equivalent of 2,000 horsepower, more than enough to push the car beyond the 200 MPH barrier — the very same barrier that Garlits first broke in a front engine AA/FD all the way back in 1964.

The chassis, constructed by Hadman in similar fashion to today’s modern Top Fuel car, sans a little extra wheelbase, is equipped with driveline components from Strange Engineering, including their 40-spline Gun-Drilled Hy-Tuf axles and 5/8-inch Chrome Moly wheel studs. Once the car hits the track again for testing, it will also sport one of Strange’s fully assembled Aluminum Ultra Case rear ends.