Throughout the 1960’s and the golden era of the slingshot front engine dragster, the focus of the design and construction of the racing machines was twofold. Obvious of course was the intent on being lightweight, fast, and a winner. But fabricators of the time went the extra mile to make these cars absolute works of art that would never be equaled.
The Eagle Electric AA/FD, driven by Frank Rupert is a fine example. The car featured a one-of-a-kind, wrap around body designed and fabricated by famed builder Tom Hanna and wrapped around a Woody chassis. The car made it’s debut in 1966 at the Sheldon Dragway and was campaigned primarily in the Northwest. It received its name/sponsor from Eagle Electric and Plumbing owner and founder David Herensberger, who funded the building and maintaining of the car. Rupert drove, while tuner John Mead performed all of the engine work to keep the slick machine running in top shape. The car was run both with and without the massive tail fin, and despite it’s awesome looks, it ran better without.
Herensberger later merged Eagle Electric with Pay ‘N’ Pac hardware in Washington and quit drag racing. Mead kept the car and parts but never ran it again. It was eventually sold and passes around the Northwest before NHRA great Bucky Austin located various pieces of it in 2005.
Austin has been no stranger to restoration projects, and upon finding this Northwest icon, deemed it to be his next project. The body panels were repaired or replaced, and the actual original tail fin was found intact and fitted back on to the chassis. Within that same year, the restoration was completed and the reborn Eagle Electric made it’s Cacklefest debut in late 2005.
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