Image: Drag Racing Magazine October '66

When Funny Cars as we know them today began to take shape in the mid 1960’s through a transformation from modified, extended wheelbase factory cars, ingenuity was virtually the basis of the sport. Looking back more than 40 years, some concoctions worked, and many others didn’t. But the creative souls that comprised this great sport in these days were willing to try anything to gain a competitive edge, because one can’t know if something works without first trying it.

One of those infamous ideas was Doug Nash’s “Bronco Buster,” which was one of the very early Funny Car concepts. Nash’s project was loosely associated with the Ford Motor Company and featured a thin aluminum tube chassis that made for a featherweight car and driver weigh-in of just 1,700 pounds. Nash debuted the machine in 1966 with a 289 Ford small block under the altered Bronco body, with a supercharger added later that season.

Described as erratic, the Bronco Buster did record several 8-second laps during its existence, with records on Draglist.com noting an 8.68 best with the injectors and a quicker 8.33 at 181.45 MPH with the supercharger addition.

Both the pickup truck Funny Car and the aluminum chassis designs were short lived however, as in 1967 the NHRA served notices to Nash and others that their creations were no longer welcome to compete. Thus, Nash hung up his driving suit and gloves and went on to build his now-famous five-speed racing transmission. But before doing so, he certainly left his mark on the drag racing world with a unique racing vehicle that will always remain part of early drag racing lore.