The SR-71 Blackbird is the fastest operational aircraft that has taken to the skies reaching a speed of Mach 3.5 — that’s over three times the speed of sound. The Blackbird left a lasting impression on many thanks to its feats of speed, including Rob Friso. Friso’s 1973 Barracuda known as the SR-71 Blackfish is his tribute to this legendary aircraft.
Friso spent plenty of time around aircraft during his military career as an aircraft mechanic and inspector. The SR-71 is an iconic aircraft in Friso’s eyes, so being able to build a car that encapsulates what the Blackbird represents is something he’s wanted to do. The Blackfish also holds a special place in Friso’s heart; he’s owned the Cuda since he was in high school.
Anybody can build a tribute car, but Friso has taken things a step further. He reached out to some of the legendary people who worked on the original SR-71 Blackbird program to get their approval on what he has built.
“I tracked down Robert Gilliland who was Lockheed’s chief test pilot on the SR-71 program. Gilliland has logged more flight time above Mach 3 than anyone on the planet. He was very excited about the build and because of the project tribute, he invited me as an honored guest to witness his induction into the Aviation Hall of Fame as the fastest man on the planet. While at the event, I was introduced to Ed Yielding, the SR-71 pilot that set the overall fastest record of recorded flight in a jet-powered aircraft. He, too, is very excited about the SR-71 tribute car build,” Friso says.
Friso didn’t want to build a car that just looked cool, he needed his Blackfish to perform. There are a lot of different paths that Friso could have taken, but he decided that the car was going to be a multi-purpose tool. The goal was to build a versatile car that could be at home on the street, on the drag strip, or on the autocross course.
A heavily modified chassis was created as the Blackfish’s base. The chassis was designed to use a four-link style rear suspension from Quarter-Max that can be changed based on what the car will be doing at the track. The roll cage will certify to 7.50 once Friso adds the last few bars when the car is finished. Friso decided to use a set of QA1 Mod Shocks on the Blackfish to make sure it has plenty of adjustment options available. To bring the car to a stop after each pass down the track or lap around the autocross course, a set of massive 14-inch Baer rotors, and six-pistons calipers have been added to the car.
Friso plans on running the Blackfish hard at the track. Under the hood, you’ll find a Hemi’s Only-prepared 590 cubic-inch elephant motor. The Keith Black block is filled with parts from Callies and CP Carrillo. The Stage V Millennium cylinder heads have been outfitted with parts from T&D Machine Products. GH Headers built a custom set of headers that expel the exhaust gases created by the HEMI. A gear-driven F2 Procharger generates plenty of boost for the mill.
A full Holley fuel system pushes pump-gas through the RedHorse Performance hoses and fittings to keep the engine running. Friso added a Holley Dominator ECU to control the HEMI. A Rossler Turbo 400 transmission and Neal Chance torque converter have been tasked with sending horsepower back to the Strange Engineering Ultra Fab rearend.
The Blackfish is a car that’s packed with all kinds of cool details when it comes to body modifications. Friso has shaved the marker lights and door handles, created a custom lower valance, modified the front fenders, fabricated a trick front bumper, modified the firewall to show off the engine, and much more.
A build like this takes a lot of work and some creative minds to make happen. Friso is quick to thank the companies that have assisted with making his vision become a reality.
“I can’t thank the people and companies enough that have stepped up to create this car. Holley Performance Products, QA 1 High Performance and Driveline, GP Headers, Auto Rad Radiators, ARP Automotive Products, Redhorse Performance, Optic Armor, Sparco USA Motorsports, SPAL Automotive, Flaming River, Peterson Fluids, Composite Drivelines, Johnson’s High Tech Performance Pumps, Classic Industries Corporation, VFN Fiberglass, Procharger, RC Components, Meziere Enterprises, Neal Chance Racing Converters, Clear View Filtration, and Toppers Industrial have all played a major role in the build,” Friso says.
Make sure you check out the SR-71 Blackfish Facebook page. Friso has documented the entire build and plans on showing what the car can do at the track in 2023.
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