Ex-AA/FA shoe Roger Garten was the owner/driver of the Warhorse Mustang (which started life as the Garten driven Bishop, Buehl & Tucco Warhorse) in SoCal from 73-76. Chassis was built by M&S Welding, cloaked in a J&E fiberglass shell and powered by a rare (for funny cars) Donovan 417. Garten confined his racing activities to the southwest and won several major flopper shows at OCIR; furthest east venture was a points race at Salt Lake City. Pictured car was later reshelled as a Mustang II, won the ultra competitive Div 7 F/C title in 75 over 2nd place Jake Johnston, 3rd place John Lombardo. Last race for the Warhorse was in Jan 76 after which Garten retired. (Photo and info courtesy of Roger Garten)

From a mid-70s Amalie handout comes the Mustang of Div 1’s Jim Wemett. Wemett started his flopper career with an ex-Tasca Ford “Mystery 7” car which burned to the ground on licensing runs in NY in late 71. Things rapidly improved as Wemett went on to campaign the ex-Hurri-Cain Cuda, this Mustang, several Mustang IIs with which he shared the driving chores with George Johnson and an exclusively George Johnson driven “Wombat” Corvette to close out the decade. From the mid-70s on Wemett’s cars were some of the strongest running cars in Northeast; was #2 qualifier at 78 Grandnationals, won title Div 1 title in 79. (Handout courtesy of David Hapgood)

From Lions Last Drag Race comes the popular LA Hooker of the Beaver Bros and Dave Condit. Team got their flopper start in 1970 with an ex-Nelson Carter Super Chief Charger, upgraded to a Maverick in 71, then this Coke Cavalcade overall points winning Mustang in 72. For the 73 season team called it quits; Condit went to drive the Plueger & Gyger Mustang, the Beavers toured with Goose’s #2 car and Kenny Bernstein campaigned the LA Hooker name in Texas. Team reemerged at the end of the 74 season with a Vega. Mustang II followed in 75. Hooker remained a funny car mainstay throughout the 70s, was one of the cars that seemed to always spend the winters touring “down under” in Australia. In the late 70s, the Condit Bros struck out on their own with an Arrow flopper, while the LA Hooker name was applied to a Pat Johnson owned, Gene Beaver tuned, Henry Harrison driven Corvette. (Photo courtesy of Dave Milcarek)

In 1973 Harlan Thompson, who got his start shoeing floppers in the NW and later of Fireball Vega/Monza and shoeing funny cars in England fame, wheeled the Tom and Jerry Mustang out of Dragsters, Inc from Richmond VA. Car was named for owners Tom Woodbridge and Jerry Bates; hence the name Tom and Jerry. In 74 the team added the Nitemayer Duster wheeled by Bob Mayer to the Tom and Jerry stable. East Coast T/F veteran Fred Forkner took over the reins of the Tom and Jerry flopper in late 75 and ran the car in conjunction with his Wilmington, De., Atlantic Speed Center and CB radio store. Cars were middle of the pack performers; almost certain to qualify but only last a couple rounds. (Photo from Amalie Handout courtesy of Gary Osborn)