MASTER CAR TOP FUEL DRAGSTER
In late July of 2004 John Ewald purchased a 1968 Jim Davis dragster that originally ran Top Fuel with Davis himself at the wheel. The car has been left pretty much in tact - very little had been done to it in the way of modifications. It has been raced in its post Top Fuel days but only in a class that did not require it to be cut up to meet current safety standards.

After its purchase, the car was immediately taken to Alex Mikkelsen at American Roadster for evaluation and a thorough autopsy. It was deemed to be basically in very good shape considering its age (36).

This page will chronicle the restoration as it progresses. The intent is to have it restored to its original (1968) condition, install a blown fuel 392 hemi and make it a "Cacklefest" car. Due to the short time frame before the October CHRR and the fact American Roadster had to complete the Hot Rod Magazine front engine dragster much of the chassis and fabrication work was done by Bruce Dyda at Dyda Race Engineering. The 392 Hemi was built and the project was completed at American Roadster late just days before the CHRR.

After all the hard work, this car was finished within three weeks. The car was rolled into American Roadster. A lot of custom fabricating work was done by Alex. Custom coupler made for push starts or static fire-ups. All controls were aligned before coming out of the car to get polished or chromed. The multi layered paint job was stripped by hand down to bare aluminum. Fast forward just three short weeks. John Ewald debut's the Ewald-Mikkelsen-Rapp " Master Car" at the 2004 California Hot Rod Reunion.