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Through most of the ‘60’s and into the early ‘70’s, Fuel Altereds thrilled fans at West Coast drag strips. The Altereds combined the explosive power of a blown fuel dragster, a coupe or roadster body made of steel or fiberglass and a short-wheelbase chassis with the engine set back up to 25%. This volatile combination created incredible acceleration with understandably unpredictable handling. It was not unusual to see a Fuel Altered run the quarter-mile sideways, front wheels in the air, smoking the massive slicks and never getting straightened-out until the ‘chute popped. And the fans loved them! The drivers weren’t mere mortals like the rest of us, they were super-humans that could (usually) control these monsters and never “lift” off the throttle no matter how crossed-up and out-of-shape their cars got!
“Pure Heaven II” was one of these Nitro-powered rocket ships and two of the owners, Leon Fitzgerald and Richard Rockman shared the driving chores. Following in the footsteps of Rich Guasco’s “Pure Hell” when naming the car, the team of Fitzgerald, Rockman & Reed did Fuel Altered shows and match-raced “Pure Heaven II” against the other outstanding Fuel Altereds of the day: “Winged Express”, “Pure Hell”, Mondello & Matsubara, “Beaver Hunter” and “The Magnificent 7”.
“Pure Heaven II” had a fiberglass Bantam roadster body, chassis by Jack Esklson, Paint by Dick Jackson, a 6-71 blown Enderle-injected 427” Chevy “Rat Motor” with a Moon/Potvin cam and Tyree headers. Built in 1966, “Pure Heaven II” was raced by the team until it was sold in 1969. During that time, it turned speeds in the low 200’s with e.t.’s in the 7.30’s. It toured the East Coast with several other West Coast Fuel Altereds in the summers of ’68 & ’69.
[Editors note: If you are reading this in the Mr. Magneto portion of the Diecast Zone, more photos are available of this model in the Car List and Review section.]
(11/21/2005)
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