Would you?

I hit two insane shows over the weekend; The James Dean and Ducktail Runs. About all I can say is Holy Smokes, was not prepared for that! So while I go through my hundreds of pictures and try to think of the perfect words to describe the thousands of cars I checked out, at two shows on the same day in 95′ heat I thought I’d bring you this little gem and ask you one question ….. Would you? I’ve already shown it to a few of my nearest and dearest and they fall into two distinct categories: “heck ya” and “not in a million years”. So take a look at this rare gem that I saw at the Ducktail Run and honestly ask yourself … Would I?

So here’s the skinny on this ride, if the pictures of it didn’t jog your memory. What you are looking at is a rare piece of drag racing history. This insanity on 8 wheels was created by the “Power Crazed Genius” Jim Lytle, legendary speed fiend and drag racer from the 60’s. Depending who you ask this monster called either “The Big Al 4” or the more common “Quad Al”. For the uninitiated, the name refers to the four Allison WWII V 12 aircraft engines that are stuffed into this radical ride. This baby once held the Guinness World Record for fastest dragster on Earth a smidge ironic though because the original car never turned a wheel under its own power. Lytle’s original plan was to run this beast at Bonneville, but having the proper final-drive gears cut would have cost far more than the $3,000 or so he actually had in the car. So regrettably, this 12,000 hp colossus became one heck of a showpiece forever begging the question do you have what it takes to strap in and go for it? I can’t say for sure, would you?