Doug Thorley's Doug's Headers Corvair won the first NHRA Funny Car Eliminator race at Indy in 1967. The Doug's Headers '68 Corvair at one time held the distinction of being the fastest funny Corvair in the quarter-mile, at 192.30 MPH, but eventually was bettered by Terry Hedrick's Seaton's Super Shaker, as seen below.

Photo by Tom West

Running at the 1967 Indy Nationals, Seaton's Super Shaker was a 1966 Corvair alcohol funny car that went into the record books as one of the quickest Top Alcohol and Injected Nitro Funny Cars of all-time (7.34 at 198.79). It was driven by Terry Hedrick, who later campaigned a 1970 Nova that ran high 6 second elapsed times. Hedrick went on to become the president of Precision Industries, the torque converter people.

The vintage ad at right acknowledges a great weekend of racing for Seaton's Shaker, Fuel Funny Car Eliminator at the A.H.R.A. Nationals, August 17, 18 and 19, 1968.

Among the quickest Corvair funny cars of all-time were: Terry Hedrick's Seaton's Super Shaker (7.34 @ 198.79), the Pisano Bros. Corvair (7.435 E.T. @ 195.64 MPH), Bob Smith's Just 4 Chevy Lovers, '66 Corvair (7.680 E.T. @ 179.64 MPH), and Doug Thorley's Doug's Headers '68 (7.690 @ 192.30 MPH).

Thanks to Jim Sorenson of the now defunct The Funny Car Years web site. These pictures are posted here with his permission. The Funny Car Years hosted many pictures of funny cars of all types from the late Sixties and Seventies.

Thanks to Terry Hedrick for the vintage ad.

Hayden Proffitt's first funny car was a late model Corvair, seen here sans window glass at California's Lions Drag Strip in 1966. Note the straight axle front end set-up that was so popular in that era.

J & M Racing Photo