Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing

&

Museum of Classic Automobiles

Our Trip to the US included a visit to the Don Garlits Museum of  Drag Racing and Museum of Classic Automobiles at Ocala, Florida. Our photos of the vehicles and items on display are shown here for you to enjoy. "Big Daddy" Don Garlits is synonymous with Drag Racing and has been dubbed the "King of the Dragsters". His Swamp Rat series of  34 hand fabricated black racecars carried him to 144 National event wins. Don Garlits began racing in 1950 and scored his first major victory in 1955. His first NHRA National event win came in Top Fuel at the 1963 Winter Nationals in Pomona, California. Born on 14th January 1932 Don proved he still has it, in the 2003 season he raced Swamp Rat 34 to manage a 4.76 et at 323 mph. The Two Museum Buildings are located on the property where Don and his wife Pat live. Swamp Rat 34 is in Dons race shop adjacent to his museum and will probably make the short trip across the parking lot back into museum in the future.

The Museum of Drag Racing is made up of  three  rooms . Room 1 contains most of the Swamp Rat racecars. Room 2 contains more rails, Funny Cars and other vehicles. Room 3 is the Engine Room. The Museum of  Classic Automobiles is a separate building  next to the other museum.  The Swamp Rats on show are listed below with the year they were built. 

Dons First Dragster. 1954-55.  
Swamp Rat 1 -1956 - First time out.

Swamp Rat 1 - B / Too-B / Too- C .1957 -59 

Swamp Rat 3 - 1960-61.

Swamp Rat 4 - 1962.

Swamp Rat 6 - 1963.

Swamp Rat 9 - 1966. Roadster Dart.

Swamp Rat 10 - 1965-67.

Swamp Rat 11 - 1967. Eliminator.

Swamp Rat 12 - 1968. Tantor.

Swamp Rat 13 - 1969. Accident Car.

Swamp Rat 14 - 1970-71.Dons First Rear Engine Car.                   

Swamp Rat 16 - 1972. Wynnscharger.

Swamp Rat 17 - 1972-73. Wynns Liner

Swamp Rat 19 - 1973. Wynns Liner.

Swamp Rat 22 - 1975-77. " 250 Car "

Swamp Rat 24 - 1978-79. " Blue Car "

Swamp Rat 25 - 1980. Godzilla.

Swamp Rat 26 - 1981-84. The Black Car.

Swamp Rat 27 - 1981. Sidewinder.

Swamp Rat 28 - 1982-83. Turbine.

Swamp Rat 29 - 1985. Super Shops.

Swamp Rat 30 - 1986. Streamliner. Sign only.

Swamp Rat 33 - 1988. Saltliner.

The Swamp Rats not on show are listed below :

Swamp Rat 5 - built into Swamp Rat 6 -Sold to Dodge. Whereabouts unknown.

Swamp Rat 7 - Driver Connie Swingle. Don never drove this car. Connie Swingle crashed the car and the back half is in storage awaiting restoration.

Swamp Rat 8 - Later turned into Swamp Rat 10.

Swamp Rat 15 - Built as back up in case Swamp Rat 14 did not work. Kept in Museum garage.

Swamp Rat 18 - Kept in Dons garage awaiting restoration.

Swamp Rat 20 - Location - Harnahs Museum, Reno, Nevada.

Swamp Rat 21 - Location - Cars of Yesterday, Sarasota, Florida.

Swamp Rat 23 - Location - Martin 131 Dragway.

Swamp Rat 30 - Location - Smithsonian Museum, Washington, D.C.

Swamp Rat 31 - Location - Dons garage.

Swamp Rat 32 - Location - Summit Racing, Akron, Ohio.

Swamp Rat 34 - Location - Dons garage.

THE PHOTOS ARE SET OUT WITH THE NAME BOARD PHOTO FIRST AND THE ASSOCIATED PHOTOS FOLLOW.  THE ORDER OF PHOTOS ARE; SWAMP RATS, THE REST OF THE VEHICLES IN ROOMS 1 AND 2, ENGINE ROOM, THEN THE MUSEUM OF CLASSIC AUTOMOBILES.

We hope you enjoy the collection of photos.

Regards,

Phil and Anne.

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