Jack Chrisman's 1965 Comet - The World's First Funny Car

Jack Chrisman was a drag racing pioneer. He raced a brand new 1964 Mercury Comet but wanted a supercharger and didn't care for the 4 speed gearbox. He wanted the horsepower of a dragster with the stock-appearing body of a Mercury Comet. In 1964, the Comet ran in the dragster class, and smoked the tires the entire length of the strip. For the 1965 season, Jack Chrisman toured the country with the Comet, now wearing updated 1965 bodywork. Match racing, exhibition runs and other non-official racing took place before any of the sanctioning bodies recognized this type of a car as a legitimate racer.
In 1965 trim, the Comet featured several fiberglass body parts, and lots of aluminum panels inside, which was not common for that era. The idea was to reduce weight, making the blown and nitro injected Ford 427ci SOHC (single overhead cam, also known as a "Cammer") engine even more potent. The engine is set back in the chassis 25 percent. This highly altered engine placement helped weight transfer and traction. Later, many A/FX cars had a wildly altered wheelbase, giving them the nickname "funny cars", a name that has stuck pretty well. Later in the 1960's, funny cars featured custom frames, lightweight one-piece bodies, and nitro injected engines, ranging from the SOHC seen here to Chrysler Hemi engines and Chevrolet Big Block engines. Today's funny cars don't have any personality, aside from the 10,000+ horsepower, but in the '60s, you could easily identify the bodies, which really gave the fans something to cheer about.
This particular car was restored many years ago by Jim Barillaro. He campaigned it at nostalgia drag racing events on the East Coast, but then retired the car for some time. Recently, the car has come out of hiding, and is now toured around by Jim's sons (Mike and Jim). This video was taken between rounds at the 2018 running of the Southeast Gassers Association race at Knoxville Dragstrip. While the Southeast Gassers Association concentrates mostly on the racing aspect of nostalgia drag cars, the tight knit group also loves to pay tribute to the legends of the sport, with displays like this nitro-burning Comet funny car...the world's first funny car. Listen as it cackles, and wait for a few whacks of the throttle.

[@themedic4050]

I worked for Jack Chrisman in the early 80's at " Chrisman Differentials" We built his daughter a dragster and helped install his first CNC machine for billet parts and differentials. Jack was an idea man ne never quit thinking and was a master machinist. I miss working with him, he was a very humble man. From the blue jeans to the crippled leg, you wouldn't think he had 2 quarters to rub together but he built an amazing business and pioneered racing technology from the start. RIP Jack

[@randyobert2218]

Betting you knew my mentor.. Amos

[@mikezilligen1814]

Some of the kookiest people you would never expect

[@markmark2080]

I remember it oh so well. The Super Stock battles starting with the 406, 409, and 413 a couple a years earlier, the AA/FD's trying to top 200 mph in less than 8 sec....AND the A/FX, the birth of the "Funny Car". At the time, this stuff was so awesome, the power and speeds were amazing, a golden age of "low tech" ingenuity. I marvel sometimes that I got to witness that era, it was a fantastic time to be young in so many ways.

[@josephtravers777]

This is a very scary ride! Dyno Don's wheel-standing '65 A/FX Cyclone skidding back and forth down the track. Those cats had nerves of steel sitting behind a blown SOHC.

[@normanschwartzjr2564]

Same here I grew up in those times and now own a 1964 Ford Fairlane project car that I've not determined what power plant to use. A modern Coyote , 427W or a 557 bbf.

[@normanschwartzjr2564]

THOSE WERE THE DAYS OF FAST FACTORY CARS. AFTER 1972 EMISSIONS PERFORMANCE WENT WAY DOWN HILL TILL ABOUT 1985 WITH EXCELLENT RUNNING FUEL INJECTION. NOW HERE IN 2020 PERFORMANCE IS AS GOOD AS EVER WITH SMALLER MOTORS.

[@josephtravers777]

@@normanschwartzjr2564 Engines are producing more horsepower now but the cars are so dang heavy! Give me a 2500 lb. car w/ 300 HP and I'm plenty happy. :)

[@robertbihn3005]

I loved those days also, shows your age, A/FX was as dangerous as the AA/FA rides

[@glennjames7107]

I love to hear them when they first start, the point where there alcohol is about burned off and the nitro starts hammering in, it's just beautiful !

[@stevew3531]

ABSOLUTELY!!!

[@aakar88]

In 1966 (10 yrs old) I saw a copy of Car Craft @ Walgreens that had a cover shot of Jack's GT-1 Comet ( the one with no roof) knew nothing about Drag Racing, picked up the magazine and was hooked for life!

[@johnblood3731]

I still have all my car craft center today from the funny car years. Mostly gords

[@jimthigpen333]

I grew up in this era and I wish we could go back and stay there ! I would love to watch a meet of theses old cars any day over todays Funnycars ; top fuel the same . It was better when Chevy's powered the Chevy's , Ford's in Ford's and Mopars In Mopars . You identified with your brand . I bleed Blue Oval , but I love them all .

[@danonoveh8114]

Me too bro !FoMoGo.!!!👍👍👍

[@mikesamra9126]

@@danonoveh8114 Me three. I love them all as well but I am Blue Oval thru and thru.

[@PhilAVega]

Very cool 😎 James. I wanna go back with you!

[@oldmusher]

The mini-skirts, the no-bra thing...I was a colonel in the sexual revolution.

[@carlosmurphy4u1]

Speaking of growing up in this era, around 1961 I saw Shirley Muldowney racing a black Vette at a drag strip in upstate N.Y.

[@normanschwartzjr2564]

I remember watching Dyno Don Nicholson do battle in his flip up 1967 Mercury Cougar funny car along with Jungle Jim Liberman and a few others that started the actual fiberglass bodied funny cars. THOSE WERE THE DAYS. Now I turn 70 next month and hope to get my car finished next year and race it @ Gainesville drag strip here in Florida

[@Norse1957]

I love it!! We need more of these '60s F/C cars showing up at the Nostalgia races!

[@unionrdr]

I remember Dyno Don's Eliminator 1 being touted as the first all-glass bodied funny car. It was even on the cover of Car Craft & Hot Rod.

[@danonoveh8114]

Cammer Cackle is music to my ears !!😳

[@jerrygarner8115]

Music to my ears! Love those S.O.H.C. Motors!

[@SSGTA440]

Yup....that is incredible.....definitely the first funny car...blown cammer set back......wow...This set the stage for what was to come...a fantastic and very important piece of motorsport history. It should be in a museum.

[@williamdoucette961]

yup-first FUEL funny car

[@greasyhitchball]

It's a war machine. Unbelievable sound.

[@johnhuggins3684]

Jack was Awesome, He did So much for All Racing, He also mastered the 9" Ford diff, In 1978 when I was a young Punk street racing my 64 427 Galaxie in SoCal, Jack Gave me a 9" 4 pinion carrier, told me with my weight and torque it would Posi, And it did, 1 year later at 21 I was building diffs and gear box's for Bob's driveline of Bellflower

[@onazram1]

R.I.P. Jim Barillaro... Your car lives on! Jim knew those Ford "Cammers" inside and out and could make them run hard and reliable... .... an old friend

[@theodorefreeman3173]

Ran one just like that for several years with a small block ran in the high 10 and low 11s off the carburetor. Biggest race took the big money Sox and Martin car down for the money. They gave up and went to nas car. Don't have the money but still have the Trophy covered in dirt in the garage LOL what a great time in life.

[@jmsiii4751]

Love that sound of HP!

[@VehicleVisionary]

This is the coolest video I have seen in a long time. I never had the chance to hear what something on nitro sounded like in the early days. Thank you for sharing!

[@cammer68oliver2]

Man that sucker sounds so good! And WTH? Is that oil pan on the ground?! Lol. Got the blower hat UNDER the cowling! Wow

[@robbiematney6661]

No bow tie ever like that cammer

[@carlosmurphy4u1]

Sounds like that engine could blow up at idle, what a BEAST of a engine!

[@MrTheHillfolk]

I'd be afraid to peek over one of the fenders at idle, it sounds like something would grab you and eat your face off!

[@glennjames7107]

It will.

[@Justthatguy420]

My pops has a comet cyclone. Great body lines

[@MilkMan608]

Mercury must have had a spy in the Pontiac design department.

[@HighlanderNorth1]

@@MilkMan608 Or vice versa!

[@jamesshirrell3677]

I love the sound

[@biggootz]

Music for the soul. Back when real drag cars were not run by onboard computers. It's been 50 years since I drove a car at the strip with open headers. Best days of my life.

[@virgwamsley1567]

This car was totally direct drive-when Jim B. was restoring the car-he called Chrisman about the details of the drive train and asked what it was and what became of it-and he answered -I've got it under my work bench right here!--I think this car was good for 9.60s in it's prime-saw it run many times at the Ford expo at Richart Ford/National trail -bout '82-'83 right after Jim brought it out he first time after restoring it

[@williamdoucette961]

That's about the time he ran at the '85 Winter Nationals-after shutting off about 3/4 track-exhibition run, opening the Sunday show.

[@labrd41]

Saw them all back in the mid 60's.

[@paulmcwilliams1709]

I LOVE THAT SOUND!!!

[@jamesdash1906]

Would love too see it rip the quarter mile , too cool !!!!

[@bishlap]

I'm old enough to remember when 3-4 families on the block drove a Comet...not quite the same engine.

[@artvandelay0073]

Me too. The mom of one of my childhood friends growing up drove a white '65 w/ red interior that she used to haul us around in to little league baseball practice and games. Just a plain-jane 289/AT, but she used to complain all of the time about the choke sticking. It had the old school manual set choke with the push/pull knob on the dash. As I got older and learned more about cars of the day, I was convinced that she just didn't know how to set it for a cold versus hot engine start. Good memories nonetheless...😄👍🇺🇸

[@Dags470]

What a sweet sound.

[@bigbow62]

A blast from the past ✌😎 Put that wicked sound on a loop and I could listen all day ! Damn... the steering wheel column looks like it's from a T-bucket 😉

[@WernerGampert]

Am I right this car No Clutch or gearbox,only a Break to Block the wheels or Release.The cammer engine has around 800 or 1000 HP I think. Thumbs up for the restorers of this car.

[@gregorytimmons4777]

The last of Jack's A/FX cars before the tube chassis flopper.

[@onazram1]

that is correct...

[@williamdoucette961]

...of which Jimmy has one...

[@toiletpaper5770]

My favorite car for today

[@voodoochild661]

1965 coronet is where the term funny car came from

[@artmchugh5644]

Love the wheels on the car !!😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😄😄😄😄🍺🍺🍺🍺

[@bamknm90]

Would love to have to seen it run down the strip. The good old days.

[@coltsfan79]

Jim's sons still make occasional runs down the drag strip at certain events.

[@artmchugh5644]

Crew guy wearing a PAT FOSTER T SHIRT !!!!😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺

[@davidroman1654]

Dick Harrell was running "funny cars" in 1963/64. Drove Chevy's and was considered Mr. Chevrolet when GM wasn't into racing.

[@sherrigaskin5656]

That sounds like nitromethane. Top Fuel stuff.

[@chevylandt.v]

Nice funny car like it so cool and sounds like its really fast.

[@adikhdagn837]

MY PANTS JUST GOT WET !!!! OMG

[@dougstrong8519]

When my buddy owned it in the early 70's, it was powered with a hemi and a clutch flyte. None of us realized what the car was then, just another Comet funny car.

[@dougstrong8519]

I talked to Buzz at lunch today and he said that it was not a hemi but a 427 wedge with hilborn injection when he had the car. He sold it to a guy in Canada and that was where they got it.

[@SSGTA440]

@@dougstrong8519 I think Chrisman's first Comet was a white 64, with the injected wedge,,,,then when Ford brought out the cammer in '65, the game changed...and this is what was built. I see that there is a plastic kit of the car...I just wonder how historically correct that may be...

[@dougstrong8519]

@@SSGTA440 The white 64 is this car, talk to the current owner. Christman rebodied it for 65 is the story that I have always read.

[@SSGTA440]

@@dougstrong8519 Thanks..just wondered...is what we see here close to what Chrisman ran at the time? Or did these guys change a lot of it. I realize the cage work may be different, that could be. If so, this car was the game changer for that type of racing

[@billwalling8101]

Here's a flash for you . The first car burnt to the ground . Helen Sachs nephew and friend of mike Crowe who was Jack's crew chief ( sorta ) . Helen was the front for Jack to run, really for Ford . The car you see today is a replica not the original as I said . Bill walling

[@TheGG794]

I remember his white ‘64 when he came to Hawaii Raceway Park

[@markcheek5006]

I seen this car at Floyd Garrett's Muscle Car Museum in Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg, I don't remember which but it was that car. This was fifteen years ago.

[@threynolds2]

Neither. Sevierville.

[@markcheek5006]

I couldn't remember exactly where it was but I had the name of the museum right it's been fifteen years.

[@raygronemann8555]

Not there now wish it was 65 Caliente owner myself

[@markcheek5006]

@@raygronemann8555 I know it's not there now it's back with the person who found it and restored it, it's a 65 Comet Cyclone not a Caliente.

[@kesslermontijo6304]

first?, the 63 Dodge Ramchargers taking advantage of the %2 wheelbase allowance, moving rear axle forward a couple of inches for weight transfer and redoing the factory wheel wells to accommodate that change made the car look "funny" hence the name originally.

[@tedh.8356]

I think that you're right, but Jack Chrisman got the 64 Winter Nationals publicity and the Mopars didn't. Remember at that time there was very little Drag racing on TV, about an honest 20 minutes a year at best on the Wide World of Sports.The term "Funny Car" came after Chrisman and the Mopars, it really started around 66-67 from track announcers and the general way that we have to describe something different as "Funny" or "Funny Looking", my opinion.

[@jimheagy1428]

@@tedh.8356 7

[@artvandelay0073]

@@tedh.8356 // "Funny? Funny how?" --- Joe Pesci in "Goodfellas"

[@tedh.8356]

@@artvandelay0073 One of my favorite movies! but not that kind of "Funny"......

[@joesantiso6495]

Where on earth did they find this thing?

[@onazram1]

Jim has owned this car since the 1980's, I used to visit him in his machine shop in Connecticut where he kept this car and other old funny cars he built. He had a Ford 427 SOHC engine brand new in the factory crate sitting on the floor! An amazing man, a brilliant mechanic and machinist...

[@williamdoucette961]

Jimmy spent quite a while looking for it-found it in Canada being run as a bracket car of some nature-bought it, restored it to the original condition-with lettering and there she is. Jimmy has recently passed, and his two son's are now the care takers of this historic piece.

[@briansauer6695]

Please educate me. I don't know much about the different classes such as A/FX. Also, I thought Funny Cars had "flip" bodies, hinged at the back. I've always been in love with the Funny Cars I saw growing up in the 70's on TV as the body still resembled a normal street car, albeit being stretched. Funny Cars nowadays don't really look like anything you would see on the streets.

[@HotRodHoarder]

A/FX was the class that introduced the world to what we now know as Funny Cars. Many of the A/FX cars had altered wheelbase, which made them look "funny" and gave them the name. It didn't take long for fiberglass one-piece bodies to become common place as the class evolved. When Jack Chrisman's car was built, it wasn't a funny car, but it definitely set the stage for nitro burning full-bodied drag cars.

[@donstevenson2660]

Of all those period cars, this looked more like the street car.

[@trueclassiccars]

Brings back memories

[@stevestinnett6777]

I just had an eargasm !

[@michaelguinn5736]

On nitro, this thing sounds awesome!!

[@gasratzcustoms]

This is badass! looks awesome and keep up the good work.

[@rickdaystar477]

I'd make it my ringtone! Bad sumbitch...lol

[@outlawamps]

Wicked!!

[@theoriginalmungaman]

The term funny car from what I read was when Dick Landy started altering the wheel base on his AFX car a little at a time so tech wouldn’t notice it. After he had moved the wheels about 6” forward the tech guys said thats a “Funny car” they then created a class for altered wheel base?

[@clydeblair9622]

If I'm not mistaken Arnie Beswick and Mr. Norm preceded this.

[@claytongillaspy8847]

You are correct I live near Arnie in Morrison Illinois and Arnie is the nicest guy you’d ever meet and a true hotrodder having some of the fastest cars back then such as the tornado tempest he ran at 200 mph on the back wheels! Basically a wheelie the whole quarter mile the times were slow in the 8’s as tires were not very good but still ran 200 mph the good old days of drag racing

[@rustyaxelrod]

Loved the Farmer and his Ponchos...many of us haven’t forgotten.

[@edwardspaccarelli5944]

Sounds like popcorn popping?

[@bobsherrill2672]

I remember Don Gay's "Infinity" as the first real funny car. Maybe I am wrong.

[@terrybartak7811]

The 1st one was a 64.

[@daleostrom3613]

True, and this is what is left of the 64 car. Sometime around the end of 1964 they converted the 64 car to a 65, put a mid engine cammer in it, straight axle in the front a few other mods and this is what's left.

[@olderthanyoucali8512]

Sorry but Chrismans '64 blown fuel white Comet was recognized as the first funny car!

[@addiumuppicus5738]

Uhhhhhh, I believe this is the same car but re- bodied .

[@miketoller4398]

Sorry guys and gals the first funny car was a ......1965 plymouth barracoda (look it up) I've been mopar all my life a true mopar fan would know this like!!

[@billwalling8101]

Not older than me young man . You are correct about the 64 it was a blown hemi not the cammer . The altered wheel base dodge Plymouth cars were not funny cars , they were fx cars. A huge difference .Calling them funnies is like calling pure hell and pure heaven top fuel cars because they run nitro .

[@billwalling8101]

@@addiumuppicus5738 don't believe that since it's a repro . Ground up repro .

[@jaimemartinez8121]

Sounds Wicked

[@tommiller9230]

Does it have a radiator

[@steveham2622]

Sounds like a couple plug wires are missing...

[@wildman510]

What was up with the stuff the one guy pulled out the engine bay?

[@williamdoucette961]

kill wire and starter

[@jamestorres5582]

Love this .. Talk about OG

[@brucekitchura3680]

Ferraris sound awsome but this good old American horsepower there's no sound like it spectacular

[@No-vm7go]

That is totally bonkers.

[@gary9426]

Awesome !!!

[@wayneosmand7652]

And now people are wondering just WHY drag racing is DYING! They are not even recognisable as CARS anymore! THESE WERE THE BEST OF TIMES, Sadly now LONG GONE!

[@terryhager9723]

My first new car was 1965 mercury Comet, 289 4 barrel carb. 4 speed. With M/T cheater slicks, it would pull a wheelie for 70-80 ft.

[@ivancook1247]

Ok

[@joelewing4498]

+Terry Hager: Sorry Terry....no way. Stock?? No effin' way.

[@mattf49006]

those 289s were good for about 225 hp back then...i think your memory of 80 foot wheelies is a bit optimistic

[@west4057]

< and then you woke up huh?

[@errolpoxleitner7901]

Only fords sound like that the best

[@1Bandit455]

Nice but Arnie Beswick's Mystery Tornado 64 GTO Blown Nitro SD-421 is considered the 1st FC

[@blairberg1081]

You remember this 65 comet is a rebody was actually a 64 that was painted white

[@sickspeed10]

I stood right next it at Lions... When he launched. Spectators had run of place back then. Jon Lundberg was the announcer. I was 13. Refering to the Arnie Beswick's Gto, orange with the black Tiger stripes.

[@MrJacksonBollock]

There's. No. Firewall.

[@coffindancer38]

Nope. Not a chance. The AWB Dodge came out in the spring of 1964 and most definitely the AWB Dodges and plymouths were the first funny cars in the world and gave the funny car its name. So guess again.

[@MrSuzuki1187]

I was a 15=year old teenage kid in 1965 totally immersed in the factory wars of Super Stock and A Factory Experimental. I became addicted to speed and drag racing in those halcyon days of my youth, thanks to those awesome cars in that era. Today, I am 70 years old and still involved in drag racing, but now I race a street legal Suzuki GSX-R1000 motorcycle and just 2 days ago ran 8.61 @ 160 mph which was a little off pace from last year when I was running 8.50s @ 165 mph. Some say speed kills, but to me, speed is LIFE! Never get old, since once you do, you can never get young again. Check out my racing vids and flying on KZbin. Just type Joel Turpin in the search window. JoelRocket

[@Pappy63]

That's right bowtie fanboys. Ford had OHC V8s in the early 60s. Not just race car engines but also in production cars. BTW, how does Chevrolet fit all those ancient pushrods under those tiny lil valve covers? Lol

[@billwalling8101]

Pappy you've been shaking hands with Jack Daniels again or still . The first cammer engines came to Connie kalitta and never saw a funny or any other kind of vehicle . After Connie guys like Christmas and very few others got their hands on this incredible engine but never did a stock or superstock come with that race only killer . Even as factory dealers since 1924 could we get a cammer for our first fx driver Tom sturns and the first fx we sponsored . Jack took his place and eventually got one but not right away . The bow tie boys can take solace in gm having sohc and dohc engines in the fifty's that are on display in bowling Green They never saw a racecar of any kind or even the Zora racers . Keep on mind the 1953 Chrysler is the engine of choice in top fuel and funny car with not a single Ford of any kind running the go fast classes .

[@FYMASMD]

Yeah I had a 65 cyclone. This one is different. 😕

[@ericfaley9019]

Radical. Some will argue that the first funny car was a Dodge. Dick Landy’s 1964 Dodge that he altered the wheel base.

[@threynolds2]

Jack's '64 Comet was the first supercharged, nitro-burning "stock bodied" car. Dick's wasn't supercharged or a nitro burner. This '65 is Jack's '64 that he reskinned for '65.

[@z06doc86]

You had to have big fruit to pilot this thing.

[@2cycle778]

I hear Nitro

[@raygronemann8555]

Thank you Mr Dale

[@josephunruh7353]

Chevy and Dodge jaws are slacked!

[@dday9257]

Dick Landy’s 64 Dodge was out before this.

[@SSGTA440]

Yeah, but the design of having the blown mill set far back on the frame and the position of the driver, really set the pattern for what was to come... This was a far departure from the injected hemi altered wheelbase Mopars...

[@tracystrausbaugh7048]

bruce larson had first fuuuy car

[@70stunes71]

In 1965 Chrysler built the first Aluminum Intake aluminum head, altered wheelbase vehicles and they were the first. .. fact. January 29th 1965, Chrysler debuted 7 new altered wheelbase funny cars. They were the first not Ford not Chevrolet or any others at that point

[@tonyshower9835]

Not a young person in sight. The kids in all the pics from 50-60 yrs ago are the same people standing around in 2018. Sad really...

[@bobkanno6797]

Wrong about the 1st. Funny cars, it was the alter wheelbase cars from Dodge and Plymouth.

[@cajunmandickdick1849]

Mopar was the first "funny cars" because of the altered wheelbase. The Ford and Chevy guys always have to take the credit for Chrysler Corps innovation,typical.

[@gmain1977]

Cool car, but the first funny car was done by the Ramchargers , they moved the wheel base and made it shorter

[@tplomonte]

.

[@MrSuzuki1187]

Not true! The Ramchargers built the first funny car when they moved the front and rear wheels of their 1965 Dodge Super Stock Automatic ahead 15 inches, creating the first altered wheelbase A/Factory Experimental car, which Ford called a funny looking car. That is where the term came from. The Ramchargers did it first

[@tommywilson4027]

Video is clickbait