Wild Bill Shrewsberry
Encyclopedia
"Wild" Bill Shrewsberry is an American exhibition
drag racing
driver primarily active throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Originally from Mansfield, Ohio
, Shrewsberry moved to Southern California
in October 1962. Shrewsberry is best known as the driver of the drag racing replica of the Barris
-built Batmobile from the 1966 television series
and of the "L.A. Dart
," a series of wheelstanding
funny car
s each with a rear-mounted, supercharged
Chrysler Hemi engine
and each sponsored by the Dodge
and Plymouth
dealers of Los Angeles and Orange Counties
. The result of the rearward weight transfer caused by the engine's mounting position was a "wheelie" for the entire quarter-mile at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). Steering was accomplished by a combination of the service brake pedal activating the brake on the left wheel while a brake lever from a racing go-kart
activated the right brake. So proficient was Shrewsberry at this sort of driving that he would often spin his car to face the opposite direction at the end of the track and race back to the starting line, all the while maintaining the wheelstand.
He rose to fame in the early 1960s as the driver of one of only six factory-built 1963 Pontiac Tempest Super Duty LeMans
-badged coupes and which was campaigned by Mickey Thompson
. These six coupes and six station wagon
variants, with their 421 in³ (7 L) Pontiac Catalina
engines, transmissions and rear ends replacing the Tempest's 326 in³ (5.4 L) engine, rear-mounted Corvair
-based transaxle
and the small diameter drive shaft often referred to as a "rope" were described as "beyond fast". Shrewsberry's Pontiac dominated the A/FX factory experimental class in the 1963 NHRA "Winternationals" with a best time of 12.03 seconds in the quarter mile, an average of .5 seconds faster than the competition. He would later race the car in a modified configuration utilizing Pontiac's "Powershift" transaxle, developed specifically for the Super Duty. It was, in essence, a pair of two-speed Powerglide
automatic transmissions joined together in a single four-speed unit. His car retains that setup today.
Shrewsberry also helped develop and pilot the Hurst Hemi Under Glass
Plymouth Barracuda
later driven by Bob Riggle. He also participated in the development of the Dodge Little Red Wagon
driven by Bill "Maverick" Golden and the Hurst Hairy Olds
Oldsmobile 4-4-2 exhibition dragsters each sponsored by Hurst Performance
. Like the "L.A. Dart", the Little Red Wagon and Hemi Under Glass were wheelstanders while the Hurst Hairy Olds had engines both front and rear, each powering an automatic transaxle
from an Oldsmobile Toronado
.
Shrewsberry's 1970 L.A. Dart was the subject of a 1/25-scale plastic model kit first produced by Model Products Corporation
and since reissued by Model King using the original tooling. That same car, updated for the 1971 season with a 1971 front grille is still owned by Shrewsberry and is undergoing restoration at his son's home in Ridgecrest
. Model kits of the Hemi Under Glass and Hurst Hairy Olds were available as well; the Plymouth was replicated by MPC and Aurora Plastics Corporation
while the Olds was available as a kit from Monogram
. In the late 1990s, a 1/64-scale diecast
model of the L.A. Dart was issued by Johnny Lightning
. Presently, die-cast model manufacturer Highway 61 produces a 1/18-scale replica of Shrewsberry's Super Duty Tempest (which Highway 61 designers used as the actual basis for the model) as well as the 1966 Hemi Under Glass and 1966 Hurst Hairy Olds.
In 1979, Shrewsberry exhibited a fiberglass 1930 Ford Model A delivery truck sponsored by Knott's Berry Farm
. Dubbed The Berry Wagon and painted by custom car
builder Ed Roth
, the hemi-powered wheelstander was capable of more than 120 mph (190 km/h) in the quarter-mile, again on its rear bumper.
He maintains a small but important collection of automobiles. In addition to the 1970–71 L.A. Dart, Shrewsberry still owns his 1972 L.A. Dart funny car with flip-up body, his original 1963 Super Duty Tempest (one of only four remaining), the 1965 Hemi Under Glass Barracuda, the Knott's Berry Wagon, a 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente 427 which he raced in A/FX that year with Jack Christman (one of only 50 built and similar to Ford's Fairlane Thunderbolt), a factory lightweight 1964 Ford Galaxie
and until its sale to a collector/dealer in 2010, a 1966 Ford Mustang
GT convertible. Purchased new for US$2871.00, the Mustang is a highly optioned black-on-black car with a high-performance 289 in³ (4.8 L) engine, four-speed manual transmission, manual front disc brakes, limited slip differential
, deluxe "pony" interior, styled steel wheels, center console and the "lighting group" package which added underhood and trunk lighting. It is also fitted with an extremely rare 8000 RPM Rally-Pac
tachometer and clock accessory. The car is in nearly original condition, having accumulated slightly more than 7400 miles (11,900 km) since new. This was due in large part to his relationship with Dodge the following year.
Though retired from racing, Shrewsberry maintains a relationship with the NHRA museum in Pomona
and is often a keynote speaker at car club meets. He resides in the Coachella Valley
where he pursues a hobby in model aviation and where the two L.A Dart cars are presently undergoing restoration.
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
drag racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
driver primarily active throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Originally from Mansfield, Ohio
Mansfield, Ohio
Mansfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Richland County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau, approximately southwest of Cleveland and northeast of Columbus....
, Shrewsberry moved to Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
in October 1962. Shrewsberry is best known as the driver of the drag racing replica of the Barris
George Barris (auto customizer)
George Barris is a designer of custom cars.-Early history:George and his brother Sam were born in Chicago in the 1920s. After the deaths of their parents, they moved to Roseville, California as children to live with relatives. Both were good students, interested in drama, music, and design...
-built Batmobile from the 1966 television series
Batman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
and of the "L.A. Dart
Dodge Dart
The Dodge Dart is an automobile built by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1960-1976 in North America, with production extended to later years in various other markets. The Dart was introduced as a lower-priced, shorter wheelbase, full-size Dodge in 1960 and 1961, became a...
," a series of wheelstanding
Wheelie
In vehicle acrobatics, a wheelie is a vehicle maneuver in which the front wheel or wheels come off the ground due to extreme torque being applied to the rear wheel or wheels. Wheelies are usually associated with bicycles and motorcycles, but can be done with other vehicles such as cars, especially...
funny car
Funny Car
Funny Car is a drag racing car class. In the United States, other "professional" classes are Top Fuel, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Funny cars have forward-mounted engines and carbon fiber automotive bodies over the chassis, giving them an appearance vaguely approximating manufacturers'...
s each with a rear-mounted, supercharged
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
Chrysler Hemi engine
Chrysler Hemi engine
The Chrysler Hemi engine, known by the trademark Hemi, is a series of V8 engines built by Chrysler with a hemispherical combustion chamber. Three different types of Hemi engines have been built by Chrysler for automobiles: the first from 1951–1958, the second from 1964–1971, and the third...
and each sponsored by the Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
and Plymouth
Plymouth (automobile)
Plymouth was a marque of automobile based in the United States, produced by the Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler.-Origins:...
dealers of Los Angeles and Orange Counties
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
. The result of the rearward weight transfer caused by the engine's mounting position was a "wheelie" for the entire quarter-mile at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). Steering was accomplished by a combination of the service brake pedal activating the brake on the left wheel while a brake lever from a racing go-kart
Go-kart
thumb|A [[Kart racing|racing kart]] at the [[Commission Internationale de Karting|CIK-FIA]] European Championship 2008A go-kart is a small four-wheeled vehicle...
activated the right brake. So proficient was Shrewsberry at this sort of driving that he would often spin his car to face the opposite direction at the end of the track and race back to the starting line, all the while maintaining the wheelstand.
He rose to fame in the early 1960s as the driver of one of only six factory-built 1963 Pontiac Tempest Super Duty LeMans
Pontiac LeMans
The Pontiac LeMans was a model name applied to compact and intermediate-sized automobiles offered by the Pontiac division of General Motors from 1962 to 1981. The LeMans was replaced by the downsized Pontiac Bonneville for the 1982 model year...
-badged coupes and which was campaigned by Mickey Thompson
Mickey Thompson
Marion Lee "Mickey" Thompson was an American off-road racing legend. He won many championships as a racer, and later formed sanctioning bodies SCORE International and Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group . He also raced in dragsters and land speed record automobiles.Thompson was born in Alhambra,...
. These six coupes and six station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
variants, with their 421 in³ (7 L) Pontiac Catalina
Pontiac Catalina
The Pontiac Catalina was part of Pontiac's full-sized automobile line. Initially, the name was used strictly to denote hardtop body styles, first appearing in the 1950 Chieftain Eight and DeLuxe Eight lines...
engines, transmissions and rear ends replacing the Tempest's 326 in³ (5.4 L) engine, rear-mounted Corvair
Chevrolet Corvair
-First generation :The 1960 Corvair 500 and 700 series four-door sedans were conceived as economy cars offering few amenities in order to keep the price competitive, with the 500 selling for under $2,000...
-based transaxle
Transaxle
In the automotive field, a transaxle is a major mechanical component that combines the functionality of the transmission, the differential, and associated components of the driven axle into one integrated assembly....
and the small diameter drive shaft often referred to as a "rope" were described as "beyond fast". Shrewsberry's Pontiac dominated the A/FX factory experimental class in the 1963 NHRA "Winternationals" with a best time of 12.03 seconds in the quarter mile, an average of .5 seconds faster than the competition. He would later race the car in a modified configuration utilizing Pontiac's "Powershift" transaxle, developed specifically for the Super Duty. It was, in essence, a pair of two-speed Powerglide
Powerglide
The Powerglide is a two-speed automatic transmission designed by General Motors. It was available primarily on Chevrolet from January, 1950 through 1973, although some Pontiac models also used this automatic transmission, extensively on models produced for the Canadian market with Chevrolet...
automatic transmissions joined together in a single four-speed unit. His car retains that setup today.
Shrewsberry also helped develop and pilot the Hurst Hemi Under Glass
Hurst Hemi Under Glass
Hurst Hemi Under Glass is the name given to a series of exhibition drag racing cars campaigned by Hurst Performance between 1965 and 1975.Each wheelstander was based on the current Plymouth Barracuda for the corresponding model year. The car was so named because the fuel injected Chrysler Hemi...
Plymouth Barracuda
Plymouth Barracuda
The Plymouth Barracuda is a 2-door car that was manufactured by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1964-1974.The first-generation Barracuda, a fastback A-body coupe based on the Plymouth Valiant, had a distinctive wraparound back glass and was available from 1964-1966.The...
later driven by Bob Riggle. He also participated in the development of the Dodge Little Red Wagon
Dodge Little Red Wagon
The Dodge Little Red Wagon is an exhibition drag racing truck first introduced in 1965 and was world's fastest truck at the time and first wheelstanding truck....
driven by Bill "Maverick" Golden and the Hurst Hairy Olds
Hurst Hairy Olds
Hurst Hairy Olds is the name given to a pair of exhibition funny cars campaigned by Hurst Performance in 1966 and 1967.Developed with help from General Motors engineer John Beltz, the Hurst Hairy Olds was built to be a showcase for the then-new chain-driven automatic transaxle of the 1966...
Oldsmobile 4-4-2 exhibition dragsters each sponsored by Hurst Performance
Hurst Performance
Hurst Performance, Inc. of Warminster Township, Pennsylvania, manufactured and marketed products for enhancing the performance of automobiles, most notably for muscle cars.-Products:...
. Like the "L.A. Dart", the Little Red Wagon and Hemi Under Glass were wheelstanders while the Hurst Hairy Olds had engines both front and rear, each powering an automatic transaxle
Transaxle
In the automotive field, a transaxle is a major mechanical component that combines the functionality of the transmission, the differential, and associated components of the driven axle into one integrated assembly....
from an Oldsmobile Toronado
Oldsmobile Toronado
The original Toronado began as a design painting by Oldsmobile stylist David North in 1962. His design, dubbed the "Flame Red Car," was for a compact sports/personal car never intended for production...
.
Shrewsberry's 1970 L.A. Dart was the subject of a 1/25-scale plastic model kit first produced by Model Products Corporation
Model Products Corporation
Model Products Corporation or MPC for short, was a plastic model company started in 1963. It produced highly accurate and detailed kits and pre-assembled promotional models, mainly of cars...
and since reissued by Model King using the original tooling. That same car, updated for the 1971 season with a 1971 front grille is still owned by Shrewsberry and is undergoing restoration at his son's home in Ridgecrest
Ridgecrest, California
Ridgecrest, formerly known as Crumville, was incorporated as a city in 1913. It is located in the Indian Wells Valley in northeastern Kern County, California, adjacent to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake . Ridgecrest is the only incorporated city along US 395 in Kern County...
. Model kits of the Hemi Under Glass and Hurst Hairy Olds were available as well; the Plymouth was replicated by MPC and Aurora Plastics Corporation
Aurora Plastics Corporation
The Aurora Plastics Corporation is a U.S. toy and hobby manufacturing and marketing company. It is known primarily for its production of plastic model kits in the 1960s.-History:Aurora Plastics Corporation was founded in March, 1950 by engineer Joseph E...
while the Olds was available as a kit from Monogram
Monogram models
Monogram has been a premier maker of scale models of aircraft, spacecraft, ships, cars, and military vehicles since the early 1950s. The company was formed by two former employees of Comet Kits, Jack Besser and Bob Reder...
. In the late 1990s, a 1/64-scale diecast
Die-cast toy
The term die-cast toy here refers to any toy or collectible model produced by using the die casting method. The toys are made of metal, with plastic, rubber or glass details. Wholly plastic toys are made by a similar process of injection moulding, but the two are rarely confused...
model of the L.A. Dart was issued by Johnny Lightning
Johnny Lightning
Johnny Lightning is a brand of model cars originally produced by Topper Toys, similar to the hugely successful Mattel Hot Wheels die cast racing cars. They were not quite as successful, one major reason was that the styling, casting and finish was not as of high quality as Mattel's Hot Wheels...
. Presently, die-cast model manufacturer Highway 61 produces a 1/18-scale replica of Shrewsberry's Super Duty Tempest (which Highway 61 designers used as the actual basis for the model) as well as the 1966 Hemi Under Glass and 1966 Hurst Hairy Olds.
In 1979, Shrewsberry exhibited a fiberglass 1930 Ford Model A delivery truck sponsored by Knott's Berry Farm
Knott's Berry Farm
Knott's Berry Farm is a theme park in Buena Park, California, now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, and a line of jams, jellies, preserves, and other specialty food, now part of The J. M. Smucker Company based in Placentia, California....
. Dubbed The Berry Wagon and painted by custom car
Custom car
A custom car is a passenger vehicle that has been modified in either of the following two ways. First, a custom car may be altered to improve its performance, often by altering or replacing the engine and transmission. Second, a custom car may be a personal "styling" statement, making the car look...
builder Ed Roth
Ed Roth
"Big Daddy" Ed Roth was an artist, cartoonist, custom car painter, and pinstriper who created the hot-rod icon Rat Fink and other extreme characters. As a custom car builder, Roth was a key figure in Southern California's Kustom Kulture and hot-rod movement of the late 50's and 1960's...
, the hemi-powered wheelstander was capable of more than 120 mph (190 km/h) in the quarter-mile, again on its rear bumper.
He maintains a small but important collection of automobiles. In addition to the 1970–71 L.A. Dart, Shrewsberry still owns his 1972 L.A. Dart funny car with flip-up body, his original 1963 Super Duty Tempest (one of only four remaining), the 1965 Hemi Under Glass Barracuda, the Knott's Berry Wagon, a 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente 427 which he raced in A/FX that year with Jack Christman (one of only 50 built and similar to Ford's Fairlane Thunderbolt), a factory lightweight 1964 Ford Galaxie
Ford Galaxie
The Ford Galaxie was a full-size car built in the United States by the Ford Motor Company for model years 1959 through 1974. The name was used for the top models in Ford’s full-size range from 1959 until 1961, in a marketing attempt to appeal to the excitement surrounding the Space Race...
and until its sale to a collector/dealer in 2010, a 1966 Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
GT convertible. Purchased new for US$2871.00, the Mustang is a highly optioned black-on-black car with a high-performance 289 in³ (4.8 L) engine, four-speed manual transmission, manual front disc brakes, limited slip differential
Limited slip differential
A limited slip differential is a type of differential gear arrangement that allows for some difference in angular velocity of the output shafts, but imposes a mechanical bound on the disparity...
, deluxe "pony" interior, styled steel wheels, center console and the "lighting group" package which added underhood and trunk lighting. It is also fitted with an extremely rare 8000 RPM Rally-Pac
Rally-Pac
Rally-Pac is the name given to an optional tachometer and clock fitted to certain car models built by the Ford Motor Company in the mid-1960s....
tachometer and clock accessory. The car is in nearly original condition, having accumulated slightly more than 7400 miles (11,900 km) since new. This was due in large part to his relationship with Dodge the following year.
Though retired from racing, Shrewsberry maintains a relationship with the NHRA museum in Pomona
Pomona, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
and is often a keynote speaker at car club meets. He resides in the Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley is a large valley landform in Southern California. The valley extends for approximately 45 miles in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the saltwater Salton Sea, the largest lake in California...
where he pursues a hobby in model aviation and where the two L.A Dart cars are presently undergoing restoration.
External links
- Photos of Bill at a Batmobile event in February 2009 from 1966batmobile.com
- Photos of an example of the Johnny Lightning L.A. Dart at ioffer.com
- Photo gallery and histories at gilchristbnw.com
- Photo of the 1968 L.A. Dart in action at flikr.com
- List of Model King reissues including the MPC L.A. Dart and an enhanced decal sheet at modelroundup.com