M.R. Norm's 71' * Challenger Funny Car*

- May 25, 2022

This is the Mr. Norm's Grand-Spaulding Dodge Super Challenger Funny Car, that that raced in the 1971 season, it followed up the well known group of bright red Dodge Chargers and one of the final race cars driven by Gary Dyer.

That electric blue metal-flake paint can probably be seen from outer space, it definitely makes the car stand out up in the bleachers. There's plenty more subtle detail from the blown and injected Hemi to the ultra clean cockpit complete with a Pistol Grip shifter.

Norm Kraus was more than a car owner, he was also the owner of the most famous Dodge dealership from the super-Car era, Grand Spaulding Dodge in Chicago. Norm started his series of competitive funny cars in 1965 and were driven by Gary Dyer nationwide.

This time capsule began with a Romeo Palamides chassis, and it’s still equipped with some of the best speed equipment of the era.

The supercharged 426 CI Hemi V-8 engine hosts four-port Hilborn fuel injection and a Bowers magnesium blower. A magneto provides the spark, chrome valve covers give it some eye appeal and Zoomie headers get the nitro fumes into the atmosphere.

Since Dyer was busy driving, only an oil pressure gauge was there to tell him what was going on with the engine. Top speed was in the 200 MPH range. The body shell is done in blue metal flake, lettered with Norm's Toy on the front spoiler and Grand-Spaulding Dodge livery down the sides.

SFI safety belts keep the driver safe. The detailing is so extensive, with a chrome cover on the Dana 60 differential housing, vintage Halibrand magnesium wheels were color matched with the same paint found on the body and vintage-style racing tires.