ED MABRY
Engineer and the Frame Straightener/Restorer
emabry@ev1.net
Ed Mabry is the key individual in the restoration and repair of the
Streamliner's chassis. During the past couple of weeks Ed spends
his mornings designing and building jigs for the frame, clamping the
frame to the jigs and heating and re-heating the chassis until its true
and relieved of stress. Ed has dedicated many hours and many
pounds of acetylene straightening the Streamliner's frame. Ed has
done a fantastic job in the process.
Ed Mabry is a designer, fabricator, engineer, tuner, thinker and
philosopher. However, Ed's true love is racing. Ed’s racing career spans the late 40’s when he was racing his Whizzer to present day at the Bonneville Salt Flats…and a lot in
between…
This includes street racing in Alvarado, Texas and a Texas Top Fuel
Championship in 1962. And professional racing at drag strips like Green
Valley and Caddo Mills, Texas; Bakersfield and Pomona, California;
Indianapolis, Indiana; Bristol, Tennessee and others all over the United
States. And some late night testing of Top Fuel cars on a certain street
in Arlington, Texas!
A pioneer in professional drag racing, milestones include developing
safety drag chutes along with Bill Simpson and Jim Diest; and especially
developing rear engine Top Fuel cars along with his rival and friend Don
Garlits. This major design change has saved the lives for countless
drivers and paved the way for the 4 second ET’s and over 300 MPH speeds
of today’s dragsters.
In the 70’s and 80’s Ed and friend Lee Manis (and later David Wade)
formed Team Triumph Texas and built Triumph race bikes. Closely aligned
with Jack Wilson of Big ‘D’ Cycle, they set a multitude of drag race and
land speed records. Ed built turbocharged fuel-burning Triumph Trident
engines that make a LOT of horsepower…and the chassis that would handle
them. Star rider Jon Minonno was five-time national road racing
champion, two-time national Pro Mod drag racing champion and member of
the exclusive Bonneville 200 MPH Club.
Ed’s motorcycles have set 15 different World Land Speed records
Bonneville. His masterpiece, No. 601, holds class records exceeding 238,
224 and 213 MPH and a highest unofficial one-way speed of over 261 MPH.
At three-quarter throttle! It is the fastest “real” motorcycle in the
world.
In 2003 No. 601, Ed, Jon, David and Team Triumph Texas were on their way
to a tremendous qualifying run and potential new record, when they
experienced an oil fire at over 240 MPH. 601 is being rebuilt and will
be back.
Ed is a retired Bell Helicopter Engineering Manager, machinist, welder,
race car and bike designer and fabricator, and was a United States Air
Force pilot training to fly jet fighters in Korea when that war ended.
He is also a thinker, philosopher, humorist and long time supporter on
NTNOA and its members.
And most of all…He is our hero and friend.
Ed working on the underside of the frame. Picture was taken Saturday, 17
January, 2004.