Question About Early '70s Wheelie Bars

[Coyote_6]

Looking for some knowledge. Working on the '71 (Blue Max) and '72 (Shirley Muldowney) Mustang funny cars.  They don't appear to have obvious wheelie bars in reference photos.  The Blue Max Mustang looks like it ran winglets down low in front of the rear wheels on either side - anti wheelie?  Stability?  The Muldowney car doesn't seem to have winglets or wheelie bars.

Clearly wheelie bars were pretty common prior to 1970, and clearly  popular (necessary) through the '80s and into today on Funny Cars.

Anybody have any thoughts or info on the missing wheelie bars on these Mustangs in the early '70s?  

Steve

Edited February 19 by Coyote_6
Typo

[DJMar]

I haven't been able to find good pics of the '72 car that aren't on fire, but here's a shot of the '71 car at OCIR and it clearly has wheelie bars.

Also, she ran bars on the Cuda she borrowed from Don Schumacher to finish out the season after the Mustang burned.

I can't imagine why the '72 Mustang wouldn't have bars, seeing that the cars she ran before and after that had them. But I have no photo proof, it's just a guess.

[vintagerpm]

Blue car with wheelie bars, yellow car without.

 

[Coyote_6]

@DJMar @vintagerpm

 Thanks guys!  I am working on Shirley's yellow Mustang and want to do right by it.  I hadn't seen those to shots of the blue one.  Seems strange to run without wheelie bars, but I can't find pics of the '71 Blue Max with obvious wheelie bars either.  Strange mystery.

Steve

[DJMar]

The pic that Mike posted is the only shot I've seen of Shirley's yellow Mustang that had a clear view of the back end.

[Daddyfink]

Don't forget that her car was Connie's first. So that could be a source of pics as well.

[Coyote_6]

@Daddyfink  Awesome thought!  Just wierd to me that there is just a couple years where wheelie bars seemed optional.  Too little traction?  Too much horsepower? Too little horsepower?  And what was the design intent of the Blue Max winglets in this timeframe ('72ish)?   So many questions! 🤣

[Daddyfink]

9 hours ago, Coyote_6 said:

@Daddyfink  Awesome thought!  Just wierd to me that there is just a couple years where wheelie bars seemed optional.  Too little traction?  Too much horsepower? Too little horsepower?  And what was the design intent of the Blue Max winglets in this timeframe ('72ish)?   So many questions! 🤣

From what I have read and heard, the Canards where just an attempt at downforce and had mixed results. But after a few detached themselves from cars at speed, the NHRA nixed them for good.