The Front Engine Cars of Sewell, Osborn & Moore

Vernon Osborn

This is my dads 1st dragster, I don't know much about

it, but the photo was taken (developed) in 11/64.

I have no idea who he bought he from, and he don't remember 

This is the 2nd dragster the way he brought it home, again I have

no idea who it belonged to. All the pictures below of the purple

dragster are of this same car. I believe the only difference would

be, is he had it lengthened and a new body fitted for the car.

This is the same car as above, just making a little progress.

Finally Finished!!! I don't know much about this picture, except

that is me in the car. All the pictures of the purple cars are

between 1967 and 1969.

Parking lot shot of the car.

Not a lot of pictures of this car ever being on the track, but

at least he had the time to get what he could.

Same as above, different view.

First Class operation back in the 60's.

Parking lot shot of the car & trailer.

Nice shot from the front. I would almost guess this picture is

taken at the Houston Drag Strip, I can't tell for sure. My dad

always ran Blown Gas.

This really isn't a very good picture, but it is our car at the

Austin Drag Strip. I thought the tower was more interesting

as to why I put this picture up.

This is also the same car as above, it is just sporting a new

paint job and the car was lengthened by Bob Holley. You

can also see the push bar on the station wagon in the

background because starters were not in the picture back then.

What can you say, "Those were the days"

I believe this is in Austin at the Autorama, probably in 1968.

In December the Autorama usually rolled into town, and the

car was flawless so he also put it in the show here in Houston.

This was the last car my dad owned and drove outright.

Richard Sewell

This is Richard Sewell and his Dragmaster, probably around

1967 or 68 at the Houston International  Speedway. This is

also the same car that is in the NHRA Fast Lane Book, it

is on the inside cover (pink & white) and farther down in the

book. The original car was owned by Richard Warwick, and

then sold to John Smallwood, which is the guy Richard Sewell

bought it from. 

This was taken the same day as above. Richard told  me

that the car came down so hard after it hit the ground that he

broke two of his fingers. For the next round he had to cut off

the two fingers of the glove because his fingers were swollen to

bad to get the glove on.

Sewell & Osborn

This is taken at the Dallas International Speedway maybe in

1969 or 70 at a Jr Fuel meet known as the Longhorn Nationals,

back when Jr Fuel ran Nitro.

Vernon Osborn was driving for Richard Sewell at this time on

the far side. I have no idea who is on the near side, but my guess

is either, the Coker Bros, Ben Griffin or Dave Settles.

This was taken probably around 1969 in front of our house.

I'm the blonde on the far side of the car and Bubba Sewell is

on the near side. Bubba went on to drive for his dad and had

a pretty successful career in Alcohol Dragsters.

That was one of the most beautiful cars that we ever ran. Back

when there were such a thing as painters and no computer

generated graphics.

Not for sure where this was taken at, but it was a SBC running

on Nitro. This car would out MPH anyone out there, the problem

was it was direct drive. To this day Richard tells me how he should

have bought the Lenco 2 speed but $600 at the time was too much

money in those days.

Richard Sewell doing a little maintenance in the pits. My guess

we are at Victoria or maybe Dallas, wasn't a lot places back

then that had concrete pits.

Not for sure where this was taken, but it appears to be Dallas,

that is Bubba Sewell sitting in the car waiting for his turn one

day.

This is Victoria at a Jr Fuel Meet with my dad driving, I believe

Tom Pagoda is to the right. We went to Victoria quite often and

my dad set the MPH record at this event. I need to verify the MPH

but I think it was 192 something.

This is a shot of my dad being push started at Houston. I'm

not for sure if we are being cranked up to make a pass or go

back to the pits to check things out.

This was the last car my dad ever drove for Richard Sewell.

Looks like we are making a pass at the old original Houston

International Drag strip, my guess that the year was maybe 1969

or 1970. My dad and Richard remained partners for quite a few

years after that, we just had other drivers.

Against the fence on the left side in the striped shirt is Dick

Venables and the guy in the tan shirt and brown pants standing

in the bleachers with the Valvoline cap is Steve Stephens. They

campaigned a Top Fueler for many years in Division 4.

Sewell, Osborn & Moore (A.L. Moore driver)

  This was taken in Dallas probably in 1971 or 72 at the Longhorn

Nationals at a Jr Fuel Meet. This is the same car as above,

except for the paint job as the car hasn't even been lettered yet.

A.L. Moore driving at Green Valley.

This was taken in Houma, Louisiana at a Division 4 Points Meet.

A.L. Moore getting in the car on the return road which was used

to push start the cars in those days.

A.L. Moore doing the burnout here and that is Len Walker

on the far side.

Same as above, injected SBC on nitro.

I believe this photo was taken in LaPlace Louisiana at a Division

4 Points Meet in maybe 71 or 72. Richard Sewell is checking

something out on the motor and A.L. in the white cap.

Over head shot of the car. As you can see on the headers,

empty beer cans always came in use as covering the pipes

to keep rocks and trash out of the motor. So, you never ran

out of header covers.

A.L. Moore doing a burnout at LaPlace.  Vernon Osborn

(my dad) holding the bleach bottle in the white pants.

This is was the fresh paint job for the 1973 season. The wings

may not have done much good on the side of the car, but they

sure would bruise and cut the Hell out of the knee.

Another view of the car.

This must be later on in the season as we have the Enderle

injectors on the car instead of the Hilborns, plus we have the

wing over the rear section.

1973 at the World Finals. Back then not just anyone could

go as  it was by invitation only.

The cowling in front of the driver was always the perfect spot

for the artist to really shine at his work. The guy that painted the

black car and the multi colored car was a guy named named

"Frederick". The reason for the Budweiser, Premium Crackers

& Velveeta Cheese on the cowl was because that is what we

ate from the time we left he house until the time we got home.

You ate cheese, crackers and drank Budweisser for breakfast

lunch and supper. I never liked cheese and still don't to this day.

They also never bought sodas for us kids either when we were racing,

so if we were thirsty we had to drink a beer. We eventually added

"Fritos" to the track menu, it wasn't because of me, but I think it

was because the cheese tasted better on the Fritos then it

did on the crackers.

This was the other art work that "Frederick" had on one the

dragsters it was known as the "Hungry Eye". A few six packs

later a guy could get real creative.

The Rear Engine Cars of Sewell, Osborn & Seruntine