The World’s Fastest Hippie – Go ahead and Inhale
At the Grand National Roadster Show, one exhibition hall, #9 I think, always has a theme. Last year, it was former America’s Most Beautiful Roadster winners. The hall was filled with with AMBR winning roadsters from back when the show was still in Oakland, CA. This year, the theme hall was the “History of the Race Car”. I just published another story about the Drag Race cars in this hall, but this one’s just about this 1969 Corvette named, “Revolution” and owned by the late Mike Mitchell.
In a hall filled with wild race cars, this one, as you can see stands out. The paint is fantastic! The “Fastest Hippie” theme is carried out throughout the car with the psychedelic rainbow patterns on the side then the jumbo hookah on the hood and the zig-zag man near the cockpit. I bet Mike was alot of fun! (click on these pics to see them full size)
Researching for this story, I found a bit more info about Mike Mitchell, and about his passing in 2000. The story’s written by Phil Elliot at our friend Draglist.com. The story’s called, “Farewell to the Hippie” and tells about Phil’s experience helping out at a drag race in Boise. Phil writes:
Anyway, I started the day in my wildest of hippyesque red, white and blue bell-bottoms, which had no back pockets. My wallet went on the dashboard of the truck — soon the wallet was gone with every cent I had. Not a good feeling 12 hours from home.
It’s a cool story, check it out.
Still looking, I found a video. It’s a pretty serious look at Mike getting ready to race his equally wild painted Cuda funny car with, “Impeach Nixon” lettered on the back. With pull-top Oly sipping spectators looking on, you’re treated to a smoky burnout at the end.
Is that exactly how you don’t really remember it? Any stories you can share about Mike and his rides? We’d love to hear them!
Tags
Related Posts
Share This
Thank you for sharing the clip of Mike Mitchell. A beautiful car at a beautiful race track (OCIR). Life was good…
J.R. Were you there at the track? Tell us a story from the Good-ole-days!!
Hi that is my granpa mitch..
i just thought i would let you know!
Great pictures of this car, as a kid in the 70’s, Mike mitchell was one of my Dads best friends and they did numerous things together.including going to Sears point drags in cali .so anyway I remember sitting in this car on several occations, Lucky kid i was. I’m glad to see the car alive and well. and also sad that mike is not with us today. My Dad talks of him often and still has this car prinded on a shirt, hanging on the wall of him shop. I hope his family is well. Mike Booth……
Hey Mike, Thanks for the insight. Got any pictures from when you were a kid? I’ve only heard and read good things about Mike Mitchell.
i was at ocir, lions,irwindale, san fernando, colton, fontana, and…. t wana, mexico.
the best drag race i saw was between the fighting irish and thr red mountian boys.
My name is Paul Kennedy and I am the owner of The Hamberis & Mitchell
33 willys Hippie car that Mike ran before he had the corvette,
I live in England and on January 17th Al Hamberis Mike`s partner is coming to
England to see the car, He tells lots of storeys about him and Mike when they were on the road racing all over the west coast ,
For photos of the ’33 at Columbus, O Springnat’s go to quartermileclassics.wordpress.com
Mike was a very nice and cool guy. He spent a LOT of money on his paint jobs. Nat Quick used to do the artwork (Hookahs) and striping for him and Mike tended to have bad luck with them. He’d just got a brand new job done on his new Cuda funny car when He lost a blower belt that took out the Hookah and all the hood work.
Next race, he burnt it up.
There’s a ton of interesting stuff about him with the Jefferson Airplane, but that’s best left for the legends.
Peace Mike
d
Oh yeah and the “IMPEACH NIXON” SIGN YOU MENTION?
It used to be on the Spoiler of his new Barracuda and it wasn’t IMPEACH NIXON until later it was
FUCK NIXON
in BIG BLOCK LETTERS.
When you watched it going up the track, you couldn’t miss it.
Just to keep the record straight.
That’s why people were upset.
I always admired that.
Thanks for the insights Dave. Race hard play hard, right!? -pikesan
I was at the Oakland Roadster Show when Mike drove his car out of the show and then some burn outs with the crowd on both sides of the car. He was arrested or detained by the cops following the burn outs in the parking lot. I ran into Mike years ago while I was Sears Point in Sonoma County. He was a spectator in the stands. I asked if he was Mike Mitchel and he respond who was I. I told him that I saw him the Oakland Roadster Show when he drove out and did burn outs. He said that everyone he meets says they were there. I said that when cops pulled him out of the car he asked his crew member to turn on the water pump. Mike’s eyes grew very wide and said holy shit you were there! My daughter who was with me was impressed by this meeting.