1970’s Schwinn Krate prepared for the Power Tool Drag Races. Yes, Power Tool Drag Races where the only rule was that power source originated from a “hand operated” power tool, in this case a 125cc Husqvarna chainsaw motor. After suffering defeat to @broncobrawler in a photo finish the year this shot was taken, the builder, Chris Paretich — a member of the infamous Larkspur Canyon Gang (watch Klunkers) — rigged a nitrous charging system for the following year. This event was held in the depth of a seedy (is there any other kind?) junkyard in a bad area, south of Cesar Chavez (aka, Army St.) in San Francisco. The two categories were ridden and un-ridden (stand back and wear protective gear…). Propulsion systems for the ridden categories ranged from what you see here, to the air-saw motors which propelled the kart that defeated the Krate, to — and this is not fake news — a “cow-cutter,” which was a hand operated device, hydraulically suspended from a pole and had a CPM (cow per minute) rating stamped into the side of it. I don’t recall what the CPM rating was…
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