The Righteous accuse Florida of being deficient in drag shows, especially drag story time for toddlers at the public libraries. Ocala, Florida, however, is home to a permanent drag show: the pet-friendly Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing.
Here’s Wile E. Coyote’s dragster, which used “a rocket system from the NASA lunar program” and accelerated from 0-140 mph in one second. Four seconds and 352 mph in the quarter mile.
It seems that Don Garlits got his start in the 1950s in Tampa, Florida and was successful in 1957 with Swamp Rat I (8.23 seconds in the quarter mile):
Nerds will appreciate the engine room, which includes some cutaways:
For aviation enthusiasts, one of the best engines in the museum is a 2000 hp Allison V-12 from a P-40 fighter plane, purchased after WWII for $50.
The turbine engine in this 1993 Pontiac might be from an aircraft, but unfortunately few details are provided:
An adjacent building houses antique cars. Here’s an interesting example of how durable automotive paint is: a 1936 Ford with 72,000 miles (driven only during summers on Cape Cod; maybe for 25-35 years?) that has never needed repainting.
Adolf Hitler’s legacy is honored with a 1950 VW bug and a 1974 Karman Ghia:
We’re informed that our economy is inflation-free, so take $375 down to the local car dealer and ask to drive away in a new car:
After the museum, take a walk or bike ride on the 110-mile Cross Florida Greenway, built on the corpse of a Spanish canal idea from 1567 that was finally killed by Richard Nixon in 1971 partly due to efforts by Marjorie Harris Carr. To traverse the entire 110-mile trail requires a mountain bike, I think, because only about 35 miles is paved. The Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail (250 miles and 88 percent complete) is better-suited to a hybrid or road bike. It is about 50 miles south of the Greenway.
Downtown Ocala is small, but fun, and was the home of an important 1890 political movement (Ocala Demands). Unfortunately, like in most of the U.S., suburban sprawl with strip malls is how the once-walkable city grew. On the other hand, one can’t beat this vape shop’s name: Smocala.
Of course, Ocala is better-known for horse power (below) than horsepower, but I think the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing is worth a visit if you’re checking out The Villages.
At just $22 for an adult ticket, that’s cheap and a great deal! How many cars are on display, and how long does it typically take to go through the entire collection?
From the pictures you took, it looks like the place is packed with cars, and they’re parked tightly next to each other. That setup doesn’t do justice to have a good look at the cars. Plus, I’d be nervous about moving any of those cars in such a tight and packed space — one wrong move, and there’s a risk of accidental damage!