1965 Mercury Comet A/FX Coupe

Though the debate over the first true 'funny car' has many opinions, this mid-Sixties drag racing car is certainly on the shortlist of prime ancestors. The Comet made its showroom debut in 1960 and quickly became a car in need of image enhancement. It was six-cylinder only, and there wasn't a V8 engine on its powertrain option list until the 1963 model year, a serious shortcoming in the age of big-inch muscle.

Enter Fran Hernandez and Jack Chrisman. Hernandez was in charge of factory-supported motorsports at Ford. Chrisman was a drag racer looking for the right ride. When Hernandez offered Chrisman a Comet as the foundation for a race car, it was clear to both that it would need something more potent than a 289 cubic-inch V8, the biggest engine option for the car at the time.

But there were much bigger engines in the mid-Sixties Ford Motor Co. inventory, notably the famous 427 cubic-inch 'Cammer,' a favorite with Ford racers from a variety of venues. With fuel injection, supercharging, and a fuel mix with 70 percent nitromethane, Chrisman was able to boot the little comet down the strip in the 10.5-second bracket, at more than 150 mph.

The objective was to beat the contemporary Dodge Chargers, which Chrisman achieved. Whether it was really the first funny car may never be clear, but Hernandez is widely credited with inventing the term.