by Jack Smith
By now most motorsports fans have heard the terrible story of the Green Mamba Jet Car being stolen and stripped for parts in the Tampa Bay area.
The story was detailed on most major media including CNN, MSNBC and FOX News, and of course all the major newspapers in Florida covered the crime.
We were contacted by interested parties this week and have agreed to help out with the project to bring back the Green Mamba in all its glory. Ted Kempgens is going to be the major re-builder with creator and owner Doug Rose.
NOTE: A NEW WEB SITE HAS BEEN CREATED TO HELP: SAVETHEMAMBA.ORG
Keith Morelli of the Tampa Tribune described it this way:
“A California race car driver in the 1960s, Rose lost his legs in a 1966 racing crash. “I took on a guardrail, and the guardrail won,” he said.
In 1967 during winter, he started building the Green Mamba, investing insurance money he collected from his accident. He bought a surplus jet engine from the federal government for $350. It took six months to build, and he began racing the car on the West Coast drag-racing circuit that year. Then, racing rules changed, and he wasn’t allowed to compete anymore. That didn’t erase the appeal the car had on race fans. Rose took the Green Mamba on an exhibition circuit, showing it off to race fans and most recently did car burns with it.
What’s a car burn?
That’s when a junk car is chained to the back of the dragster, and when Rose throttles up, the fiery exhaust torches the junker. He and the Green Mamba have been on racetracks across the country, he said, most recently exhibiting it at the end of September. The car was stored in an unassuming older-looking trailer that didn’t give a clue as to what was inside. When he wasn’t on the road, the dragster sat in the parking lot of Rose’s apartment complex for the past 15 years, he said.”
Ted Kempkins said it will take a lot money and lot of parts and other help to rebuild the Green Mamba and we are counting on response from across America to assist in bringing back an American treasure.
Doug Rose and Teddy Kempgens will be special guests in the Short Track America room at the Snook River Grill Tuesday night for the Real Racin’ USA weekly Internet broadcast.
The Snook River Grill is located at 2505 Manatee Avenue East, Bradenton, Fl. It is located 3 and 1/2 miles West of I-75 exit 220. Race fans are laways welcome and there is usually a pretty good crowd so being there a little early is always a good idea.
The show can of course be heard on your computer by using any of the Listen live or ON AIR buttons on this site.
