Shelby Legend Takes Vintage Funny Car to Autorama

Al Bergler is one of the legends who will be attending the 59th Detroit Autorama at Cobo Center this weekend. By legend, we mean he knows his stuff and anyone who is a car buff, especially when it comes to funny cars, knows Bergler. He raced all over the country for years, and in 1973 and 1974 he raced the famous Vega Funny Car—Motown Shaker, which you can see this weekend at Detroit's 59th Autorama.

Funny cars became popular in the 70s and a select group of cars and drivers made headlines across the country including Berlger. The funny car was the king of the drag strip including the MHRA Drag Strip located at 26 Mile and Gratiot, which Autorama funded.

Those who went to the drag strips wanted to hear and see the fire-breathing, ground-shaking funny cars. Match races and shows were common in the 70s and early 80s. "My promoter would book some 50 match races a year and pay me for two runs at each race. We went through five or six Motown Shaker cars," said Bergler.

Bergler tells how the Vega was found three years ago in Rhode Island.

"I quit racing in 1982 and went back to restoring cars. But nine years ago at a Funny Car reunion in Kentucky, I got hooked again and began searching for some of my old funny cars," Bergler said.  "Through word of mouth I found this car. After 30 years of other people driving it and the changes, I had to completely start from scratch and rebuild it. But today, it's exactly the way it was back in 1973."

The famous Funny Car Vega Motown Shaker has a Keith Black 426 Hemi engine and uses nitromethane racing fuel at $35 a gallon. It has been reproduced as a die-cast model car and is a collector toy item today.

"We trailered the car to Autorama Wednesday. We spent the next day socializing and setting up the display. Having a car hobby is great and car people are the best around," Bergler said.

Bergler's been going to the Autorama since his first visit at the State Fair Grounds sometime back in the 50s. He has six vehicles now "or maybe it's eight" including his 40 Ford Convertible, which is another project in the works, and 39 Ford Woody. Sitting in his barn, filled with cars, parts and memorabilia, Bergler is right at home and so are his buddies. "My wife calls it the senior day care center." Bergler comments that the same group of guys who used to hang out in his dad's garage years ago now gather in his barn that is part-garage and part-museum.

Bergler's basement is another museum of sorts with classic memorabilia including jukeboxes, pedal cars and, of course, the famous award that he is known for. In 1964, Bergler received the first prestigious Ridler Award with his dragster, More Aggravation. The Ridler Award has turned into the highest award today and is given out only at the Detroit Autorama. In 2006, Bergler was inducted into the Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame.

Bergler's funny car will be featured as part of  “Drag City USA,” a unique display of nostalgic drag cars. Joining Bergler will be other local residents. John Logghe, who is also from Shelby Township, is the son of one of the famous drag car engine builders known as the Logghe Brothers. John Logghe will be bringing his father’s famous car, The Dragster. Rob Morse of Sterling Heights, will be bringing his 1963.5 Galaxie Fastback, which was restored to be a tribute to the super stock race cars from its era.

Autorama will include more than 800 of the finest classic hot rods, customs classics and custom motorcycles. The show begins Friday and goes through Sunday. Tickets are available at the gate starting at $18. For more information go to www.autorama.com.