Pure Heaven!

Updated 2/18/03

Updated 12/5/06!

Updated 11/25/06

Updated 2/06/03

Updated 4/10/03

Updated 4/18/06

Updated 2/18/03

Updated 11/25/06
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NOW 5 PAGES!
Updated 11/23/06

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One of the fastest Chevy Powered Fuel Altereds, you could never count the Pure Heaven car out at ANY meet.

fitzgerald fiat

This is the earliest photo I can find of Leon's cars...off the cover of Hot Rod Parts Illustrated,
the Fitzgerald Racing Equipment Fiat, complete with small block Chevy power.

Leon's first Fiat at Pomona...

Photo © Bob Wagner

Dropping the chute at Pomona...

Photo © Bob Wagner

Leon smoking the tires, not sure which track this is....

Photo © Bob Wagner

Pure Heaven 1

What would be called Pure Heaven 1...the Anaheim Speed Engineers Bantam.
This actually is the chassis and engine from the Fiat above, with a new fiberglass Bantam roadster body

Jere Alhadeff Photo ©

early Pure Heaven

One of the earliest shots I've been able to find. The tonneau cover is still unpainted aluminum...Looks like Carlsbad here...

One thing that hasn't been mentioned...Leon's partners in the Pure Heaven II. R.T. Reed, and Richard Rockman.

Pure Heaven flat gettin' with the program!

Looks like Irwindale here, note that the early version of this car had the Moon tank parallel with the front axle.

The later version, the tank was turned so it faced frontwards.

Pure Heaven in '67

Well, once you get it going, you've got to stop it somehow...Still the early version here.

pure heaven wagner

Hazin' the hides at Irwindale.

Photo © Bob Wagner

pure heaven front

Looks like Pomona...

Photo © Bob Wagner

pure heaven side

Ready to go to the line...

Photo © Bob Wagner

pure heaven rear

The view that many other Fuel Altereds got real tired of...

Photo © Bob Wagner

pure heaven engine

One beautiful looking, and performing Rat Motor!

Photo © Bob Wagner

Pure Heaven III, at Suffolk Raceway

Eric Brooks Photo

pure heaven nite

Pure Heaven III again, night shot at OCIR

Pure Heaven 3 Pits

Looks like Mrs. Fitzgerald is keeping the wheels shiny here...Probably at Indy.

David Ray Photo

Pure Heaven Thompson

Pure Heaven 1970

Pure Heaven 3

Photo by John Shanks,
Dave Hough Collection

Leon Fitzgerald and Art McLaren

Pure Heaven Restore

Not sure where this is, or who's the shoe in this photo, but this is the rebuilt/reconstructed version
of Pure Heaven II, that ran in the late 80's and up into the mid 90's.

Now safely housed at the NHRA Museum in Pomona

A shot of a younger Leon Fitzgerald, around 1968

Randy Bradford Collection

Bob Nylander watches, as Rod Hynes climbs into the cockpit of the restored Pure Heaven...

Mark Gurewtz Photo

"V for Victory"

Rod flashes the V as he sits in the restored Pure Heaven.

Mark Gurewtz Photo

Bob Nylander, and Leon Fitzgerald pose with Pure Heaven at the 1985 Winternationals

Leon and Pure Heaven, 1985

Bob Nylander, Palmdale 1986

Bob Nylander pulls the plugs on the Rat motor, while Howard Haight approaches, ready to cause mayhem...CHRR 2001.

Dex Bradford tries to sneak up on Leon...

Two fuel altered veterans catching up on old times, Leon checks the valves, while Dex "Brad" Bradford (Bradford's Crank Fiat), tries to distract him.

Leon Fitzgerald gets a push start, just before taking on Pure Hell in an exhibition pass during the Cacklefest at the California Hot Rod Reunion in 2001.

Leon waves to the crowd, while being pushed back to the starting line after the exhibition pass...the push car? Art Chrisman and his 32 Ford Tudor...

Jim Sorenson

pureheaven@mysterion.net