The Commuter

The Commuter a it sat in May of 1967. Photo courtesy of Anthony Billinton.

In 1968 The Commuter was shown at the Hot Rod Show in Stockholm. Attending the same show was another Top Fuel dragster that featured a body made from the same mold as the Commuter. Photo courtesy of Anthony Billinton.

This Top Fuel dragster, shown at the Hot Rod Show in Stockhom featured a body made from the same mold as the Commuter. Photo courtesy of Anthony Billinton.

The first Top Fuel dragster of Norway, The Sundance Kid, was built around one of the three extra "Commuter" bodies and chassis.

The restored version of the Commuter with the Billinton family in 2011. Photo courtesy of Anthony Billinton.

The Commuter is a famous British Top Fuel dragster originally owned and raced by Peter Billinton and Tony Densham. It was built by FGR during the Winter of 1966. FGR was owned by the Phelps family, that also owned the Santa Pod Raceway. When the Commuter was built, FGR made a jig so they could produce more than one car. They wanted to sell a couple and also at the same time try to increase the popularity of drag racing in Europe. A set of master moulds were made for the body. The chassis and bodies for the cars were all made by Bob and Roy Phelps. Four bodies were made from molds, in addition to some body panels. Three of these went to Scandinavia in a deal with Start & Speed Magazine. These were all complete with chassis.

In 1963 Mickey Thompson brought The Harvey Aluminum Special dragster to UK. The car stayed in the UK, and Tony Densham ran it for the 1966 season as the Golden Hind. The car was broken up at the end of the 1966 season, and Tony bought some of the parts from Mickey Thompson for the Commuter. Some parts were also sent back to the United States. Tony did also buy the blueprints from the Harvey Aluminum Special from Mickey, and they became the basis for the design of the Commuter.

In 1968 The Commuter was displayed at the Hot Rod Show in Stockholm, Swden along with one of the other dragsters that went to Scandinavia.

Norway's first Top Fuel dragster, The Sundance Kid, was made from one of the three Scandinavian cars.

The Commuter has been in the Billinton family since it was built, and in 2010 it was owned by Peter's son Antony Billinton.