Swamp Rat Gallery
Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing
The Evolution of the Swamp Rat
Seventy years of cars, from a $345 Ford sedan to the electric dragsters, told by the man who built and drove them.
55Cars
48Swamp Rats
800Photos
323Top MPH
From 85 MPH to 323 MPH
Top speed of every carEach bar is one car, in order. Point at a bar to see its numbers; click it to read the story.
Street Cars & Hot Rods
Where it started: the cars Don drove and raced before the first Swamp Rat.
7 cars
Front-Engine Dragsters
Swamp Rat 1 through 13: the slingshot years.
19 cars
The Rear-Engine Era
Swamp Rat 14 changed the sport: the driver moved in front of the engine.
24 cars
Drag-Pak & Electric
Swamp Rat 35 to 38: Dodge Drag-Pak cars and the electric dragsters.
5 cars
Get the full stories in “Don Garlits and His Cars”, available in the museum gift shop.