The SR-71 Blackbird is the fastest manned aircraft that has taken to the skies reaching a speed of Mach 3.5, that’s over three times the speed of sound. The Blackbird left a lasting impression on many thanks to its feats of speed, including Rob Friso. Friso’s 1973 Barracuda known as the SR-71 Blackfish is his tribute to this legendary aircraft.
Friso spent plenty of time around aircraft during his military career as an aircraft mechanic and inspector. The SR-71 is an iconic aircraft in Friso’s eyes, so being able to build a car that encapsulates what the Blackbird represents is something he’s wanted to do. The Blackfish also holds a special place in Friso’s heart, he’s owned the Cuda since he was in high school.
Anybody can build a tribute car, but Friso has taken things a step further. He reached out to some of the legendary people who worked on the original SR-71 Blackbird program to get their approval on what he has built.
“I tracked down Robert Gilliland who was Lockheed’s chief test pilot on the SR-71 program. Gilliland has logged more flight time above Mach 3 than anyone on the planet. He was very excited about the build and because of the project tribute, he invited me as an honored guest to witness his induction into the Aviation Hall of Fame as the fastest man on the planet. While at the event, I was introduced to Ed Yielding, the SR-71 pilot that set the overall fastest record of recorded flight in a jet-powered aircraft. He too is very excited about the SR-71 tribute car build,” Frisco says.
Friso didn’t want to build a car that just looked cool, he needed his Blackfish to perform. There are a lot of different paths that Frisco could have taken, but he decided that the car was going to be a multi-purpose tool. The goal was to build a versatile car that could be at home on the street, the drag strip, or the autocross course.
A heavily modified chassis was created as the Blackfish’s base. The chassis was designed to use a 4-link style rear suspension from Quarter-Max that can be changed based on what the car will be doing at the track. The rollcage will certify to 7.50 once Frisco adds the last few bars when the car is finished. Frisco decided to use a set of QA1 Mod Shocks on the Blackfish to make sure it has plenty of adjustment options available. To bring the car to a stop after each pass down the track or lap around the autocross course, a set of massive 14-inch Baer rotors, and six-pistons calipers have been…
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