[1] Designed by Steve Swaja (with some tweaking by owner George Schreiber and his boss, "Big Daddy" Roth[2]) and built by Jim Davis in 1963, the car had a 153 in (3,900 mm) wheelbase.
The aluminum body, hammered by Tom Hanna for US$5000,[1] had a very pointed nose, canopied cockpit, and V-shaped "claw" tail, and was painted Diamond T yellow[1] with red lettering (hence the name).
[3] The engine, a blown Chrysler hemi (bored 0.030 in (0.76 mm) over,[1] for a total displacement of 398.6 cu in (6,532 cc)) prepared by Bill Demerest (but maintained by owner-driver Schreiber),[1] was exposed, as were the wheels.
[3] Early trial passes revealed problems with the cockpit canopy, and when Schreiber took over the driving chores, it was removed.
[1] The car now resides in the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, Florida.