You Won't Believe The Custom Dragster Built As A Tribute To Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash died in 2003, so there is an entire generation of people who may not know who the legendary country music singer was. If you're one of those unfortunate souls, check out the many music videos of the man on YouTube.

Apart from his black clothes and defiant demeanor, Cash was known for, and usually never without, his guitar, which he learned to play after enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1950. During his four-year stint in the military (served in Germany), he also wrote music and, in fact, penned "Folsom Prison Blues" and "Hey Porter," both of which would become massive chart-topping hits.

Throughout his almost 50-year-long career, the "Man in Black" (as he was often called) received 11 Grammy Awards, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (1980), the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1992), and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1977). His unique blend of country, rock, blues, and gospel music sold more than 90 million albums, making him one of the most influential American musicians, singers, songwriters, and performers of all time.

Cash and his music had a profound impact on millions of people, so it shouldn't be all that shocking that someone, somewhere, would build something to pay tribute to the musical legend. That man was Jay Ohrberg, and that something was an 8-wheeled, 28-foot-long dragster shaped like a guitar. Cash's favorite was an acoustic Martin D-35, so Ohrberg named it the Martin Git-Tar Dragster.

Car builder Jay Ohrberg (a Guinness World Records holder and Grand National Roadster Show Hall of Famer) is renowned for building exotic cars of all shapes and sizes. He's created numerous automobiles for the show circuit — meaning they were built specifically to be as wild and crazy as possible, like the Pink Panther Limo – as well as vehicles for film (the Batmobile in the 1992 film "Batman Returns") and television (KITT Super Pursuit Mode from "Knight Rider"). He was also behind The American Dream, the world's longest limo.

As a young man in Illinois, Ohrberg raced dragsters. One day, a promoter hired him to haul a dragster to Kansas City, then gave him $500, a watch, and a trophy for his efforts. His path instantly changed. He began hauling more vehicles, each time seeing the public's reaction, and knew car shows were a place to make money. He soon began building his own.

The Git-Tar was part of Ohrberg's "Tribute to the Legends" automobile tour (which included other customs like a 1923 Ford Elton John Piano Car) that traveled to over 30 countries. The dragster is fully operational, and all six wheels in front move in unison to steer it. The body is hand-built out of steel. Unfortunately, there are no specs on the engine.

Many of Ohrberg's cars (including the Cash dragster) can be viewed at the Volo Auto Museum in Volo, Illinois, or the Hollywood Cars Museum in Las Vegas.