There was (may still be) another MB drag car built & run by a Darling Downs College (don't remember which one). From memory, it had a rover V8 mid-mounted (over/forward of the rear axle). It looked a little more ordinary by comparison to this one.
So many delays to getting my MB back in order with 993cc & 5 speed transaxle... neighbor issue gone, donor shell up on rotisserie, new sheds on the way.... another project also..
I admire anyone who is driven to build customs such as this, but damn, that is one seriously ugly car. I can see the attraction of a donor car as small and light as the MB, but if you can't work within the dimensions of the car, and have shit hanging out in all directions, it shouldn't come as any surprise that it looks........like that