After getting some rest from last weekend’s adventures in New Jersey it was back to work trying to get some of the stuff in the in-box into the out-box. We got a bit done so sit down and enjoy the ride.
Let’s start with turning the clock back some 69 years to a shot that’s not the best in the west because it’s a nice double exposure (DOT_1037). We don’t know where the first exposure was taken but the second was snapped at El Mirage back on November 3, 1946. On the right in the number 358 T-body on A rails. He was a member of the Outriders. Looks like he’s got an OHV conversion on his flattie and we have him running 108.69 mph. Hidden behind him is a Deuce that we can’t ID. Car number 136 is a banger powered A run by Milers Club member Bob Physoic. We have a speed for him at 80.07 mph. Following him is another A entered by Lancers member Earl Roberts. We don’t know what powered it but Earl ran 83.87 mph that day. Not that he just removed the glass from his windshield.
ls that belonged to Harold Johnson Junior. He was a member of the Outriders. Looks like he’s got an OHV conversion on his flattie and we have him running 108.69 mph. Hidden behind him is a Deuce that we can’t ID. Car number 136 is a banger powered A run by Milers Club member Bob Physoic. We have a speed for him at 80.07 mph. Following him is another A entered by Lancers member Earl Roberts. We don’t know what powered it but Earl ran 83.87 mph that day. Not that he just removed the glass from his windshield.
From the same roll of film is another double exposure that shows Pasadena Roadster Club member Bob Woodall in line waiting to run (DOT_1038). A 21 stud flattie powered the channeled car to a speed of 53.37 mph. Ouch. In front is the Deuce Roadster of Albata member Del Baxter who ran 98.04 mph. Del went on to run a kick-butt track roadster driven by a young Troy Ruttman among others.
Since we mentioned the Delster let’s have a look at the ride he built new for the 1947 CRA racing season in this Don Ferrara shot (DFC_170). He’s seen smiling in his cap and cowboy shirt. With Merc power and a ’27 body car no. 20 won 20 races during that season. An underage Troy Ruttman is seen behind the wheel receiving a trophy in this shot for one of his 16 wins driving the car. The other four races in the car were won by another youngster by the name of Pat Flaherty. Both drivers went on to win at Indy. Troy in ’52 and Pat in ’56.
If you like pre-war rods you’ll like this one (DOT_1035). We see Bungholers member Bill Mors’ MM Flaherty. Both drivers went on to win at Indy. Troy in ’52 and Pat in ’56.
If you like pre-war rods you’ll like this one (DOT_1035). We see Bungholers member Bill Mors’ M Mors’ Model A at the “Pony Express” compound at Harper Dry Lake before the August 18, 1940 S.C.T.A. meet. His banger was fitted with a Riley 2-port head and was fed by two ’97’s. We have him running 92.59 mph and 94.93 mph. This is the only time we have him running at the lakes that year. Note he took the easy way out and just stripped the bumpers, fenders shield and lights. On the left, you can see the door of fellow “Holer” Arnold Birner’s number 444.
We’ve run across hundreds of motor shots and scratch our heads most of the time trying to figure out who’s car it was in. We lucked out this time and matched it to the DOT_035 shot. This Model A banger was snapped in Bill Mors’ car before the August 18, 1940 races at Harper Dry Lake (DOT_1036). It sports a Riley 2-Port head on an unknown intake manifold fed by two Stromberg 97’s. In 1941 Bill ran the same car now fitted with a V8. Now if we could only find a shot of it to add to the car’s history.
After getting jazzed by the graphics on the “Gentlemen” cars last week we dug out this great one for you showing Morland A. Visel’s Model-A roadster snapped back at Muroc on November 7, 1937 (TDC_208). He stripped a crank’s front pulley this day so we have no speed. The head is a Riley 4-port. We have Visel at the lakes in ’36 with the same head on another banger block running in a Modified. This guy got around as you will see.
Mac Hellings won a race at Carroll Speedway in this baby blue and white Midget on February 27, 1948, before owner Bruce Johnston stretched it and had bigger wheels added (JHC_1397). Bruce lived in Burbank off Chandler Boulevard when this shot was taken in ’49 in the alley behind his house. Bruce ran at the lakes before the war then got into roundy round stuff before he came back to the lakes later in his life and was instrumental in forming the VOT (Vintage Oval Track) Classes at the lakes. Did we mention that Bruce got this car from, you guessed it, M. A. Visel? Isky told us the story about Morland cruising all the drive-ins from his home in Beverly Hills. He’d hit Culver City then head down to Long Beach. Then it was off to Santa Ana and then up to Hollywood before heading back to the Hills. Seems there were a lot of street races and a lot of cash collected on his rounds. We have him into racing boats at Long Beach Marine Stadium during the war and then fooling with the Midget’s as we mentioned.
This next shot, also from Joe Henning, shows the cream-colored Johnny Pawl Offy as seen back in 1946 (JHC_1395). We were lost as to the whereabouts of this shop so we asked our resident expert and buddy Fred Chaparro about the shot and he told us that the location was 53rd and Figueroa Street in Los Angeles and that it was future Indy builder Luji Lesovsky’s shop that later became George Beavis’. One future Indy winner named Duke Nalon drove the car as did Ted Duncan who won a race with it at the Rose Bowl on September 24 after the “Letterbox” on the side had a vent added to it. You get lots of good answers when you ask the right people. By the way, look at the right of the shot, you can see a tail section in the works on a body buck. How cool is that?
Since we’re into old stuff how about a helping hand loading up Joe Lencki’s Burd Piston Ring Special in Gasoline Alley back in 1939 (JHC_1411). Tony Willman qualified the yellow, red and silver car in that year’s race way down in 26th starting position with a speed of 122.771 mph. Lencki’s 270″ inline six was holding it’s own for 188 laps when the fuel pump gave up. Tony was credited with a 14th place finish.
If the black and white stuff is too old for you, we just found this shot from George Callaway that shows A. J. Foyt in his Sheraton-Thompson sponsored Coyote powered by a Ford Indy V8 (GCC_451). The track is Hanford Motor Speedway and it’s during practice before the California 200 back on March 17, 1968. A.J. qualified for the race in 11th starting position and was flagged home in fourth place one lap behind race winner Gordon Johncock in his Gerharrdt Turbo Offy.
Talking about Isky we present this instruction sheet for those of you into ‘49 to ‘55 Cad V8’s (BBC_018). We have more from the day featuring Chrysler-DeSoto-Dodge-Plymouth Hemi’s, ‘49 to ‘55 Olds V8’s, Ford-Merc-Lincoln V8’s with 6’s and bangers and stuff on something called a Chevrolet OHV V8. All we have to do now is scan them so stay tuned for some early home-brewed hop up tips.
Talking about old stuff, how about this new book on Hot Rods from the Motor City (JMC_5708). Bob Larivee brings us 298 pages of reading pleasure for $49.95. Better get it while it’s in print through some more shots from The Race of Gentlemen for you so here’s four to get your motor running. First up we see Ken Schmidt, aka Mr. Rolling Bones, from Greenfield Center, New York, who brought his new chopped ’33 Ford 3-window powered by a 276″ flattie (JMC_5706). He would throw the car sideways just to please the gathered throngs and himself. We like the paint scheme on New Jerseyite Peter Dobosz’s number 76 banger in the background.
Another outstanding ride that looked right at home on the sand is Dave Carter’s home-built speedster that he brought down from New Castle, Pennsylvania so he could get it sideways and have some fun on the beach (JMC_5682). He runs a 214″ banger with old Cyclone go fast parts and yes, he got sideways off the line wearing a big smile.
Who says old bikes and old cars don’t get along together (JMC_5698)? Ed Jakubowski with his 45″ ’47 Harley from West Milford, New Jersey has a few words with one of The Frozen Few, Matt Walksler, about his 61″ 1916 Harley. Matt hails from Maggie Valley, North Carolina. These guys had to work really hard because of all the tail-wagging the sand offered.
Willy Snyder and his sano Deuce three-window hails from Derby, Colorado and runs DeLuxe Speed Shop colors. He pulled the fenders and lights before he left home and had a great time on the beach. The Deluxe boys brought four cars and all were lookers and winners in my book.
Guess that covers some of the fun we had this week playing with pictures and stuff.
Capt.
We went through some more shots from The Race of Gentlemen for you so here’s four to get your motor running. First up we see Ken Schmidt, aka Mr. Rolling Bones, from Greenfield Center, New York, who brought his new chopped ’33 Ford 3-window powered by a 276″ flattie (JMC_5706). He would throw the car sideways just to please the gathered throngs and himself. We like the paint scheme on New Jerseyite Peter Dobosz’s number 76 banger in the background.
Close but No Cigar
Up for the Challenge
Some Special Stuff
Always Puzzled
