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Photo of the Day
𝚃𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝙼𝚊𝚢 𝟷𝟻, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟻

When Hot Rodders went Formula 1 Racing. We see the Scarab Desmodromic Valve 2.5 litre engine on the Traco Dyno in Culver City back in 1959. After kicking butt in the Sports Car world in ’58, Lance Reventlow and his team of hot rodders decided to take on the world of Formula 1 with front engined design. The motor was penned by the great Leo Goossen with input from lakes racers Jim Travers and Frank Coon. This all happened after they disassembled and inspected the World Championship winning Mercedes-Benz W196 engine from 1955 that was on loan to the Ford Motor Car Company. *Note that these forward looking hot rodders were using EGT devices way back in 1958.
©AHRF/Raul “Sonny” Balcaen Collection.
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