Here again are some more pictures for you to check out. The pictures of the Roadster with the couple were taken in my Dad's back yard. Don't know who they are, but it sure is a good lookin' car! You'll also notice it is running a Sidewinders plate. As always, enjoy, and feel free to comment. Thank you.
Hi Mike I believe that the '29 roadster in this photo was George LaRue's. George was in the Velociteers club in the RTA and also the Glendale Sidewinders in the SCTA. I am not sure that the guy is George but I have not seen him since about 1952. (I used a photo of George with his '32 coupe in one of my books - somewhere). Re: The heat riser exhaust tubes. I did not run a flathead then so I will give my opinion only. The Ford flathead dumps exhaust gases from the two center cylinders, on each side, into one exhaust port. The end cylinders each have their own ports. Efforts to relieve the exhaust flow in the center ports included tubes allowing flow up out the heat risers and dividers in the center exhaust ports. There were variations on this but the idea was to gain horsepower. The heat riser exhaust tubes would be open, although I guess someone could leave them on with caps for street driving. I never saw anyone do that. Numerous efforts to relieve through the heat risers were tried but as you can tell from the old lakes photos it was not especially popular. 296ardun - Dave - I worked as the late operator to close up a Mobil station on east Colorado Blvd around 1949. One of the mechanics who worked there for a while was Sam Brollier. He was in the Pasadena Roadster Club then. In 1947 he had a '27 T roadster. I think when he had the Ardun powered roadster a few years later he was from the Azusa area. Good memories - Don
Once again, I have to say, great pics, thanks Mike. And great contributions from Rockerhead (Don), and others. I never noticed the heat riser exhausts before, just saw them while going back through the later pics. I have never seen them in a street application before, these pics show lots of details that give a great insight into what was going on. How young everyone was, how they dressed, etc. etc. Thanks again. Mart.
This is so awesome.. Like I said i live about 10 miles from el mirage these pictures and the stories that go with them are wonderful.. I keep looking everyday for new pics and posts. The pice from Catalina are wonderful to . They actually brought back the Catalina race a couple years ago
As all way's...It's great to hear from you Don. You are a wealth of information! I really appreciate your comments. Thank you. I know there were a lot of guy's trying anything they could think of, so the Exhaust risers must have been one of them. Interesting though! In the said photo of the exhaust riser's, you will also notice that they must have been doing some distributor work, as the caps are on the cowl. Again I want to thank all who have replied!! Your comment's are what is making this thread work! As so many have said, the pictures are clearly a "window in time". The way thing's really were, car's, fashion, etc. And as some have said, the background is just as interesting as the foreground! As I have said previously, I am more than happy to post what I have for all to see. One thing that is obviously clear; is that all of you clearly appreciate [as I do] what I have been posting. I want you all to enjoy it as I have been able to do. It may be tedious, and slow, but I will eventually get there!! I will continue to do what I can, when I can. I love the quote you wrote "they are special to me, and now they are special to all of you"!!!! Don & Dave [296ardun], it's funny that you both brought up Sammy Brollier. I thought that name sounded familiar, so I started searching thru my Dad's other album. I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but yes kid's....there's two album's!! Anyway guess what? Yep...he's here! Personally I just love this picture of the line up in front of my Dad's house on Backus Street in Pasadena!! Notice the date March 23 1947. Wouldn't you love to see that in front of your house!! Damnnnn! And again I'm throwing it out there, and you guy's keep the ball rolling! Thanks and enjoy!
Wow! These photos really show that hot rods were certainly coming of age by 1947; I count only 1 car with mechanical brakes, at least three with dropped axles, and no less than 3 with 'aircraft' shocks. The ubiquitous '32 grille shell is in full-effect with filling/nosing on all but one example (the '29 on deuce rails). Looks like one or two of the T's have their '32 grilles sectioned, and check out the several chromed windshield stanchions/frames!! Looks like pretty much everyone is running sealed beam headlights by this date as well (and not a 'truck' headlight w/marker lamp to be seen). Pretty advanced stuff!
The "Illegal Assembly" photos are out of this world. I don't think hot rods were appreciated by the public in those days. I could imagine what it sounded like when all 7 roadsters fired up at once!!
It should be mentioned 513c is Bob Hamke roadster it was sponsored by Ralph's Muffler shop out of Indy, this roadster was found by Trichop and sold it to Robert Hamke, Bob's son.
Great eye Gary!!! Thank's for the comment. It's like no matter how many time's I have looked at these pictures, I see something new every time I look at them. Again, a lot of you have said how the background is just as good as the foreground. When you enlarge the picture of the light colored Roadster in the above post, driver with a helmet, just check out the background. On the right is a Roadster with "Howard's Cam's" on the hood. What's with the white wall's? To the left of that is a sedan delivery. To the left of that is a "T" [I think?]with a streamlined nose. And then there is another Roadster with a girl standing behind it. Good stuff!! Glad to hear all your comments.
Thank's for the comment KKrod. Like I said the "Illegal Assembly" has got to be one of my favorite pictures! And you are right in the fact the "hot rod's" were not exactly well liked by the public. As you can see by the article I have posted by the SCTA News, The Pasadena Roadster Club was trying to clean up the "hot rod" image. I like the reference of Hopped-Up & Souped-Up cars!! Anyway, thought I would throw it in there just for flavor. As all way's....enjoy.
Hah! I had forgotten all about the "curfew" law. That was the handiest tool the police had to break up a gathering when I was a kid. I had to be "collected" by my dad on a couple of occasions. Pissed him off good. A great read Mike. Thanks again.
Here is something for you "gear head's". My Dad did some dyno testing for two Stromberg carb's. 286 cu. in. Merc. Just a little flavor for all.
I'm just throwing a few more picture's in while I have a few minutes. As you can see in the first two picture's, the background has a whole lot goin' on!!!! Love the H&H streamliner. Again enjoy!!!
@woodiemike - Just an FYI ... The #600 'liner is a car originally owned & built by Ralph Schenck. Ralph had raced a roadster at the dry lakes in the 1930s, and in 1939 he decided to build a streamliner. He designed the body (reminiscent of the Harry Miller Submarine car) and built the chassis and frame while Joaquin Grosso formed the aluminum body panels. A 183-cubic-inch Chevrolet block with an Oldsmobile head was fitted with Ford crankshaft and rods and a Winfield cam. It made its debut at Harper Dry Lake on May 19, 1940, and achieved a top speed of 118.57 mph. After many runs, the car was sold in 1945. The car’s body was damaged in the runs and was thrown away. The car itself was dismantled and the chassis and engine separated but they were both kept safe by Duane Steele. The current owner (Terry Baldwin of Ventura, California) began its restoration in the 1970s, using many original plans and photographs from Schenck. The car was shown at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in its circa 1940 configuration: image by @HEMI32 Your father's B&W photo was obviously taken a few years after Schenck had sold the car ... Here's a circa 1948 color photo of the #600 "H & H streamliner" at El Mirage: photo from the Jill Durkee-Burgoyne collection NOTE: There's more pics & info in these H.A.M.B. threads: Ralph Schenk Streamliner ... started by @kurtis in May 2009. 1940's period correct hot rods ... posted by @model.A.keith in December 2009. *** Ralph Schenck Streamliner @ PB *** ... started by @Jimmy B in September 2010. The Chuck and Joanna Quesnel Photo Collection ... posted by @SuperFleye in July 2013.
Hello one and all!! Thanks again to all that have commented, and those who have checked out the thread. Special thanks to HEMI 32! To me; this is what make's the H.A.M.B. so special. Somebody throw's something out there, and then someone like HEMI 32 picks up the ball and runs with it!! Fantastic! Thank you for the info on the H&H car. I know I, like probably others have seen this car in different pictures, but every picture is usually a different setting, angle, etc. They are all special. As I have said before, the amount of knowledge you guy's possess is amazing. I sincerely hope you will all continue to throw that knowledge out there. Not to sound redundant, but you are all very welcome for this post! My only hope is that all enjoy what I have! On that note, I will post some more pictures. The thing I find interesting on the first page is the timing tags. One is from 9/25/49 and the other is 10/22/49. The first time is 126.93 and the other is 126.22. At least he was consistent!!! Not too sure if that was good though! There are also some early "color" pictures. Well.....kind of! As always, hope you enjoy.
Sorry.....had the first page sideways. Still a learning curve! Where's my Granddaughter when I need her!!!
What can I say? Each time I open this thread I'm greeted by better and better photos and info. I'm a total sucker for timing tags. Love those!! Seeing the cars that earned them makes so much better. I have all mine stuck on a display board. As I said in an earlier post this thread should be a sticky and compulsory reading for all HAMB members. Thanks again for everything
The Jalopy Journal
