It doesn't get any better than this. 'You are a superstar that's what you are, As a loner kid trying to understand what made engines tick and produce power, without ever seeing the the guts of a motor,, I found Don Francisco's writings to be enlightening. The light bulb in my skull lit and I understood. Now I get to see the fantastic speed competitors, and their builds from the same era of dominating natures forces. Fuel Air Heat, in a natural landscape made to order. Thank You Ryan
This whole adventure is going to be a major addition to the preservation of hot rod history, very exciting to enjoy it's unfolding. Not getting tired of thanking you over and over Ryan.
What am awesome post. That blue fendered car almost looks like a stretched fiberglass dune buggy, but it must predate them by a bunch of years. The intake fabrication on the blown Hemi's is amazing.
That "Little Blue Dune Buggy" is a Kurtis 500, the Hemi is also blown with a Potvin crank driven blower setup, intake being the give away. The fabricated intake on the T roadster of the Summer bros. is a prelude to the brilliance they would achieve with the Pollywog streamliner and of course the "Goldenrod"
No. I’m not. I’m a guy with pals that got lucky enough to be handed a really important archive. I deserve no merit for any of this. Ralph Whitworth (got the archive from Tom), Larry Stein(got the archive to me), and Tom Cobbs are the heroes of this story.
You love the art. You love the history. You love the heroes of old. You deserve credit for your generosity. That is heroic and very rare. You do not get to determine who I put on my hero list. I have Al Teague, Jack Costella, Don Waite, Charlie Marklee, Ronnie Benham and Ryan Cochran.
What is the 89A sports car? It looks like it has replica Jaguar D-Type front bodywork and replica C-Type rear bodywork.
I’m not super up on all the weird fiberglass kit bodies of the 1950’s, but I’d guess some sort of Victress? Or maybe a heavily hacked Devin?
Here’s one of first blowers Tom built. This is an early one. A 2-71 converted to front mount and a neat homemade manifold and oil slinger cover. Hopefully you can find pics of this setup on a car. It’s almost complete just need another rotor.
That needs to run! A prophet doesn't point to themselves, they point to one who's greater. & As for the other 2 Hero & Legend, look at this place, where it came from the fact that it's still here & still fiercely independent. That is worth celebrating. Thanks for your willingness to share what you have with us, your perspective is refreshing & gives a little hope in this world that there are still people willing to think for themselves & stand up for it. @Jimmy B I will also say thanks for your contribution I really appreciate your input & insite into this history, you knowledge on the early days really shines a light on picture's that otherwise tell half the story. Though we have never met, (you did meet my dad 20 years ago picking up parts) I feel like you are an old friend. I hope to rectify that one day. Back to Cobbs, carry on
Hello, That header pipe arrangement is the most unusual set up going. 2 cylinders into one pipe would be the only mathematical way to see the end results of three cones sticking out of the back of the Corvair??? at Bonneville? Ha! With a 6 cylinder flat motor that looked somewhat like a Porsche motor, how did those exhaust ports get fit with the correct piping from 6 to three? Two, two and two seems simple, but there are three on each side. So, one set had to be pretty creative to come out as one joined exhaust pipe. It is also a big question as to how those “cones” actually help the exhaust at that point in the whole system. Stinger pipes, have proven to increase HP. Collectors do the same or similar. So, I guess these cones could be collectors? Although, they may just be a different fancy idea to generate some attention to the Corvair. Jnaki Wow, that color is the same as my wife’s first car and the one we had to endure for 3 more years of So Cal traffic during our early days. I could see it now, my wife going down the Coast Highway with those three cones sticking out, passing everyone on the open road… YIKES! It certainly would make every hot rod guy want to stop her and ask what was inside of the motor compartment. Or the local CHP would have pulled her over at one of the “highway check points” for safety and possible noise? YRMV
The Jalopy Journal
