This is very true. I have no rights to the Halibrand name. Halibrand is still in business (Although it's a vastly different from the Original). I will try to answer everyones questions as quickly as possible.
No, 10 years ago you would have dug a little deeper before asking. You are savvy like that. Wasn't born cool, just a voracious reader and learner. Don't know something, do a quick search, hit the library, build educated questions to take to the old timers. And I would at least have a couple cast for personal use
a) Was this based, in any way, on ford componentry? C-10: The V8 201 model that is shown was based on the Ford p***enger car gears and were used primarily for oval, sprint and dry lakes racers.
I'm glad that someone got it who really appreciates it, thanks for the photos, thats about as close as I will get to it ever. that is truly art to me.
Not on-topic for this thread but the patterns for Micky Thompsons Challenger wheels are less than 50 miles from me. I used to work for the guy that cast a few of the "not so popular" items for the ***hole that ran Halibrand into the ground. He sent the Thompson patterns to us to have a few cast. The wheels have 12 spokes/ribs and he wanted some to make clocks out of. After casting a few and failing to pay his bill the owner decided that until he was paid the request for the return of the patterns would fall on deaf ears. The foundry has since shut down but still on standby and I've been promised a casting the next time they fire up the furnaces. You can't believe what a cool clock they make and when you tell someone what it is the look of disbelief is unreal, followed by "can I get one...........please.................pretty please, I'll pay whatever you want..............aw, common you can't be serious about not selling me one." The owner has a law suit pending for the outstanding money he is owed so until that debt is cleared nothing gets out the door that has any connection with Halibrand. Frank
Frank, The stories are sad after the original sale of the company in 1979. It seemed to have gotten so split and coveluded over the years it all went down hill from there. The focus really split from the specialty racing engineering & components and all of the focus was put on the wheels. When the bankruptcy happened that ultimately drowned the "Halibrnad Engineering" name, any hopes of reclaiming that prior dynasty was lost. I have not heard to many good things about the "Halibrand Performance" that immediately formed after the bankruptcy. I love to see patterns, drawings and anything else that shows the original development of these Items.
We had the original casting patterns, drillling and maching jigs for all the Eddie Meyer stuff...the Cyclone Quickchange patterns and the Moller-Adams Hemi OHV conversion patterns ala City of Burbank...upstairs in the old building at Specialized Auto Parts in Houston. Nothing prettier than those industrial yet so artful woks and the hours of development and work that go into them. Allowing for shrinkage, etc. and all the other mysteries of casting molten metal make the pattern making the great expense it is.
I would love to see those. On a side note the pattern maker for Halibrand went on to produce the paterns for the Hilborn fuel injectors and then the Drake V8. I would love to get a peep at those too.
great stuff but a word of caution here i used some old patterns once only to find that they had shrunk and distorted over the years it would pay too check these patterns very carefully and take great care in the storage of them.
The pattern will be kept in a temperature controlled environment. I am working on a team 'so to speak' to evaluate it fully. Now I just need to find a good "Culver City" rear to compare it to. With time I may find someone that can do a full 3D scan of it so it can be electronically preserved. I can be a techno geek, must be the engineering side of me.
Wow. That is truly an incredible find. I appreciate seeing the genius and history behind pieces like that. As you said many racers had them. Here's a photo of the one that The Pacers had in The Tasmanian Devil AA/A back inthe 60's. Enjoy!
I had a knuckle "scanned" with some kind of high-res photo process and the resolution was incredible. Every mark that was visible with the human eye was captured. It really was too detailed for what I needed, but would be something to consider for a historical piece like yours.
I have been going over the patterns and all I can say is WOW. These techniques boggle my mind. Most of the corner radius are made from leather! I have never seen this done before. I am told that there may be two more of these around. This is the only match pattern. I am still trying to work out the differences of the patterns and find where the other two are. I will get some better pictures up soon.
Nate, is your wife okay that the patterns have to share the same bed with you? Still waitin' on those pictures!
Does Halibrand still offer traditional "family relationship counseling" for Halibrand product owners, or did that go away with Culver City also?
Haha, maybe we can work out a custody arrangement for a small fee... Just kidding... again, cool find. I look forward to seeing what you do with it.
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