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History Auto racing 1894-1942

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by kurtis, Jul 18, 2009.

  1. kurtis
    Joined: Mar 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,001

    kurtis
    Member
    from Australia

    Probably a misprint in the photo.
    I'm guessing the bird is Dorothy Levitt, a cranky hot headed bag who was S.F.Edge's assistant in and out of the bedroom.
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2010
  2. T-Head
    Joined: Jan 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,967

    T-Head
    Member
    from Paradise.

    I think you're are right......When I read a detailed article about Edge in the past I think they discussed her charms.....Thanks.
     
  3. Vitesse
    Joined: Feb 9, 2010
    Posts: 265

    Vitesse
    Member
    from Bath, UK

    Yes, Dorothy Levitt indeed. I can see your point about "cranky, hot headed", but I prefer to describe her as "spirited". There was a rather good TV programme made about her by the BBC last year, recreating a solo journey she took by car from London to Liverpool in 1905. It's called "Penelope Keith and the Fast Lady" and may very well make its way to the colonies eventually ;) Miss Levitt wrote a book called "The Woman and the Car", which I believe was the first driving manual specifically for women: among other sage pieces of wisdom she advised ladies always to carry a small revolver when driving!

    The event is the Brighton Speed Trials on Brighton seafront - still held today BTW - and Miss Levitt is driving the ex-Mark Mayhew Napier K5. She took fourth place in the Autocar Cup, run over a flying kilometre, and also won a handicap sweepstake for Gordon Bennett cars.
     
  4. kurtis
    Joined: Mar 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,001

    kurtis
    Member
    from Australia

    To shoot at policemen no doubt.
     
  5. T-Head
    Joined: Jan 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,967

    T-Head
    Member
    from Paradise.

    Vitesse..... Thanks again.
     
  6. Bluto
    Joined: Feb 15, 2005
    Posts: 5,113

    Bluto
    Member Emeritus

    S.F.Edge was a total tough piece of work.

    A woman the could keep up with him had to be equal or better.
     
  7. Vitesse
    Joined: Feb 9, 2010
    Posts: 265

    Vitesse
    Member
    from Bath, UK

    No, she wouldn't have wasted the bullets! :p

    As I'm sure you're aware, when hauled before magistrates in 1903 as one of several motorists who had been caught speeding in Hyde Park (for which you can probably read racing) she was quoted in court as allegedly saying that "she would like to drive over every policeman and wished she had run over the sergeant and killed him." The judge dismissed this as "a silly bit of swagger", but still fined her £3. The other (male) defendants were only fined £2!
     
  8. fur biscuit
    Joined: Jul 22, 2005
    Posts: 7,853

    fur biscuit
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    that is a Crank!
     
  9. kurtis
    Joined: Mar 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,001

    kurtis
    Member
    from Australia

    Yep. Watch the movie The Great Race and tell me truthfully if you would put up with that blabbering female. That, i suspect was what Miss Levitt would've been like.

    ...but yes, she was fast.
     
  10. T-Head
    Joined: Jan 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,967

    T-Head
    Member
    from Paradise.

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  11. T-Head
    Joined: Jan 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,967

    T-Head
    Member
    from Paradise.

    ...
     

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  12. jimdillon
    Joined: Dec 6, 2005
    Posts: 3,307

    jimdillon
    Member


    I believe we have discussed this #22 car before but I believe this car to be one of Eric Delling designed L-heads reminiscent of the 1915 Mercer passenger car engine. This car did not qualify (too slow) for the 1914 race but was the first alternate. I believe they also had problems with speed with this car at Indy in 1915.

    Delling had better luck with the Deltal than this particular car but he redeemed himself with his later OHC cars which all in all ran pretty well in competition.-Jim
     
  13. onelung
    Joined: Feb 19, 2010
    Posts: 181

    onelung
    Member
    from Adelaide

    Page 202 & the Eldred Norman double V8.
    Sorry about the quality - just feel the width!

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  14. model.A.keith
    Joined: Mar 19, 2007
    Posts: 6,279

    model.A.keith
    Member

    and loose ...........;)


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  15. model.A.keith
    Joined: Mar 19, 2007
    Posts: 6,279

    model.A.keith
    Member


    In action................


    [​IMG]


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  16. Bluto
    Joined: Feb 15, 2005
    Posts: 5,113

    Bluto
    Member Emeritus

    This is one of my BMWs but it's 1946+ so off topic :D

    Note!! the photo doesn't go off the page
     

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  17. model.A.keith
    Joined: Mar 19, 2007
    Posts: 6,279

    model.A.keith
    Member

    Issigonis in the Drivers seat........


    [​IMG]

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  18. ehdubya
    Joined: Aug 27, 2008
    Posts: 2,315

    ehdubya
    Member

    awesome knawsome Eldred pics Onelung :)

    I'd always thought photos were were asexual and notes are for noters :D
     
  19. ehdubya
    Joined: Aug 27, 2008
    Posts: 2,315

    ehdubya
    Member

  20. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 31,896

    The37Kid
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thanks ehdubya! The car is restored and in the Mullin collection in California.
     
  21. T-Head
    Joined: Jan 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,967

    T-Head
    Member
    from Paradise.

    ...
     

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  22. model.A.keith
    Joined: Mar 19, 2007
    Posts: 6,279

    model.A.keith
    Member

    On my bucket list..............sadly it appears they only open on specific dates, none of which coincide when were in CA :mad::mad:


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  23. T-Head
    Joined: Jan 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,967

    T-Head
    Member
    from Paradise.

    Postcard from London 1908......
     

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  24. kurtis
    Joined: Mar 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,001

    kurtis
    Member
    from Australia

    I don't have a A.A.A. Sanction Book or a Contest rule book nor do i have many years of experience or a plethora of contacts to help me accumulate such information, instead i rely on the many newspaper articles found online for my research into the mess that was American motor racing.

    I asked this question after stumbling upon an article in the NY Times during one of those late nights reading up on anything remotely related to motorcycle racing or it's industry. In the article, titled HALF-MILE TRACKS BARRED. A.A.A. Will Not Sanction Races for Short Dirt Courses. dated August 13, 1911. it states the following..

    Detroit. Mich., Aug. 12- Sanction for automobiles on one-half-mile tracks hereafter will be refused by the General Rules Committee of the Manufacturers' Contest Association, which has just closed it's session here. At the same time the safeguarding of one-mile dirt courses was assured.
    Strict enforcement of the new regulation is expected to greatly reduce the number of fatalities among driver's who compete in races on the mile horse tracks.
    ...and so on.​

    This is just one article i have found regarding this rule. However, i did find something similar in Darren Galpin's book from a 4th July., 1911. York. PA. race meeting that never took place because of the disqaulification and subsequent banning until January 1st., 1912 of the York County Automobile Association, the York County Agricultural Society which granted permission for the contests to be held and the official starter, H.P.Hardesty for running an unsanctioned race, according to the A.A.A. It is also written that the local press reports that "the A.A.A. does not sanction races on half mile tracks. I trust Galpin's book and to some degree, TNYT, so when did this rule take effect if there really was one?
    More than likely i'm missing something. Perhaps a few more late night's trolling the newspaper article's i suspect.​
     
  25. kurtis
    Joined: Mar 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,001

    kurtis
    Member
    from Australia

    WOW. Is that what it looked like. I'm scared just looking at it.

    Thanks mate.
     
  26. kurtis
    Joined: Mar 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,001

    kurtis
    Member
    from Australia

    Bluto, even though it's a couple of years too new for this thread i'll cut you some slack. A story about an interesting car owned by an equally interesting fellow is too good to pass.

    Tell us some stories about this and the other BMW you had/have in your possession.
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2010
  27. T-Head
    Joined: Jan 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,967

    T-Head
    Member
    from Paradise.

    None of this is new information, but I don't think we have covered it here yet.
     

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  28. Don Capps
    Joined: Feb 13, 2010
    Posts: 111

    Don Capps
    Member

    In 1911, the Contest Board issued sanctions for 10 -- maybe 11 -- races to be held on half-mile tracks. In 1912, the Contest Board issued sanctions for at least 26 events held at half-mile tracks; there were maybe five or so tracks whose length is either uncertain or simply unknown at the moment which could add to the total.

    You can draw your own conclusions as to how hard and fast the Contest Board stuck to this idea, especially with sanctioning fees at stake.

    I almost listed the events held on half-mile tracks for 1911 and 1912, but I have a number of other things I am working on at the moment, although I did make time to look this up for you.

    There is nothing in the records of the Contest Board meetings for 1911 that makes any reference to the Contest Board not sanctioning events on half-mile tracks for the remainder of 1911 or for 1912. However, there are gaps in the minutes of the meetings so that announcement could be missing.

    The Contest Board meeting in which those involved with the unsanctioned event on 4 July at the County Fair Grounds Track, York, Pa., were disqualified from further participation in A.A.A. events was held on 18 July 1911.

    I did write something on the Catlin issue, but on one seems to have bothered to read it, which is fine. I do not have a "plethora of contacts" since there are very, very few scholars or historians who take automobile racing history with any level of seriousness, so I have spent many years building up resources and reference materials, which is a never-ending and very time-consuming task. Obsessing on the cars is easy, dealing all the other stuff is hard.
     
  29. T-Head
    Joined: Jan 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,967

    T-Head
    Member
    from Paradise.

    A Marmon racing car in what appears to be its retirement years.
     

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  30. deuce354
    Joined: Feb 9, 2005
    Posts: 304

    deuce354
    Member

    Hello ,Been following this thread since the beginning, the information is amazing. I have a few vintage race cars, and trying to find out anything about a midget i just bought. I bought this car a few months ago from a guy in Cleveland. He has NO history on this car. He bought it with 5 other cars from a estate in Toledo a few years ago. My good friend Jim Etter went with me to pick it up. This car is really cool a & the workmanship is excellent . This was a first class car in its day, alot of chrome. Jim thinks this is a very early midget maybe 1934-36 vintage, and probably built in California. Jim & I have looked thru the Jack Fox book, the Ron Pollack book, all of Crocky Wrights books, the Floyd Dreyer book, NO luck. Alot of similar cars in the Fox book, but not mine. The car has some unique features, 12" lockring knockoff wheels, a Atlas Chrome look a like grille shell, handmade front axle & steering linkage, a crank driven Bosch Magneto. The guy also told me it had a early Willys engine. Well it is not a Willys, Jim & I have searched the for all the options, NO luck yet. We think it is out of a small car , because of the matching 3 speed transmission & clutch. Bolts right up, NO adaptors, clutch pedal out the side of the bellhousing. Engine has NO provision for a starter, so it was probably hand cranked. When it was raced im sure jt was roped towed because there is no rear bumper or push bar, or no evidence that there ever was one. One Hamber suggested it could be a tractor engine because of no starter. I really need to find out what engine it is ,because i need a few parts. NO numbers or letters on engine or transmission . This car is really cool, and the condition is amazing. I am not going to restore it , going to leave it original. I am taking it to the Winchester Old Timers weekend, maybe someone there might know something. Hoping to find out anything about it, Thanks in advance Deek
     

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