History Auto racing 1894-1942

Since it's very hard to take a photo at Hershey with all of the people. Here are some photos taken at Hershey maybe five years ago when the show was around the stadium.

This is a 1913 that was restored to perfection by a friend for another friend of mine. This car represents what years of research into what a Raceabout appeared like when it left the factory.

 

Here are photos of the four years of production of T-Head Mercer Raceabouts during the years of 1911-14.

The 1911 model 1st and 2nd photos of two different cars, had the old style fenders and they were the only year that they came from the factory with a spotlight, as they came without head lights for that year only (a few early 1912 models may also have been equiped this way). They had a three speed transmission with a separate wet multi-disc clutch that was mounted on the flywheel.

The 1912 models (3rd photo) also had a three speed transmission but the wet clutch was in a separate compartment in a combination clutch and transmission unit. They also have front and rear axles from a different manufacturer as they supposedly were cut off after they did not pay their 1911 bill. They cleared it up and went back to them in 1913-14.

The 1913-14 models (4th and 5th photos) are the 35-J models which have the four speed transmission and represent the most highly developed Raceabout.

There are forty know T-Head Mercers and of that number only two roadsters, one pictured at the bottom (Bluto used to owner the other) and one 1911 Touring car are known to survive.

 

TH-
What great cars, and pictures-thanks for sharing and explaining the differences between the production years!

Herb Kephart

 

The former Ralph Buckley MERCER, I've read about this car since 1961, finally got to see it this year at Hershey.

 

If you like "Petina" this MERCER is in a class by itself, I'd pay good money to learn how to do this.

 

Optional or owner installed.....

 

Is that the current Jay Leno MERCER on wire wheels? Are the holes in the brake drums factory or race car modifications.

 

That's the car..... Ex Harry Johnson.......I don't think the are any holes in those drums even thought the photo looks that way. I will post a photo or the racing drums later.

 

I hope you folks can endure looking at some more T- Head Mercer photos.....

 

OK, I forced myself to look at all the MERCER photos, if it was 1961 again I could walk over one street and sit in this one, took 49 years to finally get a ride in one, thank you David!

 

If you ever read "Kings of The Road" by Ken Purdy he gives a great discription of driving a T Head MERCER. He lived about 3 miles down the road from the gray MERCER,(the McCarthy car) and every time I drive by his house and along the 3/4 mile straighraway I daydream of riding along with him in his MERCER.

 

This is what the fined cast iron Mercer racing drums look like. The originals are pressed steel that are about 3/16" thick. I am sure they only used these on road coarses and not ovals. I have found that they are much more fade resistant that the standard drums but they do add a little more unsprung weight.

 

I forget if I posted my bedroom shot or not.



What you can't see is the several other cars in the room. Great fun to wake up in a car collection.

 

Hi All:

I thought the group would enjoy this film of a 1942 car show that brought together "50 of America's First Cars":

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/i...2_antique_auto_derby_50_of_americas_first_car

This 10-minute film documents the "Antique Auto Derby" held at the Fairfield County Hunt Club in Westport, Connecticut on July 25, 1942. The event was organized by the Veteran Motor Car Club of America for the benefit of United China Relief.

Howard Kroplick
East Hills, New York

 

Thank you for the recent posts on the Mercer. Great stuff.

BTW how much was incurred in fines in getting the photographs?

Here are some links to some newspaper articles, back in the day. There is no particular order and they are only a few of the "freebies". There are lots more available on the "pay-per-view".

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F00F13F83C5C13738DDDAE0A94D9415B848DF1D3

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F00913FD355D13738DDDA80894DB405B848DF1D3

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=FB0B10F83A55157A93C5AB1789D85F448285F9

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F40B12FD3A5813738DDDA90B94D0405B838DF1D3

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GIULAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6lMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4390,6087764&dq=mercer&hl=en

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=J_UgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z3QFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2551,3325828&dq=mercer&hl=en

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EPUgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nHQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4850,6250114&dq=mercer&hl=en

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D_UgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nHQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3903,6096611&dq=mercer&hl=en

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F30911F83D5417738DDDA80B94D0405B828DF1D3

This one mixed up Mercer with merger, it isn't racing, but interesting...

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=514uAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N9kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4227,4551148&dq=mercer&hl=en


......
and, if this hasn't been "viewed" before:

http://www.khulsey.com/masters_yoshihiro_inomoto.html

 

Howard, thank you very much for the link to the Westpost show in 1942! Great to see those cars in action, the VMCCA had a show in Boston that year for the China Releif, I have a program with a list of all the cars. Many of the Melton cars were there as well. The T Head MERCER I got a ride in last month was there as well.

 

Frank Kulick in the Baby Limited at Harlem Chicago 1904, Herb Lytle in his Pope looking over his shoulder at him in the last pic.

 

Photo of what appears to be a very well done Hudson racing car on a track at Baraboo Wisconsin.

Baraboo was home to several sawmills early in its history because of its location near the Baraboo and Wisconsin Rivers. In the 19th century it was also headquarters of several circuses, including the Ringling Brothers Circus, and thus became known as Circus City.

 

Room to squeeze in another Mercer? I think this is Herb Royston, with his '13 at an event about 60 years ago.

 

Twin6 you are right about that, here is another photo of Herb and the car. He bought it from the original owner not long after WWII and gave it a partial restoration. It was bought by Ray Brown from Roystons estate after he died and went from Browns estate to Bob Peterson and it now is in the Peterson Museum in LA. It is one of the best surviving examples.

Harry Miller worked on this car in the teens or twenties and installed a different oil pump on it.

There are photos of it that I posted one page back.....It is yellow with the Peterson plates on it.

 

This is a a hand colored etching 25 inches wide. Sorry for the poor photo

It's very hard to read the artist's name F R guy maybe.... any ideas?

 

Very nice pic Bluto, is it a White?

I think the other two in this picture are Carl Fisher in the Premier Comet and Edgar Apperson. If it's the 5 mile race I think it is Kulick won at 5:29 54.71 MPH over Fisher's 5.33 followed by Lytle and Apperson.

 

Paris/Madrid Mors

 

Good God!

One of Colin Chapman's ancestors must have been alive and well in 1904!

"Simplicate, then add lightness." - Colin Chapman

"Adding power makes you faster in the straights, while subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere." - Colin Chapman