Features VINTAGE SPRINT CAR PIC THREAD, 1965 and older only please.

Chris has been very generouse donating so much of his archives to EMMR. He has been a great supporter of the museum and always gave us good ink in his column.

 

.....'Offy220 [Bruce] mentioned George Benson: 'Thank you for that. Aside from all of his accomplishments in racing both as a driver and a car builder, he's also the author of an amazing new book. Since a recent topic was Gordon Van Liew's Vita-Fresh Orange Juice dirt car, as was noted before, George drove that car for Darwin Maxson. He also drove the Maxson-Jeffries sprint car in CRA competition (with which he won with) and Maxson's front-engined Epperley Indy car. Benson is probably just another brilliant craftsman, engineer and race car driver that will not get the credit and notoriety that he deserved. And because of his modesty and self-assurance, I'm sure that he is just fine with that!

 

Little Fauss,

Thanks for posting about his accomplishments. He has been very helpful in identifying some spare parts I have had for the last 25+ years that I bought from Judy Maxson Jeffries along with the Watson sprint car. I have some spare drive train parts/brakes/axle from the Dirt car and Halibrand wheels from the Epperly Indy car and the dirt car. I wasn't sure where these parts were from - George was and is a great help. Excellent author also!

Since you mentioned the CRA Maxson-Jeffries Offy Sprint car - George and Billy Cantrell were some of Maxson's top drivers - along with Buzz Rose, Gordon Woolley and Paul Jones - possibly others.

Offy 220

 

Well that's great to hear! Thanx, Gary

 

'Fauss
I've never been convinced that the torsion bars knew where they were mounted...They are just springs. after all.
The important thing is how and where they were attached to the axle.
Zero suspension binding and predictable, linear roll resistance are the objectives.
mac miller in INDY

 

First of all - what a great photo! Then I noticed the rim on the left front - it gave the impression the tire was flat and was pulling off the rim. But, the tire would be going the other way. Then I looked at the right side tire. The inside rim bead seems to be out as well. So, must be somewhat of an illusion - there's no "bulging" sidewall on the tire to extend beyond the rim - like there would be on a rear tire. I'm pushing 55 and that's the first I've noticed that on a car.

 

One of M/J earliest (maybe first?) drivers was Bill Krause. Better known as a flat out Mazzy driver on the road courses, he had his roots in oval racing and was part of Jefferies "Hollywood inner circle" and still dabbled in the sprints/midgets. Also related to Von Dutch, through marriage, if I'm not mistaken.

 

Ahhh your rattling my memory. I warmed up a Maxson-Jeffries, Epperly built front engine Indy roadster at one of the first California 500's in Ontario. I didn't go fast enough to make the show so I was lucky to get into Rolla Vollstedt's car and did make the show.
Anyone got a picture of that front engine roadster? The workmanship on that car was outstanding. Denny Z

 

mac miller has several good pics here:
http://indyroadsters.webs.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=6437227

 

And I just paid for a new subscription. I waited every week to read the latest news.

 

Stop the check,call the credit card company.

 

Thanks Rootie, That purple 89 is similar to the Maxson roadster I drove but not the one.
I went to the USAC records site and it was 1970 that I was in Maxson's car and It wasn't till 1971 that I made the show in Rolla's car.
The Maxson-Jeffries car I drove was #88 and I think it was purple??? probably the same chassis slightly different body panels. Wish I could have driven that car a few years before when roadsters were still in their prime. Denny Z

 

Rootie,

Thanks for the additional information regarding various M/J drivers. Do you know the last event-year that M/J ran the sprint car and who was the driver? George drove the car at Ascot in '67 - I think that was the last year they ran the car - not sure. He posted a picture on his FB page - what is interesting the name on the hood is "Jeffries-Maxson".

Thanks,
Offy 220

 

No, sorry, I don't know for sure. Like you, all I find is Benson being the last driver shown in any results, but not sure he was, indeed, the last (?)

 

Hi Rootie,

I think you are correct - George was probably the last driver for M/J and then they parked the car. I am talking with him on FB. Hopefully we can get him on here and contribute any sprint car racing information he has during the period of '69 and older. He has been posting many pictures - would love to see them on this thread.

Thanks,
Offy 220

 

Medical update and request for donations: 3-25-11


Spoke to WRA Race Director Bob Mastroleo this AM.
"Kenny is still in LV Hosp Critical Care but alert and improving and working towards discharge to a lower level of care near his home in Paso Robles.
Donations for help with medical bills would be greatly appreciated."

Make checks to:
FBO Kenny Van Blargan
Send to: Santa Lucia Bank - PO Box 1947 - Paso Robles, CA 93447

 

Thats cool you drove a Maxson Car. My last name is Maxson.

 

Of interest to most everyone here ....

http://gbi1.com/

 

Ken,

Thanks for posting the link.

 

sprintcar4j, Any relation? Denny Z

 

Denny,

I was going to ask the same question. Darwin Maxson lived in Downey, California [about 25 southeast of LA], my uncle lived across the street from him for many years. I believe his daughter Judy and her son Kevin Jeffries live in Lake Elsinore, California.

Offy 220

 

Not Sure Denny. My Grandfather and Grandmother both worked for Nascar in the very early years. My Grandfather owned Stock cars,sprinters,midgets as well as my Dad. I also owned a few cars but no longer have any cars.I was told some how of an connection but dont remember how since I was very young boy. Both my Dad and Grandfather have passed so I cant find out much. I have been researching my family history and have found some very interesting things about the family. I also heard of Darwin Maxson from my Granfather. My Daughter is now racing Karts. Racing just keeps sucking me back in. If I find out more I will let you know.

 

Offy 220 & sprintcar4j, Darwin invited me out that year and I spent a couple of weeks with him and Jefferies (who I thought was married to his daughter) tinkering with that roadster.
They were very nice folks they put me up in their home in Downey while I was there and yes I knew they had a place in Lake Elsinore. I really wish I had hooked up with them sooner I think we would have made a great team, but by that time the roadster was obsolete.....except for Herk, he probably could have made it go.
On a side note I think Darwin told me he made a lot of money on some sort of coffee maker he invented. Denny Z

 

Very Nice-Thanks!!!

 

On a side note I think Darwin told me he made a lot of money on some sort of coffee maker he invented. Denny Z

Denny Z,

Thanks for the information regarding Maxson & Jeffries. I was talking with Dean a few months ago and I asked him about his ex father-in-law and what he had invented. I had heard years ago it was some type of thermocouple [?] or something related but he said it was a iced tea maker - the commercial type you see in restaurants and fast food places. A good possibility he invented both - coffee maker and an iced tea machine. Dean said he held a few patents in his life-time. He also laughed about his racing relationship with him - Darwin had the money and Dean did the wrenching.

When his daughter was selling his home, she had mentioned they had moved him to a retirement home in Lake Elsinore before he passed away. Her son Kevin is a State representative in California and represents the Lake Elsinore area.

Offy 220

 

LittleFauss & Offy 220, Interesting stuff. I think Dean also worked with George Barris the custom car/hot rod guru. Tell Dean I said hello next time you see him.

Your right about Frank Fiore Sr. ....Super nice guy and his son Frank Jr too. United did help a little. Frank only had two weeks vacation each year so he worked a deal with his employer, he put a United Airlines decal on the car (some photos show it on the windshield near my head) and that way they let him have the whole month of May off.
I am eternally grateful to Frank Sr. and Jr. for giving a kid from Glastonbury CT a chance in their Indy car. Also Frankie Delroy, he was the one that recommended me to Frank.

Frank Jr is in the process of restoring that car.

Denny Z

 

I am just now looking at a disc of photos by Bob Ochtrup in the nineties and discovered a few pictures that should be posted such as...

...the George LeMay Ranger from Calgary, Alberta. that ran with IMCA.

The car behind in the second photo is the Gene Cunningham Ranger, from Des Moines, IA, also an IMCA car.

 

Okay fella's.. a Quick update on my current project. It's gonna be non stop from here to INDY. It's gonna make it, but it'll take everything I got.

Engine has been fired on the Dyno, tuned and broke-in. We plan to fire it IN the car, inside the shop towards the end of the week.

Some of the things that were not done, that I had to do were:

Take a box full of 3/4 Stainless tube 90 degree bends and make a fuel line by tig welding it all together, hand fileing the welds, sanding with 240, then 400, then buff and polish. No seams! (old correct Hose clamps will be switched in AFTER we run it around the test corse a few times)

Re-mount MILLER carbs, and assemble fuel manifold rail. Had to Silver Solder all connections. (bunch of lil hoses, hose clamps, and what not.)

Assemble and install Throttle linkage and get working perfectly SMOOOOTH!

Build a clutch pedal return stop.

Assemble and finish Oil valve.

Finish Oil tank, solder everything to it, and make bracket for Hand Fuel pressure pump. (Bracket had to be made, Then LEAD coated, the solder on)

Then test fit Cowl section, and mark, make, and shape guage panel.

More to come..

 

I also have the #15 NOVI sitting behind me to stare at all day long! It's getting a "Check up and tune" before Indy.