Roadrace cars... vintage, nostalgia, historic

Millers at the Mile, a yearly gathering on the Milwaukee Mile

 

Remember! The photos I shot at Grand Central Air terminal were with an Argus C-3; the ones at Pomona and Torrey Pines were with the Brownie Hawkeye.

"Dawg"

 

Kurt, I asked some of the "old guys" at breakfast last Saturday if they knew anyone that ran at any of the Road Racers Register (RRR or Triple R). I was amazed! None of the guys knew there was such an organization as the "Triple R"..EEEEEOWWW!!! I guess just turning 73 years, made me old. The truth is that, although I'm a few years younger than the guys I've been meeting with at these breakfest meetings, because I 'd been lying about my age those many years ago; I started racing before many of them.

Sorry I couldn't be of any help to you Kurt.

"Dawg"

 

I think it was the #55 car, in the photo, 550-04, that showed up to the Monterey Historics a number of years ago, having been newly out of restoration. Then came back to Monterey for show in 2011.

I believe, among others, the late Dave Kent (who was a whole story into himself), Bruce Burness and Joey Cavalieri (who at that time, was apprenticing) worked on the car. I think the car is still owned by Porsche.

These days, Bruce is trying to finish up the restoration of George Follmer's Lola T-70, so it can run, with George driving, at this years Monterey show. Joey, who has had his own shop for a number of years, has finished) the 550-03 Spyder for Jerry Seinfeld. Cavalieri also is putting back together the Scarab in which John Morton had to take a scary ride, the year before last at Monterey. Joey also restored Porsche 550-01 for Miles Collier.

 

This is one of several cars that I have shipped from N.Z. to U.K. This is a NZ built special based on a 1950 Alfa Romeo 1900. At the moment it is running on two large twin choke Webers but stage two will be the fit a very large supercharger from a 1950 Maserati 4CLT. It is road legal and goes very well. It has de Dion rear suspension which works well.

 

I thought I had already posted this; but, I must have deleted it before I completed it.

This is Ernie McAfee aboard Bill Doheny's new Ferrari 4.4 121LM. Ernie came in 2nd at the Grand Central Air Terminal main event. This made it Phill Hill in 1st place; and Jack McAfee in 3rd.


Ernie, unfortunately was killed in this car the following April (1956) at Pebble Beach. There were two of the 121LM's in California. The other belonged to Tony Paravano. Later drivers of Paravano's car described it as "virtually uncontrollable".

 

Here is one built in the early 60s, by my uncle Gene Voigt. It was based on a Crosley engine/transmission/rear-end.

http://sports.racer.net/chassis/voigt/page1.htm

 

That is a really nicely built car. Does it run as good as it looks?

 

This is a Ferrari 340 America I used to own. Ron Chuck driving it at the Monterey Historics, circa 1984. The white fender is the Parkinson Jaguar Special.

 

The Parkinson Jag Spl in the pits at Pebble Beach, 1952 between an XK-120 and two very early Porsches. It is a rebodied and modified XK-120 which hit a tree at Pebble Beach in 1951. Obviously, the body design was strongly influenced by the J Allard. We still run the Parkinson Jag in West Coast vintage races.

 

Yes it is very easy to drive. It has a bog standard 1900 [1975cc] engine right now with inlet manifold and 45 Webers off a Superleggera and possibly produces around 120bhp at the flywheel. With another race specs engine and the Maserati Blower I would expect to get around 200bhp. The Masa blower [the largest made] has rotors 220mm long and was built by Ing.Speluzzi for Scuderia Milan. These blowers were also used on 4CLT modified engines for racing speedboats.

 

Here are some shots from the Goodwood Revival. A must see event for anyone who loves old cars and vintage/historic racing.

1934 Maserati 8CM

Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em (Explored) by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1938 Alfa Romeo 308C leading a 1938 ERA E-type GP1

Goodwood Trophy by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1952 Revis-JAP 500

1952 Revis-JAP 500 by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe (s/n CSX 2300)

1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe (s/n CSX 2300) by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB 'Breadvan' (s/n: 2819GT)

Breadvan by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1963 Ford Galaxie leading a 1965 Morris Mini Cooper S

Stalking It's Prey by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1955 Ferrari 750 Monza

1955 Ferrari 750 Monza by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1956 Jaguar D-type

1956 Jaguar D-type by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

 

An acquaintance of mine brought out, I think from NZ, a car that looked like a 1954 Ferrari Formula two car, with a 2 litre Alfa in it. Problem was that he tried to conjure up a story that it was a real one that had the Ferrari engine hijacked out of it.

That, of course didn't "fly", as there are many a knowledgeable person around that know where, just about, every Ferrari made is lurking.

Nevertheless, I think these cars are really great builds in their own right.

 

I bet you wish you still had that little car! It's a real dandy!

 

It's on MY "bucket list". I guess I'd have to go to spectate. I don't think Lord March would want to invite my little "mongrel" to the Revival or the festival.

 

This is for Mark Hinds (as well as the rest of you).

This is a photo of Tony Settember in his MG Special at the November 1955 Grand Central Air Terminal races. Tony went on to drive a Mercedes 300SL, as well as other cars for other people. In the early sixties he went to Europe to drive in Formula 1 for the Emeryson team. He then was involved as a driver in the aborted Scirocco Formula 1 team effort.

 

My vote for pix of the week is... Gary

 

Can anyone ID this car? I got the pic off the net, it's a bit new for the HAMB, but...

 

Its a AMS SP.

Ford Cosworth powered.

It was in the 1970 Targa Florio.

 

I know that car rather well. The Kiwi owner was Jim Short. The one and only Ferrari item on it was the steering wheel which was only borrowed from Johny Riley who was a well known Kiwi racer and I dont think that Johny ever got it back. I dont know whether or not the wheel made it to the States. The car was built in Nelson and had a glass fibre body. The mechanicals were 105 series Alfa so way out of period.

 

Thanks OD

 

Thanks metalshapes. The file name "Targaflorio 70" should have at least given me a hint!

 

That pic is so bad ass, and is the kind of thing I was thinking when I started the thread.

 

Kurtis 500S at Santa Barbara, 1960:


And today:

 

For your reading pleasure:

 

Thanks, I'm glad you like the pic. Here are a few more. This time from The Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion. These are more in the mold of the one off "Specials".

1951 Fraiser Nash LeMans leading a 1952 Aardvark H-Mod

Fraiser Nash vs. Aardvark by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1954 Warrior-Bristol

1954 Warrior-Bristol by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1956 Avia MK3 Streamliner

1956 Avia MK3 Streamliner by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1957 Townsend Typhoon

1957 Townsend Typhoon by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1958 Scarab Sports Racer

1958 Scarab Sports Racer by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1958 Echidna Special

1958 Echidna Special by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1962 Kellison-Corvette Special Closed Wheel

1962 Kellison-Corvette Special Closed Wheel by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

1958 Hagemann-Sutton Special C-Modified

1958 Hagemann-Sutton Special C-Modified by autoidiodyssey, on Flickr

 

Very nice car, one I'm not familiar with. Love them gold centers, too. Gary

 

What do you think of this one? I have no idea where I "liberated" the image or any info on the car. From a HAMB post? Gary

 

Love to see more pics of the Townsend Typhoon if you've got them. That's cool shit, Gary.