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

Don Smith, long time promoter and behind the scenes power in circle track racing, died Sunday morning at age 90 in Terre Haute, Indiana.

I hope his collection goes to someone who will give it proper respect.

 

the story goes as Jim ( my Dad ) watched Pop weld a midget frame... eventually Pop had to go off and do something. When he got back my dad had finished welding and had done a perfect job... so thier relationship started.
When my dad was drafted he was sent to welding school in the Army. He graduated in the top three of his class. Those top welders went to Germany , the rest to Korea. My dad toured the race tracks in Europe on a second hand BMW motorcycle. I used to have a picture.

 

this is the car he waited to qualify at Indy 1960.. his mechanic had waved him off on the first attempt. He was running fast enough to make the field. a dark day. My mom says he took a walk right after and did not come back till after 10pm. Never spoke a word about it. He did not drink or smoke either

 

true story.

 

I attended that Langhorne race. Yes he drove probably the last 25 laps as stated. One gritty performance.

I also saw him win at hatfield on the ⅓ banked dirt surface. He was in Jake Vargo's midget. ARDC Made him start last in the feature instead of using car points which was the norm. Jim won going away.

 

Dirtzoo, if you haven't already done so you should get in touch with Junior Dreyer who is Pop's son. I spoke to him some years back about your father and I believe he told me that he and your father shared a room in the Dreyer home at one point. He did tell me that he considered your dad to be like a big brother to him.

 

I need some help to identify the builder of this chassis. It was purchased by Ray Smith of Eaton Ohio and run in 72 and 73 as a # 70 with Curt Waters and others and in 1974 as a # 10 with Joe Saldana and others. In 1975 it was a red # 14 and finished the year with Rich Vogler driving. It is a front spring rear torsion with stacked rear bars. I am told that Ray never built any frames, instead he bought finished frames and assembled the cars in shop. I have sent pictures to and spoken to Steve Stapp and he assures me it was not one of his frames.I am assuming that it was built in the late 60's as it has a bolt on cage. The previous owner contacted Cissy Smith in the early 90's and she identified it as one of their cars. She ststed at that time that Greg Weld had built the cage on the existing roll bar. Any help would be greatly appreciated...

 

Has a lot of earmarks of a late 60s Edmunds, might be a copy/ kit with some changes.

 

This appears to be one of the cars built by Jim McElreath and I think the few cars he put together were for himself or James Jr.

 

The overall layout of the car looks very similar to the car Lloyd Weaver ( Weaver Excavating ) ran.

I think Weaver was out of the Cleveland, Ohio area, so you might do some investigating in that area or see if someone has restored Weaver's car and could supply some information.

The frame doesn't look like anything the fabricators around Indy were building.

 

Clyde Adams car?
Got a chance to look at what is supposed to be a Clyde Adams built car from '38. some characteristics don't seem typical of cars from that era though. For example the frame is tubular, parallel tubes with diagonal triangulation. the rest of the car (what is there) consists of a 59ab , three speed, and banjo rear. It's a two springer with a later 50's cowl steering. just wondering if Clyde would have been building cars with this type of chassis/ frame at some point in his career. I'd like the story to be true.......but I'm skeptical by nature.

 

Doug,what is the black frame in the background ?

 

I don't know Bob. Those pictures were taken about 1990.

 

Sprinter 2 - Do you own the car in your avatar? Looks like the Leffler car that Larry Dickson drove for Ernie Ensign.

 

I restored that 72 Leffler/Dunseth car in 2007. It was driven in 72 by Larry Dickson and Tom Bigelow. I sold it in 2016 and just finished the Ray Smith 14 in my previous posting

 

The black frame was the Scats Anfuso car he ran from 1966 to 1973

 

Thanks Doug .

 

It sure is nice to see cars put back the way they were early in life. Thanks for sharing those photos.

 

..well it started first time....bit of an anti climax,it's the first car I have built that has a computer .....it really was a ''plug and play'' thing....it ticks over nicely,responds very quickly on the throttle,and all I need to do is take it to be tuned properly....don't know what I was afraid of......

 

Jim McElreath passed today in Arlington, Texas

 

RIP

 

Mr. Reese you've out done yourself! Anti Climatic? The first start up is the most exciting part of any project!! The best part of the pic is Jenny hiding in the sun room!
Congratulations!! How long till the first drive?

 

....it was a great day,even though I was a little dazed when she lit straight up....no oil leaks,no water leaks,and it starts up on the button just like my Audi...had my prop shaft back today,so only need to bleed the clutch and brakes and that's it....waiting to get my licence plates,then its on the street....may need another project..

 

I was up in lower NC last weekend and when in Maggie Valley visited the Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum. A couple of interesting cars there, too, including this old sprinter. Other than the placard, no other info. Gary

 

I wonder if anyone on the hamb has any other (maybe clearer) photos of this Elgin piston pin car?

 

also this #14Frank Brisko Elgin Piston Pin car from 1936

 

That sure looks like the Sprint car that Jim "Jake " Jacobs was restoring years ago. From Jake, it went to Willy Chambers, and I believe Steve Huntzinger finished the restoration for Willy. All those guys are pals with Dale who owns the "Wheels through Time " museum.