History H.A.M.B. Cars that pushed the limits (Vintage only Please.)

Frank Kurtis was an innovator way ahead of his time. He conceived the tube framed midget before the end of WW II. This is my Dad's KK midget, chassis number 4 in late 1945.

 

10 years later, in 1955 Frank conceived the first tube framed 1/4 midget. This is KK 1/4 midget chassis number one. That is 10 year old me qualifying in the summer of '57.

 

And lest we forget Robert "Jocko" Johnson who spent his life thinking out of the box. With Emory Cook driving, Jockos revolutionary rear engine streamliner rocked the drag racing world with an 8.35 sec run at Riverside in 1959. During the summer of '59 this was the quickest car on the planet.

 

The Pat Clancy Special Big Car (Indy Car)

The car’s owner and commissioner was Pat Clancey, a trucking company owner from the South who saw how well his twin screw rigs worked in the traction department and thought that adding a second axle (both are powered) would be the hot ticket to success and stardom.



The car was also raced on dirt at places like Milwaukee

 

Was very cool to see the clone at the hotrod hill climb!

 

Dick Kraft's Bug The first dragster

 

Lee Oldfield Spl. 1937, first rear engine Indycar

 

They don't have to be nationally famous. The Nolan Swift car ran Oswego Speedway (The Steel Palace) Oswego N.Y.
Post some loacl cars too.

 

The Golden Golden Submarine and it was built by Barney Oldfield with the help of racing legend and engineering mastermind, Harry Miller, in 1917.
Oldfield decided to build the car after a fatal accident involving one of his dear friends, Bob Burman. Also a racing driver, Burman was behind the wheel of an open cockpit car. The theory was protection for the driver and aero.

 

That would be Jim Lytle's Big AL

Roo

 

Wonder what engine was in that car, looks like a V10?

 

Marmon v-16

 

But I only count 5 pipes....do two cylinders share a pipe?

 

The farthest forward pipe is bent up and back to clear the chassis member

 

A Marmon V-16 in it's natural habitat. Note 8 plugs only 5 exhaust ports.

 

That pic explains it. 5 exhaust ports and 8 cylinders per side. Center 3 ports service 2 cylinders each. Wow, what engineering that was. Must have worked pretty good to run one at Indy.

 

There are an awful lot of V8 engines with 3 exhaust ports per side. Flathead Fords come to mind as one of them. 6 cylinder Chevys and GMC engines with 4 exhaust ports and 3 intakes ruled the road for years.

 

Cadillac and Olds rockets too I think.

 

I don't know if it pushed the limits per say but Big John Mazmanian's willys was the first too run a Hemi in A/GS , the others quicky fallowed suit and the rest is history.

 

Along with Studebaker and Packard V8s

 

Mickey Thompson's Roller Skates- Unfortunately these cars were too radical. They were designed for 12" tires which U.S.A.C. band before the Indy 500. A complete redesign of the car for the race made them evil and cuase the death of Dave MacDonald.

 

The Phil Remington Modified. First pic is original second is Dan Webb's very accurate replica built with the help of Phil himself provoding details, pics and memories.

 

Herb Bakers Dragster Built 1954.. .

 

Lee Woolleys Dragster Built 1954...

 

What can you say about this one?? But, wow!!

 

How about ANY car Harry Miller had a hand in or on? That guy was a genius.

 

Isky's roadster....

 

Or Barny Navarro's race car...

 

Eldred Norman's double V8. Two flat heads in a bren gun carrier chassis.
https://www.whichcar.com.au/features/legendary-australian-inventor-and-racer-eldred-norman