History Classic Indy roadsters: Most beautiful oval racers ever?

I think this is not a "laydown" car, but now believe it to be the chiropractic special # 26 which was Jim Rathman's ride in 1957. Still have no help on who M.G. Parker is/was.

 

My former boss was raised around Indy his whole life. He didn't work with us for long, but he's a member of the IMS Foundation, and has a few Indy cars that he has restored. We had quite a few talks about his cars. The sight and sound of the Watson is absolutely spectacular in person. Here's an interview with him:

 

M. G, (George) Parker was a jack of all trades.
He was a pattern maker, a foundry man, and machinist.
There was nothing he couldn't make.
He had a number of vintage race cars.
He was instrumental in making new 8 cylinder Miller race car engines for the Miller restorers.
He was a good friend.
I'm sure that's one of his many little hobby projects.

 

1 have a friend that is looking for a pair of these wheels if anyone can help

 

Great thread!

 

Good to see some activity on this thread again, it has been really quiet for a long time.
I am still looking for Watson roadster Body Parts, Any leads very appreciated.

 

I had a N O S Floyd Davis midget steering box and a Floyd Davis 201 type quickchange. Sold the steering and installed the quickchange in a TROG car. The inner small pinion bearing support was machined a mile off. No bearing. That's how my customer runs it. So much for needing that bearing. Todd won his class last year. Uses a 1/2" SCAT stroker flathead that I built.

 

I signed up specifically to be able to reply to this. My father was in the turbine division of GE, based out of Evendale near Cincinnati, and was apparently involved in getting a turbine engine into this car. I have a postcard he sent to my mom from Indianapolis shortly before the 1966 500 telling her to “root for 99.” I was delighted to find this thread, as it has been very difficult getting any information about it beyond the little bit my mom has told me (my father died in 1986). I would love to find a photo of him there. He also apparently worked with a retired general who was experimenting with putting turbines into race cars - my mom wasn’t sure which general, but after a little research I think it might have been Curtis LeMay.

 

Hello @TheKipper , I did some checking around and I found this photo of the #99 car. It was owned by Norman Demler of New York State, originally built with an Offenhauser engine but in 1966 it was re-powered with a GE turbine. I’m posting these photos as they might help someone recall having seen other pictures of the car and maybe your dad.

The caption on the above photo is misleading, this earlier image shows the Offy engine when the car ran as the Demler Special.

For ‘66 the car was renamed the Jack Adams Aircraft Special, Adams supplied components to the aircraft industry. The second photo shows the turbine exhaust with a cover over it.
Good luck in your quest.

 

Great thread!!! My father in law was deeply entrenched in Indy cars from after WW2 until the mid 1950s with the infamous NOVI/KURTIS cars. A brief but fabulous run at the brickyard, backyard ingenuity at its best coming strait out of Glendale Ca/ NOVI Michigan. Known as the beast,,,.. with its very loud unique growl that could be heard around the entire race track according to those that were there. Dangerous times for sure-

 

My favorite era - when drivers were fat and tires were skinny.
Today Indy and NASCAR have become nothing but spec races with zero innovation.

 

Kipper, welcome. It's good to see the real deal people get involved here. Check with EMMR, Eastern Museum of Motor Racing in central Pa. They have an extensive library from that time period. There's a website.

 

Thank you so much!

 

Thank you - I actually have relatives in that general area, so it’s possible I could finagle a side trip to that museum if I get out there for a visit.

 

Lots of members here on the HAMB. The admission is by donation, plan several hours as there's lots to see. Check for their winter hours.

 

I don't intend to "hi-jack" the thread, but I have a question that is related to the Offy motors(& yes, I've been through the Offenhauser Book by Gordon White, & was unable to find an answer my question) : The reason I ask is that a large(270 series) motor with a cam cover number tag #20 is now on Bring-a-Trailer, & so far there seems to be no way to determine a production date for the motor, except that if all the numbers were in sequence, it would indicate a very early production date(probably in the mid 1930s?). Does anyone have an answer to whether the engine size serial numbers were separate or mixed, & does anyone have a more complete numerical index of the Offenhauser production numbers?

 

Records posted by Kenneth Walton for Offenhauser production from 1947 through 1965 were sequential for the 220, 255, 270 and 252 according to him.
Here are s/n’s for the 270’s-

 

Thank you Fordors, but these figures don't answer the questions I asked : !. Were there separate serial sequences for the small and the large Offenhauser motors? 2. When would a large Offenhauser #20 have been built, & to whom sold(if known)? With that low a serial number I would believe it would indicate to have been somewhere in the mid 1930s?