Hot Rods Chauvin Emmon's Indy Influence

awwe crap, I was just about to go to bed when I see Ryan's post on my all time favorite early hi-tech rod! I have saved the Dec 64 Hot Rod all these years cause that Olds engine is beautiful and the car is awsome. Yeah, not "traditional" but geez, it was 1964 man!!

Here is another later Emmons Indy T that probably was a trip to drive. From August 1970 HR - yeah, I kept it too. So glad to know Mr. Emmons is still kickin ass and building hot rods.

And, thanks, Ryan for featuring something O.T.
Great technology should be honored no matter what the look.

 

Thank's for posting this up,Ryan.I'm a huge Emmon's fan.

 

if memory serves me correctly (not usually) i believe he won a ridler with a red 32 vicky.

can anyone confirm? pics?

later jim

 

Chauvin is very much alive and still kicking. He lives not far from me in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1lace><st1:City>Prescott</st1:City>, <st1:State>AZ</st1:State></st1lace> and has a shop to die for. I&#8217;m talking if you can dream it, you can make it in his shop and there isn&#8217;t a tool he doesn&#8217;t have. He is still doing track T kits; there is one running around town on a regular basis. This car design too was featured in Hot Rod. I think the car that started this thread was actually the very first color spread ever featured in Hot Rod. Much more than a track T though (the next one in HR), thing handles like a slot car. If you Google him all kinds of interesting things crop up. It is amazing what he has done in his life and his suspensions and chassis can't be beat. I'll get over to his shop again soon and get some pics to post of not only the shop but what is sitting in it now. I was in my fifties before I met him, but it turns out I was in high school and lived next door to where his fuel dragster was garaged in <st1:City><st1lace>Phoenix</st1lace></st1:City>. A big favorite at Beeline back in the day. I think his partner in the fuel car then was Rocky Gambino. He is also famous for some hemi head designs. I think to this day he is one of a couple of guys who hold more records (standing too) than anyone at Bonneville. Nicest guy you would ever want to meet. Oh yeah, says gas is for washing parts, fuel is what goes in racecars&#8230;he is a nitro guy through and through. It was Tony Piner who introduced me to him.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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In regard to the t with the monocoque chassis, yes he is building them and selling them he recently finished one and has two more in progress right now. He is also still running bonneville cars. He is going back out this year with a c/bfrmr (blown fuel rear engine roadster).

 

I am very fortunate to have met Chauvin 8 years ago or so and he did some work for me on my Lincoln V12 engine for my 32 Lincoln Hot Rod. He also autograph the Bonneville car on the right and gave it to me for a souvenir I only had met him the day I took my block in. I did go back to his shop after this and helped him a few times to lift engines on the hoyst. I will visit him my next time in Prescott does any one have his shop phone #

Thanks
Frenchy

 

Yup, that car is still around. I saw it in person at the Valley Speed Center open house last November.

 

Yes, Chauvin is very much alive. The estate sale you are referring to was probably Ermie Immerso's. He was from Phoenix, but I believe spent most of his later years in California.

Chauvin still races his Modified Roadster at Bonneville and may still be a record holder, I which class or classes I don't remember. I believe Chauvin gave up the driver's seat within the last couple of years.

I was a teenager when the article on his Indy roadster was published and I'm almost 62 now. Neat car. The color was nice, but a little too dark for my taste.

 

Here is the Watson roadster nose that inspired the front of the car

 

Somebody needs to do a thick book on this guy soon - too much tech and livin' to lose! I know a lot of writers lurk and post on here so lets get this history documented. I'll pay $50 for a copy asap.

David Perry? Ken Gross? Ganahl? Dain?

 

Chauvin's Bonneville Roadster in the 70s also had a bit of the "Indy Influence" ... the nose was very reminiscent of the 1968 Lotus 56 "Wedge" design:

1970: The "Hays, Niver & Emmons" C-motored (360ci Chrysler HEMI) Modified Roadster (C/MR)


1971: The "Hays, Niver & Emmons" C-motored (360ci Chrysler HEMI) Modified Roadster (C/MR)


1974: The "Emmons, Hays, & Leggitt" B-motored (Blown 360ci Chrysler HEMI) Modified Roadster (B/MR)
set a new two-way average record of 269+ mph (with a top speed of274.390 mph)​

 

I agree; the styling just doesn't work for me either.

 

If you're curious what it looks like today, I've got some pics taken at a recent gathering. Sorry if their a little artsy, they were taken by a "photographer" and to his defense, the car was stuck in a corner with people standing nearby.

It's still yellow and for the most part untouched, but the Olds has been swapped for BBC power at some point.

 

landseaandair ... thanks for the recent pics! ... RIP Chauvin ...

 

Your welcome. I'm also gonna try to have a camera available next time anything like this sees daylight in the future.

 

yes the car does still exist in glendale az. one in a while it is static displayed.sadley chavin passed away right before his run at bonneville. his son drove this last run and did 300 mph. i used to work for chavin's machine shop in 1995-96. i learned alot fast about machining inconel, waspaloy, and titainium

 

yes the car is displayed once in a while in glendale az

 

Yes the car still exists, It's in the Phoenix area owned by a local guy. He is in the process of restoring it with the original Olds engine. I saw it a couple of weeks ago and took a some photos.