Many years ago I wrote to the Gulf Oil company requesting information on the Ford GT-40 they sponsored. Sometime long after, I received a packet of photos, news clippings, and other ***orted really neat racing junk, none of which had anything to do with what I had asked for. It was as if someone just emptied out an old file cabinet and sent it all to me! But in the packet was this photo. It was just so cool I framed it and hung it on my wall. Over the years, I have tried to ID the car and man without success. Looks like the old Indianapolis garage area. Have never seen this car in any books, though the gent looks familiar. Maybe a builder or owner? Any ideas? Thanks!
Ahhh. I never suspected it was a Harry Miller car; it didn't look like any I had seen. Judging by your avatar, Guffey, you know what you are talking about!
It was the cooling system but it was unsussessful and there were a series of changes it ended up with a conventional radiator shown in the second photo it originally had pannier fuel tanks and those were outlawed the second photo I posted was from .1939 they( there were 2 built) were actually built for the 1937 race.
I believe the car was one of the two that Ira Vail -a long time customer of Harry Miller had commisioned for use on the dirt tracks-some of which he promoted. I believe Gulf Oil came along and bought out the contract and commisioned Miller to begin work on the famous 4wd Gulf Millers. there's lots of data on the internet about these two Vail cars and you should cross reference this thread to the 'History of Auto Racing 1894-1944' here on the HAMB from Miller-Offenhouser Society: " [SIZE=-1]The Miller-Gulf 255 cu in engine is a design originally penned for Ira Vail in 1937 for two rear-drive combination dirt-track and champ cars. Gulf Oil bought out Ira Vail shortly after construction was started and built the Miller-Gulf 6 cylinder racing cars. However, work continued on the 4 cylinder cars and they tried but did not qualify for the 1938 Indy. Gulf later sold the cars to Tucker who used the engines in his failed attempt to produce a military aircraft.[/SIZE] " Here's link to photo of the two cars http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=71811 And here's a buliders photo
The guys are right, it is a Harry Miller built car, this guy was genius, his engines, built from aluminum incorporated the earliest alum. pistons, forged rods, hemi combustion chambers, as many as 5 valves jiggled directly by twin overhead cams and ****ing thru his designed carbs. his creativity goes on to include Front WD followed by 4WD. His motors in the 30s were making 3HP per C.I. He employed the young Offenhauser who followed with his own reknown. In April of 1924 at Muroc lake a 183ci Miller did 151mph, by 1927 a 91ci Miller did a one way 171mph.
1924 record run, Muroc dry lake, California - Tommy Milton (Miller 183) 151,26 mph, record for 3-litre car
This car was restored by the late David Uihlein and sold at Pebble Beach about three years ago and is in a Utah collection now.
Preston Tucker used one of the 6 cylinder MILLER race cars that were designed at about the same time as the futuristic looking four. There were a total of 4 six cylinder cars built, they may have been the first lay down motors.
Your photo of George Barringer (one of the Gulf Miller drivers) Here's photo of his son Bill in my Miller 91 Replica. Harry Miller was a frequent guest at his home in Indianapolis. We both plan to be at the Millers at Milwaukee Meet in July with our cars.
Guffey, Please tell us about the 255 engine. It looks as if it has a split crankcase rather than the traditional barrel. And it looks as if the crankcase and block are a single unit. As I recall from Mark Dees' book, they were gasoline burners of abut 150 HP. I used to have parts of the next generation engines, four cylinder twin cam 255 - marked Tucker on some, Miller on others. Two coupled end to end formed the 510 cubic inch eight cylinder module that Tucker wanted to use in aircraft (never flew) and possibly landing craft. Two or more of the eights might have been formed into V or W configuration to make them even bigger.
The description given by Mark Dees in his book is as follows: "It had twin overhead cams (what else?), two valves per cylinder at about 80 deg included angle, a full height alloy block split longitudinally at the crankshaft centreline, without removable bearing bulkheads. It had wet cylinder sleeves and dual ignition. Bore and stroke were the same as the Offy 255, 4.25in. x 4.5in." These cars also had disc brakes. From all accounts they were similar in operation to the Kinmont discs that came out after the war.
They were supposed to be the first disc brakes ever used and from something I have seen Tucker planned on using a similar style on the Torpedo. I don't know if Miller came up with them or ?
Good question. Dees book goes into a detailed description of them and contrasts this idea with the spot caliper type discs which have become the norm nowadays and there antecedents on WWII aircraft. Having done some searches I have discovered that there was an American by the name of Elmer Ambrose Sperry of Cleveland designed an electric car having front-wheel disc brakes. What I found states as follows: "He made a large disc integral with the hub on each wheel. Electromagnets were used to press smaller discs, lined with a friction material, against spots on the rotating disc to bring the wheel to a stop. Springs retracted the spot discs when current was interrupted." This, on my reading, suggests that the arrangement was not a full 360 contact of the friction material but multiple spots. I stand to be corrected. Still not quite the idea that Miller used. I guess until someone come up with an earlier example of this idea then perhaps we have to ***ume that this was his idea.
I thought I would add and the Mark Dees book mentions it also It seem Millers original concept of this car (cars) included 4 wheel drive. and possible time constraints will the new order for the 6 cylinder mid engine Gulf Millers the idea was abandoned. Does anyone know anything about Kaufman starters I ***ume they are early aircraft stuff These cars had them
This was on a different site and shows the final phase of the 2 37 Gulf Millers ( about 1939 probably)
The Jalopy Journal
