Old Race Car found... updates.

Absolutely... You got yourself a ride!

I found a Bellhousing for it.
And the cool thing about it is, its the same as one that Max used. ( I believe its a Cook...)
i still need a Aluminum Flywheel with a steel insert ( I'll probably buy one from Suedesled ), and a 6Carb U-fab intake for a Nailhead.

But I'd like to find out some more History, before I start working on it.
I have been trying to get in touch with Ernie Nagamatsu ( who owns OY2 )
And there is a specialist in California that I was told has worked on a lot of the Ol Yeller cars, his name is Reagan Rulau ( Sp ), I'd love to talk to him too...

Edit.

I have heard that OY1 was sold to a guy in Arizona.
I would like to talk to him as well, and I would really like to see his Car...

 

Looks like I need to mark my place in line. A ride will
work, so long as you promise to get it sideways.

TZ

 

Mr Shapes,
So it was a V-8 car? Didn't they build some on the same platform with a 6 or am I confused?

V-8 car would be the ultimate, way faster than you or I can hang onto.

 

Pinstriper has some Schiefer's in stock, got one for my 364 last weekend...
Rocco and Cheater's RULES!

 

I think I can promise you that....
Would you prefer sideways Right, sideways left, or both?

Both OY1 and mine started out with 6 Inline Engines, OY1 had a Plymouth Flathead 6, mine had a Mercedes. ( I am pretty convinced of what my Car is, but I still would like some Historians to take a look at it ).
OY1 got modified for a Buick Nailhead ( before Max Balchowski got it ) by Dick Morgensen, who built and Raced it.
Mine has been modified for a V8 as well, but I have found no Info of what V8 that was.
So it seems to me that the best guess is putting a Nailhead in, because its sister car had one.
( although OY1 later got a SBC swapped in place of its Nailhead )

Pinstriper here on the HAMB?
I'll send him a P/M...
Thanks.

 

Yep, he had a stack of them at Charlotte for just about every old engine I could think of... Very cool, very good price, good down home southern hospitality....

 

P/M is sent...

 

Alex, great to see this pop up again. As I told you in a previous email the main guy I was going to query about your car was killed this winter in a snowmobile accident, so no answers there. Too bad as I'm certain he would have had info. The next source is still rooting through his voluminous stacks of old mags, race programs, SCCA stuff and who knows what else. He doesn't move real fast (kinda like me) but he does have STUFF, so he may be a good source. Another source, Bob Austin, (my mentor into the world of "hot rods") who is now in his seventies and has a memory way WAY better than mine is rooting through his stuff to see what he can find. Another source, Lee Osborn, a retired sprint car racer, is also asking around amongst his racer friends to see what he can learn. Sooooo, who knows, we may learn something yet. I hope so. Keep in touch. John

 

Thank you so much John, for going through all this trouble for me.
I really appreciate it.

 

Alex, this is really fun for me and, I assume, for all my friends that are getting involved. My pleasure and I really hope that some of the seeds we are planting will bear fruit.

By the way, i just got my '63 Dodge 440 home from where it was hibernating this winter and fired it up for the first time with the new 440". I'm certain the neighbors weren't to keen on this as it doesn't have any mufflers yet. Oh the music it plays. Plus the 4-speed makes me feel like a kid again! I love it. I need to finish the wiring and a few other details and then I'll be terrorizing the streets again, just like I did back when this car was new. Of course, I have to be back home before it gets dark. Something to do with "senior-itis" getting a hold on me! Who knew? John

 

I'm not sure if this will help but famed collector Bruce Meyer MAY be able to help...also I'd contact the Peterson Museum...I'd venture a guess that someone on the staff would be able to steer you in the right direction...You should be able to get a hold of Meyer thru the peterson.

 

The cutaway drawing is definitely the first Balchowsky "Old Yaller" Buick special which began as the Morgensen Special(2) with Plymouth six power.
Baslchowsky and Eric Hauser bought it and put a nailhead Buick in it and made a lot changes to the suspension etc. with great success. Later, Jim Larkin put a Chevy in it and it eventually ended it's life while being raced by Hauser at Riverside as the "Outhauser Special". Hauser went end over end and the car caught on fire and was put out by the truck that pumped out the portable toilets.
It suffered an unfortunate "restoration" a few years ago and is now in the hands of a gentleman who told me at Barrett-Jackson that he was going to do a proper restoration on it, which it deserves.
Balchowski went on to build at least 8 more Old Yallers of various descriptions but the first 2 or 3 were the most successful.
Antonvrs (I was a Cal Club Tech inspector in those days)

 

if i remembger correctly OlD Yaller had a homeade independant front suspension on it?

 

Cool Anton,
So you did the Tech Inspections on these Cars?
Did the Morgensen Mercedes ever race with your Club?
Who owned it after Tracy Bird?
Can you send me in the right direction for more Info?
( I would love to find some good Photos of it... )

Thanks for registering and replying to this thread.

 

The first one with IFS was OY2 that is now owned by Dr. Ernie Nagamatsu.

I was told that OY1 had a V8 60 tube Axle with leaf Springs that worked in torsion.
My Car has a Ford I Beam with a Ford leaf spring on top of the Axle.

 

Here are some pics from a great book, America Road Race Specials by Allan Girdler - Motorbooks International 1990.

Lots of stuff on cars like yours - and a whole section on the Morgensen Special and more on the Balchowsky cars.

First, a pic of the book cover - not sure if it is still in print.
Also, a Dean Batchelor photo of the Morgensen Special at Santa Barbara Airport 1954, with 3 carb Plymouth engine.

 

Here's another pic from the Girdler book, Watkins Glen, 1954. Car is powered by a Chevy 6. Very similar to your car, but driver/builder is unidentified. Does your car have a bracket for sidemount spare tire?

This pic originated from the the Watkins Glen Racing Museum Archives - which might be a good source to check for info on your car.

 

I'll go look for it today.
And that Car uses the same Rear fenders as well... ( Chevy Truck ).

Edit.

Since the Track and the year are known, it should be possible to find out who the Car/Driver #167 was...

 

I asked them and they gave me this Info...

That Car was a Chevrolet Special owned by Eddison Willis Austin.
He was from Connecticut.
They were not sure if he built the car or bought it, and the next year he raced a Vette...

 

I saw the post on the flywheel. I got one I can give you a good deal on. Since it is such a cool project!!

Take care and good luck, Marty

 

Cool Marty.

I'll get in touch...

 

My buddy Hot Rod Ron was working at a place in Phoenix where Alain de Cadenet was being filmed.

Ron was able to hand him his cellphone, after he called me.

So I got to talk to him briefly.
And he gave me some tips and names of people I should get in touch with.

Also, we are going to try and make it to a Vintage Race in Phoenix in early Feb...

 

Hello,
I signed onto this message board to specifically to discuss Dick Morgansen's cars with you. My dad, Jim Lee, raced the Morgansen Special (pre-Max Balchowsky)...he won at Santa Barbara with it in 1954. I don't know anything about your car, but I could see if he knows something about it. Please let me know if you're still interested in this topic.
ml-virginia

 

just to keep this on the front page, the story just took a neat twist!!!

 

Yes.

I'm very interested in any Info I can get about this car.
Thank you for signing up.

Miles M, me, and an other buddy of mine just got back from the Phoenix Historic Festival at PIR, organised by HSR West.
Miles drove from PHX to pick me and the car up, and we had it in the pits all day long.
We had lots of great discussions with Racers and guys that remembered Dick Morgensen.

I have to finish one or two other things, and then I'm going to get busy restoring the special.

I cant wait to bring this car back to where it deserves to be.

On the Race Track...



2 other interesting cars I saw today...
A Flat Black custom, and a SBC powered '50s Special.
I wonder if those guys are on the HAMB too?

 

Check out this site

http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/ParamountRanchHome.html#Paramount%20Ranch%20Homepage

and
http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/MaxBalchowsky4.html

 

Metalshapes; My offer still stands about the Monterey Historics and I still need to go through my dads slides & photos from the 50's & 60's and see if he has any pics that might be the car...

 

Thank you Ratboy.

I really apriciate it.

 

No problem, house ain't fancy but I've got a three car garage and hotels are thin on the ground during the historic week...You should try coming out to the pre-historics too (the week before the historics and a very cool low key great time). Might try getting in touch with Don Orosco too ( he has LOTS of cool cars and in very into historic racing I believe). I can't wait to see this car come together....