One of my favorite cars,; Willis Baldwins sports car Special for Phil Payne, from one of my favorite books; The American Hot Rod by Dean Batchelor. Built by Willis Baldwin in 1948 for Phil Payne based on a 1932 Ford frame with wheelbase shortened to 103 in. A 268.4 c.i. Merc flathead with Isky track-grind cam, Evans 9:1 heads and triple carb intake (sic) mounted 15 inches behind the stock location. Drive through a 10 in. Merc clutch and Ford 3 speed with a homebuilt remote shift linkage to 3.78:1 rear axle. Payne took the special homw with him when he moved back to England. Thats all I know about the car and Baldwin and Payne. Can anybody else tell me anything? Got anymore pix of this or other Baldwin cars?
Pretty snazzy. Wonder if the shortened wheelbase was due to using a spring in front front end? It'd be great to stumble over that thing if it is still in existance over here. Mart.
Unk, Mart, glad to see I'm not the only one! I'm planning on that cut door look on mine. Mart, I figured you're our only hope re eventual destination!
Here is another Baldwin Special. http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/ZMHAstonBaldwinFullSize.html http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/Laguna2000MoreSportsRacers4.html http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/MaseratiSportsRacersOlder.html http://www.classics.com/images02/lg02-12.jpg http://www.classics.com/images/lg00-4a-01.jpg Jim Herlinger of Portola Valley will enter a Ferrari and a one-of-a-kind Baldwin Mercury Special. The latter was built in Santa Barbara in 1950 and was later purchased by Sonny Kenyon of Mountain View. After Kenyon crashed it while going for a joy ride, it was in storage for 30 years. Herlinger bought it in 1990 and restored it. People who have lived locally for several decades may remember the dark blue car with red wheels. Kenyon used to race it down El Camino Real, Herlinger said. He particularly remembers the reaction of a former motorcycle police officer, who tried, unsuccessfully, to catch Kenyon on several occasions. "I asked him, 'Remember Sonny Kenyon?' and he said, 'Oh, that damn Baldwin!' Police hated that car. They could never catch up to it," Herlinger said. From : http://www.service.com/PAW/morgue/cover/1997_Jun_20.ARTS20.html
Wow, the car's still around! Took 3rd at 2003 Pebble Beach! Now owned by Phil Payne's son. And an action pic from back in the day: Info and more pics here.... http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/BaldwinSpecial2.html (And thanks to Denise for photoposting wisdom!)
Great thread! And a good call, Mart. BTW, the Ak Miller car shown at Lagunaa Seca is not the original which was systematically canabilzed until there were only a few parts left. The car shown was built by Vern Tardel for Bruce Glascock, based on extensive research and lots of experience working with old Ford pieces.
Interesting, it shows three different sets of hubcaps. Smoothies on the top pic, '50 Ford at Pebble Beach and looks like '40 Merc on the track. Goes to show nothing is static, I wonder how they decided what iteration to restore it to.
Mart, if you ever see any second hand magazines for sale - look for the July 1997 issue of Motorsport, it has a page long reprinted article from Jan 52 titled - The editor Encounters a Hot Rod. It clocked a 15.92 sec 1/4 mile at the Gosport speed trials, which was 0.77 seconds slower than J Goodhews P3 Alfa Romeo which made the fastest racing car time. The wheelbase was shortened due to using 39-48 ford axles. 70mph in first, 100mph in second with an unknown top speed. Amazing for the time, it must have been quite a sight rip-roaring around the English countryside, bumping into the cars of the day, Post and Pre War cars capable of around 60mph....I believe it was at the festival of speed this year at Goodwood
It is a spring in front with some mighty long shackles to get it down in front, ergo, the Panhard bar from the right axlebending under the frame to the left frame rail. I was trying to figure out how the cycle fenders turned wit the bracket attaching to the axle and then realized that is just a flexible wire loom for the lamps on the fenders. Neat car! Saw a similar one on a '32 frame at the Road King's BBQ three years ago. Some poor souls were denigrating the "waste" of a good deuce frame... I thought it was the coolest!
Ok...you KNOW I'm there when the "Sports-Rod" topic comes up! What a FINE little bomb that is! Slowlearner...I always enjoy the posts you make! Keep it up! Then theres... Metalshape's Mallock...The Napier-Railton of John Cobb...The Zaket (sp?)Brothers Roadrod...etc. I'm getting twisted around because I LOVE the handling and suspension setups these cars use. Real axles AND real performance. Gotta love it! Geez, I WISH our weather was better but what can ya do. "Sports-Coupe" maybe? Bill
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