History Auto racing 1894-1942

Yup Gene

Those little cracks you see in the radii never heal themselves

If I was 'spoon feedin' you it would be with a fork!!!

I once had a 430 y=block with a 1/2 stroke .... no welding just grind the crank down and fit Pontiac rods.........

 

1935 Speed-Of-The-Wind Capt George Eyston LSR Daytona

 

Early Stock Car racing at Daytona....I found this photo elsewhere on HAMB.

 

All -
Another early salt flats image from my collection, again the mighty Thunderbolt from 1937. Only this time we get to take a peek under her skirts.
Bob.

 

Thanks for a great photo T-H.

Go here for an interesting short story about H. Knight. Quite enjoyable if i may say so.

www.jazzageclub.com/this-n-that/jenny-dolly-and-the-speedway-star-harry-knight

 

Delage D8 120. Body by Labourdette.

 

The Chrysler known as "Silver Wings":



"Silver Wings": http://members.iinet.net.au/~gacocks/

 

Rafaela (Argentina) is nationally known for its racing cars. From his 1st. Race May 25, 1919, Atletico Rafaela conducted 164 competitions until 1999.
In 1952 the current racetrack is built with a dirt floor circuit consisting of two straights and two curves 1477.10 meters from 844.20 meters to be the total distance of 4662.60 meters, opening in 1953, using until 1964 with the 500 Miles Argentinas.
In 1966, the current is paved oval that is repaved and widened in 1971 to 4662.60 meters of travel consisting of two lines of 1181.01 meters, 4 clothoids of 361.52 meters and two circular curves with a slope of 15% length of 408.18 meters and a width of 18 meters.

















http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IF4jGfUerA

 

ratamahata....Welcome and thanks for posting the wonderful photos. We would like to see any other early photos you can share with us.....

 

Good story McFire, I've read of his North Island record

but not Ch-Ch to Bluff, the time is incredible for the roads of the time and numerous creek and river crossings let alone having to build launch ramps...

 

Ditto, wonderful stuff ratamahata

 

Ratamahata, I also want to welcome you and thanks for the great photos.

If you run across any photos or articles of note on any Packard racers in Argentina or elsewhere I would appreciate any postings in that regard. I have done a limited amount of research on the car pictured below which ran in Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina, starting in 1920 I believe. It allegedly ran until 1929 (although it could have run past that date).

The first picture is in Uruguay in the late 90s and I am not sure it raced in this livery. It is more likely that the individuals that "refurbished" it for sale took a few liberties with lettering and #s. The second picture was one taken by me on the day it was returned to the U.S.

There may have been more than one Packard 12 that raced in South America so not every article or picture would apply. This car allegedly started its South America career on June 6, 1920 in the Buenos Aires "Championship of the Mile" at La Plata, with Alejandro Schoega driving at a speed of 126kph. It also was to have set a national record of 166.66 kph (104mph?) in 1921at the Flying Kilometer Tournament in Moron.

Once again welcome and feel free to enlighten us on racing in your country.-Jim

 

Welcome to the HAMB, Ratamahata. Thanks for sharing the information.

 

Jim,

You need to get a hold of the book titled, Fuerza Libre 1919-1942: Grand Prix, Sports Cars & Specials Racing in the Pampas.

 

Kurtis, thanks for the tip-I looked on Amazon and they want a couple of C-notes and it is printed in Spanish (of course). If it contained some gold on early Packard racers it would be an easy purchase. Do you know if it has any references to Packard racers? Thanks, Jim

 

Jim,

I don't know if the book contain's anything related to the Packard or two? The car you posted certainly has a very rich history that cannot be ignored by the author.

I'm amazed at what is found and what is still hiding in that part of the world. I spend what little free time i have researching the Ford's built by a Frenchman named Charles Montier. Now, these particular car's don't exactly grow on tree's but to my suprise there was a car, albeit a slightly worn example, complete with it's running gear and the highly sought after cylinder head still attatched nicely tucked away in a Sth. American barn.
Needless to say it didn't hibernate for too long after it was found and it was scooped up by an American buyer.

Here's a story of a Twin-Six that also spent some of it's life in Argentina...
http://jalopnik.com/5450994/did-you-know-packard-built-a-twin+six

 

ok I'll look there if I find something about that packard

 

The story of a National Mechanical force car free, made in Esperanza, Santa Fe, in which "Twisty" was directly involved is as follows:
Don Juan Alesso (1906-1979), laborious mechanic, designer and builder of nothing but their hands and tools of a formula car for FREE NATIONAL MECHANICS.

No matter the result, the formula change, the car could not continue running and unfortunately is no longer here. Import the ingenuity, tenacity and all of John Alesso, many anonymous esperancinos collaborated and supported this dream.

Alesso, a tireless enthusiast of motor sport was President of the Esperanza Motor Club in constructing the triangular circuit of land named The Toboganes by sportswriters of the time, assisted in the preparation of race cars that were made in the area, and took part in competitions with a Fiat 525 he prepared.

In those days when the war had made scarce parts first and then import restrictions during the Peron government, built to replace missing parts in machines that operate allowing local industries that lacked spare parts, or should be recycled.

In the mid-40s began to design and build a race car for FREE FORMULA national mechanism, the same formula that had sheltered so many great cars, with which they wore, our mechanics, pilots and Lopez, Pian, Iglesias, Fuentes , Crespo, Caldara and others.

In this case, perhaps Alesso chose an enormous challenge to all of it, including the engine and parts. He chose an uncommon configuration at the time: 12-cylinder boxer twin cam to the head, architecture that would later become famous by none other than Ferrari to use.

Don Juan built the block in welded plate type with covers blind, ie, cylinder heads and the same were a single piece. As some Bugatti. Also starting block chrome-nickel steel made at around the crankshaft and camshafts.

Monumental effort of John Alesso and its people, to build a car Free Force National Mechanics, practically from scratch. Not only the car but also had to build special tools and devise procedures for carrying out the task.

For example: as the cylinder heads was fixed, the correction of the valve seats should be the other way around, from the bottom of the block. By building this one welded planks, once completed should be normalized voltages, so that should make use of a fire in the courtyard of the workshop to make the annealing furnace times, managed to achieve the necessary temperature and measuring the steady and gradual cooling parts.

Also, the chassis had to leave their ingenuity and inspiration chose a solution Aeronautical tube chassis welded pipe, where water and oil tanks were part of the supporting structure while the same pipeline officiated pipes for the circulation of fluids.

With great patience, knowledge and dedication, in his modest workshop was shaping his dream accompanied by his colleagues and his son Norberto unconditional, that is who sits in the car on the car profile photo.
There was much excitement in the city, where to support a rock was formed to raise funds. Fangio approaching the area to compete in the 500 Miles of Rafaela with Talbot, was in Hope, where he attended a dinner that was used to raise funds. (Photo)

The crankshaft is supported on seven benches. There are two camshafts sent by chains to each bank of cylinders, valves springs are double scissor. Hemiesferic combustion chamber has two valves per cylinder set at 90 º.

Two magnets VERTEX SCIntilla supplied the lighting and two petrol pumps ROCHESTER take six carburetors. The twelve-cylinder with 81mm in diameter and 117 mm stroke, add up to nothing less than 7053.95 cm3, 4200 rpm, was estimated to be around 300 HP.

A gearbox (FIAT 525) is coupled through a multi-disc clutch dry Alesso design and construction as well. The spread of the Fiat 525, then was replaced by a truck, but the ingenuity of Alesso he incorporated a device to quickly change the gearing to suit each circuit.

The front suspension was independent, while the rear axle was rigid, semi-elliptical transverse leaf spring, the four spoke wheels were original clamping RUDGE central wing, collected by Fangio, who also gave an Alfa Romeo front suspension which was not I will use because Alesso considered not fit for the tremendous difference in weight of the engine on the Alfa.

Finally the engine came to life with the expectation of the entire city waited anxiously to hear the roar of seven liters. After the daily work in the workshop gathered enthusiasts to work late into the night but the usual onlookers at last had the satisfaction and excitement of seeing his dream fulfilled, there before all, on a pedestal drawing fire roared from escaping!

After some accelerated Alesso stopped him, checked everything was in order. Carburetion in line and on detail to put it back on track, until he was putting it about as he had reviewed.
Once installed the driver for the November 11, 1952, the car began to roll. Through a esperancino, Dr. Raul A. Mendes that fulfilled functions of a minister in the cabinet of the government of Juan Domingo Peron, and with the support of Fangio was presented in Buenos Aires at the racetrack at the time "17 October", before European pilots who came to the 1953 International Season , testing the same Villoressi Fangio and Luigi, who praised him, according to the magazine "World Peronist."

Peron was contagious enthusiasm, received formal collaboration Alesso and proposed to set up a factory and produce a certain amount, with the idea of forming an Argentine team to compete internationally in the newly launched World Cup.

The car was involved in several national races, although the thought was on the 500 Miles of Rafaela. In the circuit "The Slides" of his Hope, piloted by John himself Alesso, shattered the differential at the start, they could not stand the tremendous force of the engine, then made several statements at the command of Francisco Santa Fe Gonzalves motorcycle champion who claimed his best Urquiza Park classification of Paraná.

The subsequent entry into difficulties and fall of the Peron government gave land to the project, support did not materialize, then the formula was changed and could not continue to compete at National Mechanics, when he disappeared free formula.

A specialist in sheet metal, of this city, Antonio Thimental, known for his numerous and very good achievements, was charged with aluminum body designed and built the same, at the request of Alesso, for they chose the colors Argentine international those times, they were: body blue, yellow bonnet. The same colors that distinguished the Argentine team making its debut in Europe, with Fangio, Campos and Gonzalez.
Thank God, Don Antonio still walks among us, working, sharing memories, his bonhomie, and wanted to do, pictured with her son, and a replica of the "coloradito" of Bordeu under construction.

Of kids we used to see Don Juan Alesso pass along the route that crosses the city (now Provincial 70 "Eusebio Marcilla") making a "Tiradito" tie flapping in the wind, yes, always tie, but dress their gardener as a mechanic. Comes Alesso! And all ran to the sidewalk for watching blue and yellow car that we kept dreaming that someday "they will pass the cloth" to everyone.

By then the vast majority of cases the race car built in Argentina, were assembled from car chassis and engines in series and adapted modified. This was one of the few cases of a race car made entirely in our country with our own design, not from an original series engine completely designed and built in Hope, in full.

It is important to realize the magnitude of the work undertaken by these people. How many things have to be designed, combined, produce, test, tune to an engine and an auto marche! And on top capable of racing, which is where we are going to demand.

All this done by ordinary people, with few tools at a workshop of a small inland town, not much more than intuition and expertise. If we move to those years, without even calculating, very simple and basic machines, even the electric light was almost a luxury! But they did. That can give us an idea of the magnitude of the work.

In the 90s this car was in Argentina and the last news we had was that it integrated as an oddity, the collection of Gretta and Paul Foulkes-Halbard in Filching-Mannor, (Sussex) England site also is home to the famous cars and record boats "Bluebird" by Sir Malcolm Campbell, no less.

 

Nice photos! The Thomas in the top photo is a Model 35 "Gentleman's Roadster" identical to the New York-Paris car (because the of the cowl design and the placement of the radiator behind the front axle.

The bottom picture is also a Model 35, but started life as a "King of the Belgians" touring (due to the radiator placement over the front axle)...like Bill Harrah's 1907 Thomas touring known as "Blondie".

Love to have BOTH of those now!

 

Kurtis, My research is somewhat weak as it comes from secondhand and worse information. There may have been more than one twelve or twin six racing in South America so pictures to go hand in hand with race results would certainly help researching the true history. If I knew of some pretty good information or source material I would most interested even if it meant buying a book or two,

There have been some pretty decent historians in South America to research this a bit and they have not come up with any smoking gun in my opinion. More speculation than rock solid information.

I have tried to track down info on some of the Twin Six racers (as opposed to the V12 OHC cars) from the teens. For years I claimed that these Twin Six racers existed but I was told I was nuts for a lack of a better term but the discovery of this particular car vindicated my earlier assertions. Now if I could add to the history it would be icing on the cake. That though could be easier said than done-but I am always hoping.

As to the creme colored Twin Six in the article you referenced, I am aware of the car and saw this car on several occasions including at Pebble Beach and spoke to a couple of the owners. There were many of these style of modified cars built in numerous venues including South America. This creme car though is quite a different animal than the Twin Six I posted. The neat thing about the car I posted is that it still had the tag affixed to the frame (Packard Experimental Dept with the #-pretty rare and cool in my estimation).

Hopefully some day I will be able to come across more information on the Twin Six racers-Jim

 

This literature perhaps interesting you

Much of the data presented here are from the book HALF CENTURY OF MOTORING ARGENTINO Ricardo Lorenzo "Borocotó" Golden Encyclopedia of the Automobile Car to the View or the History of Motorsport Argentine Alfredo Parga. Archives, Louis Nagel, Hugo Oomes, Stories of Men and Cars.





6 de junio y 29 de agosto de 1926: LAS PRIMERAS 500 MILLAS ARGENTINAS


Interview with Raul Riganti

Supplement Extracted SPORT

of El Grafico. August 1967.

I won the first

Rafaela was going to go on vacation. Yes, we had fun! We came 15 days before and "pure revelry." The dances that were done! What time M'hijo! La Muchachada de Rafaela was barbaric. We tried a kilo. Every day was a party ...

The race was born with an idea of those guys who formed the Club Atletico Rafaela. It was a small football club, those that are in the towns.

With the race being played all or nothing forever merged or raised head. Rafaela was a small town that was growing motorsport.

When we had the news, we decided to go. The race was scheduled for the month of May 1926. I went to a Packard car that I prepared for Thomas Duggan. I gave it to run it, because the Hudson is not our preparation. He broke an engine crank when we had a few kilometers. We had already prepared to repair it, when the race was halted by rain. This phenomenon came to us to prepare the Hudson because the race was moved to September.

At that time I ran for Hudson. He was a salaried employee and received the awards. I was always a professional motor racing. When I gathered a lot of money going to Europe and throw ... The friends criticized me, told me that the wasted. But I thought that anytime I had the pineapple and chau ... If between the bike and the car I broke 17 bones! And I think that those who said they squandered the money, now tell me that you lived you life itself! I was 11 times in Europe and who knows what the United States.

Domingo bucci in 1926 in Esperanza



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

Jim,

Researching a particular subject can be rewarding but as you know finding the information takes time and that alone can break a persons interest in a heartbeat. Sometimes i question my sanity and think of a better way to waste my time but once the endeavour has started it's difficult to stop and all of those thoughts get thrown out of the window.

You haven't exactly chosen a subject with pages upon pages of accompanying material to work from which makes it extremely difficult but i commend you for sticking with it. The World Wide Web is still a young animal that will grow with time and hopefully something will turn up in the not to distant future.

BTW, nice write up you did on the Packard 12. I didn't know you were one of those card carrying types.

 

Kurtis, I am not sure what article on the Packard 12 you are referring to but thanks-I have researched quite a bit and written a few things on the teen Packard racers. I started researching over 30 years ago and am still trying to find stuff.

I know what you are saying about sanity though when you get on a topic, as mine left long ago when it comes to these old racers. I often wonder what I could have accomplished if I had put all of the hours to some other quest.

I still enjoy it though.

Ratamahata-thanks for the reference on the Packard in 1926. Just so you know there were some inline Packard 8s by 1926 in South America I am quite sure. There were Packard agencies in the area and like everyone else they appreciated speed cars and racing.

Thanks and I appreciate any other references you run into-Jim

 

This one..

www.rmauctions.com/featurecars.cfm?SaleCode=LF08&CarID=r112&fc=0

You know, you could've chronicled the history of every Corvette that ran in NHRA Modified Production. I'm guessing that would've been easier.

 

Kurtis your right in the book


kurtis you are right the book contains information about some packards (four twin six)

1919-1942 Fuerza libre

Grand Prix Racing Sports Cars & Specials in The Pampas
Guillermo Sánchez
Bonvivant Editions

370 pages b / w and color
More than 440 vintage images
30,5 x 21,5 cm Hardback
1.625 kg
Spanish / English
ISBN: 978-987-05-4882-9

USD 150 (includes shipping worldwide Paypal)

A research work carried twenty years Guillermo Sanchez to publish his great work on a golden era of motorsports in Argentina.

The book covers a period romantic Argentine motoring, now almost forgotten unjustly, for its wealth of brands, models and adventures is remarkable. Just review the rate to realize the magnitude of the effort, but also what it deserved tribute to the great drivers that brought their gorgeous cars on the Pampas.

Although some the highlights, the requirement for two seats occupied was changing over time, and even competed in the 30's many single-seat cars such as Alfa Romeo, Maserati and others.

The most relevant is that Freedom Force had no major technical limits in its rules, allowing vehicles to participate more varied type. So Mercedes SSK participated, Alfa Romeo 8C35, Ford T or vehicles with engines of aircraft (Curtiss, Spa and even prepared a Rolls Royce with a 20 liter Eagle ...), also some with two engines, such as double Mercury.

Freedom Force began, in fact, in 1901. It was minutes later and at the same event which was held the first race of South America, in Buenos Aires Hippodrome now disappeared.

In the First World War had an enormous boost with the support of the import houses.

Until 1932, each club organizer had independence in the conduct of their careers. Since 1932 these were centralized in the Argentine Automobile Club (founded in 1904) and since 1934 was passed the first Argentine Championship.

The open road races were contested in the Freedom Force until 1936. Since there were governed by the rules of the category now known as Tourism and Road, where the vehicles involved were limited to models of series and hardtop.
Index

Introduction. What is Freedom Force?
Technical Regulations.
Careers and places. Roads and tracks that were played Freedom Force tests (Gran Premio Nacional, Rafaela 500 and other races, nclude all circuit diagrams).
Other categories for competition. Road, Force Limited, Standard and Sport.
The beginnings. Origins of Freedom Force from 1901 to 1918.
Seasons. Analysis year by year.
Cars

ALFA ROMEO

RLS (including the former Ferrari Enzo TF'23), P2; 8C 2900 A, P3; 8C 35, 308 / 3,8 and Brazilian visitors (Monza and P3). Individual stories.


BENTLEY

3 Litre (BL1619, AX1668, AX1669) and 4.5 Litre (NT3147, KM3094, HF 3193, XL3124, TX3240). Individual stories.
BUGATTI

T30, T35A Petiz and others Sapito and Bold T37, T35 Bold and others T35C Hippolytus and others T35T; T35B; Coppoli's 8Cs, T46 and others. Individual stories.


CADILLAC

V8 and V16. Individual stories.
CHRYSLER-DE SOTO-PLYMOUTH

6C (Imperial), 8C (Imperial) Insignia de Oro-Indy's Golden Seal, "Special De Soto, ALS, Greyhound White-Indy 's Spl .- Topping-Miller and others. Plymouth 6. Individual stories.
DELAGE

The individual stories of three wonderful 2LCV V12 Grand Prix.
Duesenberg

Straight 8 former works team and the J (converted to SJ). Individual stories.
FIAT

519, 520 and 525. Individual stories.
FORD-MERCURY

Modified T, A and V8 (includes Chiozza twin-engined cars). Individual stories.
Hudson-Terraplane

6C (Millero Indy-ex-works team, the famous Bestium, Hudson-Bucci and others); 8Cs and Terraplane. Individual stories.
Hupmobile

8Cs. Individual stories
MASERATI

T26B (Malcolm 35); 8CL (Indy Riganti) 6CM. Individual stories.
MERCEDES

The huge Ks (Omnibus variants and a Project FWD), S, SSS, and the great SSKs. Individual stories.


PACKARD

Four Twin-Six. Individual stories.
Color section.

Locations; body, postcards, comics, poster.
REO

T 4C Royale Flying Cloud 6C and 8C, Mercedes SSK Challenger (White cars including Indy Bergere). Individual stories.
STUDEBAKER

6Cs, dominaodres the first National Grand Prix and Fireball 8Cs Indy components. Individual stories.
STUTZ

4C 16 valves; Speedway Black Hawk 6C and 8C. Including a prototype compressor. Individual stories.
AEROS

Car racing aircraft engines. Chandler-Curtiss V8 Castano-SPA Hudson, Minerva, Rolls-Royce Eagle, Fiat A112bis Minerva Pajarón. Individual stories.

And many more:
German and Austro Daimler, BMW, Hansa Lloyd, Opel.
Americananos as Auburn, Chandler, Chevrolet, Cole, Dodge, Gardner, Graham Paige, Kissel, Lincoln, Marmon, Nash, Willys Whippet and local-as Anasagasti.
British and Alvis, Austin, MG, Sunbeam, Sunbeam-Talbot, Vauxhall and Wolseley.
French: Amilcar, Ballot, Bucciali, Delahaye, Farman, Hispano Suiza, La Perle, Renault, Voisin and tracts.
Italiananos: Ansaldo, Chiribiri, Isotta-Fraschini, Lancia and OM.

Also, hybrids with different origins as componenstesd and American chassis with engine from another manufacturer also Amerocano.

 

ratamahata, Welcome to the HAMB, I'm enjoying reading the history of racing in Argentina. I believe one of the SSK Mercedes in your photos is now restored and in a collection in Maine.

 

How many Mercedes SSK was in Argentina? A thousand?.
Nobody knows. But everyone saw many, many ...
Once an agency for the sale of cars that were in La Lucila, on Libertador ("Auto Market") we have six all together and displayed for sale. If we count the other hand, and attached to the old tradition "guitar" has led us could believe they were verbally more. In one way or another, or whatever, the irrefutable fact is that here lived a significant amount. And so there is no way around it. May not have been all SSK and intermingle in confusion due to lack of S, SS and SSK, and although some people it is safe to affirm that no entirely SSKL arrived, armed to the estuary in front of us.



Models have been the series 'S' which have been, the amount was probably the most prominent overseas (in its country of origin). Just keep in mind that the series were extremely limited and only 146 specimens were constructed of type S, 112 SS and no more than 33 SSK.
Now. The oddest thing about all this is that all the SSK, or SS or Mercedes that was running, all are credited with fatherhood: Carlos Zatuszek. Any aspect of these series of angry or processed expressly for them a most terrible personality and career, all without exception were "for the popular myth-de Zatuszek.

 

and now same race, 1921 (date unknown)
GP of A.C. Argentina, Buenos-Aires Rosario / Rosario Buenos Aires, 2 x 350 km

1- Mariano de la Fuente (Packard) 11h 04'
2- Martin de Alzaga Unzue (Hudson) 11h 10' 6"
3- Juan Masero (Dodge) 11h 19' 12"

34 starters: 26 cars from USA, 2 from France, 4 from Italy, 1 from UK, 1 from Belgium.

in 1923 5 Bugattis took part in the Indianapolis 500 miles: Pierre de Vizcaya, P. de Cystria, Zborowsky, Riganti and Martin de Alzaga.

 

Ratamahata, your latest reference with the Packard in 1921 is very interesting. If you find anything else on this race please feel free to post it. Also if there are any photos of this event it would be most helpful to see what the Packard looked like. Very interesting as in 1921 Twin Sixes would still be the production model and possibly make some good speed. I know this Packard raced in South America, where exactly is another matter. May be fun to find out.

I may have to take a look at some books on racing in the area.

Kurtis, I forgot about that little sale blurb. I was glad the car did not sell and is back in my friends garage where it belongs.-Jim