I am sure it has been covered, but my search capabilities aren't turning it up. This is a two part question. When you see lakes photos back in the day, do the letters indicate a class (if so what were they). I also thought I heard that the number was your rank in the previous year? but that is probably wrong. Part two. If you have a number on your car, how did you pick it?
From Don Montgomery's Old Hot Rods Scrapbook: Memories From The Past: "Hot rod history enthusiasts will note that old photos of SCTA meets with no letters after the car number are usually from 1946, or earlier, meets. A letter after the car number would indicate that the photo is from a 1947 or later meet." From his Hot Rods in the Forties: A Blast From The Past: "The 1947 season saw major changes in the operations. Under new President Ak Miller, the membership roster climbed to above 700 and lakes entries averaged 217 per meet. Numbers were assigned to all members. The first 58 numbers were assigned to the individual top points performers of the previous (1946) season. The remaining members received association numbers grouped by clubs. The lower numbers were given to top points clubs. The biggest change was new classes of competition. Eight classes replaced the four classes of previous years. The result was close competition, particularly in the B and C Roadster classes, where 50 to 100 entries wee typical." The SCTA occasionally allowed guest entries for non-members. They were above the numbers assigned to club members. In 1946, Karl Orr's modified carried the number 1 as the overall points champion for 1942. I didn't see how other numbers were issued for the 1938-46 seasons. I don't know how Russetta, Western Timing or any of the smaller timing associations issued numbers.
This is late 1946, 255 and 259. Early days as by 1948 everything started getting more sophisticated. 259 is part 28 Ford touring, part 1915 Dodge, part barn sheet metal and the other is totally unknown. As they used to say "" You Run What You Brung "".
The Jalopy Journal
