Event Coverage La Carrera Panamericana 2021

The guy organizing the 1991 race was a tad off kelter, and didn't seem to be able to read well. But he was a nice guy. The El Caballo was shipped to the border, and transferred to a Mexican truck for the remainder of the trip. I left written instructions taped to the dash on driving procedures, including electric fan operation. He failed to turn on the fan, and proceeded to drive around Juarez like he had a lick of sense..... The Caballo got so hot that it boiled the fuel in the fourth Stromberg, and the dizzy did the rest. They put out the fire with a chemical extinguisher and left it that way on the remainder of the trip to Chiapas... Ray and Ak got there before I and proceeded to fix the problem. They made a plate to go under the Stromberg, blocking it off, as it had burnt beyond repair, Then they rewired what was necessary to make it run. They did not make it to Mexico City when the distributor succumbed to the results of being cooked. Ak cobbled up a point plate and pointes from some old Chevy to replace the Old's unit, and it worked, sorta. It had no advance. But it worked. Ak was pretty pooped by this time, so they went ahead to Nueva Laredo. Nancy and I jumped in the critter and drove North, which was an experience in itself. I vintage race the El Caballo for another 10 years, and had nothing but fun !!

 

I might add that the picture of Ak alone in the Caballo was taken by Eric "Rik" Rickman, as was the group picture. Old guys might want to try and figure out who makes up the "pit crew".......

 

Ray is in the middle

 

cabong
Thanks and now we have the rest of the story. I met Ak at the Pikes Peak hillclimb in 1997 they had the 75th running I had one of my Chrysler contraptions and Ak was signing autographs for the spectators on the hood of my car, for me it dosen't get much better than that, we chatted a bit about Mexico and his cars Caballo I and II, Smokey Yunick walked up within 15 ft. looked at my car and then me and turned around and walked away. Later another old timer told me that Smokey and Carl Kiefhafer had a bitter feud goin, my car was a Mercury outboard replica.

 

Kinda hard to miss Ray... Robert Peterson is on the far left. The other three are Clem Tebow, Racer Brown, and the third is Pete Coltrin, an old friend of Ak's. Needless to say, Ak Miller loved Pikes Peak with a passion. I asked him once why he liked to race on dirt. He said it's because he like to slide, and it's easier on dirt. So I asked which direction he liked to slide. He answered "to the left or to the right".... My avatar is Ak at Pikes Peak in the 427 Devin. So many stories, so little time. Old Al Unser went up to Ak back in the late 50's and noted that Ak had only his car and some fuel. He asked Ak where his tools were, and all his "spares".... Ak's retort was simple ..... "I didn't come here to work on my God-Dammed car, I came here to race"..... That was his first Devin, and it was way to light in the ass end, so he told Ray to head down the mountain and get something to add as ballast. Ray came back with a John Deere flywheel, which was attached to the frame above the rear axle. He won the large sports class that year and eight more.....

 

I love the stories of Ak. A man who was gonna ,"Make things Happen"!

 

I'm pretty sure most of the people on here would like to see video of the recreated Caballo in action, got any?

 

I have pictures of the El Caballo that Ak and I put together at several events from vintage road racing. But, not videos. Howevr, I do have a full length video done of the 1954 Carrera, which has lots of Ak and the original in action. This is a promotional video done by Lucas Oil which has been viewed by only a few. It was given to me by Ak many years back, and I have never had it converted from VCR to a disc. I should do that and then put uit on YouTube. It is very cool. It also has footage of the 1964 Pikes peak, in which Ak won his class with the 427 Devin. I also have pictures of the Devin as it sits today..... This picture was taken at the infamous "corkscrewL at Laguna Seca..

 

cabong
Great picture!, we know you got more. Can't wait to see the video

 

YES! We need to see that video!!!! Puleeeze!?!?!?!

 

Some people might not know the story of El Caballo, the hot rod that ran in Mexico against Mercedes, Ferraris and sports racing cars and drivers.

 

https://www.collierautomedia.com/last-of-a-breed-la-carrera-panamericana