Old Race Car found... updates.

I posted about this car some time ago ( right after I bought it ).
Its a old Road Race special, quite a few of these were built to do battle on the Road Race Tracks with the Imported Racers from Italy, Germany and England.
The guy I bought it from knew a little of its History.
He told me the last guy that raced it was restoring it when he died, and his widow had all the loose parts picked up and hauled off to the dump.
He bought what was left over from the son in law, and I bought it from him.
I was hoping to get the name of the last guy that raced it, so I could retrace the car through old entry lists, but sofar I havent even gotten the name of the son in law yet...
But I have done some digging myself, and as I found out more I had better questions to ask the Old Race Car Historians I got in touch with.
2 of those Historians have really helped me out, Jim Sitz remembers the Car that it could be , and Ron Cummings sent me this cut away drawing.

 

If that's not the same car, it was built using that drawing as a blueprint.

 

OK then what's the name of the car in the drawing?

 

Dick Morgensen built a couple of Road Race Specials together with Fabricator Boyd Hough.
One car had a Glaspar Body, one had a Devon Body, one had a really basic boy made out of Aluminum panels and Chevy Truck Rear fenders ( the one in the cut away drawing), and one more...
The car in the drawing started out with a Plymouth straight 6, but later Morgensen raced it with a Buick Nailhead in it.
After a bad crash Morgensen sold the car to his buddy Max Balchowski, who drove it for a little while in the Morgensen colors untill he repainted it Yellow, and the car became Ol Yeller 1.
There are a couple of reasons why it is unlikely that my car is that car, but it is very possible it is the last one I mentioned.
It was very similar to the car that later became OY1, It was owned and raced by Tracy Bird, with a Mercedes engine in it.
The Engine was a straight 6, probably a 300 S, or a 300 SL.
Jim Sitz remembered it was very underpowered...
The Chassis has later been modified for a different engine, but I'm not sure what engine that was...

A couple of HAMB guys are involved in this project already.
FLT-BLK sold me the rear axle I will use in it, Hotwheel brought it to Mokan for me, Jerry has the correct Chevy Truck rear fenders, Roadstermike gave me a old Nailhead as a mock up, and Hot Rod Ron said he'd sell me the right headlights and Buick drums...

But I would like to find more History on it before I start to work on it, to bring it back to live.
If any of the HAMB Historians knows anything that could help me, or if anybody knows where to start looking, I would really appriciate it if you could help me out.

Trying to find the History has been a real cool treasure hunt already.
I have got to talk to quite a few guys that were there, and doing it back in the old days.
I have a lot of respect for these old racers like Balchowski and Morgensen, and to own a car that probably has a family link to these guys, is a real thrill...

Edit.
Some more early pics of OY1.

 

this is very exiting tell me more about the car I may have some experts here in cali that may know more about the car also i have 12 hrs of road racing film from that era 50's /60's your car may be on f it raced

check out my site www.carfilms.com
you can eamil me direct from there!

 

also at the web site there is free video of max balchowski talking about the old days www.carfilms.com go to max video #10

 

This is very exciting stuff. If what you've found out so far is true your car may well have raced with some west coast greats. I'm sure that most of you know that Dan Gurney drove Ol Yeller for a time. In fact if you could get ahold of him I'm sure he might give you some insight into it's history.


Frank

 

Have you ruled out the possibility of it being an east coast car? I recall that that was what you had originally thought.

 

No, not really...
Morgensen and Hough lived in the Phoenix area, so if they built it, it was done there.
The guy I bought it from said the last owner had taken it with him from the Boston area when he moved to ( I believe) glendale to retire.
That could still be true, he might have moved back after living on the east coast to retire where he had lived before...
And I found it near Phoenix.
But I dont know... Those are some of the things I would like to find out...


Edit.
How much for the video Sparky?
I would like to order one...

 

HAve you contacted anyone from HSR?

 

That chassis has a real Morgensen look to it. I've seen that dual roll hoop in a picture somewhere but I can't quite place it. This site has some information on specials, no Glaspar pics, but might be worth checking out:

http://www.1950sspecials.com/

There are a couple good books that deal specifically with 50's road racing cars and Vintage Motorsport also did a whole series years ago that's worth looking into, but it sounds like you've already made contact with the right people.

Here's Old Yaller I today:



Pic taken from http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/ which is an awesome resource for this era of cars.

 

I'm glad you finally "came out" with this info, I was
thinking about this the other day.

Did the truck fenders bolt up like you thought they might?

I'm getting all excited again just like the first time you
showed it to me.

 

Wow, this is really exciting news. Any time an old racer, such as the one you are working on, is saved and brought back to life is a GREAT time for all gearheads. Thanks Metalshapes for taking on this labor of love.

On a side note, I will be in the Tucson area for the next day or two and just wondered if it would be possible to stop by for an in-person gander at your new task? If so, either reply here or call me on my cell 585-750 5156.

Again, thanks for sharing your impending masterpiece. Good luck! John Norton/aka oldandkrusty

 

The once Super Secret project is going to be great to follow as the history is uncovered and the build happens. You are just the man to do it. Keep us updated.

 

Good luck on the history hunt, the car is waaaay cool.

 

Thanks guys...

I have not contacted HSR officially, but I have shown the car to the owner of the Mallock U2 I worked on, And he is involved in the organisation of HSR, I think...

I have sent some Pics and info to Tams Website for his Mystery Car page, maybe I can get some info from his readers...

Tyler, yes... The Chevy fenders line up just about perfectly with the brackets that are still on the Frame.

I will keep you all updated on the build and the History when I find it.

And Miles, I'll take you for a ride in it, when it is back on the road.
( you have already proven that Powerslides don't scare you...)

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/racinghistory

You might make on inquiry on this racing history website. This group's main subject of discussion is open-wheel, oval track racing prior to 1970 but the conversations do stray off-topic to other forms of competition. At the very least someone in the group might provide places or individuals that could be of assistance. Try asking this Race History member...Bob Storck bstorck@sprynet.com

Thank you and regards,
Gerry Dedonis
Chapman, Kansas

 

I just saw a special on TV about Max and his "OL Yellar" cars a couple of months ago. It was either on Speed Vision or the Discovery channel...something like "Victory By Design" I believe. They actually had interviews with Max and Brock Yates. A Japanese American(engineer I believe) in Ca. owns the car now. He was a backer and supportor of Max. Maybe someone can locate him for info. Ol Yellar was a great embarrasment to the europeans, Ferrari, and Jaguar when a "little independent garage mechanic" opened a can of American wup ass on em. Brock yates commented on not only how much power it had but also the handling, predictibilty and confidence inspiring chassis it had. I think there was "ol Yellar 1,2,3. The SCCA also might have some info on it.

 

Just as a little sidenote, I was in the car section of my University library the other day , when I came across some late 1950's books on building your own race/special like these. One of the books, was written by the Monsanto Corporation, who at the time produced fiberglass.

So before these goons got into tampering with our food supplies, they used to produce fiberglass to build race cars with....I know which I'd prefere they did!

Adam F

 

Monsanto,the folks who brought you "Agent Orange".

 

That would have been the "Behind the Headlights" series. The guy you mention is Dr. Ernie Nagamatsu and that car is II, probably the most famous one. For some reason I think he may have gotten in an accident with it this year at Goodwood in England. I believe there were five built in total.

 

Pics of the car are now on Tams Old Racecar Site.
In the Mystery Car section.
Could somebody that knows how to how to do that, put a link to it on this thread?
( I haven't learned how to do that yet...)

 

Alex, great to see you pull it out into the daylight!

here is that link


http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/MysteryCars2.html

 

55safari beat me to it


I look forward to the build.

 

What an awesome find! My dad raced in the 40s-early 60s, both in Ireland and on the west coast. He has tons of pics, I may have to see if he has any of "homebuilt specials". There is a photo of his & his buddies Type 61 Birdcage on Tam's Old car site. Just love the mix of American hot rodding and road racing. Get that thing done and bring it to the Monterey Historic races some time, I'll dontate garage space and our spare room for a place to stay....PM me an e-mail address and if I can find any photos of stuff that resembles your car I'll shoot em your way.
Ted

 

Thanks.

 

Wow, thanks for the offer Ratboy.
I might have to take you up on that.
Because I do plan to restore the car to Race ready condition, this thing deserves to do some opposite lock powerslides again...
I will send You my Email adress later.

 

Can I take it for a lap or two??

I'll even get my SCCA license renewed if you want me to.
TZ

 

Uhhh...
We will have to talk about that...
How well do you do as a passenger??

 

With the Threads from Ryan and AV8 about American built Road Race Specials going on, I hope its OK for me to put this one back up.
( Its a earlyer version of the same theme...)

I'm itching to get started on this Car.
And when its done, I want to Race it.