the supercharger looks like the Miller-Fords of the late 20's. Must have still done it's job to force fuel.
You, me, and Joyo... somewhere in the no man’s land between Austin and Santa Rosa, dragging my ’39 sedan west to Tardel’s. I can still feel my eyes burning from the all-nighter, all of us half-crazed and running on fumes. Mitch was on the speakers, talking us through the dark, keeping the madness just far enough at bay to make it to sunrise. Best roadtrip of all time.
I do believe the Novi Special is in the Novi Public library if you'd like any photos. It does get "checked out" once in a while.
Ahh Yes, The trip is/was unforgettable. The "Mitch" detail got lost in the cerebral quagmire... Thanks for the memory!
This is good, but it chaps my *** a little too. I've seen it too many times to recall but not lately. Now that I see they "corrected" the car art I think it kinda sux. Maybe a lifetime in actual restoration jades my view, but really? Makes me think it's a wrap. They could have taken a drone photo and made the wrap from that at least. It's like using an LS motor in the restoration of "Little Deuce Coupe" to me. Am I wrong? I'm surprised our fearless leader ( @Ryan ) didn't say something about it. Or perhaps the "If you can't say something nice..." applies? Glad it's there but I don't have to cheer about how.
It was sandblasted and painted on, but most importantly the cell phone antennas that it had ac***ulated over the years were moved to an adjecent tower so you could, you know, see the Novi Special.
Agreed, hated when the cell gigs were added. I guess sometimes the original is preferred even if it's a little janky in regard to artist quality. And I guess I may be over thinking it a little as well. I end up near there quite often so I'm gonna take the long way home next time and check it out again. Been a while...
I too grew up in Novi, and that water tower was a special landmark. Here is some really early writing about the subject.
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing! The city put an RC track on the site a few years back, which is cool to see. A good way to get kids into cars and racing.
Jean Marcenac... affectionately known as FRENCHY to those in the inner circle, was the mechanical genius that put all of the best ch***is components from Frank Curtis, and engine by Winfield, to flat kick the compe***ions ***' from a little one bay garage out of Southern California.
Got this box of new plugs years ago for the Novi's on the front. Always been a big fan of the big roadster Indy cars. Brave guys and great engineers, love the photo's.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/88331793/jean_pascal-marcenac ...one of the great things about the www, Hipo mentions a name, I look it up, and Frenchy's here in spirit...Looks he held that part of his life close to his heart as he should have... Thanks @hipojoe...also what's cool is the Hamb being a hub that connects the dots and helps cross the T's too... May Frenchy continue the peaceful journey he's been on... Still crazy to think a car so powerful that they couldn't find or design a tire that couldn't tame the power and translate it into a win. I guess the tracks may have played a part as well.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-rouster-indy-roadster.1044692/ @cornfieldcustoms (mike) did some incredible work on an Indy racer (tribute) that had evolved from the greatness we are discussing and admiring. Different engine but much engineered along the Indy lineage...
I recall a "Street Rodder Magazine" era racer that saw street duty...was it a just for the story or was it truly street legal and what was it...I seem to remember a pic on a freeway. Was that an old Indy Racer?
Ryan, thank you for doing this thread. There is fewer and fewer people that have heard of the Novi, as time goes on. It is one of the most historical Indy cars, ever built! I have quite a bit of info, I ac***ulated on the Novi and will post most of it in the coming days. My back ground on this, is that my dad worked for the company that owned the Novi, Meyer and Welch, in Vernon CA. They were the Ford Factory Rebuilders in So Cal. My dad went to work there after WWII and worked there until 1952, when we moved to Orange Co, from Bell Gardens. My dad was good friends with the guy that did the dyno work on the Novi. His nick name was "Heavy". That is all I remember about him. He last visited my dad, in 1957. Does any one recognize that name? After Duke Nolan crashed the Novi at Indy, my dad got to meet him, in the dyno room there. He still had evidence of burns, around where the googles fit, at that time. The Novi had a strong connection to Henry Ford. Both Louis Meyer (3 time Indy winner) and Lew Welch, were Henry Ford proteges and he was the one that set them up in CA. Also, the V8 symbol on the Novi was Ford's. The concept of the car and FWD, came from Ford's 1935, Miller-Ford that Welch acquired sometime after it raced in '35 and in '38, '39 and '40, he raced it with a 270 Offy engine. More to come.
Yes, and as I understand it the asking price was $25,000 and Andy and his brothers bought the whole package for $10K. I have some info from the Granatelli era, when I find it I’ll post it on the HAMB.
Part 1of my research, done over ten years ago so, some of the info may not be current: Specifications: 450hp, 181 cu. in. 90° dual overhead cam V8 engine with supercharger, two-speed transaxle, front and rear transverse leaf springs. The genius of Harry Miller was again evident in the design and execution of the magnificent 1935 Miller Ford race cars. Beautifully styled and with streamlined independent suspension, they were unlike anything previously seen on American speedways. Unfortunately their creation was part of a Preston Tucker-orchestrated fiasco. When they failed to perform well in the Indy 500, an angry Henry Ford locked them away in Detroit. Who knows how successful they could have been if Ford had allowed further development? By 1938 Ford's anger must have subsided, as several Miller Fords had since made their way into private hands. Lew Welch acquired a Miller Ford and, with a 270 cubic inch Offenhauser powerplant replacing the Ford V8 engine, it finished sixth in 1938 and fourth in 1939 at Indy. The 1940 race was a disappointment and Welch was looking for a new, more powerful engine to power his Miller Ford for 1941. Lew Welch began his career at the Ford Motor Co. where Henry Ford apparently took a liking to him. In 1935 he left Ford to establish an auto parts manufacturing plant in Novi, Michigan. Four years later, he established the Meyer-Welch Co. with Louis Meyer in Vernon, California for the purpose of reconditioning factory parts for Ford dealers. Welch had also become friends at Indianapolis with William 'Bud' Winfield, who was the brother of camshaft and carburetor genius Ed Winfield and, like Ed, was self-taught and extremely knowledgeable about racing engines. Bud's idea for a V8 racing powerplant was perfect for Welch's needs. In fact, some speculate that Henry Ford's confidence in Welch may have prompted clandestine financial support for the Winfield V8 project from Ford, although this has never been proven with absolute certainty. After all, a V8 engine win at Indy would have been a public relations boon for the Ford Motor Co. Winfield and Welch approached Fred Offenhauser about building the engine at his Gage Avenue Plant. Fred accepted and was joined by Leo Goossen, who came on board to do the drawings. Bud gave Leo basic specifications of what he wanted and the rest of the design was left in Goossen's capable hands. With this free reign, Leo departed from standard Miller practice, with the cylinder bores extending past the base of the block and into the barrel-type crankcase. Furthermore, the blocks were mounted to the crankcase by flanges that p***ed over 20 3/8-inch studs in the crankcase. A 180-degree single plane crankshaft spun in three main bearings that were 2.375 inches in diameter and 2.60 inches wide. Bronze main bearing bulkheads were used as well. The over square bore and stroke meant the engine revved freely to 8,000 rpm producing 450 horsepower. The 10-inch supercharger had a 5.35 blower drive ratio and at maximum engine rpm was turning 43,000 rpm. Fuel entered the supercharger through three Winfield carburetors and was then forced through an intercooler mounted on the top of the engine. The completed engine was adapted to the Miller Ford ch***is in the Offenhauser plant. An oil tank took the place of the riding mechanic's seat and the body was modified with a new hood, nose and grille. For the 1941 Indianapolis 500, Bud Winfield brought Robert Bowes along as a sponsor. The car was consequently painted in a cream and black Bowes Seal Fast livery and had a very Ford-like V8 emblem painted on each side of the nose. Ralph Hepburn signed on as driver, although he quickly discovered that he was brought on to tame a real beast. The power and torque of the Winfield V8 overwhelmed the grip of the tires, making them simply spin, burn and smoke if too much power was applied. Adding to his problems was the fact that the heavier Winfield engine upset the balance of the front wheel drive Miller Ford ch***is, making the car impossible to drive full out and negatively affecting its handling ability. The seasoned driver wisely placed a wooden block on the firewall to limit the travel of the throttle. He ran a rather conservative race keeping the leaders in sight and finished fourth. The 1941 Indy 500 will forever be remembered as the beginning of a glorious era that the fans looked forward to and never forgot. The Winfield, pre-war Novi engine at speed produced the best and most recognizable throaty booming roar ever heard at the Speedway. It drowned out the Offys and could be heard going around the entire track! Currently it is unknown what became of Welch's Miller Ford Winfield ch***is after the war. The engine was retained for one of the new Kurtis ch***is. The ch***is reappeared in the early 1970s as part of M.H. 'Tiny' Gould's impressive race car collection. Don Noble of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania was the next owner and sold the car to Jim Etter of Pittsburgh. Eventually Robert 'Buck' Boudeman purchased the car from Etter before selling it to Robert Sutherland, who had acquired a dis***embled Novi engine from John 'Doc' Young and set about reuniting the engine with the ch***is. Jim Toensing was hired for the restoration and he did an outstanding job to his very high standards. The completed car's sound once again electrified the crowds when Bob Sutherland fired it up at the Gilmore Party and the Miller Meet. After Mr. Sutherland's death his wonderful collection was dispersed. Offered at auction, an employee unfamiliar with the starting procedure damaged the bevel gears used to turn the engine over with the hand crank. This problem has yet to be repaired. The car was then acquired privately by Mr. MacPherson and has remained in Joe's Garage ever since. Quite simply, it is a superb example of Indy history and of the ingenuity displayed by race car constructors who push the engineering envelope year after year, in search of greater performance and victory.
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