Features VINTAGE SPRINT CAR PIC THREAD, 1965 and older only please.

Was Al Keller driving the Konstant Hot Champ Car at Phoenix?
Also, does anybody know if the Leader Card of Ward was the same car Jimmy Bryan lost his life in?
I saw Keller drive the Konstant Hot midget in an ARDC midget show at Flemington, N. J. several months before his accident. At Flemington i think he won; sure had the hammer down!!

 

Yes Spike, Al was in the Konstant Hot car. Al and bobby Marshman took turns that season in the midget for bruce homeyer. Neither particularly liked the handling of it though. Marshman dropped out at Phoenix because his hands were turned to raw meat. No power steering that year in the Meskowski car.

Only AJ Watson would know on the Bryan/Ward cars. He had many cars. I think it isn't the same one because as i recollect, the Bryan car had the steering link on the right side, but I'd look for a picture first, not that that couldn't be swapped out.

 

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD style="vetical-align: top"> </TD><TD style="vetical-align: top" rowSpan=2><TABLE id=ctl00_Cph_Images_Images style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> </TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD><TD> </TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><SCRIPT> var BigImageDescriptor = 'ProductId=59'; function SwitchImage(id) { var i = document.getElementById("ctl00_Cph_BigImage"); i.src = "Image.ashx" + "?Mode=Fit&Width=400&Height=300&ProductImageId=" + id; BigImageDescriptor = "ProductImageId=" + id; } function OpenBigImagePopup() { window.open("Image.ashx" + "?" + BigImageDescriptor, '_blank', 'width=1000,height=700,scrollbars=1'); }</SCRIPT></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=CatalogItemHeader>Year:</TD><TD class=CatalogItemValue>1933</TD></TR><TR><TD class=CatalogItemHeader>Make:</TD><TD class=CatalogItemValue>Race Car</TD></TR><TR><TD class=CatalogItemHeader>Model:</TD><TD class=CatalogItemValue>Flat Tail</TD></TR><TR><TD class=CatalogItemHeader>Color:</TD><TD class=CatalogItemValue>Red</TD></TR><TR id=ctl00_Cph_PriceRow><TD class=CatalogItemHeader>Price:</TD><TD class=CatalogItemValue>$19,500.00

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>1933 Flat Tail Midget Race Car "T" Frame "T" Rearend "T" Frontend Norden steering, Motor is a Fergeson 4 cylinder with aluminum head with Windfield side draft carb, 1 left rear wheel brake, Hoodi shocks, 1 off custom built in & out gear box. Wheel base 72 inches.

Are these cars worth this kind of cash?

 

Spike- this is what I have on Bryan's L/C car:

 

FWIW- A little more info on the above mentioned car:

 

Yes, they can be, but it kinda depends on the provable history and provenance.

 

Rootie-
Thanks for the info on that car. I know from having raced before cages that the sport was different in many ways. Not worse, in my opinion, just different.
I dont think any of us cared any less about the next drivers fate; we just really had to accept that nobody was forced to climb in and buckle up! To me there was an extra high to escaping with my hide every race.
As they say; It was what it was!

 

Yeah, there was a time when racing wasn't really expected to be all that safe, it was after all..... Racing! Not saying it was a blood sport but there was a different mindset back then and certain risks were just a part of life.

I know your a Jimmy Bryan fan, here's a couple of pics you might like:

"Goggles? I don't need no steenking goggles"

 

Rootie-
Thanks for the pics of the "Arizona Cowboy".
Years ago i read a story about one of Jimmys unbelieveable performances; it said he had the lead near the finish of a 100 miler. He got somehow put through the fence. Instead of giving up, Jimmy drove along the outside for a ways, then crashed his Champ Car through the fence again, got back on track, and i think he finished high enough to win the driving title! Sounds hard to believe, unless you saw Jimmy Bryan drive!

 

IIRC that was Phoenix 1957-He went thru the fence,came back on the track and won the race and championship.

I have an art print somewhere of him that shows this.

 

Is this car around any where,does watson still have it or is it gone? What a history cars now don't last a year at best.

 

Oh they last, it's just that there are so many out there in the country that no matter what they win, they just don't retain the history like they used to. Top level cars get sold cheap at auction, then they move about only to end up crashed or considered too heavy. I know one guy here at Lake Texoma that had one as a yard ornament! Downtube, nobody cares.

One study this year said there may be as many as 4,000 sprint cars that could be ready to run in one day or less. That number seems high, but then again........


Consistent manufacturing, overexposure of the species, and the sheepherd mentality has made these throwaway cars with almost throwaway history. Don't bother me at all, I like the old cars anyway.

 

Not sure where it's at today, it was restored back in the 80s. Roy Caruthers might know.

 

Is this not it in this picture?

 

'Thought for sure that Wynns#1 and our good friend Ned Fry would appreciate this photo. 'Unless, of course you guys' already have it. But, what a beauty! Johnny Rutherford in the Wynns #1 in it's debut at Reading, Pa. to open the 1966 USAC National Sprint Car season. Mario Andretti is in Wally's #9 that Rutherford had used to win the 1965 National Sprint Car Championship. The very next race was the ill-fated race at Eldora where Rutherford flew over the wall and broke both arms. Also included is Ned Fry's own replica of the Wynns #1 and a shot of him driving in this years' 2009 Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, OK. 'Way to go, Ned Fry!

 

If You are in the Indy area next wednesday check this out,

http://www.indianaopenwheel.com/showthread.php?t=17113

aXe

 

The car is owned by Tom Malloy. It is safe in his collection in California.

 

The "other" Unser:
Just about 50 years ago, big brother, Jerry was killed while practicing for the 500.

 

Jerry and Louie were brother rivals in their own right just like Bobby and Al were. Jerry got killed, Louie eventually ended up in a wheelchair due to a muscular disease. He went to building engines and Bobby and Al had been groomed to make their way to Indy also.

Papa Unser wanted all of his boys to make the Indy 500, and they all wanted to as well. He died before seeing Bobby pull his first win down. Starting a family run to 9 wins being completed by Al Unser Jr. One four time winner, one three time winner, one two time winner. No other racing patriarch could boast such a record.

 

From the Oddball / For shits and grins / Nothing better to do / File comes this:

Sometime back, on another forum, (the Trackforum maybe) there was a discussion about a turbine powered champ car built inthe early 50s. The following pic was posted and the fellow on the right was identified as Eddie Rickenbaker who was instrumental in having the car built. Apparently it was used as a test vehicle for Firestone. Anyhoo, while goofing around on YouTube I came across this vid of a 1950s dragrace and about 15 sec. in, this car appears, cruising through the pits, sporting a license plate then parked with some gawkers looking at it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV8IOXD7nic

 

Johnny Rutherford at NH Motor Speedway May 13, 2009 in the Babe Stapp sprint that he won his first USAC race

 

Johnny in the #9 in which he won the 1965 USAC Championship. Unfortunately, I missed him sitting in the Wynn's #1

 

LITTLEFAUSS--- Thanks for the cool shot of Johnny and Mario--boy thoughs were the days-- I run my replica at vintage shows,we will be at Knox July 3rd. I ran a Indy car at Indy July 2008 --I thought NOTHING could ever top that --But When my friend PAT MEWES let me drive at the CHILI BOWL-- it was the most Racing fun I ever had.-- And I didn't tear it up )-- Thanks PAT

 

This ought to tell you something. The man won Indy 3 times in the 70's with top teams, but he still gets a charge out of a front -engine rear wheel drive race car.

 

CTtoPA,

Any other pics of the car in the upper left corner?

 

Isn't that the old SAC Fireboid? Gen. Curtis Lemay had a hand in it. I believe it was a heicopter turbine in an old sprint car. He was trying to suck Hotroders into the Air Force back then and had opened up several SAC (Strategic Air Command) bases for drag racing also. It appears to be at an active base with B47 bombers in the far background.

 

I just watched it again and it says SACFIREBOID on the hood. They don't make em like old Curtis LeMay any more.

 

Your probably right, I'm just going by memory of what I read on another forum quite a while back so the details may be off. I had never heard of it before and was kind of intrigued by it.