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

ken - great pic of two of the most iconic modifieds that ever ran old bridge and wall, the House XL1 and Racz's 41 - more Brenn pics - Thanks - Jiggs' nephew

 

#87 was originally the Aggie 98 that Troy Ruttman won Indy with in 1952, later the Aristo-Blue Spl. that broke an axle under Roger Ward and triggered the Vukie crash in 55. 13 years after winning Indy Dee Jones drove it to 9th at Phoenix that day. It's been restored to it's original glory by Bruce Meyers and last I knew was at the Peterson. Race cars don't have a history like that anymore.

 

Here is some footage that came to me this week,I really enjoyed it & thought I would like to share it with you guys & gals.Look for the pitstop where the driver is handed which looks like a frypan & a pot of water,dirty faces,no seat belts & dress codes fantastic film....enjoy.Oh & the music as well.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2355955628173911691&pr=goog-sl>

 

Amen. So right..

 

According to the race report, you're right about Dee Jones. I didn't mention it. Couldn't find the roadster No. 32 or No. 33 in the race report, but the RE No. 9 was listed as Lloyd Ruby.

 

I couldn't find a roadster with that # in the stats, either. Ruby was #7, BTW.
Maybe the photo was from a pre-race practice, and the 33 was a DNQ? not listed in the DNQ's either, though.
There was a 33 Watson, Dayton Steel Wheel Spl. in the next race (Trenton) driven by Carl Williams. (All according to Champcarstats.com)

 

I believe that car is in the Bob McConnel collection.. It is beautiful! The body is unrestored original. At one point they shortened the chassis into a Sprint car, re bodied it, and ran pavement. When this was done, someone had enough thought to NOT modify the Indy roadster body, and in turn put it in the attic in storage.. Years later, Mr. McConnel got it, redid the Chassis and running gear, and put the original body back on it.

It was one of my favorite cars in his collection.

J Shaw

 

Thanks for the help on that one, guys. I meant No. 7, not 9. Couldn't really tell from the photo. Hope it was a 7.

Here's a photo from the Stan Kalwasinski collection. Tony Bettenhausen at Soldier Field in 1957.

 

Bettenhausen in Ashley Wright's Hardwood Door midget.

 

'jjones, 'I too was stumped when trying to figure out who and what was the #33 car in the photo. But, you're right on a couple of accounts. That photo was snapped in practice because Carl Williams did indeed miss the show that day in George Walther's Dayton Steel Wheel car. (A front engine Watson-Offy roadster.) The same car that he did run at the next race in Trenton. And finally, posted is the original photo, taken by our old, good friend Jim Chini as it appeared in Dick Wallen's book.

 

I'm not sure how many times this car changed hands, but I remember that in 1963 my dad went to Sacto with this car. It was owned by Lyle Greenman and driven by Cotton Farmer. they missed the show that day. I've tried to find a picture of it, but so far haven't been able to find anything. It was Yellow with a #31 as I remember

 

This midget racer was recently purchased by a sprint car driver from near Chillicothe, Ohio. This car was owned and driven by Gene Comstock of Chesapeake, Ohio. It had been sitting in Comstock's basement since it last raced in 1951!!! When purchased from Comstock's widow, the drivers' goggles and helmet were still in the seat. Should he restore it, or just clean it up???

 

This is Mrs. Comstock and the new owner of the #8 midget.

 

We recently lost this legendary driver. Wayne McGuire won hundreds of features in this supermodified throughout the midwest and south. Wayne passed away in September at age 80.

 

"Should he restore it, or just clean it up??? "


I vote clean it up and leave it as original as possible.

 

Congrats Crud,if you gonna use it,leave it( ex-ray the stubs) show only go the whole hog mate..Personal choice at least you have the options.

 

Crudbro.. THERE ONLY ORIGINAL ONCE!

DO NOT RESTORE THAT CAR!

If you do, you WILL REGRET IT! ...I promise you!

Take it to some meets, (NOT CAR SHOWS) but actual Vintage open wheel meets. When you see the reaction you get from vintage racers, you'll know you made the right choice.

Great find by the way, and welcome to the site. (as long as you don't restore it!) Ha Ha!


J Shaw

 

I wouldn't even clean it- you got NOS 1951 racetrack dirt on there!
Doesn't get any more authentic.
I hope he got the helmet and goggles too; back in about 1979 when I was young and stupid I attended the same church as Art Ingles (I'm sure a lot of you know who he was and can fill in the history, but the short version is he was a panel beater supreme who worked for Frank Kurtis, and oh, by the way, INVENTED the go-kart). When he heard I was building a TQ he offered me his old helmet and leather jacket, and to "show me a few pictures" of the old days. Unfortunately he passed before I got the chance to get with him. I regret that I let that opportunity slip away, and the more I learn about what a big player he really was in the racing and hot-rodding world, the more I regret it. He was such a quiet, unassuming man when I knew him, you'd never know it.

 

This may have been the same car that was at the Joliet Stadium finally under the stands, or in the same condition as that one.
There is a certain charm to seeing these old cars just as they were, the cracked leather, tires right off the track, nicks,tape,makeshift repairs, etc... I wouldnt touch it.

 

Records I'm able to locate show the car runiing at Indy as the Agajanian 98 1951-53, then owned by Ernie Casale, Greenman-Casale, Greenman-Wilson, Greenman alone, and finally Lynch. It may have run beyind '65 but I'm not able to determine from any records I can find.
Still, at least 15 years running the Champ trail. Impressive.

 

As much as I wish it was, the Comstock midget is not mine. As mentioned in the post, it now belongs to a fellow from the Chillicothe, Ohio area. I certainly will pass along the opinons. I think he should leave it as is. Just get it running and fix what needs fixing. Craig Shaw

 

I didn't know Wayne had passed away. Sorry it happened before I could get over there to Grayson and see him. He was one of my favorite drivers in the old supers. I watched him battle Gordon Johncock at Louisville for most of 500 laps (he came in late, didn't get to qualify and started on the tail) Also watched him win that same race a couple of times, once by something like 13 laps.

That No. 41 Pontiac-powered car came off the corners looking like Don Garlits. I remember him practicing with it on the afternoon of that first race, and hearing Hugh Randall comment, "Boys, if he ever gets that thing handling, the rest of us are in deep stuff."

 

Deep stuff indeed. Here's Wayne accepting the checkered flag for a victory lap after winning that 500-lap race on a quarter-mile track in 1965 - from a beardless yours truly. I feel honored to have known him and waved flags over him...

 

McQuire's super, pictured above, recently sold at auction for ~ $30,000.

 

Print these comments out and take them to him.. Thanks!

 

the XL-1 modified was built by Don House, as all the XL-1's. This car is a fine replica of the first XL-1, and power from a '57 368 Lincoln with one of the few original fuel injection units made for that engine.

 

I have a couple Eggers-Vetting fuel injection pills in my tool box, I don't know the size, anyone interested PM Weathrmn.

 

I have a question about midget axles. I have a later Halibrand 31 splined axle that is a 44-1 I assume. It is 16" from center to the bird cage flange on the left side and 18" to the ledge on the right. Everything on the left side fits fine in my midget, but the right side has a ton of extra splines on the right side before the threads for the nut. When I get the wheels spaced out to be in the right place, the axle sticks out flush with the outside of the wheel and looks a little out of place. Does anyone know if there is a different splined axle that was made that will not have all the extra spline on the right side? Or does anyone have a tapered axle and hubs for a National/Halibrand rear?
Thanks,
Bzneil

 

I haven't had a chance to talk to either Ken Brenn or the Petraitis family yet, re the Honker II midget they had .. but I just did a quick Google search and turned up yet ANOTHER Honker II from the same era.

While this one IS a race car, it is NOT a midget.
It was driven by Mario Andretti .. a Holman & Moody owned Ford powered 1967 Can Am car that was sponsored by Paul Newman.

Sounds like it was considered a pig / a lead sled. <!-- / message --><!-- attachments -->

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