That photo is taken in "Gasoline Alley" at the Indianapolis Speedway. Could it be a Tommy Lee / Frank Kurtis creation ?!
I want to know how you get in it. Looks like 2 footpegs sticking out through the body. Does the roof panel then swing up so you can drop down in? Way Kool!
https://kustomrama.com/wiki/Fageol_Supersonic https://www.hemmings.com/stories/to...-with-unique-stories-will-have-to-become-one/
Looks to me like the old garages at 50's Indy before the fire and renovations. Could that be an Roadster from Frank Kurtis with an "Aero" body on it. Looks like the off set driver location like the Watson/ Kurtis roadsters of the day ?? Didn't Kurtis company build the Tommy Lee roadster in '36 or so ?? There were some Indy attempts at "Aero" cars back then.
That Hemmings story is really fascinating about its history and the new effort to restore it to its earlier version. What a wild ride that car had. Sounds like by the time they're done, they'll end up with 2 versions of (almost) the same car.
Thanks to K13 we have all the answers. thank you sir. HRP The Fageol Supersonic was originally designed and built by Joel Thorne and Art Sparks at Thorne Engineering Racing Shop in Burbank, California in 1938 as a Land Speed racing car. The streamlined race car was constructed to break the land speed record against the Mercedes Silver Arrow and Auto Union land speed cars. The project was never completed and it didn't see any sand or salt. In 1948 Thorne sold the almost finished car without Sparks knowledge for $2,500 because he had overspent his allowance and needed som quick pocket money to spend on girls.[2] Louis Fageol of Kent, Ohio bought the unfinished race car and turned it into the fabulous "Fageol Supersonic". Louis, was president of the Twin Coach Company that he owned together with his brothers Frank and William. The company specialized in building jet aircraft parts and twin engined buses, and Louis liked to experiment with with automotive ideas as a hobby. In its original configuration the Fageol Supersonic was equipped with twin Miller engines.[1] In 1949 Louis showed his streamlined creation at the Indy. This version featured a low-slanting hood and a slide away sun roof over the front seat. When the "Fageol Supersonic" was featured in Trend Book 107 Dream Cars in 1953, Louis had restyled the Supersonic further. The wheelbase was 124 inches, and the overall length 210 inches. Louis' dream car was powered by an all aluminum propane power plant producing 275 hp. Fageol designed the ultra-modern engine specifically for LPG-liquefied petroleum gas. The engine was a single-overhead-cam engine on 404 cubic inches. According to Fageol, the car was able to do 150 mph due to its high power/weight ratio and efficient streamlining. Fageol used the Supersonic regularly, and he took it to both California and New York.[3] The Fageol Supersonic is still around, and was in 2009 owned by Robert DeMars. In 2009 Robert loaned the car out to the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo, California.[4] By then the propane power plant and original chassis were gone. Sometime after the 1953 featured story the innovative power-plant was changed out in favor of a Twin Coach six cylinder bus engine.[1]
A few more interesting notes... 1939 FAGEOL SUPERSONIC Lou Fageol bought an unfinished race car and turned it into the fabulous Fageol Supersonic. Lou and his brothers Frank and William owned the Twin Coach company – which specialized in building jet aircraft parts and twin engined busses. In its original configuration it was equipped with twin Miller engines, but those engines and the original chassis are gone - during conversion the powertrain was changed out in favor of a Twin Coach six cylinder bus engine. Note numerous aircraft styling cues. Originally Super-Streamlined – the car had no doors. With the push of a button, the fighter plane style elctro hydraulicly controlled roof slides back and pop-out step plates fold out of the sides – allowing entry into the 2 seater cockpit. Now the car has conventional doors. The car is made of “Duraluminum” and has “Torsalastic” suspension – the front wheels lean into a curve similar to a motorcycle. Lou Fageol had a fixation with twin-engined vehicles. At one point he owned a Porsche dealership and a company that sold Pepco superchargers for VWs and Porsches. This car has two 356 Porsche engines in it – one in the front and one in the back, transmitting power through two separate gearboxes.
Wow! That Hemmings story is a very strange read. Those guys are the ones that say, us Hot Rod/Custom car builders are the Krazzy ones. I just think about the grand things I would get done if I had the resources and $$$ that Has Been and Is Being spent on this One car turned Three cars and though Exotic it may be, it's still Missing the magnetic feeling I get looking at a real Hot Rod or Custom hand built by the Owner. It was way ahead of its time in the beginning but to me and today it's really kind of Plain Jane at first sight. I do like the first photo that HRP posted up.
Don't sell Anthony short, I believe he has the talent to take the aluminum from a Jiffy Pop popcorn popper and create a dash insert, He teaches kids how to use the tools it takes to build hot rods and customs. Well, the Jiffy Pop aluminum may be a little thin but I've seen some his work, and it stands tall! HRP
You know, I'm awaiting a pic of "I *wouldn't* drive that!" from Anthony. That could be "interesting"... . Marcus...
Is that the same Fageol that was involved in the crosley engines and what eventually became the homelite 4 stroke outboard?
That’s funny We just built these spoilers and skid plate from scrap street sign aluminum But this is a lot less skilled than the work it took to shape the panels on the race cars you posted. I’ve only done a small amount of that kinda work. Building off bucks is a entire different dimension
The race car in question reminds me of the villain’s ride from the 1937 Porkeys Road Race cartoon sorta kinda. I wonder if someone said “ya know, the So-Cal streamlliner would look great with a roof and let’s swap places with the engine” any of the same people involved?
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