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Technical In-Car Footage: Scarab

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Ryan, Dec 19, 2012.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,632

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

  2. 60 Belair
    Joined: Feb 19, 2006
    Posts: 747

    60 Belair
    Member

    Wow! I caught my self gritting my teeth while he was passing the other car Great video Thanks
     
  3. Rolleiflex
    Joined: Oct 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,243

    Rolleiflex
    Member

    Wow! That was wonderful having the sound of the motor and the squealing tires! I like when he overtakes the red car right after the main straightaway at about 2:45min.
     
  4. texasmark1
    Joined: Jun 18, 2009
    Posts: 46

    texasmark1
    Member
    from Houston,TX

    yep... that red car never had a chance!
     

  5. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,344

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    Jeez, he wasn't the smoothest driver, was he? But HP and $$$ makes it look a lot smoother from 50ft. Gary
     
  6. truckjim
    Joined: May 21, 2011
    Posts: 166

    truckjim
    Member

    Amazing footage! Especially considering the level of film technology of the day. The tire squeal reminded me of Pirellis. They sang a loud tune and drivers used the sound to tell them when the end (of traction) was near. The Scarab is a beautiful car with great lines. Thanks Ryan.:cool:
     
    Last edited: Dec 19, 2012
  7. farmer12
    Joined: Aug 28, 2006
    Posts: 7,717

    farmer12
    Member

    Great footage, love it. Thanks Ryan.
     
  8. Video is right hand drive and the pictures is left? Hmmmm... great stuff and I wont need more coffee today. Thanks, Ryan.
     
  9. Groovybaby6
    Joined: Dec 29, 2008
    Posts: 799

    Groovybaby6
    Member
    from Denver

    There's a great film called The Sound of Speed directed by Bruce Kessler from 1960 of Lance testing his Scarab at Riverside.
     
  10. seatex
    Joined: Oct 24, 2006
    Posts: 2,670

    seatex
    Member

    man, awesome video! the squealing tires were awesome (and the link to "Tatra Girl" wasn't bad, either)! Thanks for the post!
     
  11. Van Dutch
    Joined: Nov 17, 2008
    Posts: 247

    Van Dutch
    Member

    Working as a professional writer myself, there's nothing more I hate than people nitpicking grammar and misspellings. But I do I love when spell check gives you the wrong word, but it's even better than your original thought. I'm pretty sure that's what happened when you wrote the phrase "American bread." Of course you originally wrote bred, as in born and bred, but spell check unintentionally put a whole new spin on the phrase! The fact that he spent a huge chunk of the Woolworth "American bread" (as in dough, dollars) on making an impression in the european racing world with an American bred car made me smile.

    Love these stories, Ryan thanks so much for "skating the same line" over and over for us to enjoy.
     
  12. Terry Buffum
    Joined: Mar 20, 2008
    Posts: 304

    Terry Buffum
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Oregon

    Is the red car one of the Bocars, made in Colorado, some with Potvin crank driven blowers on Chevy engines?

    They should have been one of the few to exceed the Scarabs' power, but certainly did not have the development team to sort the cars!
     
  13. Very cool clip, thanks!
     
  14. goetzcr
    Joined: Jul 21, 2010
    Posts: 123

    goetzcr
    Member

    I had a chance to see Augie Pabst run his Scarab at Road America when I was a kid. Apparently he's still doing it at age 73. http://www.tomstrongman.com/ClassicCars/Scarab/Index.htm
    It's pretty cool to see guys take these very rare and very valuable cars and get them out on the track.
     
  15. BrerHair
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 5,005

    BrerHair
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Poetry. Great find Boss.
     
  16. GaryC.
    Joined: Mar 24, 2007
    Posts: 1,557

    GaryC.

    I'm pretty sure that was Steve McQueen doing the narration towards the end.
     
  17. firingorder1
    Joined: Dec 15, 2006
    Posts: 2,147

    firingorder1
    Member

    If you get a chance to see the Goodwood Festival take a look and see what they do over there. Not only out on the track but they seriously race them and bend them. No parading.
     
  18. NickJT
    Joined: Jul 17, 2012
    Posts: 640

    NickJT
    Member
    from S.E. PA

    Wow, awesome exciting historic video, thanks!


    I'm not sure but I was thinking it was some kind of Lister (Jag?).

    [​IMG]

    In any case, I was surprised it hung in there so well.
     
  19. LOL, so the film was printed reversed? Car in the photo is left hand drive, car in the video is obviously RH drive. Neat as hell, anyway...
     
  20. 29AVEE8
    Joined: Jun 28, 2008
    Posts: 1,384

    29AVEE8
    Member

    They originally made three cars. One left and two rights. The lefty became Reventlow's personal I do not know if it ever actually raced but was I believe qualified at Riverside in 1958 and then damaged in practice. The two rights are the ones that Meister Breauser purchased. The left hand car was and perhaps is still owned by Rob Walton of Wal-Mart fame.
     
  21. sololobo
    Joined: Aug 23, 2006
    Posts: 8,378

    sololobo
    Member

    Edge of my seat thru that marvolous film. God if that ain't pure hot roddin, nuthin is. Thanx for the coolest race I felt I had ever driven. Made in U.S.A.!! Uber cool ~sololobo~
     
  22. Midget25
    Joined: May 2, 2012
    Posts: 168

    Midget25
    Member

    Cool video, Contential Devide Raceway was just south of Castle Rock Colorado, half way between Denver and Colorado Springs. Was a long road course that used the drag strip as the straightaway. Fun track to race. Too bad it was crowded out by growth.......................
     
  23. Lobucrod
    Joined: Mar 22, 2006
    Posts: 4,122

    Lobucrod
    Alliance Vendor
    from Texas

    Best 5 min. I have spent today. Tire technology sure had a ways to go back then. I thought he would loose it a time or two.
     
  24. jcmarz
    Joined: Jan 10, 2010
    Posts: 4,631

    jcmarz
    Member
    from Chino, Ca

    cool vid. I always had a little interest in L.R because he was one of the last persons to see J.D. alive. They had a chat at blackwells corner and had made plans to hook up for dinner in Paso Robles. Of course we all know what happened about 20 miles later.
    When L.R. sold the car to John Mecom, he installed a Traco-built 327, put A.J Foyt in the drivers seat and won some races at Nassau.
     
    Last edited: Dec 19, 2012
  25. revkev6
    Joined: Jun 13, 2006
    Posts: 3,352

    revkev6
    Member
    from ma

    red car looked a bit like a lotus 11 to me.
     
  26. propwash
    Joined: Jul 25, 2005
    Posts: 3,857

    propwash
    Member
    from Las Vegas

    Have you ever driven an actual race car on a high-speed circuit using the tires they had in the 60s. That isn't an interstate freeway, it's an asphalt track with dips and lumps, reverse camber curves and a good driver was always at the absolute limits of adhesion. Watching his hands whip-sawing that tiller looked exactly like he knew what he was doing. I invite you to give it a shot sometime.
     
  27. propwash
    Joined: Jul 25, 2005
    Posts: 3,857

    propwash
    Member
    from Las Vegas

    Good eye - that's exactly what it is.
     
  28. MRpants
    Joined: Feb 19, 2010
    Posts: 121

    MRpants
    Member
    from pea ridge

    what a wonderful noise.
     
  29. mgbtc
    Joined: Dec 22, 2006
    Posts: 112

    mgbtc
    Member

    Years ago, Briggs Cunningham had a museum in Costa Mesa. I went there many times, he had the best collection of cars, race cars particulary, I have ever seen. One of them was a Scarab. I understand most of the collection went to San Diego.
     
  30. 29AVEE8
    Joined: Jun 28, 2008
    Posts: 1,384

    29AVEE8
    Member

    He also had one of the "Desmo" engines from the Formula One effort.
     

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