'54 Morgensen Special pics.

[metalshapes]

Because I dont want to create any confusion with my Morgensen Special ( the sister car to this one ), I thought I'd start a new Thread to show these pics.

This is the '54 morgensen Special.

Built by Dick Morgensen and Boyd Hough.

At first it had a straight 6 Plymouth flathead.

[metalshapes]

Not too long after that , Morgensen put a Nailhead in it.

In the pic with Ken Miles' Shingle it already has the Nailhead, but it still has the Cyclewings.

Then it got the bigger front fenders, a more streamlined nose, but it was still in Morgensen's Blue and White colors.

[metalshapes]

Then Balchowski changed it to Yellow ( a '55 Chevy color, I believe...)

The car was now called Old Yeller.

[metalshapes]

Balchowski raced the car together with Eric Hauser.
And when they each went their own ways, Max kept the Nailhead.

Here are some pics with a later nosecone.

[metalshapes]

Then it was modified again.

Another nosecone, and more tubes in the Chassis ( triangulated )

It had a SBC in it.

And it was called the Lioncage Special.

The last big crash was when the driver thought he could take a corner flat out, without braking.

[metalshapes]

I have a pic of the crashed car, but it didn't scan right...

One last pic, at an auction.

[The37Kid]

Thanks for posting. Tracing any race cars history is a fun project, but it sure does take time.

[metalshapes]

These are pics I found while I was looking for info on the Special I own.

There are lots of pics of the '54 ( later OY1 ),

And hardy any of mine....

[Zombilly]

This is a nice shot, I thought Id make it a little clearer.

[metalshapes]

Some more pics.

The Drawing was done for a magazine article, and it really shows the sumularities between the '54 and the Morgensen/Bird Special ( the car I have)

[metalshapes]

Originally Posted by Zombilly

This is a nice shot, I thought Id make it a little clearer.

Cool... Thanks.

[metalshapes]

This is my favorite pic of the car.

It looks pissed off.

And was a very effective low buck machine, built up out of '50s Buick, Chevy, and Ford parts, with some Model T and Harley parts thrown in as well.
( still in the Morgensen colors, but already with Balchowski's racing number, # 70.)


Just its racing succes makes it significant enough.
And it is also the Grand Daddy of the Cobra's in a way ( Shelby raced OY2 once or twice...)


But there was a more sinister part of its legacy as well...

After Margaret Pritchard lost her life in it ( I read some graphic details about that crash ), people got concerned about racing.

And there was one politician ( I've been trying to find his name ) who was lobbying to get Motor Racing banned.

As his arguments he used this crash, and the Pierre Leveque Le Mans crash, which also happend in '55.

( Because of the Le Mans crash Spain, France, Switzerland, and Mexico did ban Motor Racing...
Switzerland is the only one that didn't lift the ban, it still stands today.)


Questions were asked why a car in such appearent state of disrepair was allowed to race.
It wasnt... it looked rough, but it was a very well built machine.


It was never a "pretty" machine, but in this stage it has a real rugged beauty to it.
At least it does to me...

I would have liked to build the same nose and fenders for the Morgensen/Bird Special, but since I dont know if it ever had those, I dont think that would be the right thing to do.

[Pure Hell]

"I would have liked to build the same nose and fenders for the Morgensen/Bird Special, but since I dont know if it ever had those, I dont think that would be the right thing to do."

Hell it's your car .. It "might" have been what was on her in the first place ..
As long as you aren't cutting her up you could all was change it later ... I think most people would be happy to to see her back on the track .. sure can't be as bad as half these guys with modern paint wheels and graphs ....

Actually know a guy that took a restored Miller something way over a million .. cut it up and had it lengthened to back to it's earlier wheel base .. the bad part is he was planning to paint it right down the middle with it's two paint schemes ...

[metalshapes]

Originally Posted by Pure Hell

Actually know a guy that took a restored Miller something way over a million .. cut it up and had it lengthened to back to it's earlier wheel base .. the bad part is he was planning to paint it right down the middle with it's two paint schemes ...

Jeez...

What the hell do I worry about, then....

[Lowlife]

metalshapes, do you have Vintage American Road Racing Cars 1950-1970 by Pace and Brinker? If not, here's a little more info you may or may not have. Sorry I don't know how to join the two pages. Of course, the pic is of a Devin bodied job that won't interest you.

[metalshapes]

Yeah, I have that book...

[Lowlife]

couple more