History VINTAGE SPRINT CAR PIC THREAD, 1969 and older only please.

[joemarsicano]

Brian's got a tank coming in the mail...

[Jerracer]

Originally Posted by corngrower32

"roadsters became sprint cars"...

Well, kinda.. I'm know of a TON of great drivers came from the roadster ranks, but roadsters were simply roadsters. If anything, they "merged" with the sprint cars that had been around all along since the twenties, or they just became "modifieds"
John Gerber was an amazing guy. Read his book if you get the chance. It's called "outlaw Sprint car racer" He raced a short wheelbased "sprint car" all over the country in the 20's and 30's He slept on the side of the road with his pistol under his pillow, because guys tried to rob him after the races.
Here is some examples of his car, and others. REMEMBER,, These cars were racing BEFORE the model A had even been offered.






1929

This guy, Oscar Coleman, died in 1938




Now I'm sure some of you will be saying, "but those are Indy cars, or "big cars" but Johns isn't. You had to be 100" wheelbase to run at indy. Most of these cars are 93" and down.

This car was called "The AC Sprint car". By AC company. This was during testing, and the picture was takin in 1925


And lastly... here's another opinion.



Don is a former racer and author of a number of books on the Roadster and Sprint Car era. See the end of this article for information on three of them.
Sprint car racing really had its beginning in the years following World War 1. The racing before then was mostly with larger cars that were primarily modified stock cars. Most of this racing was in the larger cities with factory sponsored race teams. After the war racing came to the rural areas with competition on the country fair horse tracks and machines built from stripped Model T Fords. There were other makes of cars but the Model Ts were plentiful, cheap and there were soon lots of speed parts available. These home built machines were not called sprint cars they were simply "race cars" or maybe "dirt track cars"

Noel Bullock in 1922 (Click to see larger image)
By the 1930s and 1940s the Model T based cars evolved into more refined racers. There were still lots of Ford parts with the four cylinder Model A-B engine being the base for many racing conversions. Special racing engines such as the Millers and Offenhausers were available for those who could afford the price tag. Much of the racing was still on the country and state fair horse tracks but purpose built auto racing tracks were starting to emerge. These cars were still not called sprint cars. In the 1930s the midgets had come on the racing scene so the bigger machines were called "big cars"

A typical 1930s-1940s big car (Click to see larger image)
The 1950s and 1960s brought about improvements in the design of cars and professionally built race cars became more common. In the 1950s many cars still used the pre World War 2 four cylinder engines but the flathead V8 Ford or Mercury engines were also popular. In the 1960s the Chevy V8 came into its own and soon made other engines obsolete. There was still a bit of racing on the horse tracks but this was on the way out In around 1950 somebody thought of the name "sprint car" so finally we had sprint car racing

Ascot Park, Los Angeles. 1964. #10 Allen Heath, #1 Bob Hogle (Click to see larger image)
Beyond the 1960s the cars slowly evolved into what they are today. Safety dictated the use of the cage roll bar. Engines developed more horsepower requiring wider tires and body designs and wings took advantage of aerodynamic down forces.

Mark Kinser at Parris, 1996, photo by James O'Brien, used with permission. (Click to see larger image)



I am in no way discrediting the Roadsters. I LOVE THEM!! The "NO ROADSTER, NO JALOPY'S" rule was LOOSLEY put into place simply because there are already OTHER post going on here (HAMB) about them.

Sure, I'd like it to stay only Wingless sprint cars, But I don't mind an occasional example of something else.

Besides, Gene's been a super good guy since I met him, so "I ain't mad at cha" :-)

I was about to post a pic of the Ascot 64 that you posted. One of my favorites. I remember this era well as a child watching from the stands. Hogle in the Tamale Wagon Offy #1 and Heath in the Traco 10. I know the Tamale wagon ended up in Speedy Bill's museum, but not sure whatever happened to the Hank Henry built car Heath is driving. By the way, I don't remember Heath driving much after 64.
Look closely and you'll notice his "hook" not on the wheel. Sometimes he'd slide through the corner waving it in the air. Quite a showman was he.

[rustyrail]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RUDGE-WHITWORTH-VINTAGE-RACE-CAR-WIRE-WHEEL-SPRINT-CAR_W0QQitemZ260303577788QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item2 60303577788&_trkparms=72%3A727%7C39%3A1%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

[mac miller]

Originally Posted by brian26

Do you sell copies of that Champ car cowl/hood/nose set?

Yes! $575 for the three pcs............ cowl, hood and nose, as pictured.

[Harley Gene]

OK, on the roadsters. I was asked to post some. On the quote of 'roadsters evolving into sprint cars.' I am aware that sprint cars or big cars were around before roadsters came on the scene as real race cars vs being called 'hotrods'. My comment referred to the Mutual Roadsters evolving into sprint cars later in life. A case in point is the Tom Cherry car. It was originally built as a Mutual roadster, then converted to a sprint car to run in Tom Cherry's All Amercan Racers series, then the same car was converted to the NASCAR Speedway Division form. It is today still in the Speedway Division design.
Gene

[Joshua Shaw]

Originally Posted by Harley Gene

A case in point is the Tom Cherry car. It was originally built as a Mutual roadster, then converted to a sprint car to run in Tom Cherry's All Amercan Racers series, then the same car was converted to the NASCAR Speedway Division form. It is today still in the Speedway Division design.
Gene

Very Cool, I like that car.

They might make it sound like I'm in charge, but this deal is everybody.. Enjoy it however you like. Roy is the "inforcer" of the bunch, Thats why I like him. ..i'm a little suprissed he hasn't perked up on that pic of Jimmy and his old man next to there #5 TQ yet though.. Roy...?.. You still out there? Don't let them kids throwing a rock through your trucks windshield get you that down!! lol

Did you get the pics I E-mailed you of dads hauler?

[brian26]

Originally Posted by mac miller

Yes! $575 for the three pcs............ cowl, hood and nose, as pictured.

After this weekend I'm a little broke! But, that price is good for that kind of work. I will keep it in mind. There are others in my part of the world who'd like a front end like that. I'll put your name in the "good" pile.

[brian26]

Originally Posted by joemarsicano

Brian's got a tank coming in the mail...

Thanks Joe! Looking VERY forward to it! You know, I've been preaching the supermodified gospel awful hard this last year, yet there sure are a lot of sprint tails popping up on this place!


I keep hoping I've got everything I want...............those hoods from Mac Miller, and this Silver Crown tail,hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[Racer12]

Found this on www.indianaopenwheel.com.

John Marco (Marco's Spl.) 1936 midget racer.

Have a good day...see you at the races

Midwest Connection
Photos by Rich Edwards - Arnold, Missouri

[joemarsicano]

racer12- you wouldn't happen to run a SC car would you?

[lrs30]

I just found an old R&C from 70 or 71 that has an article about ARDUN's in it and it has some pretty killer shots of an ARDUN powered Sprinter, I will scan when I get home and post..

[lrs30]

[lrs30]

If you guys want the rest of the article let me know....Hate to leave anybody hanging, but since its a Sprinter pic thread, I tried to leave it at that...

["Doc" Parsons]

I for one would like to read the rest

"Doc" Parsons

[Dean Lowe]

Found these pics while looking through another of my Mom's old scrapbooks. Chet Wilson in his #5 under construction. Taken in front of Chet's house in Lincoln, Ne. around 1939. Note the cool '38 convertible parked out at the curb. Check the rear bumper on the finished car. Looks to be pieces of a '34 Ford bumper! I believe Dad said the engine was a Star 4.

[lrs30]

Originally Posted by "Doc" Parsons

I for one would like to read the rest

"Doc" Parsons

There you go Doc, refer back to the original post, I edited it for you, I personally love the last page with the cut away mechanical diagram, I love that stuff...I am sort of a junky for mechanical diagrams, if anybody has any let me know I would love to get some copies....ryan

[casper]

I saw some other quarter midgets posted here, so I thought I would post the back corner of my garage. A 1947 Kurtis full midget, and some 1/4 midgets... 1958 Kurtis 500, 1961 Lenny Gonsel (pretty rare) 1958 Racecraft, 1959 Racecraft, 1956 Stevenscraft, 1957 Whalborg and a late 50's mystery car (with the primered nose) early Vikingcraft? I also collect vintage speed equipment for the Continental motors. I hope these are not too off topic! Kenny.

[Joshua Shaw]

Casper! That 1/4 Midget collection is killer!!

You weren't at the Bakersfield Hot Rod Reunion in the swap meet a couple weeks ago were you?

[casper]

Thanks! That is an awesome compliment coming from you! No, this is the first one I have missed in a few years. There is a guy named Steve that lives in Bakersfield and he is friends with Arlen Kurtis and they have been reproducing some Kurtis parts. I'm sure he was there selling stuff because he was telling me that he was going to set up at that swap meet. Did he have anything cool? Kenny.

[indybigjohn]

These are from Jimmy Graybeal, who asked me to use my alleged computer expertise to post them. This is a sprint car which isn't finished yet.