History The Catfish

[Ryan]

Art Sparks and Paul Weirick wanted to race Indy. They were both cerebral fellas and figured what they didn't have in the bank, they could make up for with their intelligence. With that in mind, the two gentleman began gathering mismatched parts from...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

[JeffreyJames]

Those days are pretty long gone huh? Lack of Money and Indy Racing are just two things that cannot coincide these days. I am surprised that they did not keep on the salt after having a taste of victory. Definitely a cool car and story.

[Harrison]

Where do you come up with this stuff?

I didn't know guys in Cali even knew what a catfish looked like.

Great story.

JH

[Tman]

Cool story.

My dad had a chance to go to Indy back in the late 70's as crewman for his former Sprintcar buddies effort. Those were some of the last years an average Joe could scratch up a team together and make a try. Hank had 3 cars main,backup,and show. I still kick my dad for not going, things like family and his day job kept him here. Unfortunately they didn't qualify anyway.

[chevnut]

Thanks for the cool Read Boss.

Anyone have any idea where the car is now? museum? or is it MIA?

[HOT ROD DAVE]

very interesting reading, thanks for posting this great piece of history

[Gigantor]

Originally Posted by chevnut

Thanks for the cool Read Boss.

Anyone have any idea where the car is now? museum? or is it MIA?

Word.

[The37Kid]

The car ran in AAA race at The Danbury, Ct. State Fair with the original body, there was a photo in the local paper years ago.

[studedudeus]

That story sounds, to me, a lot like the Sara Fisher story from Indy this year. Family and friends scraped together what they could, and finally got the car to qualifying. Had to qualify the car into the race to get enough to pay off those initial debts. Mangaged to get into the race, then got crashed out by another car.

Just shows that if you still want to race badly enough, you can. But you have to take big risks to do it.

Great story, and great photos. Thanks.

[Old Dawg]

Hey! Thanks for posting the Sparks-Weirick "Catfish" story

I may've posted this story before; but, here goes. In 1948, my parents rented a house in Pasadena, CA, next door to the Sparks. Art and Thelma Sparks had two sons, Arthur "Sparky" and Jackie. "Sparky" was my age (10), so we were playmates. At the back of the Sparks' property, Art Sr. had his personal shop. It was (and still is) a two story building (brand new), with the work area and garage downstairs. Upstairs was an office and storage. Mr. Sparks had his manufacturing facility (ForgeTrue Pistons) downtown. We kids had the run of the place, as long as we didn't get in the way, or touch anything in the machine shop. As I learned later, Joel Thorne and Sparks had "split the sheets"; and Paul Weirick had gone his own way. However, Sparks had an agreement with Thorne to maintain, and rebuild the Sparks Six engines. So, at any given time, there was at least one of those jewels sitting on a bench in the shop. Although I saw none of the famed Sparks Six cars, there was one older car (which I think was one of the "Poison Lil's") in a crate in the garage. We kids spent a lot of seat time in that crate. My dad, an architect, would get incensed, as every year, three to six months before Indy, the lights in Sparks' shop were burning 24/7. Drivers and mechanics, of all fame, were over there. Although my father was pissed, I was smitten by the "bug".
That shop still stands. A high school buddy of mine owns the property. In that facility, he's currently totally reconstructing a race car, on which he was the original crew chief. Though I go in there, a couple of times a month; the place never ceases to evoke memories. I keep saying the joint ought to be declared a national hysterical site. He cringes.
I currently race a 1932 vintage "big car", which has been shown (perhaps ad nauseum) in this forum. So, I still have that "bug".

[SUHRsc]

thanks for posting ryan...some stuff i didnt know!
cool history old dawg!

[HEMI32]

Originally Posted by JeffreyJames

Those days are pretty long gone huh? Lack of Money and Indy Racing are just two things that cannot coincide these days. I am surprised that they did not keep on the salt after having a taste of victory. Definitely a cool car and story.

Huh? ... Ryan's article states they went to Muroc (a dirt bed dry lake) ... did they also run the Catfish @ the Bonneville slat flats?

I agree that this is definitely a cool car / story!

[HEMI32]

Dawg ... neat stuff ... thanks for sharing

[Ryan]

I haven't read anything about the car ever going to b-ville. However, it might have...

As for muroc sand vs. b-ville sale... That's an easy mistake to make. Especially for folks back east... It's just a whole lot of space for most of us!

[paintfumesmahgee]

Cool stuff... wish I had a cool name like Art Sparks!! That's badass!!!

[plymouth1952]

I love this stuff its the roots that are the real story. Has anyony did a good story on Ascott raceway ? seen Evil jump 19 bus's there in 66.

[hlfuzzball]

I heard a rumor back in the 1970's that the Catfish (or maybe only the body) was still stashed somewhere near Indy.

Mac Miller, have you ever heard of this ?

Tom

[The37Kid]

Old Dawg, I always enjoy your posts here on the HAMB. Here is a photo of Joel Thorne in the Big Six, that sold at Pebble Beach last year. Is that the Art Sparks shop you mentioned in the background?

[autobilly]

Kool story Old Dawg, for me it added a personal touch to Ryan's very interesting post. I could see you guys playin' in that shop. It's great that you still go there, sure has been a constant in your life. No wonder you cought the "bug".

[The37Kid]

Ryan,Thank You for starting another great thread! When someone mentions The Catfish on the East Coast this is the car that comes to mind with most people. I strongly suspect that Pop Dryer copied the idea when he saw the Sparks/Weirick car at Indy. He had a shop in Indy that turned out DO Heads for B motors, complete 5Main DO Dryer engines and race ready cars, his bodies were some of the nicest in the day. The midget was powered by a Harley Knucklehead, featured a Dryer Wiggle front end that was fabed out of Model T Ford parts. It was originally built for Bill Schindler and went on to win an East Cost Championship. I bought the remains of this car in 1972,along with a two bay garage full of race cars parts. Sold it one hour after I got it home. I was CLUELESS as to what it was at that time, it changed hands again and is under restoration now.