History The Odd Rod

[fiat128]

Very cool! I assume it's long gone if someone's recreating it right? I wonder when the first twin mill car was built? Seems like it keeps popping up from time to time. I still remember back in like 1987 Road & Track did it with a CRX so the idea never seems to die.

[Bobby Green]

I was talking to someone at Bonneville last week that was building a replica of that car and was going to bring it to the salt next year. I can't remember who I was talking to though. If I remember, I'll let you know.

[Dan Hay]

I was thinking that if those engines had more carbs he could get more speed out of it, but then I thought that it was probably a bear to sync 2 carbs instead of 4 or 6!

[stude_trucks]

"Odd Rod", now I like that. To me, hot rodding is more interesting when people are pushing boundaries and trying new things instead of simply trying to make the best of the best of the same old thing and copying what has already been done 1000 times already. Creatively, that's where it is at man!

[SinisterCustom]

Originally Posted by VAPHEAD

And,I'll let out a secret.... the truck is being recreated here in Denver.

Really? How cool is that!?

The Oddrod is one of my favorite dry lakes racecars.....because it doesn't look like a "racecar"......

[GEBHARD]

that is really cool, pure genius

[oldandkrusty]

Originally Posted by Ryan

Yes, but... this car was built entirely by Kenz.

Ryan, of course you are right. I meant it in the terms of two guys getting together to hash out a race car. There always seems to be one that has more input than the other, whether it be in terms of money or innovativeness, but one couldn't do it without the other. Whatever may be the case, we will always remember both of them together - just the way it should be.

[Rough Stock]

brilliant. that's all I got.

[revkev6]

anyone else notice the all ford parts independent rear on that truck!!!!! two torque tube flanges welded onto the side of the bells using the torque tubes as axle tubes! BRILLIANT! makes for a swing arm suspension!

[32SEDAN]

That is some beautiful 40's era engineering! Wonder if the radiator kept both Flatheads cool. Especially the one in the rear.

[burbanite]

Originally Posted by Richard D

I was wondering if anyone else noticed that.

Yep, that in itself is enough to tell you that there was some serious innovating going on at the time. Not that torsion bars themselves were "high tech" particularly but the use of them in this instance is maybe indicative of something else. As was mentioned, this was a test vehicle, meant to prove theories and perhaps this was more of a "packaging" item to improve the aero aspects of a streamliner.

[autobilly]

Interesting "truck", fantastic concept. I've never really given much thought to the cars that came before the streamliner on the developemental path for K&L. Kool angle!

[racerjohnson]

Originally Posted by revkev6

anyone else notice the all ford parts independent rear on that truck!!!!! two torque tube flanges welded onto the side of the bells using the torque tubes as axle tubes! BRILLIANT! makes for a swing arm suspension!

Thats the first thing I noticed. Always wanted to build a rear (mid) engined vehicle, but that darn suspension thing always shys me away. . . for now. The torque tube deal IS genius. Damn.

Did anybody else notice how "traditional" it is to use a con rod for the steering column mount on the dash? Neat.

[Timmy Z]

Makes me Proud to be from Denver.

[Spooky]

Howza Bruthas,
I have a video tape of Bill Kenz as a guest speaker at a Early Ford V8 club meet a few months before his passing. The lecture is fascinating as Ol' Bill talks of testing the Streamliner on I-25 and the '32 that was the test bed for the engines for the Streamliner too. But what really is neat, is when he speaks of a certain speed equipment manufacturer visiting and going for a ride in the freshly built Odd Rod.
Did they take it out to Lawry field? Centennial Field? Nah. Bill took this person for a ride around downtown Denver and showed him what two flatties hooked up could do.
I remember visiting the shop of wonders on Delaware. The old brick building and wondering what it was like in the days when horsepower was produced by minds and not just a bolt on.

[malaguena]

so is this pretty much just a direct drive rod? No transmission, just an "in and out" box?

It looks like one flatty connected to another with a driveshaft and then the rear hooked directly? to the rearend.

Is that right?

[twistedplastic]

Well,
I am a big car NUT. I am into anything from the '40's & '50's. But my biggist hobby is reproducing cover cars into 1/25 scale. And I have been in the model car seen for about 30 years. And I like to collect old car magazines.
I was looking over this site. And seen the talk about what the best Hot Rod cover was the all time best. Well, I like them all. And I seen that someone posted the cover of the July 1949 issue. I have this issue. But I am very mad that I can't read about the ( Denver's Odd Rod truck. I think is the center fold page. As mine is missing. Would anyone have a copy they can post. Big enough for me to reed it.
And I know I will like this group.
Thanks
Dan.

[Jimmy B]

Originally Posted by twistedplastic

Well,
I am a big car NUT. I am into anything from the '40's & '50's. But my biggist hobby is reproducing cover cars into 1/25 scale. And I have been in the model car seen for about 30 years. And I like to collect old car magazines.
I was looking over this site. And seen the talk about what the best Hot Rod cover was the all time best. Well, I like them all. And I seen that someone posted the cover of the July 1949 issue. I have this issue. But I am very mad that I can't read about the ( Denver's Odd Rod truck. I think is the center fold page. As mine is missing. Would anyone have a copy they can post. Big enough for me to reed it.
And I know I will like this group.
Thanks
Dan.

[twistedplastic]

Hey, Jimmy B.
Thank You very much. This will help me very much.