The Jalopy Journal

**Ryan** · 04-30-2009, 08:50 AM

It's 1941. Buddy Shay and Frank VanDersahl had been campaigning a midget car for a couple of years, but their Chrysler 4-banger just wasn't cutting the mustard anymore. The v8-60 cars at their local track in Denver, CO were blowing them off and the...

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Rich Venza · 04-30-2009, 09:11 AM

That has to be the strangest solution to getting competitive that I've ever heard of. I sure hope other HAMBers will come up with more info.

The more I think of it, I'll bet a bag of donuts that one or the other of those guys had some aircraft background. Inverted engines were very common in the 20's and 30's.

**Dean Lowe** · 04-30-2009, 09:22 AM

Not a "sprint car". It was a midget.

H3O · 04-30-2009, 09:27 AM

i'd like to see that happen again. so crazy seein that. messes with my mind a lil.

**Ryan** · 04-30-2009, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean Lowe

Not a "sprint car". It was a midget.

Thanks man. Fixed.

rick finch · 04-30-2009, 09:33 AM

Strange is an apt word Rich...................who else woulda thunk it?

**Limey Steve** · 04-30-2009, 09:35 AM

They run upside down in Australia all the time !!

**scootermcrad** · 04-30-2009, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limey Steve

They run upside down in Australia all the time !!

Bu-dum-dum!

**JeffreyJames** · 04-30-2009, 09:41 AM

I don't even know what to say.

**Limey Steve** · 04-30-2009, 09:42 AM

The innovation of Hot Rodders never ceases to amaze me , that is quite remarkable, what were they drinking to come up with that solution in the 1st place, quite brilliant.

Kilroy · 04-30-2009, 09:50 AM

I'm not 100% sure but I think they weren't the only ones to try this... I think there were a couple other upside down flattys as well...

I'll go through my books and see if I can find them...

revkev6 · 04-30-2009, 09:59 AM

Ryan, where did you find this pic/story?? I read about this car probably about ten years ago. I want to say it was in one of the hot rodding books my uncle had but can't really recall exactly where?

**Ryan** · 04-30-2009, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by revkev6

Ryan, where did you find this pic/story?? I read about this car probably about ten years ago. I want to say it was in one of the hot rodding books my uncle had but can't really recall exactly where?

I originally saw it in a Don Montgomery book I think? In any case, I found it this time on autohistory.org.

Dick Dake · 04-30-2009, 10:01 AM

Hey, hold my beer, I got an idea.

Von Rigg Fink · 04-30-2009, 10:17 AM

Huh..wierd..
how do they oil the lower end?..I'd like to know more about the oiling system changes , as to how it ran this way with out some starvation issues.
not to mention possibly filling up a piston bore behind the piston with oil before fire up..or if that would even be an issue..wild shit man

FiddyFour · 04-30-2009, 10:18 AM

THAT, is the definition of "what if..."

revkev6 · 04-30-2009, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

I originally saw it in a Don Montgomery book I think? In any case, I found it this time on autohistory.org.

i'm sure that's where I saw it. He's got a few don montgomery books. Gotta put them on my christmas list

revkev6 · 04-30-2009, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Von Rigg Fink

Huh..wierd..
how do they oil the lower end?..I'd like to know more about the oiling system changes , as to how it ran this way with out some starvation issues.
not to mention possibly filling up a piston bore behind the piston with oil before fire up..or if that would even be an issue..wild shit man

gotta think of this just like an old radial engine. you would put the car in gear and back it off a couple times to push the oil out before you fired it up. Used to do this with mech. injected VW motors to make sure the cylinders didn't fill up with fuel between runs.

on the oiling issues, I bet it really wasn't bad. they probably used a dry sump and the lifter valley was the sump. reverse rotation is an interesting idea on the ovals

Labold · 04-30-2009, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dick Dake

Hey, hold my beer, I got an idea.

That is exactly what I was thinking. Great story!

Rootie Kazoootie · 04-30-2009, 10:42 AM

...

04-30-2009, 08:50 AM	#1
Ryan Administrator Join Date: Jan 1995 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 13,608	Upsidedown V8-60 It's 1941. Buddy Shay and Frank VanDersahl had been campaigning a midget car for a couple of years, but their Chrysler 4-banger just wasn't cutting the mustard anymore. The v8-60 cars at their local track in Denver, CO were blowing them off and the... To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here. Last edited by Ryan; 04-30-2009 at 09:29 AM.

04-30-2009, 09:11 AM	#2
Rich Venza Old School HAMBer Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Suwanee, GA...but grew up in North Jersey Posts: 4,191	Re: Upsidedown V8-60 That has to be the strangest solution to getting competitive that I've ever heard of. I sure hope other HAMBers will come up with more info. The more I think of it, I'll bet a bag of donuts that one or the other of those guys had some aircraft background. Inverted engines were very common in the 20's and 30's. __________________ YES...Fiberglass is traditional! Last edited by Rich Venza; 04-30-2009 at 10:02 AM.

04-30-2009, 09:22 AM	#3
Dean Lowe Alliance Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: La Verne, Ca. Posts: 2,974	Re: Upsidedown V8-60 Not a "sprint car". It was a midget. __________________ .....growin' up leads to gowin' old, then to dyin', and dyin', to me, don't sound like all that much fun.........John Mellencamp 1983

04-30-2009, 09:27 AM	#4
H3O Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 598	Re: Upsidedown V8-60 i'd like to see that happen again. so crazy seein that. messes with my mind a lil. __________________ 1962 Falcon & F100 1959 VW Type 1

04-30-2009, 09:33 AM	#6
rick finch Old School HAMBer Join Date: May 2008 Location: rocklin,ca. Posts: 3,060	Re: Upsidedown V8-60 Strange is an apt word Rich...................who else woulda thunk it? __________________ I'm not old.....I've just been young longer than most people. Goldchainers CC....Rocklin, California Chapter.

04-30-2009, 09:35 AM	#7
Limey Steve Alliance Vendor Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Whittier Posts: 1,451	Re: Upsidedown V8-60 They run upside down in Australia all the time !! __________________ www.limeworksspeedshop.com English By Birth American By Choice

04-30-2009, 09:41 AM	#9
JeffreyJames Alliance Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: SUGAR CITY Posts: 15,907	Re: Upsidedown V8-60 I don't even know what to say. __________________ I PLAY WITH TIGERS WWW.SUGARCITYSPEEDSHOP.COM CHECK OUT MY INSTAGRAM IMAGES

04-30-2009, 09:42 AM	#10
Limey Steve Alliance Vendor Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Whittier Posts: 1,451	Re: Upsidedown V8-60 The innovation of Hot Rodders never ceases to amaze me , that is quite remarkable, what were they drinking to come up with that solution in the 1st place, quite brilliant. __________________ www.limeworksspeedshop.com English By Birth American By Choice

04-30-2009, 09:50 AM	#11
Kilroy Old School HAMBer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Driftwood, TX Posts: 3,169	Re: Upsidedown V8-60 I'm not 100% sure but I think they weren't the only ones to try this... I think there were a couple other upside down flattys as well... I'll go through my books and see if I can find them...

04-30-2009, 09:59 AM	#12
revkev6 Old School HAMBer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: ma Posts: 2,742	Re: Upsidedown V8-60 Ryan, where did you find this pic/story?? I read about this car probably about ten years ago. I want to say it was in one of the hot rodding books my uncle had but can't really recall exactly where?

04-30-2009, 10:01 AM	#14
Dick Dake Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Valparaiso, In Posts: 788	Re: Upsidedown V8-60 Hey, hold my beer, I got an idea.

04-30-2009, 10:17 AM	#15
Von Rigg Fink Old School HAMBer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Garage Posts: 13,448	Re: Upsidedown V8-60 Huh..wierd.. how do they oil the lower end?..I'd like to know more about the oiling system changes , as to how it ran this way with out some starvation issues. not to mention possibly filling up a piston bore behind the piston with oil before fire up..or if that would even be an issue..wild shit man __________________ Goldchainers CC S.E. Michigan Chapter Charter Member Some guys could fuck up free lunch.

04-30-2009, 10:18 AM	#16
FiddyFour Old School HAMBer Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: TitleTown, WI, USA Posts: 8,825	Re: Upsidedown V8-60 THAT, is the definition of "what if..." __________________ Custom "HF" bead roller dies Tipping, body lines PM for details...

04-30-2009, 10:42 AM	#20
Rootie Kazoootie Old School HAMBer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 4,510	Re: Upsidedown V8-60 ... Attached Thumbnails

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