Features VINTAGE SPRINT CAR PIC THREAD, 1965 and older only please.

If you were to say that I am a sucker for the lost cause, or one who roots for those who come from a less than advantaged beginning and achieve success in their chosen field, well you would be correct. Case in point, a Champ Car built by Ray Nichels and Paul Russo in Paul’s basement in the winter of ’49-’50. The car would come to be known as “Basement Bessie”. Her first race was at The Speedway 1950, qualifying 19th and finishing 9th. Her second time out she finished second, her fourth race she won. Pretty respectable for a car that started out as chalk lines on a basement floor. She would compete in two 500’s with a best finish of 9th and a best start of 4th. She would race until 1965 with 4 wins. This is supposed to be a picture thread and not a documentary so heres some pics.

The Speedway 1950.



Bill Schindler qualified 2nd at Raleigh N.C. and led for awhile 1952.



Still got a pretty nice behind for a gal in her 60's

 

Paul Russo, Ray Nichels and Ted Halibrand with Basement Bessie 1951.

 

I don't think the 4th starting position listed is this same car. Johnny Thomson was the 4th starter, but that was Chapman's car. There is a noticeable difference with the tail shape. It is listed as a Nichels/Russo and may well be but it is not the car that Joe Barzda and Churchill Harden owned in my opinion, and pictured here. Just throwing that out there. Maybe Rootie can find a picture.

jn

 

Though Champ Car Stats shows the 1954 Chapman Spl. that Thomson drove at Indy as the Russo-Nichels car it is a different car.

 

Jim, Rootie.

Thanks for the clarification. Kinda casts doubt on the rest of the cars history as I understood it.

 

Actually, looking at a time line of the Russo/Chapman/Harden car I think maybe the 1954 car may have been Basement Bessie rebodied. The change in the shape of the cockpit side panel and cowl is kind of the giveaway. Can't explaine the tail change though.

 

The plot thickens. This is the car that Ernie McCoy finished 8th with at The Speedway, 1953 definitely not "Basement Bessie". Guess she only made the 500 once.

 

I was thinking that the nose and starter tube as well as the hairpins and their mounts looked the same.

 

The picture of the white chapman car is Williams Grove, 1957. Lots of strange things took place with cars back then, but I don't see the 1954 car being the 1957 car. I would say Nichols and russo built another frame, so the radius rods and pitman arms would match.

 

The pic of Ernie McCoy 1953 is a Myron Stevens car.
I'm pretty sure all the other pics are of the one and only Basement Bessie with various changes through the years. Here's a scan of a George Peters piece from back in the 80s on the car:

 

Unlikely. If there were two cars, why would only one ever race? Cars were almost routinely rebodied when used for such a long time, mostly to repair crash damage. While it's unusual for such a radical change in appearance to occur, it is by no means strange, and a new tail piece is, in fact, not a big deal. Suspension parts and steering gear are much more reliable identifiers, and they match, so it has to be the same car. Also, you can see the curved hood side panels in the 1954 and all subsequent pictures, but not before. It's just one particular stage of the evolution of a racing car.

 

Len Sutton spins to avoid the calamity in front of him including one of Jack Turners annual flips, mainstretch 1961.

 

Why would the best body work just be seen in 1954?

I went back through Wallen's fab 50's book looking for any pictures of the 54 car. Zip, nada.

 

Dick Rathmann, Reading 1956.

Rex Mays, Indy 1938

 

Chapman had a Kurtis2000 car. There is a picture of Bill Schindler in it (around page 199 wallen's book). It has the tail and windscreen of the 1954 #43. just about all the cars with paperclip radius rods have frame attach points in common locations. Harm's stats are good but not perfect. There were times in his stats that chapman had a #7 and a #17. Russo and Schindler up most times but many drivers sat in those seats. depending on the year the car(s) were numbered 7,17,5,43,... The 2 notable distinctions are the tail tank and wind screen.

 

The Chapman Kurtis, 1951.

Another shot of the Chapman 43, 1954.

 

Thanks Rootie.

There is so much more refined with the 43 than Basement Bessie, I can't agree they are the same car. Just my opinion.

 

Tony B. NOVI 1957.

 

Bud Winfield and Lou Meyer inspect their new creation, 1938.

 

I'm sorry, but are you saying the 1954 #43 is a Kurtis 2000 rather than Basement Bessie??? I'm lost for words...

 

no, I'm saying it isn't basement bessie.

 

re info from wallen's '50 s, only 1 car shows up. either russ/nichols or chapman. so, it does appear the 2 cars are the same. when CHAPMAN called russ/nich (dirt sometimes). would never have realized it was the same car, just re-bodied. WHY, don't know.
not part of argument, but in 1958 became harden/barzda #33. 7-19-59 barzda involved in van johnson fatal @ grove. car still shows up thru 7-1-62 as #58.
mlight9

 

It is the same car in all four photos. It looks as if the tail changed back and forth at some stage as the second and third photos (#43 in both cases) show it with the "headrest" hump and without while all of the rest of the bodywork is substantially the same in both cases. Although the first photo does not show the hood sides and belly pan they are the same in the rest of the pix and the tail is the same in the first and third photos. The final photo is obviously from much later due to the wheel and tire configuration and it is back to the low tail as in the restored version. In all cases the radius rods, steering etc package match. The white #43 version has the flat tail from the first and last photos but the shaped cowl the same as in the photo from the Speedway. In all cases the fuel filler is offset to the left.

Roo

 

Jack McGrath 1951.

Tony Bonadies, Indy 56.

 

Joe Barzda was in Pete wales car when he was involved with Van Johnson.

 

Thunder Returns is an annual event at the former Portsmouth Speedway. This years' event is scheduled for Saturday, June 18th. Come join us!. Craig