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A Miller Excerpt

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Ryan, May 9, 2008.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

  2. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    So cool man. Great post and, as always, terrific writing. I think Miller is a terrific name and it's hard not to be excited for you when you're so enrolling with your own excitement read in between the lines.

    Keep well and rest these next two weeks.
     
  3. SUHRsc
    Joined: Sep 27, 2005
    Posts: 5,093

    SUHRsc
    Member

    great post Ryan....

    you know....you could probably build a street version of that car ;)
     
  4. FiddyFour
    Joined: Dec 31, 2004
    Posts: 9,024

    FiddyFour
    Member

    my GOD Ryan, thats a ton of information in a nice neat little package. some of the story i knew, some i had read, and some was new... content man, TJJ's got it

    isnt Lockhart’s car still burried out there someplace?
     

  5. SteveLines
    Joined: Jun 15, 2007
    Posts: 126

    SteveLines
    Member
    from England

    Lockhart's car must be the most perfect expression of form & function ever.

    With the untreaded record tyres, light weight and no tail fin it must have been seriously skittish at high speeds though?

    Still, a beautiful piece of kit :)
     
  6. strike a poser
    Joined: May 23, 2007
    Posts: 399

    strike a poser
    Member
    from Salinas,CA

    I've been to many of the Monterey historic auto races over the years, and none left a bigger impression on me than the tribute to Harry Miller. His innovations are still being used today in racing and everyday transportation. I agree wit you Ryan, there in not one other person with greater vision for automotive engieering.

    Just make sure you teach young Miller Cochran the signifigance of his namesake. You will probably have to let everyone else tell him of the importance of the last name though! Congatulations, boys are fun, daughters are too, but in a different more frustrating way, JK.
     
  7. SanDiegoJoe
    Joined: Apr 18, 2004
    Posts: 3,519

    SanDiegoJoe
    Member

    That's great news! My wife and I just had our 3rd 8 weeks ago. We named him Henry.

    Three weeks, wow. - it's getting close!

    - Joe
     
  8. Congratulations !!! However.... don't forget great names like GASTON CHEVROLET and BARNEY OLDFIELD , not mention RANSOM E. OLDS !!! Or my favorite STUDEBAKER
     
  9. Congratulations on the new baby Poobah, sir.

    I knew I was in good company with my fascination of wheel pants...
     
  10. BangerMatt
    Joined: Mar 3, 2008
    Posts: 465

    BangerMatt
    Member

    Remember, a Harry A. Miller designed engine, or at least a derivation of one (Fred Offenhauser, an employee of Harry Miller, purchased the design), placed in the top 3 positions at the Indy 500 from 1950 to 1960, and was used in competitive racing into the early 80s.

    And congratulations.
     
  11. retro54
    Joined: Apr 1, 2004
    Posts: 735

    retro54
    Member
    from PA

    wow, that is some truely inspiring information, thanks Ryan for taking the time to do the research and the graciousness to share it with us...

    I think that you could build a streetable version zach, but wouldn't that loose part of the point? ;)

    I think a salt version would be much more interesting.... wonder how much you'd have to shell out to machine the engine? I am assuming there would be prints out there for the base 8 cylinder.
    ...for the right guy, the body would be peanuts to build...
     
  12. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    I know of a Miller 91 that recently sold for $90k. It was a fairly complete motor, but not running... They are high dollar motors... and amazing still very sophisticated in design and function.
     
  13. retro54
    Joined: Apr 1, 2004
    Posts: 735

    retro54
    Member
    from PA

    That's not too bad... probably cost just as much to have someone make one from scratch... or more... assuming it could be done...
     
  14. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Well, remember... you would need two of them... and a ton of machine work... along with two Miller blowers... :) I think you could have 3 to 400k in parts alone.
     
  15. fur biscuit
    Joined: Jul 22, 2005
    Posts: 7,828

    fur biscuit
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    side note, Lockhart did get a one way record for his run prior to killing himself with the Blackhawk. Will look up the speed later.

    Also the two engineers that worked on the Blackhawk were Elias and Zenas Wiesel (sp?) They were aircraft engineers by trade, and applied many things that they had learned in high altitude aircraft engines to the car.

    designed the intercooler that was intergral with the skin of the car (funny looking ribbed part on the hood).

    I want to say that they also designed the intercooler that went on Lockharts 91.

    Ryan, I think you may want to do some reading on Miller personally, he was a very strange man. Never completed high school, very flamboyant, dreamed as big as it got. Borgeson touches on some of his more excentric personal traits in the :"The Golden Age of the American Race Car" but all that should be taken with a grain of salt.
     
  16. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Yeah, he got the international 3.0- liter record at something like 198mph. That said, the car never held the World Speed Record.
     
  17. racer756
    Joined: May 24, 2006
    Posts: 1,559

    racer756
    Member

    Miller is a great name, I think you should name him Hudson, Hudson Cochran. I like the sound of it, then again I am partial to the name.
    good luck.
     
  18. 29hotrod55kustom
    Joined: Dec 19, 2005
    Posts: 701

    29hotrod55kustom
    Member

    as interesting as that story is... i was really hoping it was applying to Ak Miller.. one of my heros.. oh well.. still cool.. even though Ak did set 3 records with three 2 or 3 motors on the lakes in one day...
     
  19. fab32
    Joined: May 14, 2002
    Posts: 13,985

    fab32
    Member Emeritus

    Miller Cochran............................I like the sound of that. At the proper time make him aware of the origin of his name but let him decide how to be inspired by it. I see parents give their kids names of famous people then push them to duplicate the namesakes accomplisments, ending in both parties being disappointed.
    You think your in love with that little gal you helped bring into the world just wait to feel the pride of a son...............I know of what I speak.:)

    Frank
     
  20. stude_trucks
    Joined: Sep 13, 2007
    Posts: 4,755

    stude_trucks
    Member

    Ryan, you write a nice story and your interest and knowledge on the subject is obvious. I enjoy reading all your posts and appreciate the efforts.

    Good luck with the new baby! Who knows, he could be here tomorrow, but you know that of course. Our son who is now 15 months, came 2 weeks early. We went to bed the night before totally fine expecting a few more weeks and woke up on our way to having a baby. It still took another day or 2, but still a little early. I see it as we've been given an extra 2 weeks with him. :) Wish you and your wife an easy and enjoyable birth no matter when he comes.
     
  21. GaryC.
    Joined: Mar 24, 2007
    Posts: 1,557

    GaryC.

    Something I did a while ago for the HAMB Friday Art Show.

    Lotsa luck with the kiddo!
     

    Attached Files:

  22. autobilly
    Joined: May 23, 2007
    Posts: 3,123

    autobilly
    Member

    I've said congratulations before, so thanks for the interesting history lesson.
    Great read.
     
  23. lakester47
    Joined: Feb 24, 2008
    Posts: 117

    lakester47
    Member

    Ryan, congratulations on the new arrival and the storied name. You wrote a wonderful post as well. Harry Miller and Frank Lockhart have fascinated me for years. Their accomplishments were so far beyond their contemporaries as to be almost unbelieveable. Lockhart went to Indy as a spectator in 1926, was given a couple of test laps in a factory Miller and wound up replacing one of the factory drivers and winning the race with something like a 4 mile lead on the second place car. I think he was 23 at the time. He was dead less than two years later, but not before setting the racing world on it's ear. I agree with you that he was obsessed with speed and holding the world's LSR was his goal.

    As someone else mentioned, Miller designs dominated American racing for 40 years, long after his death. Something as hot rodders that we shouldn't forget is that the founders of our hobby were greatly influenced by Miller and Lockhart. There were others as well, but these two were something special.

    My own car project, started life as what was going to be a street going tribute to the the Blackhawk Special. I have compromised more than I planned along the way, but I still see a smidgen of Lockhart and Miller in my car. Maybe someday I'll get the wheel pants on it.

    If you want more info, The Miller Dynasty by Mark Dees is considered the ultimate work on Miller. As was previously mentioned Griff Borgeson's Golden Age of American Racing and another of his works entitled Miller are also excellent. Every summer the Miller Club holds a meet in Milwaukee. It was the most incredible three days I've ever spent.

    Thanks again for using this forum to pay tribute to these heroes of speed.
     
  24. akjim
    Joined: Sep 27, 2007
    Posts: 25

    akjim
    Member

    Aren't there a couple Offy powered rods, out there?
     
  25. hlfuzzball
    Joined: Jan 27, 2005
    Posts: 215

    hlfuzzball
    Member
    from Michigan

    Congrats Ryan.

    I also like the Miller name. When I get a dog, I'm going to name him Miller, thats "Hairy A. Miller " !
     
  26. weez
    Joined: Dec 5, 2002
    Posts: 860

    weez
    Member

    Good luck with the new addition! Cool name. I recently looked at one of those double Miller crankcases, I guess they made two. Gary Schroeder has a bunch of stuff relating to that car as well as many scale versions of it. Also a couple of pastel drawings of it, and a crazy bronze of it. I'll stick to the "cheap" stuff.
     
  27. Are you sure it's not because you were thinking of Millers when he was conceived;):D
     
  28. krooser
    Joined: Jul 25, 2004
    Posts: 4,584

    krooser
    Member

    The Harry Miller Club event at Milwaukee is a must see...I went last year and was blown away at the sights and sounds of these cars on the Mile...

    http://www.milleroffy.com/index.htm
     
  29. And......Miller is a great Beer to boot.
     

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