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

NO NO, you misunderstood that I was talking about the OTHER car in the barn, the Miller/Schofield powered one. Is the Gravel HAL still in the Ken Gypson family? I've seen it at the Rhinebeck, N.Y. Meet a few times.

 

I didn't speak with Ken directly, but that is my understanding that he has the circa 1940 Gravell HAL.

 

I would like to talk to him about the car. I'm not looking to buy - just want info and pics if possible.
[email protected]

Thanks
Dick

 

70 race cars, of all types, on display at the "Gathering Before the Green" show today(Jan24) and tomorrow(Jan25) at the Indiana State Museum, in downtown Indy. Here are some pix of the vintage oval cars that are there.

 

Mac, I see from the first photo that you were well represented.

 

Went to lunch with some of my heros today, John Capels, A.J. Watson, Dick Cecil, and 3 or 4 others, then went out to A.J. Watsons shop took a few pics with my phone to share with you all. This is an A.J. Watson built replica of his the first car he brought to Indy. check out the door hinge throttle pedal.

 

Another Watson built "replica" Watson Roadster

 

This is an "original" Watson Roadster that ended up in Texas and was ran as either a sprint car or a modified by Ronnie and Jackie Burke, It was narrowed 7" Watson has added the 7" back to the middle of the frame and is restoring it. Again sorry that the picures aren't that great I only had my phone to take my pictures with.

 

Just a few other misc pictures from his shop, oh yea and the ones of that OFFY

 

DICK; He is not looking to sell the car Call or E-Mail me for hi phone # My # is 920-535-0129

 

1948. First car build by Grant King. Driver Bud Eng? Langford Speedway Victoria Canada.

 

This frame was on Grant Kings stands the day his shop sold out in auction. Presumably the last GK frame to be built.

 

Indy Car for sale: 1948 Kurtis KK2000 with history / Milt Marion
Nice Car if I only had the money
http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/others.htm

 

racer5c
Roy;
Very interesting pics; looks like Watson has a decent shop.
I have another question for anyone who knows;
Years ago even with hanging around Jakes place i never thought anything about the fact that most Offy cars had thw exhaust out the right side, and injectors out the left. But a few were just the other way round. I saw a pic here of a Ward driven Dirt Car with the exhaust on the left.
Were they able to turn the Offys either way?
Back in the day Larry Dickson told me the black car he was driving then was turning the crank counter-clockwise? Larry said it loaded the left rear, and he loved that set-up. Larrys black ride was a Chevy engine.
Thanks for any help.

 

I'm no Offy expert by any means, but I believe it was relativley easy to reverse the head on a Offy. I'm sure others here know the details. Pretty common deal for roadsters setups.
Smokey tried a reverse rotation deal back in the 50s at Indy, and it's been tried on various asphalt cars, like supermodifieds, over the years.

 

I am no Offy expert either but maybe I can help a little. The Offy has no head. When I drove for Ted Hartley's midget the ex. was on the left. All you had to do was change the cams, the engine still turned the same way. After all the years of driving Ted's right ear hurt from the ex. roar so he ran it on the left. You can also change the cams so the engine will turn the other way like smoky did. A lot of Indy cars had the ex. on the left. The Dirt cars had the ex. on the right to help keep the dirt out of the injectors. I am sure others can explain this better than I did.
Jim Graybeal

 

Great stuff Roy, Thanks!!! A.J. and Johnny are two of my favorite people.

 

Here are a few more pics from the "Gathering Before the Green" show in Indy plus we made a trip trip to "500" museum while we were at it so included one of Foyt's cars from there. The helmet is one of Jack McGraths.

 

rootie-
jim-
Thanks much for the input on the Offys. Its so damn funny that i never noticed the difference in all those years!

 

Good "quote" about that race.. My dad said about two years ago. We were at a local car show and a couple Street rodders were talikng about how they were "Big time Sprint car fans" cause they all go to the "kings royal" every year. Well my dad said:

"You know, going to a couple BIG races a year doesn't mean shit. That's like going to Church on Christmas and Easter and saying your a Big time Catholic.. When I see your asses at Eldora in March for the USAC opener and it's spitin snow and everyones freezing there asses off standin' against the turn four wall, then I'll call you a god damn sprint car fan!"



JD

 

Jack McGrath through the (too short) years:

 

corngrower I'd like to meet your dad

"Doc" Parsons

 

Corngrower, Amen, Amen. ml9.

 

Spike, your comments reminded me of 1 nite @ Reading & the announcer said to listen to Dickson's car of a diff sound. I think it had to do with the timing & the cam. I don't remember which car but it was about the time of the Larry & Gary show. Just a memory. ml9. p.s it did sound diff.

 

ya and our asses are buried in fucking snow... Ha ha.. anyone going to Ocala this week for the all star opener ???? I am .. May take in east bay on friday for the 360 winter nats too... Gonna hit garlits museum on saturday morning too... Fuck winter ...Im heading south.. ya for 3 days
Dave

 

Dickson was driving for Jack Steck in Leyba's car. He had the "Chinese Offy" set-up that fired 2 cyl. at the same time which made it sound like 2 -4 bangers running. I asked Jack yrs. ago if he still had the cam and mag to make that work, but it was gone by then. Jack was not doing well the last I heard. Anybody got an up-date? I started working for Ray Smith while Jack was there. Note to Hart Jr., bring Paul Fortney to the Indy swap meet. Butch Evans

 

Re: Kurtis 2000 for sale..That car has been on the market a long time. Is it price only or something else like history?

 

Just learned from reading the Williams Grove message board that Lou Blaney just passed away. I posted this on the vintage modified thread here on the HAMB, but thought he needed to be remembered here as well. Thoughts are with the whole Blaney family. RIP Mr. Blaney!

 

Bung Eng, actually. Bung won a main event at Langford with the car during the 1948 season. He had raced his own big car the year previous. Had a big wreck with that one.

The car built by Grant King was based on measurements he made on John Dalby's no. 64 two-port Riley that was driven by Pike Green in 1947. Pike apparently asked John what that kid was doing hanging around and John's reply was that the silly bastard was going to build a race car.

Guess he did. (John's car was home built as well.)

 

Very Sad News. To put it lightly, We are huge Blaney Fans!