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

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Joshua Shaw, Jan 17, 2008.

  1. Offy 220
    Joined: Sep 29, 2009
    Posts: 255

    Offy 220
    Member

    Dean, thanks for the information. I believe I met you years ago at the "Bunker" Punky's place at the airport. I would go to WRA meetings with Buzz Gregory. A few times I had the privilege to sit next to Joe Gemsa during the meetings. I was curious what happened to his engines, patterns and his dirt car. I believe the dirt car was originally built by Art Sparks / Paul Weirlick. Thanks again, Bruce.
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2010
  2. jakearoo92
    Joined: Jul 25, 2009
    Posts: 11

    jakearoo92
    Member
    from Indy

    Roger Beck is my grandfather and I was hoping that you had more pictures of Saldana or maybe Bubby Jones or any other Roger Beck pictures or info. thanks!
     
  3. CTtoPA
    Joined: Jun 17, 2008
    Posts: 252

    CTtoPA
    Member

    Clark Gable Special? Not the Mike Brannan Special? What's the significance of that?
     
  4. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    It was used to promote the movie.
     

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  5. memaerobilia
    Joined: Mar 24, 2004
    Posts: 195

    memaerobilia
    Member

     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2010
  6. hlfuzzball
    Joined: Jan 27, 2005
    Posts: 215

    hlfuzzball
    Member
    from Michigan

    Regarding the Gemsa Radial 2-Stroke: How was power transmitted off the rear with the high cranshaft centerline ? Chain and sprockets to a low driveshaft ?

    Tom
     
  7. memaerobilia
    Joined: Mar 24, 2004
    Posts: 195

    memaerobilia
    Member

    Hi Tom;
    I thought the center would be way too high too, until looking closely at how LOW it was mounted in the frame (see-in relation to firewall height) and rather sharp angle downward at rear. *See second photo in post #12250 on page 613. Would seem to be a straight forward hook up with drive shaft..
     
  8. Rootsgroup
    Joined: Jan 26, 2008
    Posts: 58

    Rootsgroup
    Member
    from Indiana

    Been a 2-cycle fan since i was a kid, the car in my avatar ultimately powered by a Power Products 2-stroke. No doubt this is a 2-stroke. Intake manifold goes straight into crankcase.

    Carb mount flange doesn't look parallel to crank centerline. Has some angle to it. In the pic of engine in car, I see a bell housing with a clutch arm. Also the carb flange appears perpendicular to firewall.

    So engine might be mounted with enough angle to point torque tube right at rear axle.

    That's my story and i'm stickin' to it!
     
  9. memaerobilia
    Joined: Mar 24, 2004
    Posts: 195

    memaerobilia
    Member

     
  10. 28dreyer
    Joined: Jan 23, 2008
    Posts: 1,166

    28dreyer
    Member
    from Minnesota

     
  11. memaerobilia
    Joined: Mar 24, 2004
    Posts: 195

    memaerobilia
    Member

    Well the cyls, themselves are not "in-line,." And engines are usually described by cylinder pattern, such as a "V" or "H" or "Y" or radial or opposed, or inverted etc etc so..I'd like to call it a 6 cyl. 2-cycle "Spiral" engine.

    Who made it and where?..
    Well I think it is pretty safe to say it was made in USA. I have a 1980 letter here, from a guy in Simi Valley, Ca, saying it was "developed by Kinner ( well known aero engine Co. in Glendale, California-so not that far from Gemsa)in the early 1940s," and was the only one in existence. but the letter also claims that it was 270 cu.in. developing 450hp @ 12,000 rpm! and was about 28" in diameter weighing only about 100 lbs. So I have doubts about that info.;)

    Also note blue line #4, showing the case, cover-plate that is opposite each cylinder. Take off the cover and you have easy access to unbolt the rod from the shaft and one cyl at a time, to replace any cyl, or rod. You can see a couple of the other cover plates in the first color photo, on previous page,
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2010
  12. jimg12
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 307

    jimg12
    Member

    The way the engine was built it made it real short from front to back for the c. u. it had . Sure would like to see the crankshaft in it, it would be strong because it was so short. What about main bearings? Hope someone knows something about this.
    Jim Graybeal
     
  13. memaerobilia
    Joined: Mar 24, 2004
    Posts: 195

    memaerobilia
    Member

    Hi Jim;
    Best I can do on the crank. Looks to be decent size dia..I took a bunch f photos of it from various sides, when we put it on the stand in our shop.I sure hope somebody comes up with a photo of the whole car, out in the open or on the track..
     

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  14. lrs30
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 2,214

    lrs30
    Member
    from Kentucky

    I was at the library tonight and saw that the lates issue of NORTHERN KENTUCKY HISTORY and HERITAGE, had a sprint car on it, and on the hood was painted BECK Ent... I did some searching since they would'nt let me check it out, go figure...And came up with pics info on the car, going back tommorrow to photo-copy the article and will post it once I get it, anyway here is the car and the article that the internet turned up..

    http://wthompson4.sports.officelive.com/beckfamily.aspx


    delete this mods if it has been posted again...
     
  15. CTtoPA
    Joined: Jun 17, 2008
    Posts: 252

    CTtoPA
    Member

    I know this is a sprint car thread butbit gets more traffic than the midget thread. So, who has any history on the Frank Curtis midget team? I'm specifically looking for the history of the #5 car(I think). General history I know is that Brian Johnson from Florida owned a Curtis car in the late 90's. No idea which. Also, Frank bought chassis #330. Anybody know where any of those midgets are today?
     
  16. 28dreyer
    Joined: Jan 23, 2008
    Posts: 1,166

    28dreyer
    Member
    from Minnesota

     
  17. willys1330
    Joined: Jun 21, 2007
    Posts: 112

    willys1330
    Member

    Allways wanted one now I do. Picked up at Hershey 1940's Dreyer Midget. Have most of the parts need a rearend and some Help!!!
     

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  18. deuce354
    Joined: Feb 9, 2005
    Posts: 304

    deuce354
    Member

    Great Find! Car Has Really Nice Lines, Any History?
     
  19. BillGway
    Joined: Nov 12, 2010
    Posts: 1

    BillGway
    Member

    Kenneth "Red" Coonfields Son Bill and I have been friends since the eighth grade, Red Coonfield raced a micro miget #99 powered by a twin Cylinder Konig. Him and his wife Maxine are two of the early pioneers in Micro miget racing and Maxine was a walking encylopedia of racing history until her death last year. Red and Maxine live here in Bartlesville Oklahoma on 13th street until maxines death.
     
  20. jimg12
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 307

    jimg12
    Member

    28dryer,
    Never heard of that engine either. Let us know more about it.
    Jim
     
  21. 28dreyer
    Joined: Jan 23, 2008
    Posts: 1,166

    28dreyer
    Member
    from Minnesota

    There was a front page story in The Bergen Herald back in 1940 or so. When I find my copy I will post it. Brisko was known to be overly outspoken about his stuff. While Brisko and the article claimed it was a world beater, Emil Andres would not drive it because it was very hard to start until the oil pressure built up to operate the valves and at that stage of it's development was not competitive.

    I sold a spare crankshaft, crankcase, block/head, side plate and water manifold I had to Bill Smith and have film type photos of those in hand.

    The complete runnable engine exists. The photos I have of it need to be located.

    My photos and written material are in a chaotic state as a result of never sorting them whilst sorting out various Vintage cars and running them the last 21 years.
     
  22. paddybuilt
    Joined: Mar 2, 2009
    Posts: 137

    paddybuilt
    Member
    from SoCal

    I think the Clark Gable To Please a Lady sprinter is in Malloy's collection, Was it a Kurtis? Walt James Classic this weekend 27th, 28th, at Willow Springs, Vintage parts swap meet on Sat. Track roadsters, sprints midgets supermodifieds and Jalopys will be on 3/8 banked dirt track that Walt built both days, will post some pictures next week of this event.
     
  23. Which car today in Tom Malloys collection might it be. I have photos of all of Tom's cars as of 2009. I was there during the Roadster show.
    HG :cool:
     
  24. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Per carl s. ..............

    In prep for the May 30th sprint car race at RIR 'Jiggler Joe' Gemsa purchased the Clark Gable Spl (To Please A Lady) from the back storage lots of MGM, hired Bud Rose to drive (Bud also was a stand in driver in the movie) and won the race - using some 'pit board' shennanigans to help psych out the lead driver during the closing stages of the race.
    That car is now owned by Tom Malloy who restored it to its original Indy configuration as the Don Lee Special - the car was at the recent Millers at Milwaukee Meet-
    (btw: MGM threatened to sue Jiggler Joe for using the reference to their movie)
     
  25. mac miller
    Joined: Jan 13, 2007
    Posts: 524

    mac miller
    Member
    from INDY

    Actually, It is the red #35 "Don Lee" 1948 Kurtis 2000, which is what it was, in real life, before it became the "Mike Brannan Spl." for the movie. It is in good hands in the Tom Malloy collection.
     
  26. carl s
    Joined: Mar 22, 2008
    Posts: 745

    carl s
    Member
    from Indio, CA

  27. mac miller
    Joined: Jan 13, 2007
    Posts: 524

    mac miller
    Member
    from INDY

  28. the shadow
    Joined: Mar 5, 2005
    Posts: 1,105

    the shadow
    Member

    can anone tell me when CAE in & out box's started showing up on sprinters & midgets, what years?

    Paul
     
  29. carl s
    Joined: Mar 22, 2008
    Posts: 745

    carl s
    Member
    from Indio, CA

    Hi Tom,
    Here's what 'Special ed' had to say:
    "The Thorne Engineering shop in Burbank, circa 1938. Joel Thorne was the heir to the Chase Bank & Pullman Railroad Car fortune....At the age of 10 he inherited the sum of $38 million after his father's death. (that's 38 mil Great Depression value!) Joel entered several Indy cars as an owner and he also drove and finished in the top 10 on a couple of occasions. The Land Speed Racer was built to one up the German Auto Union juggernaught, but the war got in the way and it never ran in anger.....Thorne was also a Hollywood movie stunt pilot, and was killed in a plane crash @ Burbank Airport in 1955 at the age of 41. from Special Ed"
     
  30. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Culbert was making sprint car parts back in the early 50s but I don't remember him making much stuff for midgets. A CAE compact I/O box would probably work in a midget though I don't remember those until the 70s.
     

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