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

BZ, You have just learned a lesson about plating that most of us have also learned over the years. ..........Do not get hypnotized by shiny objects.

Looking forward to having you join us on the track this year!

mac miller in INDY

 

IIRC he built some one-off Indy cars in the 60s, early 70s. A little OT but ya gotta dig a r/e Indy car powered by a sbf with a tunnel ram and 2-4s.

 

Was the dayton restaurant Cattleman's? Was sort of a bordello motief.

 

Looks like Bobby is thinking:
"I paid 10 cents for THIS little-ol-bitty cup of Coke?"
Little does he realize that same cup would cost four dollars at any sports venue today.

 

I was thinking more like: "Ain't nothing wrong with this coke a shot of rum wouldn't cure"

 

Or;
"Everybody knows I invented that rolled edge on the cup there, but that damn Gurney's gonna take credit for it."

 

Thanks again Rootie, This is by far the best photo I have of the car and in color too. I just hope when completed it looks this good. I really enjoy the photos as they add to the history of the car. I just purchased the wheels for the restoration and went with the solid fronts and kidney rears. They were not cheap. I also found two ribbed front tires (used) in fair condition. Still looking for the grill and nose.

Thanks again Rootie for your help you made my day.

 

Jim Nise - I'm not sure of the name of the place and I was only 10 so I didn't know what a Bordello was. However, I do seem to remember foil wallpaper, mirrors, and pictures of famous people. A Bordello? To even think a sprint car pilot would fancy a woman and a drink....

 

I, too, have a picture of the 73 car with gold body and the maroon nose. At the time it was owned by Homer Allen of Van Wert, Ohio. Dates are foggy but he's probably the one who bought it "between the 1956 and 1957 seasons". As far as I know, he owned it until he died sometime in the '70s. The estate sold it to collector who I remember brought it to one of the Winchester Old Timers Club events-probably in the '80s. Jim Mann in Elkhart (who recently restored a McNamara Champ car) has detailed knowledge of what ultimately happened to the sprinter.t

 

Moe, I was recently eating breakfast here in Florida when a "old" (old like me) guy came in wearing an open wheel T Shirt. I asked if he was an open wheel fan and he told me he was involved in Midgets "up East", worked mainly on Chevy IIs. His name is John McCarthy. I checked it out on the web - this is what I found "A three-time owner champion, John McCarthy's work with the Chevy II engine carried the "stock block" tradition forward. An executive in corporate America, McCarthy's greatest contribution, however, was convincing everybody the Midgets and Modifieds could co-exist on the same racing card. NEMA's fourth president, he clearly brought new visibility to Midget racing." I also found out that he worked with Rollie Lindblad in developing the "Badger". I have found John at the same resturant eating breakfast most Thursday mornings. I will PM you his contact info.

Blacki-Suede

 

Blacki-Suede, I know John McCarthy, he's famous. Next time you see him tell him Denny Zimmerman sez Hello.

 

Highlights from 1975 USAC at Pocono. enjoy!

 

here's a little more from 1975 Pocono. enjoy!

 

I'm not sure if I ever understood the Elkins cars correctly, but I believe the #73 in 1957 was still the old 1951 Belanger #99 Sprint Car, #3 McNamara in '52, #83 in '53, #3 again in '54, and #73 from '55 onwards - it was apparently the only Sprint Car left in the team in '56. This car was apparently bought by Homer Allen after the '57 season.

#83 would then have been the new car in '57, but Linden drove it only once afaik, in the mentioned Dayton opener - else it was Elisian's car. Don't know what happened to it after '57.

The other Elkins Sprint Cars were ex-Doc Shanebrook in '51, Fred Tomshe's #73 and #12 in '52 and Harry Turner's #74 in '53. The Tomshe #12 went to John Fray in '53, I believe (later #6 and #78), while the #73 became Elkins #2 in '54 and the John Wills #7 in '55 (Hoyt death car), then #8 in '56 and #6 in '57 for Branson and Foyt, amongst others I'm sure. Which would leave the Turner #74 to become the #83 in '55, presumably... I need a drink!


EDITED to say that I'm pretty sure that Harry Turner built the 1951 Belanger #99, it had originally the supercharged Midget engine from the #99 Champ Car.

 

Denny, John is not famous at the Golden Biscuit Resturant! But like so many "famous" racers John is quiet, low keyed, and very interesting to talk to. There are a number of racers like John in the Daytona area. How about Bently Warren, Dave Dion, and George Summers (George is part of the Saturday breakfast crowd) all are in the NEAR Hall of Fame with you. How about Bob Judkins? He eats with John occasionally.

I'll tell John you said Hi.

Blacki-Suede

 

Lee Greenawalt sent some neat photos in. Somehow I suspect his dad, Dick, may have taken those shots from the 70's, as Lee was probably just a crumb snatcher back then!

 

There is a Dick Cecil. Back last year I posted a photo on the Indiana Open Wheel board of an old Halibrand wheel that a pair was on a Shores sprinter I'm refurbishing. It was a little different looking to me as it needed no pressure plate, as I was used to seeing on most vintage sprint cars. I was informed that it was a front indy car wheel and from all the numbers on it I provided, it was made in 1969. It had the initials R C Cecil stamped in it. I was told it probably once belonged to Dick Cecil.

 

If you're looking for the original grill, it shouldn't be too hard to spot.

 

I think I have a hankerin' for a tall "Frostie"root beer!! heh heh !

 

That's right Bob. Dad was just getting started back then. I was there hanging out in the infield at the camper with mom. Dad's still taking pictures at 70 years young.

 

BZNEIL, if mac miller hasnt convinced you about shiny objects and you would still like your job to be shiny, easy to clean, and have minimum build up , you might try "electrolessnickel" plating.
It is a process that is only microns thick ,not thou's thick , and has the advantage of having no Hydrogen embrittlement associated with the plating process so there is less chance of failures
Cheers Greg

 

Tell that whole gang I said Hello. Ray Miller is trying to get me down there but I don't think I'm gonna make it. Denny Z

 

Dick Cecil at first was a TQ person. I was at his shop once. I can not remember who I was with but think it was about a TQ but by then he was into Indy Cars.
Jim

 

Anyone know anybody who took pictures at the 65 Hut Hundred?
Jim

 

Thompson Restorations shop in Dublin, Pa.