1928 Schumacher Special (early hot rod)

Running, as in driving the Schumacher, right? You are the list of HAMB people I want to meet, chances are we've crossed paths at Lime Rock or another event and just never got introduced. Bob

 

As best as I can figure now the history goes something like this:

1. Commissioned in 1928, chassis ordered.
2. Consignor runs out of money 1929/1930.
3. Gus finished the car 1931/1932
4. Gus sells the car to Svend Hinsby 1935
5. Svend Hinsby sells the car to someone in RI.
6. Spotted and documented at a beach in Mass by automotive historian Bill Lewis.
7. Owned by MIT student from RI & photographed by Duesenberg expert Fred Roe in 1939
8. Spotted on used car lot across from MIT late 1939.
9. Disappears for 11 years
10. Bought at the Concord Auto Auction by Winchindon Motor Cars in spring 1951
11. Spotted and purchased by Bernie Fossa in Summer of 1951
12. Car has a bad connecting rod and after trying to repair the engine placed in his aunt's barn
13. For the next 54 years car sits resting in the barn.

To answer your question Ed, I believe Svend Hinsby bought the car around 35/36. However, this information was passed down to me by the son-in-law of Hinsby's daughter who had the following picture of a "Duesenberg" owned by her dad in the 1930s. He did live in NY and would have been in his 30s during the 1930s. So the information on Svend is not confirmed to the extent of the rest of the history.

 

Another newspaper clipping forwarded to me by VintageRide. The address is not far from Gus's Yonkers Shop. However, we have been unable to determine when he opened his shop. We have one indication that it was 1920 and another that says 1925. There are approx 8 of the 15 Specials that we do not have pictures or details of. Perhaps this was one.

THE EVENING TELEGRAM—NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY.
JUNE 1. 1921

FORD racer, aeroplane type, disc wheels, underslung. sacrifice. Marble Hill Garage,
• ' 25th S-Bway. Schumacher's car.
90 West 225th Street

 

Radiator shell is now finished. It is cast aluminum. The original guard was chrome but we re-fabricated it in stainless. Also the "before" picture.

 

That looks great! Do we conpliment you or your Dad for the great work? Bob

 

Bob, I don't have that kind of talent and at 87 it would probably be a bit too much buffing and grinding for my dad. This was done by professional help.

One of these days I would like to figure out where the shell came from. I don't believe it could have been cast for this purpose and would think it came off of something pre-1928.

 

Bad ass! ~sololobo~

 

Head is on the motor, will post photos later this week, Ed

 

Ed, that is really good news. I talked to John on Monday. See if you can get a good picture of the tach drive. This was something that we spent a lot of time trying to figure out. in the end John went with the obvious solution which was to copy the drive on the DV32 which he feels is what was original done.

 

Sorry for the delay in posting photos, I'm recovering from a medical problem that's kicked my ass. Will get some new engine and tach drive photos up soon, and it's possible some new history on the car that has come to light. Not sure where it will lead to, but Vermont was mentioned! I made a promise not to spill the beans until the person who discovered the lead informs AJ.

 

Hill Climb?

 

Ed, hope you a feeling better soon. Can't wait to see the new photos.

Bob, doubtful on any hillclimb action, I could see this going straight off a cliff on a turn .

 

Sorry for pulling this thread up...
Did Gustav work for General Sheet Metal? They were a company located at Roosevelt Field on Long Island. They did a variety of things including aircraft fabrication and sprint car bodies. John Oliveau (an ARCA member) had an association with them and managed the production of a variety of cars (including the later single-seater Willys team cars and the Collier "Leonidis" MG PA, among others.)

It's not impossible that Gustav made the earlier Willys bodies, but they do bear a couple things in common with another car that was known to have been made by General Sheet Metal. That said, the Schumacher Special certain shares a lot with aircraft bodies.

Also, sorry if I missed this, but do you happen to have the name of the MIT student associated with the car?

How's progress coming?

Cris

 

Cris,

To the best of my knowledge Gustav ran his own shop in Yonkers from the mid 1920s until WWII. The only link I have of Gustav to the Willys is that he told his son Gus jr that built the cars. Gus SR took a lot of pictures and in the 1940s he would recite stories around the different cars. It is possible that Gus jr is mistaken in his recollection or also that Gus Sr was involved in part of the construction of the cars. I will say that of the ARCA pictures I have seen there was an emphasis on the two Willys in the photographs he took.

 

So last spring my engine builder John Cislak is walking through a flea market in Massachusetts and spies 2 framed photos of the car. One is a dash shot and one is a side shot. Judging by the mickey mouse modifications I would say late 30s is when the photos were taken supposedly in Vermont somewhere. I have to go out and see John and get them. My buddy Ed snapped a couple of cell phone pics for me of them you see below.

The engine is now fully assembled. Maybe Ed can snap some pictures for us?

 

finish start driver car # owner chassis engine laps
<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 18pt" height=24><TD style="WIDTH: 5%; HEIGHT: 12.75pt" class=xl25 height=24 vAlign=top width=33>26</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 5%; HEIGHT: 12.75pt" class=xl25 vAlign=top width=33>29</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 20%; HEIGHT: 12.75pt" vAlign=top>Al Cusick</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 5%; HEIGHT: 12.75pt" class=xl25 vAlign=top width=26>27</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 25%; HEIGHT: 12.75pt" class=xl26 vAlign=top>Shumaker-Cusick</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10%; HEIGHT: 12.75pt" class=xl26 vAlign=top width=61>X</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10%; HEIGHT: 12.75pt" class=xl26 vAlign=top width=54>Ford</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 5%; HEIGHT: 12.75pt" class=xl25 vAlign=top width=33>11</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10%; HEIGHT: 12.75pt" class=xl26 vAlign=top width=54>Broken left rear hub</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
last race at this track, now a housing development.....
.....million dollar barn find......

 

Vanderbilt Cup Race? What year, think this was a different car than the one featured here? Bob

 

Yes, it is a different car than this one. If you go back a couple of pages the chassis is pictured as well as a couple with a driver in it.

This car is more of a hot rod then a race car.

 

Bob, you don't remember but the reason I tracked the family down was that you pointed out the Vanderbilt Cup connection to me.

 

Yes, And I get to ride shotgun in the car when it's finished, right. Bob

 

Hey Guys, I just stumbled across this epic story that shows what amounts to a beautiful racing / sports truck with room for two small people and one monster motor.
It is a work of art, and AJ, you are to be applauded for such an undertaking - not to mention you dad, who is providing so much detailed assistance.
I'm sure we would al love to see more update pics of progress - you are close to finally getting that monster motor back so you can mount it.
I'm definitely looking forward to updates.......................... please.

 

Don't worry Bob. I have a leather racing helmet for both you and my dad for your trip around the race track.

I will try to get some updated pictures posted soon.

 

Attached is a photo I just got from eBay. It is similar to another shot I have from a different angle that was given to me by the family. I'll try to get a really deep scan and see if the badge hanging from the guy on the left is readable.

Thanks to hamber SteveLines for pointing this out to me

 

the best I could do with the tag. Can't make it out. Cleaned up the picture and lighted the colors. There is a race car in the upper right corner of the picture. The fence made me think race track anyways.

 

Steering wheel is finally finished. 1932, 2005, 2013.

 

love the steering wheel

 

And finally bolted back on. The chrome post is exactly the way it was done originally. Any place we can determine the original finish that is what we are doing. Some of it seems over the top for my tastes but I guess that was the original intention.

 

Good luck in your quest for info and your efforts to bring her back to life.

 

Always good to see a progress update. Bob

 

Slow and steady Bob. Dash has to be laser cut because it is stainless and two of the gauges just push through from the back with no trim on the front. That is happening next week and then it can all go together. A couple of weeks worth of work to the chassis and it will be ready for the engine to be dropped in.