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

Hi BZNEIL: Any good mag repair can put an advance plate in your mag. John Leverenz and I ran a mag with a 20 degree advance in the mag in 1968 to 1971, won the 1970 Knoxville Nationals with it. The motor was easier to start. never had any trouble with it. In later years we did the same thing that racer5c advised about jacking up the front of the car to bleed air out of the motor . Good Luck Bill

 

Maybe someone on this site can help me. I would like to contact Jim Mann who builds and restores old race cars and Kurtis Kraft sports cars. I know he is from Elkhart In. but have been unable to find an email or phone number. I am still trying to put an end to the Mari Hulman Champ car and he may have the answer. You can send me a private message.

 

I knew getting smell-o-vision internet was gonna be a mistake!

 

Rootie, is that you in the thumbnail?

 

HA! I think moving to Kentucky is starting to effect me!

 

Noooo! I look even worse

 

Question - Anybody remember an IndyCar, champ car, or sprint car team member named Harold McCullough? Reportedly worked with Foyt at one time. A friend who is a family member is wondering what became of him. Thanx.

 

..BZNEIL....that is looking so good.....hope you get it running right...I'm sure it will come....

 

Len Hughes in Indiana does my mag work. He does everything from Funny Cars to Indy cars to hydroplanes.

574 293 6688

 

Today, I called Jim Mann and spoke with him regarding the Springfield Welding Smith Special. Jim who is a (super nice guy), told me that he came across the frame and did and extensive study on the frame and came to the conclusion that it was the Springfield car from photographs and measurements that he made. He also said another person contacted him and said they had the Springfield car. Jim received the frame and studied it and told the person that it was not the car and the one he had was the real car.
There were 15 KK 4000 built between the years of 1951 to 1953 and the problem is that the frames did not get stamped and there was only a dash tag with the number on it. Almost all these car’s were changed over the years and became sprint cars or super Modified’s, Etc. which with all the changes makes it almost impossible to ID these cars at this point in time. All I know is what has been written in the past and pictures that were taken during these time periods. My conclusion to the Springfield-Hulman-Surdam story is that it will never be proven now or ever. It’s too bad as this car along with many others are from the glory days of racing history. I just wished Frank would have stamped his frames like he did his midgets.

 

You know, all the talk back around page #1022 about Carl Adams cutting up the Surdam Spl. that Hank Henry died in...

Why doesn't someone just ask Carl?

Or, is it better to have the myth?

 

Ben Cook streched midget at Williams Grove, late 50`s. Same car now in my barn.
The car was the Hillegas house car, later owned by Pete and Jake Schmauck who sold it to Ben Cook. Pete was the editore of the newsletter Fronty Pete

 

Chassis appears to be somewhat early Edmunds sprint (no cage). It's already had 24 inches added to it for an auto trans, but that's coming back out and then will assess where to add to make it dirt champ length. Or maybe just leave it at sprint. Roger Ward's ride from 1960 appeals to me....

Took a couple of pics with my phone but the files are too large to load here. I'll keep working on that.

And I appreciate the E85 info!

 

they couldn't make the silver crown cars run on E-85, but if you guys figure it out fill me in on it

 

Roy, wasn't that straight ethanol, with some additives "proprietary" to the "Ignite" brand?
I don't want to fan a fire that burned for a long time over on IOW, but I always wondered what the problem was with the Silver Crown cars since I'd seen a few WOO cars sponsored by Ethanol over the years, and Indycar never seemed to have any problems running it...

 

A photo from this weekend's event, will post more photos at this link when they arrive over the next few weeks. (Mike Stryker pulled in from Las Cruces NM right on time, with the red paint still wet)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91981316@N06/sets/72157633188888275/



It's late Friday Night April 5th at Keith Ames Inaugural Reopening of the beautiful 3/8 Mile newly repaved Tucson Speedway and West Coast Vintage Racers Southwest Chapter Vintage Indycar Coordinator Ray Alcaraz is waiting word to send out the Vintage Indycars for the final session of the day. Billy Shuman, WCVR President and Event Coordinator is at the other end of pit lane coordinating the staging of the final sessions for the vintage midgets and sprintcars but for the moment the Club's Indycars will have the spotlight. Larry Pfitzenmaier has buttoned up The 1959 Watson- Simoniz Special for the evening and is enjoying an event finally close to his home in Sonoita. Ray has shut down his Epperly 'Somewhat Special' Roadster for the evening having had enough fun for the day. Veteran Midget Competitior Mike Schrum is taking his first session in
Carl Schulz' 1927 Miller - #15 Boyle Valve Special Tribute Car in preparation for a first time session at Victory Lane's Historic Champ/Indycar Event June 21-23 at Auto Club Speedway, behind him in the green 1920s Flat Tail Big Car is driver/builder Fred Secker, a Tucson snow bird from the UK who is a VSCC competitor back home and who plans on rejoining us in The Fall. Behind Ray is Jerome Arizona Historic Gold Mine Curator/Operator, Don Robertson, patiently waiting in his self built 1928 Studebaker straight 8 powered Indycar recreation. Kelly Schrum is on the push vehicle behind Don-saving him the trouble of getting out and hand cranking the beast. Del Deiner is strapped into his McClure Champcar out of sight in the background waiting for the word to be pushed off and the first to take the track.

 

carl s.........great photo......(now thats what I call a car park).......more please...

 

I think your right it was Ethanol, I don't know what the problem was but when I saw them run with it they didn't run on the bottom end worth a darn

 

Just wondering if there are any Evans-Denver steering gear experts on here. I have an aluminum Evans-Denver steering gear that I would like to rebuild for a rail frame midget project. I have all the aluminum pieces for the entire housing assembly, but there are no internals......worm gear....sector.....shafts.
I am wondering whether these were actually made by Evans-Denver or if possibly they were utilized from existing cars....trucks....tractors such as Ross.
If anybody has some of the parts I need, I would also be interested. Thanks

 

Anyone know who made these mag hubs?

I'm also looking to buy one if anyone has one kicking around

Thanks

 

Whilst we are posting things hoping for recognition, does anybody have any knowledge of this drop box on a V8 housing?
It obviously pre dates the commercial quickchanges and achieves an input shaft ,and consequent seat lowering , of about 7 1/2 " but does not allow for "Quick" change as there is a necessary train of three gears which requires tail shaft removal and box dismantling to achieve a ratio change.
From my knowledge it was fitted first in this country(Australia) by Ray Revell , and as he ran midgets, ,Offys, and other cars,prewar, might have originated in America.
Without dismantling it , there are no identifying marks on the outside of the housing.
Anybody seen one of these before ,or recognise the design or engineering ethos??
Many thanks , Greg

 

No, but two front hubs I have seem to have similar style spokes and mine were made by Winters. Gary

PS they are for sale. PM me ifn interested.

 

I ran sprints back in the early 70's. I have never seen anything like it. Could of been fabricated in someone's machine shop years ago.... wish i could be more help...Ted N Vegas

 

I may be wrong but I think the center section is Model A and the quick change is an early attempt at a quick change and I would say it is home made. Interesting during this time in the 30's there were forward quick change box's on the market. Looking at all the bolts and 3 gears and the need to drop the drive shaft it must have taken a while to change gears and the cost for the gears would have been expensive. The driver could have been tall and also wanted to lower his seat is another thought.

 

Wow, What a busy man you are...great stuff. What a great job you landed. Love this stuff.. I ran the west coast in the early 70's mostly Atascadero and Santa Maria, but sometime went to the valley and ran Raison City, Modesto, and Merced. My car was a late 60's Supermodified. Was lucky enough to run with Al Pombo, Herman Hutton, Roy Guy Jr. to name a few..... Been into old Gassers for the last ten years. But as i was talking with my friend Ed Rachanski here in Vegas, he has got me all pumped up again on the old dirt stuff..... If you know of any late 60's Sprint cars that needs restoring, or even a supermodified, i may be interested.... Enjoyed this thread alot, i keep coming back all the time....Keep up the good work.....Ted McClure N Vegas..... [email protected]

 

I was thinking Edmonds. Same vintage as i used to race. Is it for sale...Thanks Ted McClure

 

I wonder if that isn't some early work of Ernie Casale?

 

I wish I could have made tucson but it was opening night at my track. Got rained out and not enough time to fly to phoenix and pic up my midget and get to the track.

 

Hi... New guy here. I grew up in Rosemead California and was best friends with lance Wilkerson who was billy wilkersons nephew. We used to watch him race at ascot all the time. Now in duarte ca. There is a sprint car museum that is quite impressive ( at least it was there 6 years ago). Billy Wilkerson is gone now but there is a Facebook page dedicated to him and its full of old sprint car photos from back in the day. Sorry if this info has been posted but the thread is way too long to read in a day. Lol.

 

Hope we meet up at one of these events. Thanks for thinking of Tucson Speedway. It was very succesful re opening of a great 3/8th mile paved progressively banked and wide track in an area that needs economic recovery bad.
Received strong media coverage and over 5,000 fans showed up in the stands.
http://rays-action-photo.smugmug.co...05505_27JSnT#!i=2446041797&k=8Cqf4qZ&lb=1&s=L

Best Regards
Carl Schulz
Indio, CA