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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. Speedwrench
    Joined: Nov 21, 2009
    Posts: 1,032

    Speedwrench
    Member

    Based on the first picture, I wondering if there might be a connection to Todd Gibson. He had homemade roadsters and zero was his number.
     
  2. designs that work
    Joined: Aug 29, 2005
    Posts: 411

    designs that work
    Member

    Three things grabbed my attention the length of the right front torsion arm, the length of the cage and how short the rear frame work is. As pointed out earlier the frame is very wide for the year of build. The cage is very different and nothing I am familiar with. I would vote for a one off champ car.
     
  3. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    The cage is a typical Rick Stewart cage, much like Grant King built his. I think it "appears" to be wide because the rear cage uprights bow out quite a bit giving that illusion in the pics. He said the frame rails measure 24" and that would be about standard, you can't really fit a SBC in a space frame if they are too much narrower.
     
  4. hopkins1
    Joined: Jul 7, 2009
    Posts: 72

    hopkins1
    Member
    from bedford pa

    Guffy,the Show Car cage is more modern then other two. Because the pictured frame is crashed I think it is a later car.
     
  5. baldtireman
    Joined: Aug 3, 2009
    Posts: 378

    baldtireman
    Member

    Before you guys decide,Ed Bellinger did at one point have an INDY roadster.Find the old Oswego programs from the mid 60's to determine which one. My memory seems to lean toward the car the Eddie Sachs lost the wheel on.Carried #9,i believe.....Please correct me if I'm wrong...:confused:
     
  6. trentesept
    Joined: Mar 15, 2008
    Posts: 120

    trentesept
    Member
    from Australia

    Gentlemen, can I ask for some help?
    I am trying to help a friend authenticate a car down here which purports to be a sister car to the Fike Plumbing Special.
    It is a Hank Henry chassis and can be viewed on the web by Googling "Hank Henry restored 1960 sprinter" ( sorry I dont know how to atattch the link)
    It was owned and restored by Don Menard and ran as red #3 chevy powered.
    Does anybody know the car, its history, drivers , events, or the current owner of the Fike Plumbing car so that I could validate the specifications of this car??
    Any help would be greatly appreciated .
    Cheers Greg
     
  7. s55mercury66
    Joined: Jul 6, 2009
    Posts: 4,335

    s55mercury66
    Member
    from SW Wyoming

    #9, it was, but the driver of [​IMG]that one was Steve Lehnert, N.Olmstead, Ohio. Photo from retrorockets.org
     
  8. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    The Eddie Sachs #9 of 1963 is in the McConnell collection nowdays.
     
  9. carl s
    Joined: Mar 22, 2008
    Posts: 745

    carl s
    Member
    from Indio, CA

    Type 'Fike Plumbing Special' into search function for some past spirited conversation on that topic
    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=9383860
     
  10. oldebob
    Joined: Oct 21, 2008
    Posts: 782

    oldebob
    Member
    from Spokane WA

    I should have Bobby Marcum's Phone # this weekend. Maybe he can shed some light on this. The actual measurements of the frame outside of rails is 23" at the rear axle, 21" at the front axle. The eng setback is 44" which makes me suspect it was orig a 98" wb car. . Every thing fwd of the main tube plug welds is Tig and very nicely done. . In 1976 when the cage was constructed this was on an unused chassis. In the 1977 picture it is a 4 bar car. IE the front of the frame didn't start out with the rest of the frame. My suspicion is that it was orig a earier 98" cross spring chassis shortened and changed to 4 bar when the cage was done. Be interesting if it can be figured out what the h it started out as . Right now it's sort of a Stewart/what? Could be a lot worse.
     
  11. supermod
    Joined: Apr 30, 2012
    Posts: 7

    supermod
    Member

    Great video from 1959. I believe it was filmed at Vallejo Speedway, not Pacheco. You can see the 5/8ths mile in the background. The 1/4 mile was used in the movie. Also the drive-in theater can be seen in the distance. The ARA used Vallejo for some of their sprint shows.
     
  12. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    FWIW-July 98 Open Wheel has a article on the car. The little history mentioned says it was built in 1960 for Chuck Allen who ran it with moderate success in CRA and USAC. Menard bought it from Rich Stevens, who ran it briefly with the CRA. Didn't say anything about it being a sister car to the Fike but did mention that Henry built 19 sprint cars.
     
  13. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    FWIW- came across another article that would suggest the car in question isn't a sister car to the Fike:
     

    Attached Files:

  14. trentesept
    Joined: Mar 15, 2008
    Posts: 120

    trentesept
    Member
    from Australia

    Rootie, thanks so much for your research,it gives us something to work on.
    Our racing groups are set up on dates down here and we dont need the car to be authenticated as a "Sister" car to the Fike, but more to have a construction date , or a follow on style.
    If the Chuck Allen was started in '60 or earlier , or is the same dimensionally as a '60 or earlier example it doesnt matter when it was actually finished or when it had its first event,we will be good to go.
    Once again, on behalf of my mate Paddy , many thanks cheers Greg
     
  15. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

  16. racemad55
    Joined: Dec 14, 2005
    Posts: 1,149

    racemad55
    Member

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

    mac miller
    Member
    from INDY


    The original FIKE Hank Henry car is, supposedly, in AUS and is owned by a guy named Bob Blacklaw. It is either restored or being restored as it raced in AUS by Gary Rush..... The car was taken from Calif to AUS by owner Johnny Anderson for the winter racing season. John won a lot of races down there and sold the car to Gary Rush before heading home.

    mac miller in INDY
     
  18. trentesept
    Joined: Mar 15, 2008
    Posts: 120

    trentesept
    Member
    from Australia

    Thanks Mac , Patrick has rung Gary Rush and Bob Blacklaw this morning, he is all over it like a fat kid on a cup cake !!
    Cheers Greg
     
  19. big mike b
    Joined: Mar 30, 2013
    Posts: 8

    big mike b
    Member

    Rootie the #12 Hank Henry came to New Zealand back in 1977 and was competitve down here for many years before it was restored to what is is today. I'm guessing there wasn't much value placed on it back in the US as it was no longer as fast as it needed to be and the vintage scene was only in its infancy.
     
  20. hopkins1
    Joined: Jul 7, 2009
    Posts: 72

    hopkins1
    Member
    from bedford pa

    I talked to Todd Gibsons son Gene and this is the car Todd sold to the Bellingers in late 1972.
     
  21. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    I see, I thought it was a more recent deal. You're right though, back then, most considered old race cars as..... well, just old race cars. I see old stuff on E-bay selling for good money now that I couldn't hardly give away back then. :(
     
  22. trentesept
    Joined: Mar 15, 2008
    Posts: 120

    trentesept
    Member
    from Australia

    Big mike b , deucemac ,Rootie and Mac Miller, thank you all so much in solving the Hank Henry history as it being the pink and purple Chuckie Allen car of 1964(USAC rookie of the year)
    I would call it now difinitively proven.
    Patrick will not go ahead with purchase of the car to road race as pre 1960 but I think it will still be available to anybody who is keen for a '64 Hank Henry Chevy with history.
    It has now been sorted out and I will pass on any enquiries to the man who has it for sale if you would like to PM me .
    It is a beautiful car and beautifully restored.
    Once again guys ,fantastic sleuthing job ,
    Cheers Greg
     
  23. s55mercury66
    Joined: Jul 6, 2009
    Posts: 4,335

    s55mercury66
    Member
    from SW Wyoming

    [​IMG]
    This is Todd's car from 1965. a Kuzma? retrorockets.org pic
     
  24. hopkins1
    Joined: Jul 7, 2009
    Posts: 72

    hopkins1
    Member
    from bedford pa

    This is the car Todd had in 65/66,sold it to Jack Murphy one week before the Oswego classic. The Kuzma ran in 67/68 and was sold to Norm Hagan and raced by Norm MacElreath in 69. What car did Gibson have from 69 till late 72?
     
  25. Speedwrench
    Joined: Nov 21, 2009
    Posts: 1,032

    Speedwrench
    Member

    Wasn't that the period of time when he ran USAC or am I wrong in my thinking?
     
  26. hopkins1
    Joined: Jul 7, 2009
    Posts: 72

    hopkins1
    Member
    from bedford pa

    Todd did run USAC but I think it was short lived. The car was an upright yellow 0. In 70/71 I think his roadster was white with purple flames and 72 it was yellow. I think all the Bellingers did was change the #.
     
  27. bcook
    Joined: Oct 24, 2010
    Posts: 23

    bcook
    Member

    can someone tell us what the car behind the Flintstone Flyer is?
     
  28. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    The Nulls roadster out of Ohio I believe. Tom York drove it a lot.
     

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  29. bcook
    Joined: Oct 24, 2010
    Posts: 23

    bcook
    Member

    Rootie, was that the Dayton Steel Wheel car?

    Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
     
  30. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    No, the Nulls car was a purpose built short track car. They ran USAC, IMCA and with the supermodifieds both dirt and asphalt all over the east and Midwest. They may have had a ex Indy roadster too, at one time, but I'm really not sure.
     

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