History Bonneville, 1951

That Howards cams car is cool . anybody got info on that?

 

Ah yes, beanie safety helmets and t-shirts, lotsa flatmotors, and my favorite, the guy filling the front tire on the Howard Cams coupe with a bicycle pump....

 

I think I got as much a kick out of the push vehicles as the actual race cars themselves. I have been to Bonneville only once back in 2003 as a crew member and yet this 1951 film brings back many of those memories. Though many things change, especially safety stuff, many things are much the same. Great film thanks Ryan for posting this piece.

 

God Bless America. Salt and all. Nothing makes me feel any more patriotic than seeing ingenuity in action. This is the stuff I first began reading about that made me realize there was a purpose to life after all.

 

8 minutes of deafening coolness.And that strawberry blonde at the 3:50 mark,I'd of liked to see some closeups of that....

 

I have never been to Bonneville but it really has a rich history.

Friends of mine who have raced there always told me stories about staying there and needing enough supplies for at least a week or more.

Very Cool Jimbo

 

very Cool - Thanks. The Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, CA will have a large display of Bonneville record setting racers.

 

Thanks for posting! - best 8+min of the day here at work!

 

Ryan, thanks for the video. Last August was my 1st trip to Bonneville. My friend introduced me to Gene Winfield, interrupting him during a removal and replacement of the clutch on his flathead powered Model T. After informing him it was an honor to meet a living legend on my 1st trip to Bonneville, one of the crew asked Gene when did he first came to the salt flats. Gene replied, May 1951. Grinning while shaking his hand I informed him; Gene, in May of 1951 I was about one month old. The Crew hooted and one guy said; I guess that tells you how old Gene is...

What a blast to experience Bonneville and see this video today.

 

Thanks for posting this up, very nice way to spend 8min.
Its a glimpse into how those cars truly looked and ran. Christ it looks like they were having fun too! Single axle trailers, fatheads, killer roadsters...wow.

 

I have all the proper saftey gear a half helmet and a t-shirt and sunglasses

 

The Crosley coupe was Howard Johansen's, founder of Howard's Cams. He ran a variety of engines, including a Marmon V-16 at one point. I think at this meet he was running a GMC. The car survived for years, changing hands and ultimately running a blown Chrysler.

Other notable cars: the yellow '34 coupe (no. 98) belonged to Doug Hartlett, who died recently, originally ran a GMC but later a Chrysler. A blown version of that engine went into the J.E. Riley Special dragster that Calvin Rice drove at the first NHRA Nationals.

Also, Ak Miller, Fred Carillo, Tom Cobb, Kenz and Leslie streamliner, and other unique cars (the long-nosed roadster with "Azusa...something on the nose was Harold Osborne's "Anteater").

 

Tom Cobb's wife.

 

In the late 1970s I worked as a mechanic at Old Car Garage in Meade, Colorado. Bill Kenz and my boss Roy Heyne were good friends from Bonneville and would entertain the shop with stories, Bill Kenz at Bonneville and Roy, dry lakes racing during the l930s. At that time Bill was working on a banger and would talk about building crankshafts and rods. It was a 'B' and I have no idea if he ever got it done. Roy had a 29 on 32 rails with a 'B' motor. It ran pretty good as I remember. He also had a 'A' coupe that could keep up with 'I' road traffic. Bill always wanted me to come to Denver to see his streamliner and to this day I regret that I never went. I still remember the conversations.

Regards
Greg Hornbostel

 

If only things would not have changed , excellent film .

 

The lakester at the beginning of the film is the #3 Earl Evans tank which was the team car to the Freed Carrillo #17 modified roadster.

 

Thank you for the information.
Do you still go to the salt?





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It is really wierd, but I too just feel a sense of patriotism when I see films like this from Bonneville. Early American ingenuity in action after fighting a terrible war in the 1940's.

 

Help! I cannot open this movie. I am told that my Dad, Bill Waddill, is in it twice! Very rare Bonneville footage I can't wait to see!

 

Really cool Ryan, Thanks...

 

Maybe one of the best things about this film- NO CRASHES! Just cool cars and safe speed. Great to see some of our history.

 

Having joined the USN in March 1951, I missed this.---But followed B'ville in the magazines.
Thanks for posting!!

 

try directly from Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6aW6Z_r-9w

 

Cool movie!

Ryan, when are you going to come to Bonneville, and take the Flatcad down the salt? Nothing like running down in a flathead powered car......

 

Thank's for posting Ryan......Was great to watch and a good fix to help a guy along until next Aug and speed week 2014

 

Thanks, boss. Great way to start the week. Now, just gotta figure out how to kill the next 6 months......

 

Great. Thanks for posting Ryan.

 

That made my day, you can almost smell the fumes in the salt air. Thanks