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

Late in the 1955 Indy, Cal Niday was badly injured in the #22 D-A car. The fact that he was wearing one of the new full coverage Bell helmets is probably what saved his life.

 

I took this photo of the Watson Roadster replica w/ dad at Parnelli Jones shop/museum in 2009. He is a GREAT host and the stories are; well, so cool and interesting!

 

Great shots Brian. Mechanical Detail

 

Bruce Canepa owns the 22. Car is part of his collection in Scotts Valley, not far from Pebble Beach.

 

Cal Niday died in 1988
Was still racing up to the day of his death, when he was thrown from a vintage open wheeler at Willow Springs raceway. He suffered a continuation of heart-attacks and died, on arrival, at Lancaster's Antelope Valley Hospital.

 

Jim,
This is a great shot. All three of these roadsters are just beautiful. Thanks for sharing with us.

 

I had always been told that the "ecca special" was built by Roger McCluskey of Tucson, Arizona in about 1957. In Arizona the car was given the name "stump puller". The car was owned by a businessman from Eloy, Arizona named Kurt "big daddy" Purvis. Not sure if he was affiliated with Eloy Cotton Chemical Company (ECCA). I saw McCluskey run the car around the Tucson Speedway quarter mile oval during intermission one night at a local super mod/jalopy race in about 1958. The car was painted metallic blue, number 33. After McCluskey went east to compete with USAC, Don Davis from Phoenix took over driving and won the 1960 CRA championship. Not to sure how the Unsers got it. I would have never thought the thing was build by AJ Watson.

 

I've read several accounts that claim McCluskey (and Hank Arnold I suspect) used parts and pieces of Bob Sweikerts wrecked Pennzoil car to build it. What parts were used and how they found their way to Az. I have no idea. After Davis went east Bobby Unser took over the car and it was numbered 92. At some point, apparently, Bobby and/or Al must have bought the car. The account on the Unser museum page gives a different version and they drove/owned it, soooo....

 

I took a sheetmetal fabrication class from Ron Fournier, who restored the # 7. Smokey Yunick ran the car later and replaced the independent frontend with a conventional straight axle. When Ron got the resto assignment he called Arlen Kurtis to see if he had any prints his dad may have drawn of the suspension, but all he could find were photographs. Ron recreated all the bits from the photos, an amazing feat in my opinion; he's one of those craftsman in the same mold as Kurtis, Watson, Epperly, Kuzma and Lesovsky.

 

Always nice to see cars that were very well engineered and had such beautiful sheet metal work.

Frank Kurtis was really a visionary in many ways and the cars he built will live on forever.

Jimbo

 

Rootie, not to nit pick, but Sweikert's car was the DA Lube car and it resides in Stan Lobitz' collection. It was the Guttzweiller car at one point as well.

 

Yep, your absolutely right Jim. Don't know what I was thinking, I guess- yellow+ oil= But, yes I'm aware what Lobitz has and that goes to show some of the conflicting info I've come across.

 

John McKenzie, that is from the Pebble Beach Concours de she she shit 2013. Google it and many great pictures.

17th green in background.

 

Concourse de she she shit???




Thanks Jim, I'll check that out.

 

I hope I don't get in trouble for this, since it's info for the Vintage meet at New Hampshire this year, and no photos included:

Fellow ACOT member,
I am contacting you about a matter of urgent concern to owners, drivers and fans of vintage sprints and midgets.
The Vintage Celebration has been scheduled for August 3-4, 2014 at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon New Hampshire. This event, which celebrates its 24th year, is the oldest and largest vintage open wheel event in the country. It is an exceptional opportunity to take our cars out on the track and do some “exhibition” racing in a safe and sane manner. This event affords a way to meet old friends and make new ones while recapturing the glory days of these historic cars.
In the past, some tracks paid the club to come and participate at various events. This practice has come to an end at many tracks in recent years. Because of this fact, the cost of gas, and attrition of drivers, the Vintage Celebration is in serious jeopardy. If we want to enjoy our cars rather than to consign them to some museum where they will become part of a static display, we must act now to preserve what we have, vintage racing at the largest race track in the Northeast.
As Ben Franklin once said, “If we don’t all hang together, surely we will hang separately.”
It may interest you to know that the “Speedway” significantly reduced the entry fees in 2013 in order to address complaints concerning the increase of fees in 2012.
Please join me at Loudon this summer and keep vintage racing alive in the Northeast.
More info posted on the website below under Gearhead’s Favorite Events.
Sincerely,
Jack Wegman owner /driver
The Olde Indian Number 28 - Mohawk Ford Special
1927 Hudson chassis, 3 Springer - Model B Ford powered

Jack Wegman
18 Juniper Hill Rd.
East Sandwich Massachusetts 02537
Phone: 508-888-3103
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.autonetnewengland.com

 

John Capels at Winchester in the Al Unser owned, former Ecca Spl. that WAS originally built by A.J. Watson

 

The car is in my barn. BLACK now, will be DA colors when restored. Got a fresh 220 on display for it at EMMR

 

Jack, for over 50 years I have been going to vintage events all over the country! Twenty four years ago I started to go New Hampshire to the first event, I quit the year after Bob Bear sold the track. Forty years ago I started to go to Wm. Grove, EMMR`s the longest consecutive running vintage meet. With Member owned and supported I am sure it will keep going long after I go to meet my maker!!!
The cost is not that big of an issue, the four day morning to night activities hold the interest of all attending. Three days of track time incluging evening shows friday and sat. at Wm. Grove and lincoln. Emmr, the oldest vintage meet run for 40 years...

 

Roy, that picture is as perfect as it gets. I feel like I'm standing there right now hearing the engines echoing off the trees on the back stretch and out of the old covered grandstand on the front straight. Going into #3 the cars would disappear down behind the little hill in the infield, but then you'd see them sweep up the bank going into #4 and stand on the gas. Sorry, I'm rambling, but that photo is a time machine. Thanks.

 

Easter, you made me remember the same images.

 

Perfect!

 

In August of 1965 Hot Rod magazine featured the Lehotsky & Singh sprint car built by Hank Henry. Over the years this car carried the numbers 91, 3, 21 and then 84 as the Pratt and Bartley car. Does anyone know what happened from there and if the car is still around today.
As a side note in that 1965 magazine you could buy a Vette powered Kurtis roadster for $1850 or a 1936 Cord in mint condition for $1500...<O></O>

 

I have a question on Rear Suspension Geometry on our Sprint Car. When you use a Closed Driveline (Torque Tube) is there a problem when the Radius Rods are longer, farther forward, than the U-Joint Pivot Point? I don't plan on changing anything, just want to understand it better.

Thanks,

Bob

 

According to Bob East, that's not a problem--his Beast dirt cars were all built that way.

 

In a word... no... Lots a cars pivot the radius rods off the motor plate location.

 

Billy Vukovich insisted that his dirt cars were set up that way.

 

The Fike Plumbing.....Anderson/Rush debate surfaces here from time to time. Today I came across some footage in my files. I'm not even sure how I came to acquire it. It shows the car at Liverpool City Raceway, with Rush driving. Also features midgets and sedans. If you want to skip the other stuff, it comes up at about 2.19 in, with Rush beside the car and then again at 3.36 with some racing action.
BTW...It's not terrific quality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT-_i1ZnjdQ

 

I have hairpins, to reduce the axle twist. However, I have broken the torque tube at the differential flange. Scratching my thick skull; I figure there may be a bind caused by the distance from the universal, out to the the radius rod pins. We just beefed up the flange; but many builders ran the radius rods back to their original fitting on the torque tube. I DO run this car very hard; mostly on asphalt road courses and ovals. Current dirt/clay tracks do REAL damage to my suspension.

 

Wonder what became of the #5 that Jerry Hoyt drove?

 

damn that's beautiful!