I now remember the next guy who ran Russ palmer's '35 coupe; it was Al Johnson (if my memories of about 58 years ago is right). The garage where Russ was maintaining Don Blair's sprint car was just around the corner of Foothill Blvd and DelRey. It was 3 blocks west of the Blair's Speed shop location (which was 1/2 block west of the present location). It was basically a 2 car stall with telescoping grade door. It had been an old and dirty auto repair shop. The speed shop was not as large is it is today so he needed a place to work on the sprinter. I needed a place to work on my car because my wife an I were apartment dwellers. A little later we were able to buy a house so my coupe went "home". It was so much nicer to just open my garage to prepare the car than to drive from South Pasadena to east Pasadena after work. I never liked the idea that anyone could look through the gate and see what was inside. However neither Russ or I lost anything there that I know of. When Russ built his coupe he had garage space at home in Altadena, so it was kept there. Both Russ and I did our engine machine work at Blair's and Don supplied our fuel. The garage on No. Fair Oaks was at where 2164 is now, almost a block above Montana St. The buildings have changed now. We called it the Fair Oaks Speed Shop. In 1951 I got married and moved into an apartment. My Hudson had been kept in the back at my parents home. I needed a place to keep and work on the racecar. Holly Hedrich suggested I join in with the guys at the Fair Oaks shop/garage. Blair's track roadster, Holly's drag racing sprint car, Jim and Tommy Dahm's modified roadster and Winston Ranger's modified roadster were kept there. Gil Hayward joined in the garage a little later. I prepared and raced both the Hudson and the Cord out of the "Fair Oaks Speed Shop" as it was unofficially known. We had a good time and made lots of friends there. I imagine that you were one of the guys that followed me at that shop. In 1954 I built the '32 coupe mostly at Blair's and my in-laws house. Then I finally got my own home garage. Don www.montgomeryhotrodbooks.com
Don, just side tracking a little, do you know what happened to the Dahm bros roadster after 1951? I know they ran it at Bonneville in 1951 & that they also teamed up with Bill Burke in #78 B-MC Bantam coupe for '51.
(Blair Auto Parts Special), driven by Don O'Riley, powered by a DeSoto engine. HRM August 1956. What a nice sprint car. Must have really moved with the DeSoto motor. This was about the time that track roadsters had finally evolved into sprint cars and the roadster bodies were no longer used.
Hi Jimmy I do not know what happened to the Dahm bros. roadster. As I recall after Jimmy and Tommy Dahm set their Bonneville record in class B Modified Roadster Wally Parks (NHRA) took the car on a tour to promote drag racing and encourage new strips to be opened. They also did a little drag racing with the roadster and I believe they joined with Holly Hedrich to run a super-light '23 roadster at Santa Ana with good results. They apparently dropped out of hot rodding not too long after 1951. Attached is a poor photo of the a day at the San Diego drags at Paradise Mesa. I believe it was on May 30, 1951. On the right of the picture is Holly Hedrich's sprint car. I believe it had Willie Davis' (Hill-Davis streamliner fame)engine in it at this time. They were both members of the Glendale Stokers club (SCTA). I am not sure about the '29 (second from right). The 3rd from the right was Jimmy and Tommy's, Bonneville record holding and Hot Rod Magazine cover car, '27 T modified roadster. They were in the Pasadena Pacers club (SCTA). The car on the left was my Hudson. I was in the Glendale Coupe and Roadster Club (RTA). It was a good day for me as the Hudson set a Class D record at 100.33 mph. The interesting thing here is that San Diego was using standing starts, as is done today, while strips like Santa Ana had used rolling starts from the beginning. San Diego times were usually slower than the other strips. It took a re-adjustment for many of us to convert to standing starts. The group of cars in the photo were all from the Pasadena/Glendale area. I believe that the Harold and Don Nicholson's "Question Mark" '34 roadster was just out of this photo. They were from Pasadena also and Harold was a member of the Eagle Rock Trompers (SCTA). Don www.montgomeryhotrodbooks.com
Have not seen this photo in years, Don Blair got into sprint cars early and built some really good ones...the thing that stands out in this photo is the roll bar, I think Don was one of the first in the CRA to run one, he was a real sticker for safety on all race cars he sponsored or owned, especially after losing his brother, Bruce. He kept at it, winning the '74 CRA championship.
Don, That picture is one of my favorites posted so far. The four cars are great. Your sedan, a modified roadster, a 29' roadster with mechanical brakes, and a sprint car all at work in the pit area.
I thought I would add this picture of the Hyder and McCloud Fuel Altered. Glen Hyder gave this photo to me. He said the picture was of one of the first passes with the Scott injector. Note how low the "Slot By Scott" injector scoop set. Mel Scott had designed the unit. Glen Hyder had moved "back East" to Hendersonville, North Carolina, where he operated Hyder's Speed Shop. The picture appears to show the car at the "beach" - LIONS. Don - www.montgomeryhotrodbooks.comhop
Here is another shot of the Hyder & McCloud coupe at Lions. I wonder if the "McCloud" in Hyder & McCloud was once involved in the 15oz coupe -- it was once Hawkins, Webster, & McCloud...This car continued to soldier on long after the tube frame fiberglass altereds made it obsolete, but it sure put on a show...
" There was a "Light Coupe" class for 1929 t0 1934 coupes. The "Heavy Coupe" class was formed because the guys running the later cars complained about racing the lighter pre-1935 cars, so the fat-fendered cars got their own class. " So you've all heard the story of the little 1935 Chevy "standard" coupe that was all souped up...?
Don, that is a great photo, thank you for the info, it explains why after '51 there is no mention of Jimmy or Tommy Dahm. In your photo the Dahm bros roadster seems to be getting plenty of attention. Speaking of the Eagle Rock Trompers I was able to purchase a copy of their 60th anniversary book @ the NHRA museum in 2010 it is a good read, I wish more clubs would do something similar.
Hi... Karl. I drove the Millwinders 96 car along with Emil Wurn. The Millwinders car had rectangular slots cut out of the rear fenders and the Drifters 23jr car had holes drilled out of their rear fenders. The picture of the Millwinders and Drifters fuel coupes sitting on the line was taken at Paradise Mesa in San Diego in 1954 and was merely staged for Hot Rod Magazine. Jack Ewell was driving our car that day because we were running his Ardun Merc Engine. Our coupe actually worked our way through to the top fuel meet finals against a dragster. They took off from the line and about 30 yards out 96 went into a spin, headed for the left side crowd (where I was standing watching) and Jack finally saved it. That was about 60 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday. It was fun to pick on and banter back and forth with the Drifters since we were both from Redondo Beach, CA. ..Nes Synadinos
Rick, Wonder if this is theBurkholder Brothers coupe in this shot? The one they wadded up at Half Moon Bay (I think).
Does anybody know anything about this car? I don't know much about but liked the picture because it is done in the style of an early fuel coupe/sedan. The picture looks to be in the early 60's?
Hi Karl... About Jack Ewell and his ardun. After Paradise Mesa and the spin out with Jack driving in the meet final, we took the coupe back to the shop, took the Ardun engine out and started rebuilding the car bottom end and setting the engine back to get better traction. Just before that, Car Craft people came by the shop and took pictures of our car with the Ardun engine in place and the inside and outside features of the car. They also contacted the Drifters and did the same with their car. They published an article in the August 1955 issue with these pictures called Draggin' Fools'. Basically an article about our hometown club rivalry. Emil Wurn returned Jacks engine when we were doing the work, and I don't know what happened to it after that period. It was fast and powerful. About that time, we decided to get out of racing and Wurn sold the car. Where it is today, I don't know. You know how it is when you are trying to raise a family with two small kids.
A shot of the 554 late in the transition period from lakes car to drag car. The flathead has been swapped for a carbureted Chrysler. The fenders are gone, but it still has the wheel discs and the rear buggy spring.
Dean, you may well be right, you knew these guys too...my memory of the car in its early days was that it was baby blue and ran an unblown Chrysler, as it appeared in this shot from Colton. The chop on this one looks a bit different, not as foward-raked as the 15oz coupe was, and the radius rods are different, as on the below picture. Of course they could have changed it from the original "96" coupe...
Nes, Thanks for that great information. It sounds like the Millwinders and the Drifters had quite the rivalry. I may have that copy of Car Craft but will have to look. I have some more pictures to post once I figure out how to use my new computer. Any more information on when the Millwinders started and also the Drifters? Were there other cars?
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