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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. View attachment 2680216 View attachment 2680221
    ...so I guess we need to get to grips with the new format,and post more......to be honest,without this thread,and the people I have ''met'' here, I don't think I would have got as far on my project as I have.Now I know my car is not real, but its as close as I can get........for reality,I check out the cars here.....
     
  2. ......oh Hell...done something wrong....:(
     
  3. s55mercury66
    Joined: Jul 6, 2009
    Posts: 4,335

    s55mercury66
    Member
    from SW Wyoming

    You may atone for your mistake by towing that sprinter around with the Vette, from Friday evening through Monday morning for the rest of the summer ;)
     
  4. carl s
    Joined: Mar 22, 2008
    Posts: 745

    carl s
    Member
    from Indio, CA

    Your car is real!
    Excellent work.
    All of em are, it's often the stories sometimes attached to them that are not.
    Really looking forward to seeing you out on the track.
     
  5. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Stellar job on that car, Black vette, looks great. You're right, complaining about things isn't going to change anything. To bring this thread back to life, people need to post pics, ask questions, tell stories etc. In that respect, I came across a few shots from the 1958 Riverside road race sprint car race on Getty a while back and am kinda intrigued by this car. Looks to be a ex Indy roadster (Kurtis ?) with 6 deuces and pipe organ exhaust on a nailhead out of the unlikely, tiny, little burg of Baxter Spr. Kans. Anybody know more about it? rir150191175.jpg rir (2).jpg
     
  6. ...Rootie......as long as you keep posting these rare cars....I'm in........oh thanks for your kind comments boys......
     
  7. Blacki-Suede
    Joined: May 19, 2008
    Posts: 202

    Blacki-Suede
    Member

  8. s55mercury66
    Joined: Jul 6, 2009
    Posts: 4,335

    s55mercury66
    Member
    from SW Wyoming

    I don't know about the Buick, Rootie, but that's an interesting list of folks you posted. Some day I will figure out how to post pics here. I have one of Jan Opperman at Ascot in a Ranger. I wonder if it was Hank Hanstead's X55?
     
  9. Denny Zimmerman
    Joined: Jan 8, 2010
    Posts: 504

    Denny Zimmerman
    Member

    Rootie, Thanks for posting, no info to add to that but lot of familiar names. Some I raced with long ago.
    On a different subject.......anyone heard from Spike (Jim) Ruth?
     
  10. BZNEIL
    Joined: May 28, 2005
    Posts: 660

    BZNEIL
    Member

    Here is a pic challenge. Always planning my next build which may not happen for quite a while, but I want to build a Watson roadster clone. Several of the recent built cars I have seen have Small blocks in them. Some have rotated the motor a little so the left side exhaust comes out straight. My question is what does it look like in the driver compartment? I know when the roadsters went super modified, they just cut out the frame and let the motor hang out side of the frame using the original 7" off set. But these modern repros have the motor completely inside the frame and under the hood. I have the frame modeled in the computer along with the small block. To get the motor inside the frame it puts the drive line right into the side of the seat. I have seen the angled drive line using 2 u joints and a torque arm, but even with that not much room for a transmission. Curious if anyone has any pics of these modern cars from the inside. The other option would be a ford focus motor. Just not into the alfa. Thanks
     
    Black vette 59 likes this.
  11. BZNEIL
    Joined: May 28, 2005
    Posts: 660

    BZNEIL
    Member

    Paul, your car is a s real as mine is, and the Indy speedway bricks and asphalt didn't seem to mind at all! Many of the "real" restorations have less original parts than either of our cars.
     
    Black vette 59 likes this.
  12. ..
    [QUOTE="Rootie Kazoootie, I came across a few shots from the 1958 Riverside road race sprint car race on Getty a while back and am kinda intrigued by this car. Looks to be a ex Indy roadster (Kurtis ?) with 6 deuces and pipe organ exhaust on a nailhead out of the unlikely, tiny, little burg of Baxter Spr. Kans. Anybody know more about it? View attachment 2680620 View attachment 2680621 [/QUOTE]
    ...Rootie,do you think that car was quiet new ?....well give it three or four years......would an Indy roadster have been obsolete that soon ?........Oh I have a ''dumb'' question.....I have seen photo's of John Zink's midget, sprint,and Indy cars,but what does his sponser ''Leader Card'' do ?
     
  13. BZNEIL......I think we must have been separated at birth.....A Watson Roadster is high up on my ''to do'' list......I know you don't like the Alfa,but I would have thought the trans on a Duratec or Zetec would be roughly the same size,and Gary B seems to get the Alfa to fit OK.......once you have figured it out,I'm right behind you...:)
    oh here are a few shots of one of Gary B's roadsters...he helped me out when I ran into problems with my brake pedal.....
     
    Last edited: Aug 3, 2014
  14. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    I'm just assuming it was a ex-Indy roadster so, yes, it wouldn't have been very old. It seems unlikely that being based in S.E. Kansas in the heart of dirt track country someone would purposely build a roadster, but I really don't know. I assume it was raced with the IMCA or BCRA at some point. Maybe someone with more complete IMCA history/stats might find a reference to it.

    Leader Card was (is) a large printing, paper company owned by the Wilke family.
     
  15. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    ward.JPG Speaking of Wilke/Leader Card, here's a nice shot of Rodger Ward in the champ car in 59, I believe this is the car Jimmy Bryan was killed in
     
  16. ......thanks Rootie....
     
  17. carl s
    Joined: Mar 22, 2008
    Posts: 745

    carl s
    Member
    from Indio, CA

    Here's a photo, courtesy Indiana Racing Memorial FB of Bryan and the car just before the Langhorne race on June 19th : https://www.facebook.com/indianaracingmemorialassociation?fref=photo
    [​IMG]
    Caption reads: "An incredible photo of Jimmy Bryan with a towel on his head, back to the camera, on June 19, 1960 at Langhorne. The day he died. Lloyd Ruby is just behind his #28 car, and Don Branson's car is the #7. Branson won the pole, Bryan was 2nd quick."
     
    Al Consoli likes this.
  18. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    That is a great pic. Not much more beautiful than 50s/60s dirt champ cars with those big ol tall tires, and in color too!
     
  19. .....this is where I get confused....I just love these champ cars,but were they a pre cursor to the roadsters.....how were they allowed to run ?
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2014
  20. ...got to see the Watson built and Foyte driven Sprint Car at Amelia Island.....made my day...great to see it with its vintage trailer,although some were saying it would have been better off it and on the ground DSC04903.JPG DSC04904.JPG ......either way,its such a great car....
     
  21. DSC04888.JPG .....talking of ''cross over'' cars.......where would this fit in ?
     
  22. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,345

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    Regardless of who likes what and when, I bet this car sounds amazing!!! Gary

    [​IMG]
     
  23. Offy 220
    Joined: Sep 29, 2009
    Posts: 255

    Offy 220
    Member

    Black Vette 59,
    When I had to auction off the AJ Watson / AJ Foyt sprint car back in August '10 the trailer went along with the car. Its the original Watson Dolly Trailer except it is missing the front dolly. When my dad and I bought the car in pieces back in '85 the trailer was sitting behind the garage at Maxson's home, Dean Jeffries father in law. rusted, needing restoration and missing the front tongue. I am glad to see the car out in public since it is now in a museum in Florida and I agree it would look better sitting on the ground. Thanks for posting the photos.
     
  24. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Technically there never was a "roadster" or a "dirt car" they were all just Champ cars. AAA, then USAC didn't care where the engine was located as long as the cars met wheelbase, track width etc. rules. By the mid 50s the upright (dirt) cars were uncompetitive on pavement but superior on the dirt so most teams had each. The championship points were awarded to the driver and owner so what car was used at what track didn't matter.
     
  25. mac miller
    Joined: Jan 13, 2007
    Posts: 524

    mac miller
    Member
    from INDY

    Not necessarily true... Read my article below and you will find out that the "dirt cars" were still quite competitive with the roadsters and, even, the rear engine cars on the paved miles into the mid 60s.

    http://indyroadsters.webs.com/apps/blog/show/3841793-the-roadster-tracks-where-they-raced

    "mac miller" preparing to drive the Bob Dicks "ALFA powered" #98 Agajanian/Willard Battery Spl. at the Milwaukee Mile a couple of weeks ago. I did about 60 laps in this car and over 200 laps in the Carl Schulz #15 Boyle Valve Spl. Absolutely excellent weekend!!!

    RJ55-Miller-05.jpg
    Carl 045 Milwaukee 11 12 July 2014 177.jpg

    mac miller in INDY
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2014
  26. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Just a generalization to make a point.
     
  27. Rootie.....thats the easiest explanation I've had that I can understand.......I like ''generalization'' at my age.....so much to learn,not enough time to learn it......what ever....just love these cars.....
    Offy220......nice to hear from you,been a while,thanks for the information......
    Mac Miller.......that was worth the read...thanks.....

    thats why I,at least.need this thread....:)
     
  28. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Having a bad day on the high banks. Looks like Dunseth got both his cars run over in this one. wreck.JPG
     
    Black vette 59 likes this.
  29. Ghosteh
    Joined: May 31, 2011
    Posts: 13

    Ghosteh
    Member
    from Illinois

    [​IMG]

    Restoration underway...
    [​IMG]

    Its stable-mate...
    [​IMG]
     
    Black vette 59 likes this.

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