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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. Jim Nise
    Joined: Oct 31, 2008
    Posts: 1,210

    Jim Nise
    Member

    Something really odd about the first car in the last set of Rooties pictures, look at the tie rod and how low it is. I've never seen one that low.

    And...could the #38 in frames 6 and seven be the old Earl Beal, Traylor, hickey, Stearly, B&J car? The rear radius rod attachments look identical.
     
  2. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    I noticed that tierod deal too. No idea what's going on there but it doesn't seem to be slowing him down any. The #38 is the old ECCA car out of Az. tie rod.JPG
     
  3. Dick L
    Joined: Dec 21, 2010
    Posts: 138

    Dick L
    Member

    Great photos Rootie.
     
  4. Jim Nise
    Joined: Oct 31, 2008
    Posts: 1,210

    Jim Nise
    Member

    Thanks Rootie, you are the forensic dr of this old stuff.
    jim
     
  5. mr. cook. do you have any more info on Blair &/or what he did w/the car later???
    mlight9
     
  6. why do I get 2nd copy of post?????
    mlight9
     
  7. carl s
    Joined: Mar 22, 2008
    Posts: 745

    carl s
    Member
    from Indio, CA

    Any info on West Coast racing for Murray Earl would be appreciated.
    "Hi Carl,
    I took a little time and read over the thread you sent me a link to. Thanks again for doing that. It sounds to me as though you and, maybe Michael Ferner are people with the interest and maybe even the access to some records that I’m needing for my current research. I’ve been researching Murray Earl who raced in the Midwest from the late ‘20s up through the ‘30s. He moved to California in 1941 and raced there until his death in 1954. What information that I have is from his racing in the Midwest but I don’t have access to any west coast records that I know of. I’m interested in learning about Murray’s participation out there as both a driver and then as a car owner. Do you know anything about Murray Earl’s participation in any race coast races? You can find what I currently know about Murray Earl at the following three links but there is almost nothing there about his west coast racing:

    http://kansasracinghistory.com/Murray.html

    http://kansasracinghistory.com/Murray-Earl_results.htm

    http://kansasracinghistory.com/McCord/Dreyer.htm

    Bob Lawrence"
     
  8. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    oak 27-1.JPG
    FWIW- Came across this shot of, I'm pretty sure, the car in question at Oakland Stadium. But I have no other info.
     
  9. carl s
    Joined: Mar 22, 2008
    Posts: 745

    carl s
    Member
    from Indio, CA

    Thanks!
    Will alert Bob Lawrence

    Here's a note from Jim Thurman:
    "
    Carl,
    The only mention I've found on Murray Earl in California were two pre-race items for a December 19, 1937 race at Southern Speedway in South Gate, California. He doesn't turn up in the race report or results of that race. Obviously, this doesn't mean he didn't race in California, but between a cast of local veterans and young hotshoes, Earl might have been one of those drivers making up the margins by that point in his career. I'm sending the clippings to Bob Lawrence."
     
  10. Track Rod
    Joined: Dec 29, 2010
    Posts: 16

    Track Rod
    Member

    That does appear to be a photo of Murray Earl's Dreyer. Thanks!
     
  11. 32STUPRES
    Joined: Nov 9, 2008
    Posts: 360

    32STUPRES
    Member

    Here's a few shots of Bill Akin's '53 Kurtis KK500B..placed 3rd in the '55 500 owned by Pat Clancy and Jimmy Davies in the seat.....posted these if you'd like to do some comparison with the #24 Bardahl pictured above...Bill's car has always been powered by a 270 Offy.......Joe BARDAHL AM ISLAND 2011.jpg
     

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  12. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Late 60s Champ Car action.
     

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  13. racer5c
    Joined: Nov 30, 2002
    Posts: 2,218

    racer5c
    Member

    John Capels is in the Al Unser Chevy, he said this was late in the year in 1969
     
  14. bcook
    Joined: Oct 24, 2010
    Posts: 23

    bcook
    Member

    I believe this is the Widow Maker Mr. Nise referred to... 1953 KK D4000 001.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

  15. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Some nice shots of the Zink upright circa 60/61.
     

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  16. indyrjc
    Joined: Nov 8, 2008
    Posts: 985

    indyrjc
    Member
    from Indiana

    Excellent and very interesting photos, Rootie. Thank you for posting!

    This seems to be a Watson Champ car that has been reworked by Dennie Moore. Things like the oil tank mounting, the extra high roll bar, and the louvered side panels are things that Moore would have done. I think Ruttman drove this car, at least in this configuration, just once. That was at Trenton in the 1961 season opener where he got a terrific 3rd place finish. This photo must have been taken just before they left for that race as the pavement tires are already on the car.
     
  17. BZNEIL
    Joined: May 28, 2005
    Posts: 660

    BZNEIL
    Member

    I think the spare wheels on the trailer look odd. They seem really wide for a 1961 champ car. They look like later 16x10, not the 18 or 16 x7. Great pics though. I am torn between keeping my small single axle trailer like this for my midget, or going to a bigger trailer that can hold the ATV also. The small trailer is very vintage and easy to handle, but having the ATV makes vintage racing a whole lot easier.
     
  18. Alan-Wrench
    Joined: Mar 22, 2010
    Posts: 1

    Alan-Wrench
    Member
    from MN

    All,
    The Sam Traylor/Jake Vargo champ car was built in 1953 by Frank Kurtis for Sandy Belond, and driven during the 1953 AAA champ car season by Johnnie Parsons as a white #21. It is believed to be the last KK4000 built by Kurtis. It is documented as the the last "upright" car to qualify for the Indy 500, and the fastest ever to run at the Speedway - as well as the last KK4000 to ever record a USAC champ car victory. Sam Traylor purchased the car from Sandy Belond and Ken Hickey prepared it for Al Keller to drive as a blue #55 in the 1956 500.
    1956 Indy 500001.jpg
    This is NOT the same car Keller drove for Traylor in 1955 that was involved in the Vukovich incident.
    Jake Vargo then purchased the car from Traylor and campaigned it from 1958-1962, mostly as a white #63.
    Race Car 001.jpg
    The car ended up at Ben Cook's shop, and was purchased there by Ted Blair in 1963 or 1964. Blair ran it as a red #69, first with a Hemi driven by Ronnie Rough, and then with a home made 4 cyl. driven by Paul "Wimpy" Ervin. He transported the car to the track in a converted red school bus.
    Blair%2069%20a.jpg
    The car is currently on display in unrestored condition at the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing at the Latimore Valley Fairgrounds in Pa. The current owner is trying to locate a 270 Offy, transmission, and aluminum tail needed to begin the restoration process. He purchased the car in 1978 in New Jersey.
    IMG_1105.JPG
    This photo is from 1978. It was painted Ford "Grabber Blue" and is believed to have raced on the east coast URC circuit. I am looking for any history, information, or photos of the car between Ted Blair in the mid to late 1960's and it's last race in the mid to late 1970's. Any information would be greatly appreciated for this historically significant car.
    A lot of people refer to this car as a Widow Maker, or Death Car due to the fact that three drivers were killed while driving it, however, all three incidents were genuine racing accidents that were not any fault of the car or because it was cursed in any way.
     
  19. Michael Ferner
    Joined: Nov 12, 2009
    Posts: 813

    Michael Ferner
    Member

    It is still the car that Watson built for Zink and Bob Sweikert in 1955. That's Jack Zink in the pictures.
     
  20. indyrjc
    Joined: Nov 8, 2008
    Posts: 985

    indyrjc
    Member
    from Indiana

    I thought that was the case. Thank you, Michael, for your confirmation.
     
  21. Race Artist
    Joined: Feb 9, 2008
    Posts: 954

    Race Artist
    Member

    At the Lime Rock Park Historics, CT event Saturday 8-30-14
    Joel
     

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  22. Dick L
    Joined: Dec 21, 2010
    Posts: 138

    Dick L
    Member

    These "old" cars had soul.
     
  23. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    A dichotomy of sorts in this 63 Trenton pic. Dan Gurney talking to Jimmy Clark (?) Colin Chapman (?) while in the background you have the homebuilt Frey upright and (I suspect) Bob Mathouser fixing to saddle up in the W.R.D. Kuzma. trenton 3.JPG
     
  24. indyrjc
    Joined: Nov 8, 2008
    Posts: 985

    indyrjc
    Member
    from Indiana

    And both the WRD Champ car and Clark's Lotus were numbered 92. Hard to believe that USAC allowed that but I guess there wasn't much chance of Timing and Scoring getting the two cars mixed up.
     
  25. ROOTIE great photo as usual.....yes you are right...Colin Chapman,and our greatest ever driver...JIM CLARK.....Dan Gurney looks so young...Rootie, I saw the John Frey car in Amelia Island this year,looks small compaired to the ''roadsters'' DSC04888.JPG
     
  26. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    img326.jpg I always considered Clark to be one of those "natural" drivers ala A.J., P.J. Don't think it would have taken long for him to learn to sling dirt with the best of them.
     
  27. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Things were kinda different back then ;) trent.JPG
     
  28. Bob Cicconi
    Joined: Nov 29, 2010
    Posts: 107

    Bob Cicconi
    Member

    Just like a pit stop at the Little 500! :D
     
  29. Speedwrench
    Joined: Nov 21, 2009
    Posts: 1,032

    Speedwrench
    Member

    Do you happen to have any info about this picture ?
     

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