History Auto racing 1894-1942

When I saw it it was in Joe Gertlers shop in the Bronx. Joe Jr. is here on the HAMB and posts once in a while. Do you think that is a Miller shell or a look a like? Merry Christmas! Bob

 

Lovely bits and pieces!

Did Miller ever record which engines went into which chassis when first put together I wonder?

 

Lots of 122 MILLER race cars wound up on the East Coast after their INDY days were over. Rick Decker, and Ira Vail cars along with others got broken up and many of the parts turned up in Big Cars, what we later called Sprint cars. If that logo ever gets reproduced I'd like one. Bob

 

August 19, 1930 Woodbridge N. J. Larry Beals with his ex Ira Vail 122 MILLER that had a Duesenberg 8 at that time. Helle Nice drove it in a few intermission laps, AAA wouldn't allow women to race. Bob

 

This was the 122 Miller Ira Vail bought new, ran INDY, sold it to H.D.Carpenter in Philadelphia, he in turn sold it to Mr. Yagle in Philadelphia who pulled the 122 MILLER engine and sold the rest to Larry Beals who installed the Duesenberg 8 and raced it into the 1930's. Milt Marion may have built a Sprint car out of it in the late 1930's. Bob

 

I'm hoping that someone may be able to help me identify the original use of this radiator with shell which I have just acquired in the USA, please?

The shell is cast aluminium and it is of narrow Miller 122/183 proportions (although the shape is different, my radiator being much more v-shaped). It seems to be a racing type from the 1920's/1930's.

Any constructive suggestions gratefully received! I plan to use this for a 1925 race car project.

 

WOW! That is a great radiator to build a car around! Looks like it started life on your side of the pond, Amilcar or something like that. Post the photo on the HAMB Let's Talk Cyclecars thread and see what they say. Great find! Bob

 

Did you find any light blue paint on it? Bob

 

Did miller cast those?

 

The Miller emblem ? yes they seem to be on 122's and 91's with the bar style grill. They don't seem to show up on the wire mesh or what is termed the "early grill" in the Miller Dynasty (as I read it). The radiator shell I have is formed sheet steel not cast, if that was the question.

 

I believe all the cast shells are aftermarket, Myron Stevens would have hand hammered them just as he did the bodies and exhaust headers. Bob

 

That radiator shell came with this 2 man car I bought a couple years ago It was not ever on it when it was a 2 man Indianapolis car but looks like it was as a street car in the 50's.

 

It was Frank Brisko's Elgin Piston Pin Special in 1936 Brisko entered it as a Miller Brisko
here is a link from http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z13581/Elgin-Piston-Pin.aspx

 

WOW! You are one lucky guy to be caretaker to that car. Bob

 

Hello everyone,
someone has information from Bugatti 4006? Many thanks!

 

^^^^^^^^^^^ It was in Ohio and listed in The American Bugatti Register. Thank you for posting two great photos! Happy New year! Bob

 

I came across this bizarre old race car pic on Facebook with no info.

edit: I just discovered it Francis Birtles in his Bean http://www.nma.gov.au/collections/highlights/sundowner_bean_car

 

Good article, rugged looking guy.

 

There are some remarkable stories about those early Australian city-to-city runs - which were the probable original inspiration behind the REDeX Round Australia Trial in the 1950s. If you can find a copy - it's rare even in Oz and only had very limited distribution elsewhere - the book 'Wheels Across Australia' by Pedr Davis is well worth a read. It's a general history of motoring and the motor industry in Australia, but has a fair bit of coverage of the runs and other sporting stuff. (I got a copy in a British charity shop for the princely sum of £1!)

 

While looking for information about a 1919 Essex engine I have I found several articles about races in Nevada from town to town. Some of those dirt roads are still there. If the Essex ever runs I'm taking it out there,

 

Heres the 1928 photo #29

 

Heres an outtake from 1927. W. Frank Jones who photographed many a car and driver at indy is walking away on the left.

 

Another car he ran circa 1923-25. Looks like a hand made car. He had a dodge speedster before this car. Don't know what happened to either car but apparently this is the car he ran on dirt tracks with a lot of success.

 

A couple more Packard racers about which I have no information (I'm hoping Jim Dillon might!).

 

Twin Six I wish I did. I will have to study them awhile. One is right drive and the other left. The exhaust header is curious (probably not a Twin Six) and the frames even more curious, if they were serious racers. The #8 car may be a modified stock car and come to think of it so may the #6 car. I wonder where the pictures were taken. There were a couple of Packards that raced in South America. The one (Twin Six) was found there around 1999 but I believe there may have been a couple others. There was one that ran in Australia I believe and of course a few here in different configurations, although these don't ring a bell. I will have to check what few pictures I have the ones in South America (and see if I can find the pic of the Australian car) to see if any similarities. I wish I knew all of the answers with these old Packards but sadly I do not. Fun trying to figure it out though.Thanks. Will do some looking when I get some time.

 

Look what hot- rod dude gave me! First edition 1963 'My Terrible Joys', hardback, 164pp (publ; Hamish Hamilton). O/T cover photo (looks like Enzo & Phil Hill with.. Bazzi?..). I digress- an interesting account, some related, especially personally, to the pre-war period. Photo illustrated too.
Sorry, no ISBN on this ol' book.

 

loading up ...headed to Indy. The first one is Sarles & Stein loading for the 1919 Indy.

 

I wonder if the 'one that raced in Australia' might have been Selwyn Craig's Mountain Road Special which ran at Muriwai Beach in New Zealand and has been restored as a standard road going 1918 Twin Six seven passenger touring. http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?1866-Muriwai-Beach-Racing-The-Bill-Tinson-Collection

 

Yes you are correct it was Selwyn Craigs car that I was referring to. Sorry I knew it was down under but screwed up on which country.

The other loading picture above I believe is one of the Hudson Super Six racers.