It doesn't matter if it was posted before (it was), great to post it again, obviously lots of HAMBers didn't see it the first time, so thanks for posting .... if that's not Ry Cooder on guitar, it should be. Lots of great famous cars, Danny Sakai in the first shots, was that the Spaulding Bros. in the OHV V-8 with what looks like a blower?? Bob Rufi, a neat Bugatti, and a bunch of customs -- the '38 phaeton was special...was the chopped '40 with blanked windows Tom Hocker's? Can't get enough of this history, really appreciate the post!
If you look below in the description, it says Show More. More info shows and it says Artist: Skip James.
This is such great footage that no matter how many times it gets posted it is fantastic to watch. FWIW it was first posted back in 2011 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/pre-war-lake-racing-w-customs-8mm-film.652631/ Detonator uncle shot the footage. The music is from Ry Cooder.
i recognized a couple of them--was that earl bruce with the 40 ford coupe with the filled-in rear quarter windows--didn't they call it the "armored car?" and what about the guy with the bugatti? my dad grew up there and lived it until the depression forced a move to chicago in 1931. he finally went back in '68 and found that the old street where he and his buddies raced was replaced by the burbank studios!
Yeah that is Earl Bruce '40. The Bugatti was Tommy Lee's as well as the '35 indy car and the Kurtis Offy special.
Very cool film! I witnessed a suprisingly close re-creation of this film last weekend! The only stark differences were the absence of customs adjacent to the course and the presence of water! Troglodytes agree?
Jimmy B, pre war dry lakes experts, et all, I'm looking for information on the following Bugatti pictured below. The racing number '415' is very visible. As can be seen in the film, Tommy Lee was also present in his Bugatti with an allocated racing number '414'. Is there a possibility that this car was also entered at the same meeting? Is there any mention in the SCTA programs?
It would be nice if one of the historians would put together a 'Tommy Lee' biography, that would be a good read.
I can't be certain but it is probable that it is Tommy Lee's. Because of the different number it was likely run by a friend of Tommy's. That high a number would indicate a guess entry which is why it also changes. As has been mentioned Tommy's Bugatti Type-51 is still around so to is his Teardrop Talbot-Lago.
On occasion I get requests to use parts of this footage in people's film projects. Some of those projects are cool, others not. Recently I provided footage for a very worthy project. It will appear down the road on the Historical Vehicle Association's website in their "This Car Matters" series. In any case, it's been awhile since this popped up on the HAMB, so for you guys that like vintage racing... bump.
There is an extra cowl flair on the passenger side of that Bugatti. Something different about the hood side louvers too. Bob
Tommy also held private meets with his friends, the picture could be from one of those meets. He had several Bugatti's and three Miller Fords along with three Talbot Lagos. Of the Talbot Lagos, one is in the Peterson Museum, one in the Nethercutt collection and one private hands. In the Isky book, Isky recalls at one of the meets Isky was at one Bugatti was totaled when it flipped. He was another Howard Hues, and he also had a P-38 after the war along with other airplanes.
A follow up to my Oct. 11th '13 posting...When I originally obtained the Stack Cragar, and other mechanical and drivetrain components that were part of his pre war build, the seller informed me that the body and chassis still existed. After four years of advertising for the whereabouts of same in many forums, I was contacted by a fellow who claimed he had traded Wes Cooper for the body and chassis somewhere around 1964. After speaking with the guy by telephone for 8 weeks, I finally went to inspect it in person. It appears (by all of the individual and unique details) to in fact be the Stack car. It is, and has been a "street rod" since the 60's....( red ,black diamond tuft, sbc etc.)At the time the guy did not want to sell regardless of my explanations and pleadings about correct restoration, reuniting the parts to make the original whole, or references to "history" or "significance"... He just did not care...This was last year, The situation has changed and it is now available. I will follow up later when there is news.
I don't see your post in this thread (on second search I found it...)...but it's sounds as if the passion to get this original configuration together may be unfolding...great news...and thanks for bringing this back to the top...just watched that video again it really covers so much of what we celebrate here... David a couple of questions for you... 1) Do you have a picture to share of the Stack Hotrod you are trying to reconfigure/resurrect in its heyday? 2) Since you corrected a connection to another Hotrod identified as the Stack Owned in error was it actually in the Harper Video shown here and if so could you give reference to where? Thanks in advance. I have found this thread in which you have posted a pic which is a Model A roadster?...Is that the one you are referring to getting back? https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/actor-robert-stack-eliot-ness-gow-job-1938.368869/page-2
David, Great news, hope you find enough earmarks to confirm the car really is the Stack Roadster. As with all Vintage Race Cars there are fingerprints, just hope the Street Rodding didn't erase them. I still have that issue of Hot Rod I bought in 1961 and always liked the look of the Roadster. Best wishes, Bob
That Bugatti is a Type 51, and sold at auction within the last few years. Bob https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/chassis/2001/Bugatti-Type-51-Grand-Prix-51154.html