History Classic Indy roadsters: Most beautiful oval racers ever?

True story-tuning on a sprint car probably during late 90's-kept taking the hood on and off and sending him out on the track-finally said to hell with it and sent the car out without the hood-Driver came back in and said"don't EVER do that again!!'If you ever watch how much the front tires do on their own without any driver input!!!Its due to the way a modern power steering box works-while you hold the wheel still in a corner,the spool valve lets the front wheels "hunt" back and forth

 

What a great piece of racing history! Maynard Stump might not have been a Watson or a Kurtis, but he followed his own path, not just copying what they did. (Rear suspension, maybe front suspension too?)
Lucky this car found you, to bring it back to life!
Look forward to more pics whenever and wherever you are able to give the time to think of such things.

 

Stunning
Keep sharing please

 

Additional "COOL" to have the "period-trailer" that originally went with the car!!!! Additional "points" if you are able to determine the original tow vehicle, find one & present an original "from the day race package" when you are finally able to display the restoration!

 

I don't mean to offend anyone but this is a thread on Indy Roadsters and lately it has gone to Super Modified's which by themselves should have a thread of there own as they are also an important part of automotive history as well as the men that drove them at places like Oswego and other tracks I have always felt 1/2 Indy Roadsters wound up as a Super Modified I remember as a kid of 14 going to Rockford Speedway in Rockford Illinois in 65-67 on Wednesday nights they had figure 8 and modified's with as many as 9 Watson type roadsters racing with other supers most ended up chopped and modified from the speedway cars they started anyway all I am saying lets keep the 2 separate they both deserve a place on this forum

 

While I feel @guffey 's super deserves a thread of it's own, stop and think how many of those roadsters would have hit the scrap heap if not for a second chance at life as a Supermod.

 

and most of the cars that went on to a second life as a super ended up in the scrap pile many were crashed so many times the beautiful hand formed aluminum skin that made it a desirable car for a super light modified was cut off piece by piece and filled in with what ever the new owner wanted to do or had available the frames and running gear also met the same fate. What a shame these early supers were marvels in their own right.

 

I don't disagree with your thoughts on the roadsters and supermodifieds. I do think however it is wrong that the two classes are not in some way joined. Old speedway cars morphed into new supermodifieds and continued to live a life on the track. No one knew there value of the roadsters back then, they were just old race cars made obsolete by the rear engine machines.

 

Looks like Guffy pulled his posts. Did he start another thread? If not, what a shame, interesting car.

 

Guffy : PLEASE START A NEW POST!! or at least know where you've moved this series of post to, because there aren't many places to see these modifieds, & they are an important part of the open wheel history!!

 

Well, I am just me but I am interested in your car too. PLEASE don't just go away.

 

Guffey I don't think these should not be on this board I just think they deserve there own string as well as other supers that ran like Jim Champine's 8 Balls and so many others, if you think it should be here leave it, also I would not call my post a bitch but I can show you one...

 

I love going back through the very well done Oswego and Oswego Classic Supermodified history books to see the "roadsters" that became supers, many of them of course became "roadsters" again. So Hemiman_1999 you are probably right that the supers should have their own thread.

Guffy's car however is a really interesting machine. It seems to fit into a couple of race classes, it is indeed unique.

 

'Bout time for a BTTT

 

Fred Gerhardt's Bardahl spl. of 1960, with large aerofoil on left side whose purpose was to generate a side force and thus enable a higher speed through the turns.
Some previews of the race, such as HRM's, featured this car, but I have not been able to find any reference to it in reports of the race (including HRM's). Clearly, it did not qualify, but that's as far as guesswork can go.
Anyone know any more? Thanks.

 

Introduction:
I am hoping this board is still active as the last post seems quite a long time ago. I am planning a Watson roadster replica and have been spending the last year learning about them. I fell in love as a kid and still think they are about the most beautiful racing cars ever made.

If I have have something wrong, just correct me, some of this history is hard to find and difficult to cross reference or confirm.

I have build a number of cars from restorations to a NASCAR replica to complete ground up builds, so I do have the skills, and handily I now have a good amount of CNC power available to help too.

My quest is to do do an accurate replica minus the 255 Offenhauser, which unless one is incredibly lucky (or rich) is better to plan around. There seem to be more original cars that need them than engines made, so demand is rather high. The engine will be a Mercury Marine "470" which is a big bore 4 will end up about 256 cu inch. There are a few reasons for this engine which can elaborate on later.

The car itself will be Either the 1961 Travelon Trailer Spl. that A J Shepard clipped the wall with or A J Foyts 1961 #1 car.

Some Questions.... There will be lots of questions to the board, but for starters,
There seems to be two noses on Watson roadsters; an early one that is more rounded and the later that is sharper and longer. Does anyone know more on that?

Does any one know where an accurate nose and tail could be acquired? Blueprints or drawings? Critical dimensions are important.
Mac Millers fiberglass seems accurate, are you out there Mac? I have seen a few projects and restorations using new fiberglass, so someone must have molds. Accuracy is a big deal for me so original molds or molds taken from original cars are the way to go. I am cursed with an eye that detects misshaped things very well. maybe 12 years of running a body shop helped that.

Thank you all ahead of time,

Sean

 

Are you referring to this car?

 

Travelon 61 by Sean Lougheed posted Jan 3, 2022 at 12:19 PM

AJ 61 by Sean Lougheed posted Jan 3, 2022 at 12:19 PM

Yes, the Bowes seal fast Spl. , Did the scoop came after, as I think it had a blister in 61? I like the Travel-on as well, as it is not as well known

 

Is anyone roadster minded out there?

 

Sean, it's been a while, but I believe Bob Neilson restored Ernie Ruiz's Travelon Trailer Special quite some time ago, & may still have it in his collection. If not, he would be a good person to start your research with. Someone on her should have contact info for him in Northern California, or know where the car is now?

 

My favorite…Belong Exhaust Special..Sam Hanks 1957

 

I saw it on display at Cal Expo Silver Crown Race in '98. I may have pictures.

 

Thanks, Bob Neilson is one name I have not come across, if anyone can give me a bit more of a lead that would be really good I get a lot of leads that are like find Joe so-and so in Alabama which are just impossible to follow up on. Any info on plans and body parts or who has molds would be super special. I did get a good sketch from Gary Babinau with critical dimetions which has helped a lot but always looking for more detail.

 

I absolutely love this thread as I have close ties with these cars as my Father in law worked on the Novi cars from after WW 2 until the late 50s as he married Lew Welchs daughter who was tied into the NOVI manufacturing that had a huge contract with Ford Motor Co. They were one of the first teams to fly their race cars with a complete garage with Flying Tigers out of LAX... with all the spares necessary to keep the cars running. This was before the Granatellis purchased the racing set up from Lew. Talking about sound it has been said the wail of a NOVI could be heard all the way around the track at Indy, pure Enginuity at play back then. Love it-

 

Sean Lougheed : Please call me at 707-676-0222. I have info. Or PM me if that's more convenient.

 

Thanks Mark, great chat, you are a wealth of information we will have to keep in touch

 

Sean : please send me your email address so I can forward some pictures(Mercruiser) to you. For some reason my phone is unable to call or message your phone.

 

Looking for any help in Identification on this casting. Aluminum 19 " long, top and bottom welded together. Engraved onside on the bottom reads M>G> Parker 1957 Epperly. Weighs about 3 1/2 pounds, sold to me by Kirk White 25 years or so ago. Since it is welded together, I"m not sure it was meant to be a tether car application. Definitly looks to be a Quinn Epperly laydown design. Any help in pics or info as to which car would get me going on this project to represent the correct car. Thanks.

 

There will be a two man version of a Watson on the road next year.

 

Just as a side bar...... Roger Ward stood up for my wife and I when we were married, back in '93. He was truly one of the nicest guys I have ever met, bar none !! This picture was taken years later, on board an aircraft carrier at North Island Naval Air Station..