I've seen this car at Ducktail Run.My neighbor Jake says he done some work on the clutch cans for you on this car.
Yes, Jake built the front clutch housing from scratch (It was missing ) using the rear housing as a pattern. He made it look easy but only because he is a magician.
Yeah Jake is a hell of a fabricator.He narrowed a rearend housing for me & cut the axles down.Hes done a lot of things for me,he's a good neighbor to have
Cool, one of the cars Harry Miller did for Gulf Oil, that grille work is actually the oil cooler IIRC. Years ago I read a post somewhere from a guy that wrote to Gulf’s PR department looking for stuff on the Gulf racing exploits. In return mail he received their whole file including photos and info on the Miller cars.
That is one of the last Harry Miller cars, I think Chuck Davis had enough pieces to restore one. I'll check my Miller Dynasty for some info. Bob
One of the nicest radiators to ever grace an automobile. Just wonder if the current owner is closer than we think. Bob
I cleaned up the trailer and put more appropriate wheels on the car. The story of this car and how it ended up stored outside on the trailer by the second owner(of nearly 50 years) is a long one . I still need a couple of 5.5X16 Halibrand roadster wheels that look like the 18's on the back.
the original concept for the radiator did not work and the cars were updated to a more conventional cooling system
the original builder didn't get it completed before the rear engine cars showed up at Indy so he ran it as a usac sprint car . He sold it about 1970 to an Air Force fighter pilot that was planning on retiring and going racing. He didn't retire until he had 45 years in. I am not sure he ever unloaded it off the trailer. The trailer still has the 1970 Ohio plates on it. He passed away this spring at 95 and a broker was selling it for the family. After I got it I tracked down the original builder, and even took it on a Saturday afternoon to Ohio so he could see it. He is on Roger Wards left in the first photo.
Came across a similar clown car last summer. A friend bought this one and hopes to get it running. I ended up with some animatronic characters the I have done some restoration on the horse, monkey drummer and the ringmaster. Very interesting how these were built but not sure how old they are. I do know they had been in a barn almost 30 years.