History 1200+ cu/in. V4-the Front Drive Christie

Surely one of the most bizarre configurations of the Vanderbilt Cup era.

 

Interesting, just what the hell did i just look at?

 

This car by proxie helped lead Harry Mill to the promised land of front wheel drive race cars. Barney Oldfield had driven the Christie & as the conventional cars were begining to over power the tires of the day In the 20s Miller in pursuit of the problem & Oldfield having his ear decided that the increased weight on the driving wheels was one way to solve the problem. An interesting aside to the Christie story is his involvement with the machines of war & the tank.

 

nice firewall/radiator setup eh?

 

I'm diggin the "strut" front suspension.

 

bet it's toasty driving right behind that radiator that's cooling that much engine.

 

In addition to his important tank work, his Christie tractors were used in fire engine applications.

http://www.lafire.com/fire_apparatus/1913-1923_tractors/1913-1923_tractors_pittman.htm

 

and tried to make a flying tank...

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006...Qif=flying_tanks_1.jpg&Qiv=thumbs&Qis=XL#qdig

 

must have sounded like the Arenberg on a summer afternoon.

 

boom! Boom! Boom!

 

1910 Christie V4 campaigned by Barney Oldfield setting several speed records. Ed Winfield witnessed a terrifying record run at Bakersfield on the dirt. Apparently dirt was thrown in rooster tails with each thumping power stroke of the giant V4.

 

I'm really surprised you were able to get the photos of Kirk's new ride he was trying to keep it a secret but now you've let the cat out of the bag...

 

The first 2 pics indicate a double wheel/tire on the right, I'd guess thats the drive wheel? I bet the torque steer was a handful with only one drive axle and that long steering linkage, it probably had real good turn in on left handers.

s.

 

1916 barney oldfield was the first to break 100 at indy with the then ancient christie ...102 .6 mph

 

The US army turned his tank designs away, but the Brits and the Russkies grabbed the Christie strut...the Russians T34 tankk was one of the most successful tank designs of all time.

 

More Christie Front Drive racers...really different.

There is even one with two engines; one for each axle.

 

look at that radiator!

 

I believe this is the same car from the other side, FIRST American race car to enter a European Gran Prix in 1907. Crumy digital camera, but you can see the drivers legs and steering column through the radiator. Automobile Quarterly has a fine fearure on the Christie race cars Vol. 14 #3.

 

Interesting weight distribution.

 

Yes, and the fact that those wheels are cast bronze not wood spokes added a bit to things.

 

Barney Oldfield in the Christie races Lincoln Beachey in a Curtiss Aeroplane

 

Check out the fat zoomie headers coming out of each of the four cylinders on that one front wheel drive car. Probably sounded like four shotguns firing in sequence.

I guess it was the rule that you had to put on your suit and tie when you raced back then?