Features VINTAGE SPRINT CAR PIC THREAD, 1965 and older only please.

Another work of art, Josh.

 

Photos worthy of the beautiful job you did on that sprinter!

My compliments to the photographer.

 

Beautiful car Josh. Did you have a color code and brand on that Dow 7 finish on the wheels? I did some years ago on an Edmunds but I can't find the formula on the paint.
Thanks Gary

 

Joshua, Nice car, has the MILLER behind it had photos posted on this thread, if so what is the post number?

 

Don't remember about the driveline, but when he first built it it had 180 degree headers, the engine was layed over at a 45 degree angle, on the pavement the side pod on the left side was the fuel tank, on the dirt the fuel tank was in the tail, it was VERY radical for it's time, the side pods were off an old Halibrand Shrike Indy Car, At that time I thought it was the most awesome race car I had ever seen. USAC made him change about everything on it, even though they allowed roadsters they didn't allow it to run the way he built it very long. I am pretty sure Gary was trying to build one car that could be changed back and forth from dirt to pavement and be fast on both. I think the first time he ran it was at Salem if I remember right.

 

Didn't they nickname it Frankenstein, because of the radical design for that time....

 

I think you're right. Fuel in the side. I think something was under the seat, either another fuel tank besides the oil. I saw it apart in his shop before he ran it. For some reason I keep thinking he was planning an independent rear at one time. It probably didnt last much longer than gramps rear engine wankel indepent rear midget. USAC stopped it before hotlaps ended at Phoenix.

 

'Frankenstien' was the car that the Nish's ran out of SLC. It was even more radical with IFS/IRS. I believe Bettenhausens car ended up in Ca.

 

I've long felt that USAC aided in the Indy Car move to road-race drivers by outlawing innovative designs in the sprinters, including rear engines. Just my opinion.

 

Some more from Ascot

 

Augie-

I'm a fan of the Bromme cars, especially of the no.2 red Nances that Bubby drove in '87. Got any of those? I know that's from the 'mullet' days, just wondering.

Hard to believe I'm into at least one of the 80's sprinters, but I met Bubby 'sort of' at Lawton, knowing he and Opp were friends. Guess it made an impression.

 

A tribute video I did for Bubby , Deano, and Mike Sweeney-

I can say I saw them drive. The CRA/USAC Midwest swing in '85

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXVPhbInxDc

 

Usac banned this one quickly. Like I mentioned above. Rear engine, wankel, independent rear, and the little air deflector on the tail. One meeting...4 items. I finally found this picture of it after asking Rootie to help me find one. This was from 74.

 

I,am not for sure if this the car I, worked on , it was the ideas of Gary Shlafer from Wi. the front was independent coils with pinto steering rack and the rear also indepenent with in board breaks ,the headers were a nite mare . Shlafer ran it in the littel 500 and sold it to Gary B. . May be a diffront car , just saying ??????

 

Thanks for the info Circletrack. I think my uncle and my dad attended the races at Sun Valley that year. If I was there, I don't remember it. I would have been 2 years old that year. Audie Swartz moved to this area of Ohio in the mid to late 60's. Audie won a track championship at Atomic Speedway running a #84 sprintcar.

 

Pretty sure the Nish's built the Frankenstien car specifically for the Copper Cup. As far as Simone's car, it may not be the actual Gary B. car, could be a copy, don't really know for sure. (?)

 

The car had a DeDion independent rear suspension, from what I remember it wasn't in the car very long

 

If it had the dedion rear thats the car I, worked on for Gary Shlafer , this car stuck to the track like glue !!!

 

I guess the engine wasn't on a 45 at first I think this is the first time out at Salem

 

Weird Power steering setup

 

rear suspension

 

it Didn't do so good first time out

 

at IRP

 

Engine at 45 degrees

 

Sheldon Kinser and Gary B

 

That's the one. Dedion was probably a clever way around an independent rear suspension ban ??

 

Same year 1977 Gary B in our Midget winning indoors at Ft. Wayne

 

Winning was kind of an understatement that year.

 

The car I,am talking about had the 45 deg. engine from the get go, I had the chassis be for it was done , anything like it came after this one. Gary Shlafer has a degree in enginering and this was his baby . I, may still have the blue prints for the front end some were .

 

The car we are talking about was built and driven by Gary Bettenhausen