History Anyone know info on late 1920's races in San Jose,CA? Looking for info on this car.

I'm looking for more info on this specific car.

It is pictured in the book, "Dirt Track Auto Raing, 1919-1941" by Don Radbruch
It is found one page #297.
All that is mentioned regarding the photo is the following:

San Jose, California, in 1927. (Jim Chini Collection)

No other info.

Car's number is #23.

I'm trying to find out more on the car and its chassis structure and design with what looks to be quarter elliptical springs at the rear.



thanks.

 

Looks like it could be a Model T rear.

 

It's definity a T rear, but looks to have a quarter elliptical spring setup, mounted on the bottom side of the axle tubes. This is not a four spring car by any means,...frame is a T frame. If you look close though towards the front, it actually looks as if he's running a transverse spring. Definitely not at the rear.
Also looks like he may be running a tall skinny "Fronty" radiator shell.

There was also something painted on the back of the car, you can just make it out, but can't tell what it is though.

I'm going to try and get in touch with Jim Chini.

 

Rear looks kind fat for T,maybe a ruckstell ? Quite a few late teens early 20's cars had that spring set up..you even had springs that mounted to another front axle spring

 

Not that specific car, but a similar setup.

 

Would make little to no sense to be a Ruxtall. I get that info from various speedster guys in the T world and two fellows who both own original dirt track racers from the 20s and built them.
There would be no need for that type of rear on a racer, it would be near useless on a dirt track, though anything might be possible??
If you look at any T rear from that angle, you'll see the one in my photo is the common shape of a Ford T rear, not a Ruxtall,....when looking at it take into effect the area in the shadow,....then you'll see it shares the same size halves, unlike the Ruxtall, which has offset sized halves at the center.

Keep in mind also that the camera lens of the time often distorted images slightly,..blurring, etc.

Interesting diagram you found there!

As far as the rear spring setup, it looks like quarter ellipticals mounted on the underside of the axle tubes. If you have the book I refer to for this photo, you'll find two photo of Rajo Jack's early 1920s dirt track car. You'll then also note the interesting and unique use of quarter elliptical springs on front and rear. There is also another car using quarter elliptical springs on the rear in that same book,....no info on that photo is given though. Its the only way to get the rear at that ride highth.

 

Wonder where I'd start looking for info on old San Jose dirt tracks in the 1920s?? Anyone have any familiarity with that?

 

Hey i just realized there is a photo of this guy with that car from the front in the same book I have here. You'd never have seen the Ruxtall from the front! thanks for posting that!

 

Perhaps you may be overlooking that even if there was no "reason" for a 2 speed rear ,,that the Rux was stronger than the stock T

 

You might want o post this on the vintage sprint car thread. There are a lot of guys on there who could help.

Bob Shutt

 

you can try to contact Ed Archer in the model t ford club of america. or the santa Clara valley model t Ford club. George Azevedo is an old timer who might have some Info, The front looks like they might have hartford shocks mounted parallel with the frame. I plan on mounting my fronts like that. also you could try the nwvs club..I have the old paradeso T speedster from San Jose and another T speedster in parts from the San Jose area.

 

I haven't checked the gear ratios but a lot of guys run 3 to 1 ring gears with a ruxt rear. I don't know which gear you would need on the dirt.

 

Mr. Radbruch passed away several months ago. I had talked to him several times. Another is Gordon White who is the smithsonial auto history person. I am unable to find his contact info but if you call vintage auto racing mag and talk to Dan Davis he will be glad to help all that he is able..I hope this helps..

 

Don't make yourself crazy trying to I.D. this car. The photo came from a box of UNIDENTIFIED negatives taken by the late Jack Carmody. There was NO information of any kind beyond "San Jose" on or in the box.