History Auto racing 1894-1942

Can anyone help me with info on this picture? Make/Model? Driver?


it came out of a old box of Glass Plate Photos or lantern slides from the Nome, Alaska area around 1905? But could have been in the Oregon area as well based on some of the Hydro Mining images I have? Odd clues I know but thanks in advance...

Help me identify the race, or drivers or any cool info and I will send you a large un-watermarked copy to look at - because it is really cool.

Thanks & Cheers to all of you!
I love this thread - and I'm only a few hundred pages into it.

 

Good lead thanks.

 

This pre war dry lakes racing photo is one of our favorite later photos out of the Henry Austin Clark collection. It shows a Model T Ford racer being kick-started with the hand crank. The engine is equipped with an eight-valve Rajo overhead valve conversion head, possibly a Model B or BB racing head with a pair of dual down-draft carburetors on a special intake manifold.

I appears to possibly be a press photo, so at this point we do not know if this photo has been circulated at all. Study it and if you know any details about the car, owner, date or the race meet, please send us a comment.

We also have an enlargement of this photo you can study at theoldmotor.com



And please make a contrubution to our fundraiser for the non-profit McPherson College for equipment and tools if possible. All the details can be found here.

 

Now this is totally up my ally!

This roadster I know very well.....That is Roy "Multi" Aldrich's T that he built in the late 20's or early 30's. This car was one of the early "Gowjobs" that inspired my T. It is T engine powered (you can see the T pan ears and lower hogshead in the photo) and does run a RAJO head (don't remember which model). "Multi" entered and ran this car at the first Bonneville "Speed Week" in 1949 and again through at least 1952 when the below photo was taken:



"Multi's" tell-tale dipped front axle is also a dead giveaway. "Multi", who was the honorary "hospitality" and "host" with his wife at Bonneville for years, had the car up until his death in the late 80's...then it vanished, turning up at the Pamona Swap Meet in 2008. It was purchased by Don Lang (of Lang's Model T Parts) in Wincheldon, Mass. They are currently restoring it to it's original configuration.







As it sits today....

The picture you have up must have been taken in the brief period when he had a later set of Ford wire wheels on the car....there are a few more that show this...

 

Hello and Happy New Year from Germany. I'm a BUGATTI freak and new on this forum. It's a fantastic website. I know a ton of photos: here an example (I don't know sorry if these photos were posted here in the forum, I would have to check 431 pages).

 

Welcome to the HAMB! I believe this is one of the best spots on the web to learn about, and to share information on automotive racing history.

I too enjoy Bugatti's. My mom went to college with a lady who was married to Dr. Peter Williamson. At one time, he had one of the largest Bugatti collections in the U.S. For many years we'd always get a Christmas card from the Williamson family, and it always was a photo of their kids sitting behind the wheel of one of their cars. My mom always saved the cards, and I've been meaning to dig them out and scan them.

Williamson died a few years ago, and the family sold the collection. I'd hate to think what the estate taxes were.

 

Bugatti7 Welcome to the HAMB! I love Bugatti history too, I worked on Dr. Williamson's Bug collection for 14 years, great guy, nice family and one fine car collection. When the collection was sold the funds went to medical research. Bob

 

Bugatti7, welcome aboard, read all 431 pages, well worth it. Tell me about the 54 two tone colour Bugatti please, regards.

 

Small World indeed Bob! My mom went to Skidmore College with Susan Kettering, and has stayed in touch with her ever since. I did go to their house once in the late 1960's when I was in the 1st or 2nd grade, but don't remember anything about fancy cars.

I do remember the Christmas cards though, and if I recall correctly the kids all had red hair! I need to get off my butt and pull those photos.

ZZZ

 

Thanks to all for welcome, I have much to do (431 pages )

 

ZZZ, I find it's easier to personally search the archive's at a library or the local Historical Society. There have been too many cases where I've asked for help only to find it was less time consuming if i actually went digging through the hordes of newspapers, documents, etc.., both for myself and for the person tasked with the job of looking after the information not found on the shelves. One valuable and important lesson I've learnt is to build a good relationship with these folks and they find trust after a while, although it's not always the case.

Good luck in your search at Tulane. I look forward to seeing what you dig up.

Hey, BTW, thanks for posting Chevrolet's autograph.

 

Mike, I have to be totally honest with you, at first glance I actually thought that the fellow at the crank looked like Bob Rufi as he was known to wear coveralls and similar headgear. I've read about Multy and his little T both here on the HAMB and what little there is over at the A.H.R.F. but I have never seen a photo of him. The actual first time I read of Multy was in Dean Batchelor's book 'Dry Lakes and Drag Strips' where there is, as you probably already know, a small caption to it's accompanying photo of the 'T' at Bonneville.

From Chapter 2....

'Roy 'Multy' Aldrich,long time member of the Bonneville Nationals Technical Committee, built this Model T roadster in the 1930s. The frame, for which he paid $1.00, is from a 1913 model. The engine, of unknown year, has a Rajo ohv set-up with twin Stromberg carburetors, and Nash-derived twin ignition driven from the 1925 Chevy generator via Durant gears. The hood, body and rear deck lid all came from different cars. Roy drove it from his home in Mentone, California, to Wendover, Utah - a round trip of about 1,300 miles - for the speed trials, and ran it through the traps once, at 85.06mph. Multy typifies the spirit of the 'Salt Bears' who came to the flats each year, camping out in tents to save the expense of motel rooms.'

I guess that's what's referred to as dedication.

 

Welcome and a Happy New Year to you.

The photos you posted look to be from England, am I correct? Do you have any information to go with them?

 

I certainly agree that this is certainly a dry lakes-era photo....it does look far more "dusty" then "salty". We do know she got her start racing on the lakes in the 1930's and 1940's....and made plenty of appearances on the salt well into the 1950's, but you are correct on the location. Based on the age of the photo's appearance, the "new looking" background cars and the landscape evidence...the likelihood that this is Muroc is fairly high in my opinion. Good eye Mike.

Ya know Kurtis, I think you are correct. Was looking at a few older pics of "Multi" and I think the guy kick-starting the ol' T is "Multi" himself.

....Now, who is the guy behind the wheel wearing the white bandanna?

I have read that description on "Multi"s T many times....after all, it was a pattern for my own T roadster. I just love that he drove it all the way there, raced it then drove it all the way home again. True dedication for sure.

I did a similar trip from my home in Portland, Oregon to Bonneville this last year....it was a heck of a trip. You can read about it here if you're interested: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=727004&highlight=mrmodelt

Clayton

 

I'm glad you liked Gaston's signature. It is the first one I've seen, and I spent many moons trying to find it, but that's what makes this hobby so much fun.

 

Here's a few more draft cards from WW1:

 

BARN STORMING even though it is a grey area of early racing is something I would like to keep covering. If any of you have any GREAT photos contact me and I will keep it going on The Old Motor and also repost it here.

One of our readers Jim Taggart found the following out “The Marshall Flying Squadron” .

Carl Schutz has also come up with quite a bit of interesting information.


Below are a few bits and pieces I’ve gleaned about this group that barnstormed in Iowa and Minnesota during 1912. It looks like by October the group was down to two drivers.

Eldora, IA, August 24, 1912
The Hardin County Ledger (Eldora, IA) of August 22 reports that “The Big Racing Juggernaut cars and drivers and mechanics are already in our city. . .”

There were to be “races between Ray Boody, the Eldora boy who is the champion automobile driver of Iowa and Marion Arnold of New York who drives the Buick Marquette ‘Flying Comet’ the car that wild Bob Burman drove to victory. Boody will likely drive his Ford, ‘Streak’. . .”

Canner, “the daring French driver,” was scheduled to drive his DeDietrich, “Tornado,” in a one-mile record attempt and a free-for-all handicap race.

“Mr. Bailey, manager of the flying Squad Auto racing team of Chicago, received a telegram today from the Arbenz Car Co., of Chillicothe, Ohio, that they are shipping via express the 1913 Arbenz racer to Eldora . . .”

Albert Lea, MN (about October 15, 1912)
Series of match races, time trials, and record attempts by Chester Cheney in the “Green Goblin” and Ray Boody of Iowa in the Colby “White Flyer.” Boody also attempted to break the track record with the “Green Goblin” and one of the drivers attempted an exhibition in the DeDietrich “Tornado” but the car wasn’t running right.

The Albert Lea Evening Tribune reported that “Chester Cheney, who was thrown from his car in an accident during the latter part of of July striking a fence and tearing the biceps off from his right arm, drove in fair time yesterday although he had to handle his wheel principally with the left hand and shift all his levers the same way.”

These are race locations mentioned in the newspaper accounts:
Blue Earth and Albert Lea, Minnesota
Charles City, Nashua, Osage, Mason City, and Eldora, Iowa.

These drivers are mentioned in the newspaper accounts:
Chester Cheney (injured in July, location unknown)
Marion Arnold (injured at Mason City, IA, on September 15 while driving the Buick “Green Goblin&#8221
O. W. Cannar (injured at Blue Earth, MN, on October 3 driving the Colby “Red Devil.&#8221
Ray Boody of Eldora, IA

These cars are mentioned in the newspaper accounts:
Arbenz “Blue Streak”
Buick Marquette “Green Goblin”
Colby “Red Devil” owned by the Colby Motor Company of Mason City, IA.
Colby “White Flyer” owned by the Colby Motor Company of Mason City, IA.
DeDietrich “Tornado”
Ford “Streak” probably owned by Ray Boody.

The Colby “Red Devil” had been rebuilt after a crash at Woodland Park in Sioux City, IA, which killed Billy Pearce of Chicago on October 11, 1911. The “Red Devil” later had several owners and was raced was late as 1916 sometimes in legitimate events and sometimes in barnstorming events. If you google “Colby Red Devil” there are a number of photos, especially at the University of Oklahoma historical site. The “Red Devil” might be either the third or fourth car.

Many more photos and details can be found here.

 

These two photos from The Henry Ford Museum are part of a very interesting post about him and early racing that we have up on The Old Motor. The photo below is signed by him and was sent to Henry Ford.

The majority of the post is about non-sanctioned racing and Oldfield's suspension from the AAA, wit some very interesting press clippings.

We also have many other interesting photos and a video all about airplane barnstorming which paralleled non-sanctioned auto racing at the time.

 

Here are the draft cards for Louis LeCocq, Eddie Hearne, Eddie O'Donnell, Harry Hartz, and Roscoe Sarles:

 

David, i got bored the other day so i decided to go looking for any information on Chester Cheney and the other racer's and events that were posted a few days ago but obviously Jim and Carl beat me to it. However, i didn't come across what they were able to find. Unfortunately i wasn't able to find a word on Cheney.

I was browsing through Darren Galpin's Record book as well as some newspaper articles and this is some information i was able to gather on the gentlemen listed so far. I will enter the findings after each paragraph in your post below, where it's applicable.

 

Thanks. I must admit, i thought the event was from Britain when i saw the policeman.

Keep posting more on Bugatti as there isn't enough on this thread except for a few bits here and there. Hopefully The37Kid will share some stories too.

 

How do you find a photo that has been posted in this fine thread YEARS AGO? I'm fairly sure there is a side view of this car outside a shop with about 20 workers standing behind it, someone said Leo Goossen was in the early photo. Bob

 

"There were to be “races between Ray Boody, the Eldora boy who is the champion automobile driver of Iowa and Marion Arnold of New York who drives the Buick Marquette ‘Flying Comet’ the car that wild Bob Burman drove to victory. Boody will likely drive his Ford, ‘Streak’. . .”

I wonder if this is the same Buick 'Comet' in the photo i have posted below."

Good thinking Kurtis, I bet you might be right.

The other Buick above that the troupe used was called the Green Goblin even though the spelling on the photo above is incorrect.

 

I have no information on this photo. Can someone help me? Thanks

 

I have seen this photo and the other one you mention a few times here, but haven't been able to find them lately.

I love this car....anybody have anymore information or pics of this car?

The "Comet"

 

Gott love the smile on the "mechanic's" face- it says quite a bit

 

Harry Hartz starting out in cycle cars, has been mentioned here, before. I did a search and did not find a better photo of his car. In 1915 Hartz was described by reporters as "the Miniature Barney Oldfield." He belonged to The (Los Angeles based) Junior Racing Association of America, where all drivers had to be under the age of 19. and most built their own cars. Hartz won the majority of the races in that series. I found this photo in a box of photos and negatives on Miller history, that Alec Ullman gave me, about 35 years ago. Always fun to note he is in a Jacket and tie.