I want to say that Harvey Haller lost his life in this car at El Mirage in 1951 or 52, no doubt someone with more info will correct me.....
Frank Breene and Harvey Haller were Road Runners from 1947 to 1953. The team also participated at the first Bonneville SpeedWeek in 1948. Harevey Haller joined the 200 MPH club in '53. The Road Runners have the Harvey Haller Memorial trophy which is awarded to outstanding Road Runners. It is not handed out very year. It has to be earned.
Well the reason im asking is a friend of mine went to a yard sale and the Lady that lived in the house had passed away and im assuming it was the family that was getting rid of everything and this was in the trash! my friend pulled it out the trash and had it sitting on a shelf in the garage until I saw it yesterday and researched the name and thought id ask about the cars whereabouts anyway enjoy!!
It's hard to believe that was in the trash, good save man, there's a lot of history behind that piece.
I noticed the trophy says Aug 1950 and the magazine article says Oct 1950 just wondering could the trophy be from that race?? useally it takes about that much time to print the magazine.
Yes, Bonneville was held only once a year. That would be the trophy for that meet. Your friend sure is lucky. Harvey had one of the coolest A roadsters on the lakes in the 40s as well.
Im gonna try and buy the trophy from him again! see what happens is there a place this can be displayed for everyone to see
What a find!!!!! Thats a wonderful piece of history. If you can get it from your friend, treasure it. You won't find another!
Very cool find! Although I'd be really tempted to polish it up, it's probably best if its 50 years of patina are just left untouched.
Yes, Harvey Haller died at El Mirage, think it was '52. The car was DeSoto powered by then, had shoulder belts but no roll bar -- I think that SCTA did not require roll bars until after a fatal accident at Bonneville in '55
I also noticed the speeds are different the magazine was Oct 1950 not Nov but the speed on the trophy was faster than the recorded speed in the magazine so maybe that wasnt the trophy from that event
coverage of Bonneville appeared in the Oct.1950 issue of Hot Rod. There was only one Bonneville meet in '50. The reason the times are different is the trophy is for 1st place qualifying speed (one way). Speed quoted in the magazine is for the speed record (two-way average which doesn't include the initial qualifying run). :edit: I should of also said there is a pic of Frank & Harvey receiving the trophy on pg.14 of Oct.1950 HRM and qualifying speed is on pg.24 listed as 175.78mph 1st in "C" lakester.
I have to say in 1950 I was 4 years old and fighting polio. So SpeedWeek took a back seat. Mistakes with times are made even today so it is possible (and probable) that the time in the magazine is correct but they made a faster run. Last year some people got their Bonneville trophies and Bonneville was spelled "Bonerville". Which in a way is correct as thats what ends to happen when you pull off the asphalt and onto the salt. Absolutely magic place. I'm looking forward to getting the sidecar there this year (God willin' and finances permitting).
What about the SCTA museum in LA, there's a bunch of great history there. Of all the places I didn't get to see whilst I was there, this is the one I most regret not getting to visit.
What a fantastic story! Great find, and as we tend to expect "The Rest of The Story" by HAMB members.
Hey Stovebolt, You got to Bonneville, El Mirage, the Petersen. What more do you need? And thanks for putting a couple of photos of my sidecar on the DRLA site. Sorry I missed you at El Mirage.
I believe that several members of the old SCTA WHEELERS, Dave Ratliff and Kay Kimes may have bought that tanker and raced it into the mid 1950's with a Buick engine........I will try to check with Kay as he is a friend........stay tuned.... CB
Jimmy B Do you have the magazine?? if so can you post a picture of that page or scan it so i can see frank & Harvey recieving the trophy Thanks! Conrad
Maybe this wil help. http://search.isp.netscape.com/nsis...url=http://www.ussarcherfish.com/roadrunners/ Jimmy B, Great shot!! I'm a total sucker for LSR be it old or new. And you have to have a geat admiration for the speeds the obtained with what they had.
Wow!! Jimmy B your the man!! Thanks thats an awesome picture just afraid to show it to my buddy cause then he really wont wanna sell me the trophy!
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