Lee Chapel / Tornado Speed Equipment ... definitive post??

Thats wierd because I have one.....

 

All this and no pictures of his '24 Chevy roadster? Or are the only two in existence the ones in the Dean Batchelor book?

-Dave

 

Bump! Awsome thread!

 

I would like to have a copy of the rest old catalog if you can provide it ( I was ablke to copoy these pictures without problems...). You can send to [email protected] if you wouldn't mind. I am researching period flathead speed equipment.....Thanks - Lee Nelson (coincidence? I think not........)

 

I've always loved Lee's Streamliner and the Tornado Speed parts. Here are a few more photos.


Streamliner at the 1949 Oakland show


1952 Catalog


Page from catalog

 

Tornado OHV in the Tornado Streamliner.

 

Thanks to all of who have been able to contribute to this outstanding thread. Damn, outstanding is an understatement.

All the best,

Dale
Cleveland OH

 

The World Famous Lee's Auto Parts today:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/lee-auto-supply-alameda

 

Lee's Speed Shop, him and his roadster

 

Lee Chapels shop in Oakland wasn't associated with Lee Automotive in Alameda, heres a link from 2009.
http://jalopnik.com/5307501/carpoca...one-of-the-last-independent-auto-parts-stores

 

Mark,
Great thread that you started nearly 8 yrs. back, I only just saw it today, It amazing what one will miss when ones busy doing stuff other than hot rods .
It is very kool to see the Tornado Streamliner with a Cyclone quickie in it as well.

I don't know when the catalog was Litho'd but I noticed our complete Cyclone Generator bracket line and both our Cyclone In-N-Out box and Dog Clutch with the Tornado name on the last 2 named products. Since I have the original tooling for the generator brackets (except one which got burned in the building next doors fire), I'm wondering about the date of that catalog, Jimmy?

Cook and Lee knew each other and I know that Cook did machining for Lee at some point, perhaps they just shared parts???? It's just weird that Cook-Cyclone has been left out of the "Pioneering Hot Rod loop" similar to Lee Chapel-although I think much has been written about Lee-Tornado, but nowhere to the extent of their contemporaries......

 

An add from Hot Rod April 1951. So he started his Speed Shop in 1930.

 

Anyone have any other information about the Chevy 4 cylinder Tornado heads or the cars that ran them?
Here's the head I have and it's valve cover. I've not seen another valve cover like it, as every period picture shows the Ford Frontenac copy type cover, even Lee's own racecars. The only exception is the Miller brother's '28 Chevy roadster, though I haven't found a good enough picture of that cover yet.





This pic shows easiest way to ID the Tornado Chevy heads in old pictures. The front and rear exhaust flanges are typical vertical 2-bolt, while the center is an inverted 3-bolt flange.


Valve cover:


A few pics of Zeke (Ak's brother) Miller's '28 Chevy roadster with a Chapel Tornado head.





Always wondered what happened to this car and engine, especially since my head came on a '28 engine and has a valve cover that looks a lot like this one, possibly the only one. Another HAMBer who knew Ak Miller says the story goes that the engine ended up in a lakester after the roadster, then the head was later cut in half.

Here's some of Lee's own cars. Earl Brentlinger was the usual driver.



All the way to the left:


I believe this is Brentlinger in the driver's seat and Lee in the passenger seat:





Here's a few other cars that are running Chapel Tornado Chevy heads.






I believe this T modified was either made from the above racecar or was cannibalized to build the racecar, as it looks to be the same wheels, tires, and grille/radiator, as well as the Tornado-headed Chevy engine.


Lee's ads in 30s lakes programs:







And a 1936 advertisement listing the business for sale, shortly before Lee's hiatus to run a midget.



And one of Lee at Muroc in '31:




This Chevy roadster has a Muroc poster in the window, and I always wondered if this was Lee in the picture. Hard to say I suppose.

 

Thank you! Never knew about the Lee Chevrolet stuff.

Bob

 

Original question and later about the liners current condition really tells the story of this era. Most of them flew at higher speeds and wrecked. You will notice that only a few had a roll rear equal to or slightly above the helmet. Many tank/lakesters had nothing.