Projects SPRINT CAR INFORMATION

Hi all,
I am starting a sympathetic restoration of this 1930s sprint car, I'm told it has Minnesota racing history. I know this is needle in the haystack stuff but anyone that has any thoughts on finding race car history would be appreciated. Script on cowl reads Le Gor? With miller in a different font below the script.

 

This would be one of the best places to start.
https://groups.io/g/RacingHistory

The HAMB also has several vintage sprint car only threads.

 

Is that LeGor or LeSor? I'm not sure, but I think the word below it is Engines.

 

Nice car , thanks for joining.

 

Sorry, no info for you, but that car is NEAT!

 

Slightly better photo below.....

 

Thank you I will try there also.

 

Looks like LeGor, miller, (race engine?)

 

Now that would be something.......a miller motor.....my plans are to install a Crager conversion model A 4 banger.
Thanks for your reply.

 

Someone on here might know the guy who was up in Blaine that rebuilt engines and raced and restored old midgets. His shop was just east of the sports complex,iirc. I heard he moved but is still in business.
I was at his shop once and there was literally a ton of engine blocks including a whole mess of flathead V8's and 2 old racecars.

 

Does she have a sister?

 

Thanks for that information, I'll try to chase that up, it would be great to get some history. From the various changes made over time and the layers of paint it looks like it was campaigned for a number of years. The raised section behind the driver's head and the rounded nose were added probably in the 40s the hood was extended by 4" with a riveted strip to suit the nose.

 

Try this. It looks like the message board has been shut down now but the guy who ran it seem to know a lot about sprint car racing around the state. Do a little looking around maybe you can find his Email address.
https://gotomn.blogspot.com/2013/02/how-did-you-get-into-racing-heres-my.html

 

Actually, prewar there were 3 classes of AAA open wheel cars - Midgets, BigCar ( sprint cars ) and Champ Cars (Indy cars) all with different specs.

 

Thank you for the information and great photos Robert. I will certainly check out that info. All assistance is very much appreciated, I strongly believe in preserving the history of the car, hopefully some history will turn up.

 

Thank you for the info on a very interesting article.

 

Not debating anything , just trying to correct misinformation. he will just be wasting his time researching that car as a Champ or Indy car. Re: your 1949 "Indy Car" poster.

 

I don’t have any helpful info, but man what a cool car.

 

Man that's fantastic! Where did you find it???

 

I had been chasing this car for a time. I bought it in Minnesota which was when I was told it was raced there and in surrounding states. It looks to have been raced from the 30s through to the late 40s.

 

Since you got the car in Minnesota, you might try contacting the IMCA Old Timers group to see if anyone in that group might have any info. They have an active web site - www.imcaoldtimers.com .

IMCA was a sanctioning group that raced mostly in the upper midwest and great plains. At one time they sanctioned sprints, midgets, and stock cars, but have devolved into a mostly modified group. The original IMCA was one of the oldest sanctioning groups in the country.

 

Thank you for your advice it is very much appreciated. I have sent an email to them just now.

 

THANK YOU! I totally agree. Bob

 

Nice find, Welcome to the HAMB. FIRST thing, don't do anything until you research the cars history. Take photos of every detail, they help match the car to old photos you may turn up. Carefully sand down the paint to see what numbers or writing may be there. It looks like a 1930's build that got updates, it may have had some nice Dayton wire wheels that got sold off after the car was finally parked. The rails look like Essex, nice kickup and tapered rear. "Miller" would be a Miller Schofield head on a B block, the overall look of the car tells me a twin cam MILLER wouldn't have been in it. Good luck with it. Bob

 

OK, now that we have seen then what is in the back ground? Apperson on the left? Bob

 

Thanks Bob. I have taken dozens of photos, I am just going to clear coat ot as is. I like that it shows its experience and I want to race it with its originality. My plan is to complete a full mechanical restoration and to get it back on the track by the end of this year. I have a solid Model A engine and hope to fit a Crager OHV head to it. I thought about sanding the cowl to see if it would unearth any info but I don't want to lose the current script, the style of hand painted lettering is too good to lose. Hopefully I can find some history on it although I recognise it is going to be difficult.

 

Apologies Bob I should have responded to your reply in totality.

1907 Duryea Buggyaut.
1907 Schacht high wheeler.
1908 Sears high wheeler (out of shot).
1920 Levi's flat tank motorcycle.
1908 Brush Roundabout (out of shot)
...............all projects but on hold until I am finished with the race car.

 

Forgot to ask, is the cowl and tail aluminum or steel? Was the headrest added? It has some real nice lines and frame, not some backyard build. Bob

 

Thanks Bob. The only aluminium bodywork is the nose and hood everything else is steel. The cowl is well formed and seems different than the majority of cars in that it has formed bulges where the drivers hands sit when operating the steering in a straight line, I've seen this on the Dreyer cars. There is a riveted half round trim to the top inner side of the cowl which is riveted into place, this trim looks very well formed, not just thrown together.
The headrest was added and appears to be less well formed than the cowl and tail, it is slightly off centre but it may have had an impact at one time as there is a knock in the top of the tail where it hit something. The original colour was navy then cream then red and finally bronze with the current graphics. The chassis has remnants of a bright grey paint as its original colour. The race number and cowl text are hand painted to a really high standard.
The hood was extended by approximately 4" using a riveted on strip of aluminium, it appears by the original radiator mounting holes that this was done following the replacement of a 30s type radiator to the current nose. There are several drill holes along the chassis where various changes were made including to the steering box area of the cowl which has had several changes to the surrounding area. The front track rod arms are gusseted for strength and the workmanship appears good.
One thing I notice as I've pushed it around the shop is that one wheel drags when turning the car almost like a limited slip differential but the back axle appears stock Model A?