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History The Novi Mobile Special at Bonneville

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Jive-Bomber, Apr 26, 2018.

  1. Jive-Bomber
    Joined: Aug 21, 2001
    Posts: 3,754

    Jive-Bomber
    MODERATOR

    Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post:

    The Novi Mobile Special at Bonneville

    [​IMG]

    Continue reading the Original Blog Post
     
  2. Rolleiflex
    Joined: Oct 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,243

    Rolleiflex
    Member

    Man that kidney belt he's wearing says it all. That car had to have been one hell of a powerful and bone jarring ride!
    [​IMG]
     
  3. typo41
    Joined: Jul 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,571

    typo41
    Member Emeritus

    Marv Jenkins was a unsung part of the Ab Jenkins racing history. He was the relief driver for his father and had made many a laps in the Meteor.
    Watch "The Boys of Bonneville" for an excellent history of Ab and Marv.
     
    deucemac, Stogy, HEMI32 and 2 others like this.
  4. Just because a TJJ Blog / H.A.M.B. thread can never have enough pics ...

    Ab Jenkins looks over the Novi equipped 'Mobil Special' - 1947.JPG
    Speed King Ab Jenkins looks over the Novi equipped "Mobil Special" before going to Bonneville for speed-records attempts.
    Frank Kurtis added the stabilizing fin & wheel discs and built the streamlined cockpit housing/enclosure.
    Jenkins, then 66, decided he was not comfortable with the car, and his son Marvin drove it for its record attempts.

    image from the Marvin Jenkins Collection
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2018

  5. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    The Kurtis-Kraft team certainly never failed to deliver stunning automotive genius that looked real good doing everything a Racer/Custom/Hotrod could be expected to do. Thanks @Jive-Bomber for sharing and to the others who added more to paint the picture.
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2018
    Dean Lowe and gnichols like this.

  6. One year at Speed week the they played "The Boys of Bonneville" in a casino's theater. Great movie paying homage to Marvin and Ab Jenkins. I especially loved the part about Ab setting multiple speed records in a 57 Pontiac.
     
    383deuce and Stogy like this.
  7. J.Ukrop
    Joined: Nov 10, 2008
    Posts: 2,789

    J.Ukrop
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Novi.jpg
    Novi's my hometown, so I've always been a fan of the cars for obvious reasons. I've never seen one of them with the canopy though—way cool!
     
  8. typo41
    Joined: Jul 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,571

    typo41
    Member Emeritus

    And they had the Meteor sitting outside after the movie, I was 'this close' to being able to sit inside, but the rain coming would not have been good for all the magnesium parts they just restored and they pushed it back into the trailer.
    A side note, The Land Speed Hall of Fame honored Ab a few years back, and his Grandson Ab III was there to receive and I was able to have a nice conversation with him about his family.
     
    Stogy, deucemac, HEMI32 and 1 other person like this.
  9. Jive-Bomber
    Joined: Aug 21, 2001
    Posts: 3,754

    Jive-Bomber
    MODERATOR

    Great article and photos here of Bud Winfield, little brother of the more famous Ed, and the father of the Novi motor!
     
    kidcampbell71 and HEMI32 like this.
  10. catdad49
    Joined: Sep 25, 2005
    Posts: 6,397

    catdad49
    Member

    Thanks Bomber, always loved the mystique of the Novi. The Men that drove them were definitely fearless!
     
    Stogy likes this.
  11. So dam cool these great cars of the past......and the men that drove them!
     
    Stogy likes this.
  12. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

    upload_2018-8-18_8-36-56.png

    Is this the engine with supercharger at rear? 'Initially the Novi produced 450 HP from 167 cubic inches. By the middle '60s, when the engine powered Andy Granatelli's STP-Novi racers, power output had risen to a claimed 837 HP.' :eek:
     
  13. Horsepower was the Novi's curse. The poor tires of the day shredding from straightaway wheel spin was it's undoing. A driver who couldn't learn to manage the power was doomed to wear out the tires too fast and spin the car on the bald tires.
     
  14. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    It needed a governor...hence the saying getting rubber in a four gears and that's not a good thing...:eek:
     
  15. The NOVI is a legend to me. A VERY powerful engine, doomed by one thing or another, never really came into it's own. It was an AWESOME ( in the true sense of the word ) creation, and is a never ending source of fascination !
    MORE info and pictures please!
     
  16. Nobey
    Joined: May 28, 2011
    Posts: 1,489

    Nobey
    Member

    We listened to the Indy race every year on the radio when I was a kid. There was nothing like the
    sound of a Novi going down the straight. Didn't take us long to recognize that engine. Sure wish
    I could have heard it on the lakes.....
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  17. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

  18. modelAsteve
    Joined: Jan 9, 2009
    Posts: 382

    modelAsteve
    Member

    Love it! If we could just shut that damn dog up!
     
  19. Speedwrench
    Joined: Nov 21, 2009
    Posts: 1,032

    Speedwrench
    Member

    Gary Babineau in northern Indiana built that car for Brock Yates ( R I P ).

    Gary has also built a number of tribute Watson Indy roadsters.
     

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