Features VINTAGE SPRINT CAR PIC THREAD, 1965 and older only please.

Googled Miss Tampa 1962 just for grins, turns out she is now Lou Pinella's wife.
Dang jocks get all the girls...

 

Root.. Tampa was a great place to be back then. But I was a kid playing in the infield in the 60's...I was just discussing that with Mr. Ligouri at the last Joliet race a couple weeks ago. We went to his house to have dinner a few times during speedweek in those days. He was a pleasure to talk to, and the opinions on todays (too safe ) cars were priceless...

 

Small world. Didn't know there were any HAMBERS at this deal. I was there too, took all the same pictures from the same angles too. The guy that built that nose told me it took him about 35 hours to build. Nice work. The blue champ car with Duesenburg engine locked it up on the Sat morning laps. Thats gotta be pricey!

 

SteveE looks like L-r Branson, Marshman and Buzz Gregory, Car owner????/

 

nex-
I think you're onto something there. If you look at PKs avatar, those big ol pipes on the Duce ran right along the right side. Probably was seeping a lot of heat into the cockpit.

 

Thanks for your service Rootie... I know Pete used straps around his ankles to keep the suit from hanging up on anything inside the office. Don't remember this particular day; maybe had been involved in a bit of a scrape and was using some sort of splint to protect a sore leg; just guessing so don't hold me to it. FWIW the Florida State Fair is still an annual event, but the racing is mostly split up between EastBay Raceway and Volusia County Speedway Park. Times, places, and equipment change... I was [we were] fortunate to have been a part of the best era in sprint car racing. Thanks to Josh for starting this thread.
Blessings,
PK

 

To everyone i want to say thanks for the kind words. You people ae the best there are! I am now back with my family and although its going to to take a while i hope i can back to my former self
To each and every one my heartfield thanks!
























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Damn it Spike, you had us all scared. DONT DO THAT NO MORE! Seriously, welcome "home" and take care of yerself, my friend.

 

Outstanding Spike... this is the best news we'll hear all day 'cept an original barn find, or... hey welcome home glad you're back.

 

Great to see you back Spike..

 

Great news Spike, hurry up and get back to your normal self FAST.
Jim Graybeal

 

I agree with everybody else. There aren't enough people we can depend on for these memories. Get back to normal, Spike.

 

Quite some time back I posted about a Buick V-8 powered midget owned by Mickey Thompson and driven by Herk. I found some more info on it and this claims it was powered by a 149 c.i. Pontiac V-8 I guess it kinda makes sense as it was about this time Thompson was setting a bunch new FIA speed records with a menagere of oddball Pontiac engines. Apparently they never could get it dialed in and gave up on it fairly quick. Anyway here's a shot of Herk pondering the situation.

 

Thought I died and went to heaven yesterday, my step dad and I went to Josh's in Cincy and he took us to Zakira's! man they have the original patterns for EVERY Miller engine part! also have the original forms that they used to pound out every Miller frame rail on !!!!
Not to mention the cars and engines and library etc etc etc

Thanks Josh!!

 

Spike... Great to have you back !

 

Welcome back, Spike! Glad you are feeling better!

 

Here's some stuff from the old Sky Valley Speedway in Monroe various years, I believe all pre '69



Sorry guys, I'm a dummy with this stuff

 

Here's another pic of the Bardahl Special with Pete Folse behind the wheel, and Hector Honore standing alongside with their mechanic. Man, what a team!
PK

 

Rootie..PM sent Bill

 

thers nothing cooler then open wheel cars piched sideways, side by side, lifting the left front fucking awsome!!!!

 

Hi Spike,
WELCOME BACK. A little wedge change, a tweek on the dial a jet and you will be as good as new!

 

Spike, glad to have you back on line again, take care of yourself,
mlight9.

 

Spike, looking forward to your posts again. Glad things are getting better. oldbill.

 

Welcome back Sir Spike.

 

I was at Zakira's yesterday, they have the Engine completely torn down. about a two inch hole in number 7 cylinder. Jim will have to machine another block, and throw it back together.

Part of it.. If ya wanna play, ya gotta pay.

 

Welcome back Spike! Glad to hear from ya.


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Your welcome Roy.


JD

 

Jim, Buzz, Bobby and Eldora are correct. Looks something like Branson but it's not.

 

One of the greatest ever...






I love this picture!

 

For once I can actually say I know the history of a car and worked on it. The car is a 1964 Hank Henry originally built for Chuckie Allen of San Diego. It was pink and scallops. Saw a picture of it a few years back in Open Wheel, boucing through the ruts at Terre Haute with Chuckie aboard. Chuckie quit racing and the car sat in the Point Loma area until it was bought by my friend Rich Stevens in the late '70's. Rick ran it with CRA for a couple of years and once set an altitude record while being knocked out of the consi. He came down half on the back stretch boards and cut the car in half right at the tri-drive. Had somebody in Santee put a new front clip on it ( it may have been Don Thomas..not sure anymore). The car was run until the 1980 season as #47, when we bought Carl Adams first new car Dick Fries bought the second one) and transferred every thing we could to the new car. Then it was sold to a retired dentist named Don Menard who had it restored to perfection. I think it looked better than any time Chuckie or rick owned it. Halibrand used ot on the cover of their catalog a few years. Menard retired to Texas i belive and we lost track of it for a while. Bill Taylor, crewman on the CAE house cars, Bonneville 200 mph club member, short course starter, and now retired himself and running a photography business, did a spread for Open Wheel several years ago on the car and gave me a set of the shots he took. Bill told me while I was at B'ville this year that Menard had sold the car and was back on the west coast again, or so he thought. It was a sweet car that just got too old to be competitive any more. Great to see it again.