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A. Ballard 35R

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Posts posted by A. Ballard 35R

    Period RACE CAR Images to Relieve some of the Stress

    in Period Photos - Race Cars

    Posted · Edited by A. Ballard 35R (see edit history)

    1 hour ago, 1912Staver said:

     

    The reality with race cars is that they become obsolete quickly. Particularly race cars that are not modified production cars. Parts rapidly become completely unavailable . And even if you could keep it running what would a person do with a 5 year old race car? No such thing as vintage racing up until the late 1970's.

    A handful survived, and a further handful have been recreated either from a few fragments of a completely new construction. But 95% of them were crashed , engines blown up and never rebuilt, used up as spares, left derelict and ultimately scrapped, you name it. It is really only in the later 1970's and later that anything other than a few 

    very significant early race cars were sought after. Once they were obsolete as a competitive race car they were just so much metal. And most ended up back in the furnace. 

    It happens to this day. The real danger zone is when they are 5 - 20 years old. Non - competitive for what they were built for, and as likely to get parted out as to survive intact. Entry level class cars survive better, say Formula Ford. Because technology does not progress as quickly in the lower class ranks. And there are always new drivers wanting to get their feet wet in an older / cheaper car. But mid rank classes and higher the tech moves very quickly

    and the costs are very high even for an older car. If you can afford racing at this level it only makes sense to use as up to date a car as possible. So a 5 year old car is a totally lost cause. Things were not any different 100 years ago. Salvage what you can from the 2 years ago car and put the money into this years car.

     

    Greg in Canada

     

    Probably the best known collector of pre-WWI race cars was George Waterman, a founding member of the VMCCA, whose collection included, I believe, the S74  FIAT currently owned by George Wingard. As previously mentioned, race cars did not remain competitive for long and were usually scrapped. As interesting as the Thomas Locomobile certainly was, there would be very little reason to have kept it since it did not win any major races and was eclipsed by a later factory race car. The case of Old 16 is different since it was the first American car driven by Americans to win a major international race. In addition, the car was used extensively by the company to promote Locomobiles. We are very fortunate that Joe Sessions and Peter Helck were able to not only save it but to preserve it in its original condition. The car appeared at many events such as a New York Automobile show in the 1940's with George Robertson at the wheel, a Glidden Tour, and another appearance at Hershey in the 1980's plus Lime Rock.

    Period images to relieve some of the stress

    in Period Photos - Pre WWII

    Posted · Edited by A. Ballard 35R (see edit history)

    2 hours ago, Steve Moskowitz said:

    I did Bob, good catch!!

     

    Two different cars. Fred Simeone's (chassis #472 engine #1093) is a conglomeration of several T-Head Mercers with a 1911 chassis and a later 35J engine and transmission. The crashed car is not a 1911 since the gas pressure pump is vertical and not on a diagonal. The acknowledged Mercer racing expert has been contacted and should be able to provide information  on wrecked car as to race, driver, and car.

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    Period images to relieve some of the stress

    in Period Photos - Pre WWII

    Posted · Edited by A. Ballard 35R
    correction (see edit history)

    10 hours ago, StanleyRegister said:

    Antique cars in another troubled time - a trio of factory-built Mercer Raceabouts at the AACA club outing at Lamb's Tavern on Sep. 18, 1942.

    1942-10-18c_LambsTavern_enlarged.thumb.jpg.35e7c14b73041023bb3df2ebef9417bb.jpg

    From left to right - Alec Ullman's 1912, before the wire wheels were installed; Jack Fetterolf's 1913; and Sam Baily's 1914. 

     

    77 years ago...  The Raceabouts were only 28-30 years old.

     

    The following year, during gas rationing, both the Ullman and Baily cars were DRIVEN from Philadelphia to a meet at Peter Helck's home in Boston Corners, NY, over 200 miles.  Baily's 13-year-old daughter rode in the outside seat over the running board, visible in this photo taken after the car was purchased by Helck.

    Helck_sideseat.jpg.b21631d1f3e0762083254b3a4eb0b6bc.jpg

     

    The Ullman car is in a collection in California, the Fetterolf car was on display until 2012 at the Central Texas Museum of Automotive History, and the Baily car is in private hands.

     

    Note that the Baily car is the only one with the non-original after market monocle windshield which Sam needed in order to have a place for the "A" gas rationing sticker. In the background appears to be the model B wagon (with kerosene conversion) driven by  my mother. A Packard Twin 6 was driven by my father.

     

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    The Sale of Car Titles is Prohibited

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    1 hour ago, JAK said:

    If you ever tried to convince an agent at PennDot that all you had for your 1906 Buick was a bill of sale because the title had long ago dissappeared

    you might look at this subject differently. Not usually a problem for most of the cars I see on owners lists.  Unfortunately another service to the hobby is gone.

     

     

    That's why you don't buy cars without titles. Having dealt with PeenDot for for over 60 years and my father for years before that, they can be a PIA; however, it is important that you know that you don't have a stolen vehicle, regardless of age. There are legitmate ways in PA to get a new title without committing a crime. Very difficult to call the practice of forging paperwork and altering vehicle identification a service to the hobby.

     

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    AAA & SCCA 1944-1960 racing pictures wanted

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    1 hour ago, harris speedster said:

    Depalma

    Vanderbilt Race.

    2nd race ever held  in the US.

     

    DePalma-1915-VC.jpgt

     

    Interesting picture in that rear of car is on jacks yet DePalma and mechancian are posing as though ready to race. Mercedes #22 was campaigned successfully by DePalma in various races including winning Indianapolis in 1915. Any idea where this picture was taken and please explain "2nd race ever held in the US" comment. Thanks

     

     

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