Period RACE CAR Images to Relieve some of the Stress

[Steve Moskowitz]

Thanks to Walt Godsen who started this idea  we have been talking about adding more of these type threads.  So I will start with some period race car photos but have little time to do much else with the thread so here goes...Mr. Swanson I expect you to help!

[1937hd45]

This is going to be good, happy to help! I'll start off with the driver I share a name with. 

 

 

 

The restored car today in the INDY 500 Collection

Edited April 9, 2020 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[TerryB]

Little guys in action on a local dirt track

 

[1937hd45]

Ira Vail, left with his and new MILLER 122 at the factory,finished 8th in the 1924 INDY 500. Sold to H.D. Carpenter of Philadelphia and drove for him in the 1926 INDY 500. Bob 

[1937hd45]

The "Sugar Blues" owned by Jerry Willets a local guy, I got to repaint the cowl & tail years ago. It has had several caretakers since then and another restoration. Jerry was co owner of an INDY car that burned up in the 1941 pre race garage fire. Bob 

[hddennis]

 

Thought people would get a kick out of this picture found online but not identified as to what it shows. I believe it shows the engine components for the Maxwell  8 cylinder  Vanderbilt cup race car. That is one LONG engine!

Howard Dennis

Edited April 9, 2020 by hddennis (see edit history)

[Gary_Ash]

Here are the 1932 Studebaker Indy cars.  Chassis by Rigling and Henning, bodies by Pop Dreyer, engines/transmissions/axles/steering/brakes from Studebaker sedans.

Cars being assembled in Studebaker shop.

 

Cars at the Pagoda.

 

Plans for building your own Studebaker Special from Ray Kuns book, 1935.

 

Straight 8, 337 cubic inch engines with four carbs under test.  Output was 200 hp at 4400 rpm.

[edinmass]

Ok....I'll bite........what's a race car?😎

[1937hd45]

39 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Ok....I'll bite........what's a race car?😎

 

 

This is the oldest one I've ridden in,  The Brothers built in INDY, finished second in 1916. 

[Steve Moskowitz]

OK Ed, it comes down to this "if you have to ask the question, you wouldn't understand the answer"!    Join me in Mt. Equinox this year and i will help you understand what a race car is, sadly you may not learn was a race car driver is!  Tell me you do not have a picture of a pre-war race car???!!!!  Disappointed in you my friend.

[TerryB]

Old car, newer photo

 

[gossp]

4 hours ago, hddennis said:

 

Thought people would get a kick out of this picture found online but not identified as to what it shows. I believe it shows the engine components for the Maxwell  8 cylinder  Vanderbilt cup race car. That is one LONG engine!

Howard Dennis

I have two of those engines, radiators, frames...who is really good at welding old cast aluminum?  I wonder what that crankshaft would cost to reproduce?  

[1937hd45]

40 minutes ago, gossp said:

I have two of those engines, radiators, frames...who is really good at welding old cast aluminum?  I wonder what that crankshaft would cost to reproduce?  

 

 

Well, Going the other way this is a straight eight Type 30 Bugatti engine that was cut in half for use in a Midget race car. Fronted the money for a friend back in the 1970's, so I can claim it was mine for a few days. Gas welded together between 3 & 4. Bob 

Edited April 10, 2020 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[gossp]

I have heard there were a lot of drugs in the 70’s. 

[kfle]

[kfle]

[kfle]

[Terry Bond]

Now here's some old stuff!

When I put together a seminar for the AACA Annual Convention on the early races in France, I went through a load of great photos from various collections and on-line archives. Here are a few-

first photo shows Albert Lemaitre, winner of the 1894 Paris to Reoun race in his 3Hp Peugeot

Second photo is from the same event.  It is a Panhard et Levassor and is recognized as the first car to use a conventional steering wheel.

Third photo is of Emile Leavassor's Panhard automobile at the start of the 1895 Paris to Bordeau race.

Final photo is of the first American to participate in an automobile race in a foreign country.  George Heath drove this Panhard in the 889 mile Paris to Amsterdam race in 1898.  In 1904 he won the first American Vanderbilt Cup race.

Enjoy the history and imagine what it must have been like to race in cars like these!

Terry

 

 

[gossp]

33 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

 

You have made yourself look like an idiot, how does your statement have anything to do with Vintage Race Cars? Bob 

I apologize, I misread as that a type 30 was cut down for a midget racer in the 70’s, rather than purchased then... and made a joke. Always good to see someone ready with a personal attack on the internet though. Cheers. 

[cessna195]

Three photos of the same car. Photo #1, 1935 Legion Ascot Speedway with George Connor, (Hunter Spl.)  Photo #2,  About 1940 Same car with John Vesco with one of his 4 Port Riley Engines in it Los Angeles  Photo #3, Same car as it is today San Diego California. Just added a photo of what the car looked like when I found and bought the car.
 

John

Edited June 29, 2020 by cessna195
Add photo (see edit history)

[Steve Moskowitz]

1903 Pirate racing at Ormond Beach.  Also, picture of Pirate replica we built for Oldsmobile for the 100th year celebration (pictured with Winton since they had a match race back in the day).

[locoman]

Fun project !  Those were the good old days.

[Steve Moskowitz]

Good to see you on here!!  Bad thing is the Pirate is not in either of our possession right now! GRRRRRRRRR!  

[Walt G]

When I worked for Austin Clark back in the early 1970s he told me of a junk yard in the middle of Hicksville, NY just north of the current railroad station that was owned by a guy named Tony  ...... ( last name escapes me for the moment - this was almost 50 years ago) that Austin had gone to because the guy had Bugatti engines that he would indeed cut in half to use in midget dirt track races here on long island . Austin had a type 35 Bugatti that he had bought at the Wallace Bird estate auction and went to that yard seeking some possible spare parts.

No that junk yard is not still there as that is what Austin and I checked out in the early 1970s to see if it still was.

Steve thanks for starting this thread, I don't have to much in the way of  early pre war race car photos but will check today to see what I may have and then post here. The ones know I do have I just used in a story for an article that will be published in several months so can't use them here now .

Walt

[Gary_Ash]

Here are some shots of Australia/New Zealand cars from the 1928-29 period.  Photos and captions from John Shanahan.  See also the Wikipedia entry for Francis Birtles - a man of amazing stamina!

 

1928 ANZAC Landspeed contender.

 

1928 ANZAC Landspeed contender.

 

1929 Fred H. Stewart Enterprise land speed contender.

 

1929 Fred H. Stewart land speed contender.

 

1928 Francis Birtles in a Bean endurance run car.

 

Type 37 Bugatti at Kurrajong Heights hillclimb.

[mikewest]

Here are a few. The last picture is no race car. It was my dad when he was 14 in 1946 lining up for a parade in his dads antique car that I have in the garage now. 1902 Crest. (3.5 hp) smile...

[mikewest]

a few more ....

[mikewest]

A few odds and ends...

[Terry Bond]

Here is an iconic photo of famed driver Camille Jenatzy driving his Mercedes in the 1905 Gordon Bennett Cup race.  This is a souvenir postcard of the event.

 

Another image from my collection of Gordon Bennett images is this great shot from the 1903 event showing the British race team pausing for a refreshing drink of what is most likely a pint (or two) of Guinness.  The 1902 race was won by S.F. Edge driving a Napier, giving Britain the rights to host the 1903 event - however British law precluded racing on public roads, so the event was moved to Ireland.  This is where the term "British Racing Green" was born.  Although the Napier they campaigned was painted almost an olive drab color, it was intended to represent the color "Shamrock Green" in honor or Ireland.  Last photo is of the car raced that year.

 

I'll scan a couple of interesting Vanderbilt Cup items from my collect and post later.

Terry

[twin6]

White (steam) racer.

[1937hd45]

 

John, Thank you for making my day I've always wondered what the car history was when the Vesco photo was first posted on the HAMB I think. I met George Connor in the 1970's, got him to autograph my Fox INDY 500 book. His best finish was 3rd in 1949. Bob 

[Terry Bond]

Two of the most prized items in my collection - a 1908 Vanderbilt Cup program complete with score card, and a photo of old Number 16, the winning Locomobile.  These were found in Virginia Beach in the estate of a former Locomobile company executive.  I don't ever recall seeing this photograph before.

Terry

[Steve Moskowitz]

Now that is a find Terry!!  Very cool!

[1937hd45]

The H.D. Carpenter scrapbooks with Fairmont Park, Philadelphia coverage. I've had these for over 45 years. The Spenser Wishart Mercedes would later finish 4th in the first INDY 500 in 1911, in the 1920's a HISSO aircraft V8 was installed and it raced on dirt tracks in Pennsylvania and New England. It sat in an Ohio collection until 15 or so years ago, sold at a sealed bid auction and received a restoration it never should have been given. I did get to sit in it before it was shipped, the oldest INDY car I've ever had the privilege to sit in. Bob 

[Terry Bond]

Yes, and as you now  Steve, there is always a good story - I found the program years ago at an antique show held in one of our local shopping centers.  It was in a pile of early 1900s comic books, some with automobile scenes on the covers.  When I started asking about buying the whole pile the vendor pulled out an envelope with the photo and a couple of other items including pages from an old magazine with details of the race.  I ended up at his home later that weekend later where I found and purchased a few additional photos and a small leather diary describing in brief detail, a trip through some European auto manufacturers facilities.  The items had been property of a Locomobile executive.  When he passed away, his family, living here in Virginia Beach had inherited everything.  When they moved, the antique dealer bought out all the family stuff.  I'll try to scan the score card as there are some interesting notes that were written in the margin during the race.

Terry

[28 Chrysler]

1906 Christie

[1937hd45]

Here is one for Lozierman …….

[cessna195]

Bob,

Thanks for the reply on the George Conner Hunter Spl. car. I got to meet George before he passed away also. Attached is a photo of the letter he sent me telling me the history of my car when he drove the car. Hope you will be able to read it. By the way would you happen to be the Bob I new back in the Bill LaRorsa’s Hot Line days known as Bob the Kid Swanson? 🙂

 

John

[Walt G]

Ok everyone let's get some of those race car photos on here for all of us to see and especially for Steve and Bob who are the guys I know who like race car stuff the best.

I don't have many period original race car photos in my collection but will post now what I have had time to scan. May be able to have a few more later if I can find them.

they are: fellow behind wheel of car - photo taken at Brooklands race track in Surrey , England. year is 1913 , car is a 30HP Sunbeam

the photo of the broad view of the track and car with the wheel discs is the same Sunbeam in 1913 is also Brooklands .

Photo of car taken of the left side is a Mercedes in 1913 with Gustave Hamel at the wheel ( photo from the archives of my late friend Michael Sedgwick of England)

Final photo , car # 2 is at Ormand Beach and the car is the Flying Dutchman.

[nzcarnerd]

3 hours ago, Terry Bond said:

Here is an iconic photo of famed driver Camille Jenatzy driving his Mercedes in the 1905 Gordon Bennett Cup race.  This is a souvenir postcard of the event.

 

Another image from my collection of Gordon Bennett images is this great shot from the 1903 event showing the British race team pausing for a refreshing drink of what is most likely a pint (or two) of Guinness.  The 1902 race was won by S.F. Edge driving a Napier, giving Britain the rights to host the 1903 event - however British law precluded racing on public roads, so the event was moved to Ireland.  This is where the term "British Racing Green" was born.  Although the Napier they campaigned was painted almost an olive drab color, it was intended to represent the color "Shamrock Green" in honor or Ireland.  Last photo is of the car raced that year.

 

I'll scan a couple of interesting Vanderbilt Cup items from my collect and post later.

Terry

Note in the caption of the Jenatzy postcard it says he is 'sur' his Mercedes - on and not in. You didn't really get into a race car in that era you got onto it.