History Auto racing 1894-1942

Two stunning photos Bob.
Love the visible detail on that chassis.

 

That is a lot of articulation at the bottom of that tanks track.

 

Taking Swiss cheese lightening to the extreme. Vintage fabricating often amazes me.

 

Swiss cheese lightening?

You could argue it's a forerunner of the monococque...

 

Another thing I have wondered about:
How much of these designs was based on mathematical calculations and how much was based on pure gut instinct? The section modulus (i.e. "strength") of that frame is greatest in torsion and bending right at the point where one would need it the most - where the rear of the engine attachment is transmitting torque into the frame. I daresay modern Finite Element Stress Analysis done with sophisticated computer programmng could not have done much better, given the fabrication techniques and materials available at the time.

 

Anyone know when Cooper achieved this milestone?

 

Found this.....

 

Love that picture. Can't believe he raced in a coat and tie / hat.

 

He didn't, it's a publicity shot. But everyone wore a tie those days, even during races!

 

1917 at a race on Chicago Board Speedway.
This is a photo of the track from 1916, it was all board.

 

INDEED
Most of the spectators are dressed in shirts n ties.

 

The drivers used their ties to wipe their goggles.

 

Jack Mattes , 1923 Wisconsin State Champ. The photo was taken in Milwaukee on Wells Street west of Grand Avenue viaduct.

 

Love it. A chassis, seat, drive train and loud pipe.

 

Cutten brothers, Keith and Keppell with a Bugatti Brescia and Miller 122 hiding in the shed. Aukland.

 

Correct, except that the Miller is one of the few to never have raced at Indy!

Miller ‘S8’ « Indy Car A-Z « OldRacingCars.com (see entry at '2302-X')

 

Thank you for all the MILLER history, keeping all the info together and organized when some people owned several over the years must be quite a task. I've still got all the Ira Vail 122 paperwork from the H. D. Carpenter ownership. Bob

 

corrected. Thanks

 

Open-wheeled auto race at the Altamont Fair in the 1930s, Albany, New York

 

Well...
Isn't this something.
I don't know what to say first.
"Wow." "Oh my gosh." "Yes!"
I've been getting interested in the very early cars lately. The race cars. And the race-inspired speedsters. Especially from the turn of the century to about the first World War.
I'm just glad some of you guys like to bring up old threads, cuz I hadn't seen this one.

Awesome thread.
A plethora to peruse.
Thanks to everybody for their contributions. Thanks Kurtis. Great name for a guy who likes early race cars.

Talk about "pre-war hot rodding". There's a whole world of balls-out automotive thrashing and fineness before 1945.

I've always kinda liked early roadsters with a higher stance and narrow wheels and tires. And actually, no rubber rake.
Now I think I know why.

I've got the beginnings of a roadster project. I'm doing better now, but I've had so much down time over the last 3-4 years from injuries and health issues, I haven't been able to work on it. But it did give me time to research and plan and collect parts. And to try to make some decisions as far as what direction to take.
A couple of my recent parts acquisitions reflects my thoughts about what I might like to do.





I was thinking of ways to build a roadster body. Came up with the number of options. One of the options is when I realized that the very early race cars had almost no body at all. Talk about minimalist. After the cowl, just seats, fuel tank, and maybe a bit of wooden structure and a spare tire. And the more I look at it, the more I like it. I like the big bulldog-ish look in front with the abbreviated rear.
Funny... now, anything more than that seems excessive and unnecessarily heavy to me.

Good old famous #8 is one of my favorites. 1912 National. Won the second Indianapolis 500 in 1912.
I could definitely rock some leather "doors".

 

It's a big thread and this might have been posted already, but I think it's the frog's eyebrows.

 

IF it was shown before it doesn't matter, could be shown again tomorrow and no one should complain. I honestly can't tell if it's a new picture or old one. It's perfect!!

 

A view at a Los Angeles racetrack showing race car driver “Wild” Bob Burman at the wheel of a Peugeot car with number 7.
Bob Burman raced in the opening race of the 1916 season at Ascot Park, held March 5, 1916. (Motor Age, March 9, 1916). He died in a crash April 8, 1916 at the 1916 Corona Boulevard Race in Corona, California. Ascot Park racetrack operated 1904-1919, at Central and Florence Avenues in South Los Angeles (In “History of America’s Speedways, Past and Present” by Allan E. Brown).

 

Just purchased a copy of Ronald Sieber's book "Classic Speedsters", arrived while I was gone and just made a quick look through. The model T Ford section is very ironic as almost every car labeled a "model T speedster" is not a model T. The image below, however, is very interesting. Albeit entitled "model T speedster track racers" none of the cars are model T's. I believe the car the far left side bearing number 22 is a Mercer. The first car with the hood up feels like a Essex. Thoughts on what the rest are?

 

Thanks! Great photo to start the week with! The T Head MERCER in the Simeone collection carries the number 22, is there any mention where the above photo was taken? This car lived here in town and was owned by a local plumber from around 1920 until it sold at auction in 1962 for $15,100. I was 11 years old at the time and to this day still look at the garage it lived in as I drive by, just one street over. Bob

 

The wheels on that MERCER are unique made by Michelin , can a computer wiz blow up the photo to see if they match?

 

Same Mercer#22?

 

YES! Thanks for posting this photo. You and I seam to enjoy seeing the same cars, always enjoy seeing your posts.