The Roaring Season

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Christmas quiz

Who are they? Two points for him, 88 points for her
What is it - specifically? Ten points

First to 100 - gentlemen, start your keyboards

Could it be Howden Ganley and Lynn St James with the AJ Foyt 1961 Indy winning Bowes Seal Fast Special

you're on 90!!

Well done that man

is it the 1960 Kurtis Roadster

No...

Miller Bowes "Seal fast" Special

A.J. Foyt Bowes Seal Fast Kurtis / Offy 1960 Indianapolis 500 Carousel

The Bowes Seal Fast Special originally built by Frank Kurtis in 1959 as that designer's first 'laydown engine' design. Jud Larson drove the car at Indy in 1959, finishing 29th after becoming involved in Mike Magill's lap 45 crash.

For the 1960 season, Bignotti had Quin Epperly rework the car, designing new framework, front suspension and bodywork. This new Epperly/Kurtis was assigned to twenty-five year old A. J. Foyt. Foyt qualified 16th for the 1960 Indy 500, but went out of the race in 25th place with clutch failure.

Well done guys - why would anyone be surprised that on Christmas Eve, this was nailed in a matter of hours.

I would have got 12 points at best - the fact that GeeBee got Lyn St James is astonishingly good spotting.

The photo was taken a matter of a day or so ago at some Christmas function in the San Francisco 'bay area'.

Today is in fact Howden's 72nd birthday - he'll be here for the Ferrari Festival...and I suspect return the 2015 version.

Michael Clark wrote:Well done guys - why would anyone be surprised that on Christmas Eve, this was nailed in a matter of hours.

I would have got 12 points at best - the fact that GeeBee got Lyn St James is astonishingly good spotting.

The photo was taken a matter of a day or so ago at some Christmas function in the San Francisco 'bay area'.

Today is in fact Howden's 72nd birthday - he'll be here for the Ferrari Festival...and I suspect return the 2015 version.

As you say Michael, they nailed that quick, GeeBee in my quiz team.
aren't they neat looking cars, and seems there are a lot still around.
Amazing Howden is 72 gee times going by, he still looks like he could pull on the driver suit and go and play.

I'll pass it on Rod...

As I said in the opening post on this thread, there is something about these things...the owners were mostly nutjobs, the cars themselves were insane and the drivers - hell they must have been certifiable. Add to that the zany colour schemes and the dinosaur nature of the them, it was wacky racers in real life!

yep great cars and great engines 4cylinders in a properly designed engine. even the later turbo ones retained the same basic design.
you have to love them

yep great cars and great engines 4 cylinders in a properly designed engine. even the later turbo ones retained the same basic design.
you have to love them

Michael Clark wrote:I'll pass it on Rod...

As I said in the opening post on this thread, there is something about these things...the owners were mostly nutjobs, the cars themselves were insane and the drivers - hell they must have been certifiable. Add to that the zany colour schemes and the dinosaur nature of the them, it was wacky racers in real life!

yep they are in a world of their own, and as you say about drivers being 'Certifiable' that surely would be bonus.

Sorry to say that A J Watson has passed away - 4 days after his 90th birthday.

I wonder what sort of tribute they will have at the 500 in a few weeks time.

I was recently in the Los Angeles area and was reminded that during the 1950s that 80 % of the Indy roadsters were built by five car builders all within a 25 mile radius of each other and in 1958 the complete Indy 500 field of 33 cars was built by these five southern California chassis builders ; Quin Epperly, Frank Kurtis, Eddie Kuzma, Lujie Lesvosky and A.J. Watson.
These magnificent machines were built in the most modest buildings and some of these structures can still be seen today.
A.J. Watson's shop in Glendale.


Quin Epperly Racing Shop in Gardena. Ca.


Frank Kurtis's Kurtis Kraft building back in the day also in Glendale. Ca.



(Ken Hyndman photo. Laguna Seca 2007 )
That they produced cars like this from such humble workshops just amazes me and I think the only testing would be is when they arrived at Indianapolis a few weeks before the event. No computers or wind tunnels or much in safety equipment back then.

I think that instead of tours to see the homes of film stars in Hollywood they should have tours to see these old race shops plus Traco and Shelby etc. locations. Much more interesting in my opinion !

(Ken Hyndman )

I forgot to name these roadsters.

# 76 is a 1962 Watson. " Weinberger Homes Special".

# 35 is a 1948 Kurtis Indy Champ Car.

# 27 is a 1952 Stevens Indy Champ Car.

# 2 is a 1959 Watson Champ Car.

Next # 2 is a 1964 Watson Indy rear engine car.

The far car is # 17 a 1961 Sines Champ Car" Bell Lines Trucking" Special.

This 2007 collection of Indy roadsters was from the Tom Malloy Collection.

https://arch.smugmug.com/Cars/Tom-Malloy-Collection/


( Ken H)

Michael Clark wrote:You are quite right (again) Stu - 1966 #39 maroon and black - (I didn't look late enough)

In 1968 the Mallard - aka 'The Pepsi-Frito Lay Special' was the last Roadster to qualify.

The last Roadster to finish looks like 1965 and Gordie Johncock in the 'Weinberger Homes Special' Watson. He was 5th.

Of Mark's photos, #43 has me stumped.

Michael,
You probably have the correct answer now after 4 years and Stu was close. But I liked this photo to show car # 43.
A 1957 Curtis "Roy Brady Special " at the Laguna Seca "Corkscrew" corner. 2010.


(Ken H)

This link is a few years ahead of what is going on but it is fun!

http://home.earthlink.net/~roygmisc1/startoffy1/startoffy1.html

Last Sunday one of the most innovative builders of Indy cars, Rolla Vollstedt, passed away at the grand age of 99.

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2017/10/25/legendary-indy-car-builder-and-team-owner-rolla-vollstedt-dead-at-age-99/

The Vollstedt Indy cars were well built as seen in this 1965 model which was a close copy of Colin Chapman's Lotus Indy car.


(Ken H )