Cheers Mike - Maybe they had been casting a look in Dr Porsche's directionOriginally Posted by Michael Clark
Another interesting one was The Watson Vista Special Jim Rathmann drove in 1962
But not in the race!!
Interesting thread indeed. Tough cars and tougher drivers. Driving a large oval is no cakewalk, as several rookies and F1 drivers soon found out.
I've always been a tad surprised that the name "Offenhauser" has endured..........the man himself had precious little to do with the design and later development of Harry Miller's knock-off of an early Peugeot......in fact I think he sold the whole kit and kaboodle just after WW2.
Meyer and Drake ( and several others that I can't bring to mind right now) possibly deserve most credit for the engine's successes......but the name "OFFY" does have a ring to it.............wouldn.t be QUITE the same, if "Poogewaah" ( to use American pronunciation) or some other, more accurate variant were used.........
GREAT thread
Gee how could I have forgotten to include Troy Ruttman as a top 10 Roadster contender? He won in '52 when very young driving a stretched dirt car after Vukie had led most of the way in the first Offy powered Roadster.
Neville, in addition to the 4.2 Offy 4 and the Novi V8 there was the Sparks 6 cylinder engine which seemingly was an Offy with 2 extra pots. A 183 c.i. (i.e. 3 litre) supercharged Sparks powered the winning car in the 1946 Indy 500 but then from 1947 to 1965, the Offenhauser ruled. By 1949 there was only one Sparks powered entry and none afterwards.
Rear 55 Dean Van Lines Spl
Imagine the centrafugal forces with all that gas washing around in that nice big tank. bet the handling changed as she got empty.
These were big cars driven by big guy's.
For anyone remotely interested, there is an story about Roadsters in the latest issue of NZ Classic Car...
Michael, you might have to name these Indycars.
These were all at the Monterey Historics in 2007, the Indy Roadster was the celerbrated marque.
There must of been 40-50 of them, spectacular cars with their huge Halibrand wheels and
thumping 4 cylinder Offy's.
1962 Indy 500 Winner
1955 Winner - John Zink Special, Kurtis Kraft Offy
I'm a bit of a Smokey Yunick fan so was wrapt to see this car.
AJ Foyts 1964 winning car, the last front engined car to win Indy.
Thanks for posting Nick - great pics, I'm hoping a grid of roadstars might make it to the Antipodes someday. Love to see them around Phillip Island.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote