Rare Car Information

Rabu, 06 Juni 2012

June 21st, 6pm, San Diego Auto Museum is having a event to share info on the History of Desert Racing

above images from http://www.gambleart.com/Barney%20Oldfield.htm

http://www.arizonaracinghistory.com/cactusderbyintro.htm has a good bit of history about the "Cactus Derby", it was 511 miles,

Briefly, when the cars were still a marvel in the US, and people raced them because it was the most incredible thing to do, faster than a horse could run, or a passenger could ride a train, all sorts of unusual events were almost commonplace to test drivers and the new contraptions called Automobiles, and a lot of people went racing in any form possible. The Paris to Peking, the New York to Paris, the New York to San Fran, the Vanderbilt Cup, beach racing at Ormond, Daytona, Bonneville and the dry lakes of So Cal... but you may not have heard of the LA to Phoenix races through the desert.

The lack of roads, lack of pre-racing course preparation, and there not being any gas stations, service stations, parts stores, helpful bystanders, mechanics, or even towns to drive through made desert races incredibly difficult.

http://sdautomuseum.org/events/desert-racing-history-michael-anthony doesn't have any details though

So I'm going to try to make it to that speech, or q and a, and learn! I did find out that the first car to win was a White car, powered by a steam engine. At that time (1908?) White was such a great car that the President got one,http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/06/presidential-limo-circa-1909.html and Buffalo Bill did too http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/buffalo-bill-drove-white-steamer-in.html

the first 7 years of the Cactus Derby winners were driving the White steamer I mentioned, then a Buick, a Kissel Kar, something called National Baby Blue, a Franklin (aircooled was an advantage in the hot Southwest), a Locomobile, and in 1914 Barney Oldfield won in a Stutz

The race took about 30 hours, was on Nov 9th, and the desert on November has cold nights, and days in the 70's

Sabtu, 20 Agustus 2011

interesting variety of cars, blimps, trains, race cars and motorwheels found on The Old Motor.com

929 Packard and the Graf Zeppelin. For an amazing color gallery of the inside of the Hindenburg: http://www.howtobearetronaut.com/2011/04/inside-the-hindenburg-in-colour/

This an unusual front door bus with a ladder in the back so people could ride on top, This is a steam powered bus built in Hoquiam, Gray's Harbor County, Washington in 1902. It was in passenger service between Aberdeen and Hoquaim for just eleven days when it slipped off the road and into a creek, breaking a passenger's neck in the process. The lawsuit drove the company out of business (Steve found this out with magic!)

1905 Matheson

1908 Corbin

1919 series 9b franklin with 4 piece wedge windshield

1920's Locomobile model 48 with Farnum and Nelson coachwork

Naptha fuel in 1927

1938 REO delivery van

American Underslung

I didn't make a note about this photo, but probably the wrok of Stephan Marjoram

Above and below show just what a lack of border security there was between San Diego and Ti Juana... passing over was not even noticeable. Now, it's normally an hour or 2 of sitting in traffic, at least, to get into the US.

Only 1915 Indian registration I've ever seen

chain drive AC Mack tow truck delivering to the junkyard

Columbia Electric Vehicle with 2 coachmen riding on the back

Keeping the car high and dry during a flood

1922 Frontenac Indy race car and Duray the driver.. I like the grill design

A 1913-14 GMC Electric

interesting double globe gas pumps

wow, that is a fancy art deco garage facade

the private collection of the Indian Govenor of Rampur

The Hassler shock absorber salesman pointing out options and upgrades this car has, like the solid disc rims, the upgraded Hassler shocks, the sunscreen, and front bumper