[Bob Tanner]

DOF, you bailed me out awhile back when I couldn't come up with details on a tandem front-wheeled Grand Prix car. I'm asking for some help with an Indy memory I have but on which I can't find any info.

If anyone else has any info on this I'd appreciate your help.

Back in the mid or late 50's I remember someone entered a car which had a canopy over the driver, much like a fighter jet might have. I remember the car as being white with blue lettering and I think it was a Belond Equiflow sponsored car. I might be wrong on that. I also think that it was driven by Sam Hanks, but I'm probably off there, also.

I seem to remember that the car actually qualified and raced without the canopy but I don't remember why.

Does anyone have any memory or info on this? Or, am I imagining things?

Getting old is turning into a real bi*ch!

[DOF_power]

Bob you mean front engined not front wheeled, right ?!

The Belond car that won in 57 was this:

Belond Special, 1957 Special | Conceptcarz.com - Pictures, Pricing, Information, Wallpaper, History

YouTube - Indianapolis 500 1957

Here's the grid:
Starting Grid for the 1957 Indianapolis 500 :: Indianapolis 500

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

Bob you mean front engined not front wheeled, right ?!

The Belond car that won in 57 was this:
]

No, it was front engined.

I actually was there in 1957 when the car you pictured won. As I remember, it was the debute of the laid-down Meyer-Drake, instead of being mounted vertical as they did in the Kurtis-Kraft roadsters.

Maybe I'm confused?

[clutch]

This may be of help Bob?

Picasa Web Albums - Walter Zoomie - Indianapolis ...

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

No, it was front engined.

I actually was there in 1957 when the car you pictured won. As I remember, it was the debute of the laid-down Meyer-Drake, instead of being mounted vertical as they did in the Kurtis-Kraft roadsters.

Maybe I'm confused?

OK now I'm even more confused ?!

1] Front engined rear wheel drive or front engined front-wheel-drive ?!

2] Engine was longitudinal inclined to the left/right or longitudinal vertical or was it transversal ?!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by clutch

This may be of help Bob?

Picasa Web Albums - Walter Zoomie - Indianapolis ...

Gawd, I LOVE this forum!!!

THANK YOU very much, Mate. I was beginning to think I had dreamed the whole thing! MY eternal gratitude.

I found the following link: champcars.blogspot.com/2005/07/sumar-special-streamliner.html which gives pictures of the car with and without fenders and canopy.

This is one of two Indy 500-type oddities which I remembered. The other is Indy winner Roger Ward winning a sports car race at LIme Rock, CN driving an Offenhauser midget.

[clutch]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Gawd, I LOVE this forum!!!

THANK YOU very much, Mate. I was beginning to think I had dreamed the whole thing! MY eternal gratitude.

I found the following link: champcars.blogspot.com/2005/07/sumar-special-streamliner.html which gives pictures of the car with and without fenders and canopy.

This is one of two Indy 500-type oddities which I remembered. The other is Indy winner Roger Ward winning a sports car race at LIme Rock, CN driving an Offenhauser midget.

No sweat my friend, did you flip through some of the other pics in that album....some real good ones there

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by clutch

No sweat my friend, did you flip through some of the other pics in that album....some real good ones there

Boy, talk about memories! Those roadsters and sprint cars were the cars I grew up watching. The pictures with the old Pagoda in the background and the pictures of the old wood garages in Gasoline Alley were great!

A couple of bits of info: The picture entitled "More Disc Brakes" has the driver Jack McGrath pointing to the brakes.

In the picture of the car builder George Salieh and another in a couple of vintage cars, I'm almost positive that the young-looking guy on the right in the background is legendary mechanic and car builder A.J. Watson.

You made my day, to say the least. Thank you very much.

[clutch]

I went back to look after your post and did you notice this 8th from the end...with sidepods and canopy off

Picasa Web Albums - Walter Zoomie - Indianapolis ...

[clutch]

and the last one .....
Ward

Picasa Web Albums - Walter Zoomie - Indianapolis ...

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by clutch

and the last one .....
Ward

Picasa Web Albums - Walter Zoomie - Indianapolis ...

Yep. That picture was taken in either '54 or '55. The new Tower Terrace has been put up.
Take notice of the front and rear suspension on the dirt car. They must have been a bear to handle on dirt, especially with a solid axle front end.

BTW, did you know that Roger Ward was the man who designed the Pocono track? That's a little fact which has been lost in history.

[clutch]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

BTW, did you know that Roger Ward was the man who designed the Pocono track? That's a little fact which has been lost in history.

now that is an interesting fact!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by clutch

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner
BTW, did you know that Roger Ward was the man who designed the Pocono track? That's a little fact which has been lost in history.
now that is an interesting fact!

In the interest of correctness there is a little more to the story.

Pocono was originally a 3/4-mile triangular dirt track designed by a local driver named Marty Fleck. Fleck was an acquaintance of Mario Andretti. (I think Mario and Aldo might have run some races at the old Pocono track)

Around 1968-1969, USAC (Indy Car) was at its zenith, profit-wise. Roger Ward was the President of USAC and was looking to expand. Somehow Mario got the people at Pocono and Ward and USAC together and it was decided to build a three-cornered track the length of The Brickyard.

Roger Ward and Fleck wanted a track tailored for the Indy cars and merged the triangular design with Brickyard length and modeled the three turns from three or the most unique Indy tracks, at the time; Indy, Milwaukee and Trenton.

I have read that Mario was somehow involved in the design process but I have never verified that.

The first Indy race was held there three years before the first NASCAR race.

[clutch]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

I have read that Mario was somehow involved in the design process but I have never verified that.
.

thats him there at the ground-breaking. I'm learning more all the time thanks Bob

My Years At The Pocono Raceway Years 1958 To 1998

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by clutch

thats him there at the ground-breaking. I'm learning more all the time thanks Bob

My Years At The Pocono Raceway Years 1958 To 1998

Thanks for the link, Mate. I enjoyed it.

I have a genuine love of history in general. I especially love the uniqueness and colour of NASCAR and Indy car history. Sometimes, and unfortunately I'm sure it shows, I get extremely frustrated with the callous disregard some folks show for wonderful history NASCAR has and how it ties into the automotive progress this country and, so some extent, the rest of the world, has been affected.