Aerodynamics have been a part of the Indianapolis 500 since Ray Harroun designed the first rear view mirror on a race car in 1911. The “wedge shaped” contraption that would eventually be used on almost every automobile built was shaped like that to eliminate the drag of a flat piece sticking up from the car.
Even before that the shape of the Marmon Wasp, built in 1910, had a sleek shape compared to other race cars of the day. The 1937 winner of Wilbur Shaw was an aerodynamic piece itself. In 1955 2 cars entered (and almost a 3rd car for Bill Vukovich, winner of the past two 500’s) that were called, back in the day, “Streamliner”. The yellow Belond Miracle Power Special designed by Quinn Epperly and the blue and white Sumar Special designed by Frank Kurtis and Chapman Root started out as “fendered” cars.
The Sumar had full fenders and the both cars had enclosed cockpits. Jimmy Daywalt, driver of the Sumar car did not like the fact that he could not see the front tires and complained of being claustrophobic with the “bubble” installed. After the 1st day of practice, the team took the “fenders” and the cockpit bubble off of the car. Jimmy Qualified the car 17th and finished 9th. In 1956, Marshall Teague failed to qualify the car. In 1959, the body was put back on the car and taken to Daytona to attempt a “Land Speed Record” run with Teague. After taking the car up to over 171 mph early in the trials, Teague crashed the car attempting to break the 180mph mark and was killed. The car was not raced again. It is still in the Root family.
The #33 Belond car driven by Jim Rathmann used fairings rather than a complete body. It also started out as a covered canopy on the cockpit but that was taken off early in the month. Rathmann qualified the car 20th and finished 14th. It did not qualify in 1956.
The Keck “Streamliner” was designed and being built by Norman Timbs, Quinn Epperly, Jim Travers and Frank Coon and was to have first a Novi motor. When Lew Welch would not sell the motor to Keck, he wanted to have Leo Goosen build a new V8 Supercharged Offenhauser for the radical new car. When it looked like the car would not be completed in time for the ’55 race, Keck released Vukovich to drive for owner Lindsey Hopkins. The rest is history.
The Keck Streamliner never arrived or raced in Indy although according to Jim Travers, the car was scheduled to be driven at Indianapolis in 1956 by Jack McGrath. McGrath was killed in a racing accident in Phoenix in November of 1955. The Keck Streamliner was not completed until 1985 and it never raced.
There is a sad story about Marshall Teague. and that attempt..if you are interested in reading what really happened..get Smokey Yunick’s Triolgy!
I was on the race team tha that actually raced the car back in the ’90′s. Body and chassis was finished by Jim Robbins. Leo Goff took 2/3 years to finish the car and make it drivable/racable. Odd wheel locks were to tie the car down for transport. Chrome 3 spokers were used racing. Car raced at Road America in Mid Ohio in Mid 90′s in an SVRA event. Was the big hit of the event. Engine heat melted some of the electrical components during the event. rear of hood was propped up for a quick fix. After the event I carried the hood and belly pan to Ron Founier’s shop in Detroit area. He louvered the belly pan and fabbed up a new louvered hood using the old hood as a pattern. Car was raced a second time at Road Atlanta and was featured with thew Sumar Special driven Chapman Root Jr. The only time 2 50′s Streamliners were ever raced together being on the track at the same time. It was an exciting time back in the 90′s getting to be part of the history of these cars.
Sorry not to specific. I’m referring to the red #3 Keck Streamliner. Some other interesting events during the development of the car. The car was carried many times and practiced raced at Memphis Motorsports Park. Car was tested with the body off the car. Car was a handfull to transport due to being a enclosed body. Not fun to deal with . At the Road America race the trip up to Ohio had been so rough that the body of the car had set down on the chassis due to rough roads. Body had to removed from car and the torsion bar suspension reset higher to get the body off the wheels. Believe me no easy task. With the car on the false grid ready to get on the track a photographer taking pictures of the car hanging off a pole fell across the car and bent and scrapped the rear fender. We patched it at the race and had a proper fix applied later. Many more experiences with this car.
Fokes, I just found in my old bits the original drawings for the v8 engine meant to go in the Keck streamliner… All fullsize and in great shape. There is a blueprint for the cylinder head, another drawing of the crankcase showing the roots blower location. Also the crankshaft, bob weight, counterweight diameter, bearing journal diameters. Notes on the drawing listing H.P. RPM. All signed by Leo Goosen. These need to go to a good home.
Look at my web site and it will give you info on who I am Jim Jones
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The SUMAR cars were actually built in nearby Terre Haute, IN. As a kid, I used to ride my bike the 2 miles from my house to look into the garage and see the cars sitting in there. Occasionally, I would get to look in through open garage doors as cars were being worked on.
In the book about Jimmy Bryan, one of the last photos taken of Jimmy has him kneeling and talking to a very young boy who is identified as having the last name of Lingenfelter. Would Steve Ligenfelter know more about the photo that was taken in Pennsylvania or New Jersey?