Mystery Cars 2  -- Can you help identify them?   (2004-2005)

Website visitors have contributed photos & info on "barn finds" and other unknown sports/racing cars from the 1950s and early 1960s.  Can you help these car owners with photos, memories, articles, or other information about their cars? 

If you have info please email me and I'll put you in touch with the owner.  Some images below are clickable.

New!!!   Mystery Cars 3 -- 2006-2011

 
8-5-05

Dave Ridenour drove a Genie Mk.VIII-Ford in the early days of the USRRC Championship.  Interestingly, it seems Ridenour intended to recreate the Genie as a Ford GT40-like GT car.  Car is presently at "OldSchool Restorations of North Alabama, USA".

 
8-4-05

Michael T. Lynch is looking for information about this car:  Ollie Schmidt's DeTomaso-OSCA.

 
5-11-05

From Richard Campbell:  I’ve got a 1957 MGA (registered in 1959) that may have been raced in California and in the Southwest in the 60’s."

 
5-11-05

Bob Mosier's Special has a chassis built to Chuck Manning's blueprints, but who can identify the body?

 
5-11-05

Tom Styczynski is looking for info on the "Oliver Special".  This unusual and very cute little car has a midwestern racing history.

 
5-11-05

Jim Reed is looking for the current owner of the Frostrom/Batchelor sports/racer.  More info HERE.

 
4-10-05

From Bruce Glascock:  "I have acquired a Special based on a Healey 100/4 chassis, running a Chevy small block and 4-speed. I believe it was built in the late 50's."  (Click on image for bigger photo & more info.)

 
4-10-05

From Bruce Smythe:  "In late 1988 or 89 this car left Wisconsin and came to New Zealand, where I've spent years restoring it, and now race it at historic meets. Does anyone know who owned it previously?"  (Click on image for bigger photo & more info.)

 
4-10-05

From Bob Bodin in Minneapolis:  I'm looking for info on Dave Doolly out of Oklahoma in 1965. He had a new at that time E-Type and raced it all over the  country. Any help? Oh! I now own the car and am restoring it. Hope to hear from you! 

 
3-31-05

From Max Harnish:  "I was wondering if anyone could help me identify this car. It has a fiat 850 engine in it and looks fairly complete.  Car is currently at "OldSchool Restorations of North Alabama, USA".

 
3-31-05

From Steve Silverstein:  "I wrote an article for the New England Alfa Club regarding searches for race car records -- Titled "Finding the line on that Race Car's history"  (Look under past issues, Feb. 2001)"

 
2-20-05

Eugene from Florida is interested in information on this Devin-Triumph.  He found it in a junkyard.  Not a bad looking car for a junkyard find!  (This is the only photo)

 
2-16-05

Alex McGillavry of Tucson, AZ, found this bare chassis in Phoenix.  It may be a historically significant "Morgensen Special" -- a twin car to Max Balchowsky's "Ol' Yaller I".

 
2-16-05

Kevin Corrigan is looking for information on his very clean custom sports car.  It started its life as a 1954 Austin Healey and now has Chevy power and a custom metal, NOT FIBERGLASS body.

 
2-16-05

"I recently bought a very interesting chassis with a non-original fiberglass body on it.   You can see pictures of my car HERE.  The engine was a tuned MG-TF 1500.  The chassis is very similar to an early Lister chassis, and I have read HERE that similar cars were touring in California in the 50s...   (3-9-05)  MORE INFO!

 
2-16-05

From Daniel Smith:   "I recently heard someone talk about a BMW Formula 4 from 55/56.  I think it was a Griffin or Griffith.  Any info/help would be appreciated." (Info on these cars HERE.)

 
1-4-05

Rich Bennett is looking for information on the Huffaker-Chevy Special because his grandfather, Joe Gilardi, once owned it.

 
1-4-04

Steve Silverstein, webmaster of the Sunbeam "Alpines in Competition" site, bought this car recently and is looking for information on its history.

 
12-30-04

From Greg Kolasa:  "I'm the GT40 Registrar (historian) for the Shelby American Automobile Club, and am currently working on an updated edition of our World Registry.  Specifically, I'm looking for any information on a specific GT40, serial number 1024, originally owned by (Dr.) Al Whatley, of Las Vegas.  Al bought the white-with-blue-stripes car in April of 1966, and so far, we know that it ran at the following races: 

4-24-66 Las Vegas-Stardust Raceway USRRC, DNF, 7 laps
5-1-66 Riverside Raceway USRRC, DNF, 16 laps
10-30-66 Riverside Raceway, DNS, #44

I am wondering if you might have any info on the above races (entry lists, photos) or any Riverside Raceway entry lists from other races that I might check to see if Whatley raced the car at any other races.  I look forward to hearing from you, and thank you in advance for any assistance you might be able to give me."

 
12-23-04

Never in a million years would I have expected one of THESE to appear as a "Mystery Car" here.  Can anyone help identify this Maserati 300S?

 
12-20-04
"My name is Tim Ritter and I am trying to track down any information on this car.  It has a round tubular frame and a 56 Corvette engine with a 39 Ford gearbox.  It was finished at one time.  The instruments are winged 
Stewart Warners. The nose tilts forward."

12-30-04 More from Tim

 
12-3-04

My name is Darren Crispin and I need some help tracking down info on a company that made fiberglass bodies in the early 1950's. My grandfather and his brother set out to produce a car in 1952 and featured a "Swallow" body manufactured by Allied Fiber-Glass in Los Angeles. The body was purchased for $585.00 as is quite beautiful...    (More)

 
11-29-04

Andrew Williams asks:  "I recently bought an AC Bristol that was raced in the late '50's and early '60's in SCCA by Skip Horney.  I'm trying to track him down to get some further history on the car and was wondering if anyone might have any information.  Alternatively, if you knew his first name, it's possible I could find him if he's still around.  I only have his initials to go by which are A.G. Horney.   I do know that the car placed 7th and 12th in SCCA national standings in 1959 and 1960 respectively."

 
10-29-04

Dr. Mark Brinker of Houston, TX is interested in the history of his Devin-Panhard.  Can anyone help him with prior owners, racing history, etc.?

 
9-20-04

Seen at the 2004 Monterey Historics.  Does anyone know what this car might be?  Yes, that's a Rolls-Royce logo beneath the British appearing license number.  Click on photo for a larger image.   Solved!!!

 
9-13-04

Racing historian David Seielstad would like some help identifying this mid-50s sports car. Solved!!!

 
9-5-04

Ole Anderson of Monterey, CA, recently acquired this Volvo 444-powered car with a homebuilt tubular chassis and what he thinks is a Byers body.  Can anyone help Ole identify his car?

 
8-9-04 

From Richard Campbell: " I recently purchased a Crosley-powered H-mod, and I'd like to see if anyone can shed some light on its past. According to a 1979 title, the car is a "Homemade Sports Car Roadster."  It is described as a 1960 -- but the construction and components could place it anywhere in the 1950's."     Solved!!!

 
8-8-04

From Simon Thomas:  "Hi there from Ireland!  I have a Lotus 18 Formula Junior that was originally supplied to Jay Chamberlain in October 1960. This was one of five and is chassis number 18J/805. According to my Road and Track magazines these cars were raced by Jim Hall, Hap Sharp, Walt Hansgen, Pat Pigott and another unknown. Is there any way that I could find out who drove which chassis? They were replaced by the Lotus 20s very quickly in early 1961. My car came back to the UK as a job lot for the first Jim Russell racing driver school at Snetterton in 1964 and came to Ireland the next year. The man who made the chassis for the Devins in Belfast was called Noel Hillis, I met him some years ago but he did not really want to talk about the cars, too many bad memories." 

 
7-23-04 

From Doug Avery:  "I am trying to research the provenance of my 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce.  The factory historical office informs me that it was sold to R. Martinez of Los Angeles in 1957.  I have no record of it until 1964 when it was purchased from a used car lot who said that they had removed the roll bar.  There is some evidence of it's having passed through Pearres Brothers specialty dealership in Southgate along the way" 

 
7-15-04

From Michael Gans:  "I am researching a Lotus 23B that was raced in the US by Graham Hill in 1963.  Originally, the car (23-S-86) was delivered to Ian Walker Racing.  From what I’ve been told, the car, driven by Graham Hill, participated at the following races: 

Sept. 29th 1963, North West GP, Pacific Raceway, 3rd overall
November 13th 1963, Times GP, Riverside, CA, 10th overall
November 20th 1963, Monterey GP, 12th overall

Interestingly, in one of my sources it is listed as a Roy Winkelmann Racing entry rather than an Ian Walker entry.  I was wondering whether anyone could shed light on which racing team entered the car in California in 1963. Also, I’d be interested in any pictures, programs, results, etc..  Thanks in advance for any leads you might be able to provide!" 

 
7-5-04

Bruce King asks:  "Does anyone happen to have any info on a red AC Bristol that was owned and driven by Frank Crane in 1957-61?" 

 
7-5-04

Website visitor Mark Schoenlein is looking for Berkeley race car pictures.   He just acquired this car -- Milton Schaefer's.

 
6-26-04

From Bob Engberg:  "A fellow believes he may own the Lotus XI pictured here  The caption says the car was owned by Ed Mackey.  He believes it's chassis #236.  Does anyone have info on this car or on Ed Mackey?"

 
5-28-04  Website visitor Paul Ingram restored his car and is looking for info about it. " I have restored and am currently vintage racing the pictured "Atlas/ Ford" at Portland and Seattle.  As near as I have found it was made by the Atlas fiberglass co. (Mickey Thompson and Roy Kinch) later called the Allied fiberglass co.  This is as close as I have come to fully identifying the car. The car was found in the San Diego area and has a shortened 40 Ford frame and front suspension." 
 
12-30-04    More from Paul:  "Have had one lead on more history on the Atlas/Ford since you ran the pictures. The search goes on!!  Doing a couple of new engines for the car (one full race flathead, and a mild 56 Y block) and will have it back ready for the vintage race season at Portland."
 
5-28-04

Website visitor Jim Wallace is interested in photos & information on the 1957 Ford T-Bird "Battlebird" built by Bill Stroppe & run at Daytona & elsewhere.  He's building a replica.

 
5-7-04

"My name is Anthony Kalil, and I have found an old Devin race car and I need to trace its history.  The car is described as a 1958 Devin.  It has an MGA engine and 
transmission..."

 
4-9-04

Eric Bernhard & Mac Archer have a request re: the "Sting" CanAm car.

"I just learned from John Collins that the Sting actually was in a third race. Two weeks after it finished the last Can-Am at Road America in 1974, and after John quit working for Gary Wilson, the car went to a race at Sears Point . All John recalled, not having been there, was that the car broke a half shaft. So the car must have passed tech and run at least once that weekend. If anyone has or comes across any Sears Point information from July - August 1974, we would be very interested. "

 
2-24-04

Website visitor Johnnie Slayton is curious about this Chrysler 300F.  He suspects that this photo was taken at the April 3, 1960 race at Riverside International Raceway.  Maybe it was a pace car?    Who's the guy?

 
2-3-04

"Kurtis Cars 4"  Bob Eagleson drove this Mistral bodied Kurtis in northern California races in 1962.  Does anybody know this "Mystery Car's" history?

 
2-2-04

More on Chris Insalaco's MG Special.  Chris contributed more specs on the car and a website visitor offered a possible matchup with a historic photo.

 
2-2-04

Racing historian Ron Cummings is looking for information on Barry Williams' Porsche Special.

 
2-2-04

"I have a Moretti 750 Grand Sport coupe that was imported by Ernie McAfee.  Can you please help me to find period photos of these little gems. Thank you and hope to hear from you soon.   Best regards,   Tony Paalman"

 
2-2-04 

From Alistair Watson:  "I am investigating BHL-127 (chassis No) a Lister Chevrolet raced by Chuck Howard at Nassau in 59 & 60 and at Bridgehampton 60 & 61, Road America in 61 & 62, Lime Rock in 61 and Elkhart Lake in 60, 61 & 62.  It was owned by various people & companies before returning here to UK in 1988ish."  Can anyone help Alistair?

 
2-1-04

Dudley Cunningham now owns one of the most amazing sports/racers ever constructed in the USA -- the "Bocar Stiletto"!  He's looking for info on his car.  Click on image for more photos & info.

 
1-31-04

Chris Insalaco found this MG Special in a barn in Fresno.  Can anybody help Chris identify his car?

 
1-31-04 

Richard Meadows of the UK asked me for help in identifying this car.

 
1-31-04 

Aston Martin DB3S owner Ron Keil would like help in finding this missing DB3S, #109.  Ron has the original 6 cylinder Aston Martin engine from #109 in his own car, DB3S #115.

 
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