Paramount Ranch -- 10

Chuck Daigh won the main event on June 16th in the "Troutman-Barnes" Special.  This was the first US sports/racing overall win for a Ford powered car; ironically, it came shortly after Ford officially withdrew from racing.
 
Due to hot weather Daigh ran with a body panel removed.

The car was displayed at the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours.

 
Current Troutman-Barnes Special owner Michael Guard Sheehan (not the California Ferrari person) sent me the following:

     "It's 1957 and I first saw the T-Barnes Spl. run at the Speed Week at Dillingham Field on Oahu.  I was 13 years old.  The car was driven by a fellow named Chuck Daigh.  I got close enough to touch the car, after it beat Ferraris, Maseratis, Mercedes Gullwings and I don't remember what else. 

     The T-Barnes went 161.? miles per hour in the Flying Mile, beating all others, which seems strange, today.  It was powered then by an o/head Ford Police Interceptor 352 ci block that Chuck Daigh said last year was a left over motor that Ford had sent for some other racing program. 
 

(5-28-08)  From website visitor Tom Rosenthal: 

"Minor point, sort of. The OHV engine wasn't a 352 Interceptor in 1957, as the 352 wasn't introduced until 58. Per an old Sports Car Illustrated article the engine was a Ford 312 bored and stroked to 342 cubes, which was pretty much the max for the old Y-block."
 
     Six years later, 1963, I just finished high school here in Hawaii.  The T-Barnes was bought after the 1957 race by Jimmy Pflueger from Mr's Troutman and Barnes, motor went to local racer Bill Lacy in a 1957 T-Bird Spl.  Pflueger purchased a Keith Black 331 cid small block Chev. 3 carbs, Vertex mag.  Pflueger raced the T-Barnes in Hawaii from '57 to '63, with time out in 1959 for Chuck Daigh to race the car at Riverside in 1959 against the Scarab and other more advanced machines.

     For Riverside a "Scarab" Chev. motor  was installed.   According to Chuck Daigh, had he not gotten a flat tire on the last lap, "Momma" T-Barnes Spl. would have beaten her "babies" the Scarabs. 

     Car bought by me from Mr. Pflueger in 1963, no engine or trans, left axle sheared off
due to heat fracture from rear diff. being "weld-locked" for traction.  Local oriental machine shop (samurai sword concept) heat treated and re-joined axle pieces, car re-powered by 327 Chev. F.I. motor and trans.  Drag Raced in Hawaii because no road racing.

Back to Dick Troutman in 1986 for re-do, and again in 1989 to re-power with hi-tech Ford Flathead. Raced at Monterey Historics 1987, 1999 w/Chuck Daigh at wheel, 40 years after he last drove it at Riverside in 1959.  Car when not in Hawaii has been displayed at Reno Auto (Harrah's) Museum and/or Petersen Auto Museum.  Many Photos, many wonderful people send copies of their favorite photos of the T-Barnes Special.  Still happily owned by me almost 40 years.

Kind Regards,   Michael Guard Sheehan,     Hawaii 

 
March winner Jerry Austin ran as high as 2nd, but DNF'd.  Pete Woods finished 2nd to Daigh in another D-Type Jaguar.

 
Bob Drake finished 3rd in Joe Lubin's Aston Martin.

Funny, here he's running with Richie Ginther's #211.  At the March event Ginther's Aston Martin carried Bob Drake's #49.   ???????

 
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