"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." |
