One More Jalopy

[BobD]

Finished this up....nothing great, but a fun build. The '37 Ford was driven by Bill Starr in the late 1950s.  He made the trip from Moline, IL. to Waterloo, IA. for a couple seasons. Its 140 miles by today's standards on the interstate highways, so I can only imagine what a long haul it was on two-lane roads with no AC back in the day.  Kinda liked this car because it was painted something other than black or white, which most of the cars were of that era.

Rims came from Ron Coon Resins, decals by "G-Man Graf-X Decals". I didn't notice until too late that the 1:1 car had a 'rub-rail' on the driver side - oh well!  Ended up with the rear whitewall tires from a junked-out friction '56 Chevy. (I think it could've been a model my 6-year old brother threw down the stairs one of the many times he was mad at me)!
Bill Starr late 50s by RD Dix, on Flickr
20210617_144730 by RD Dix, on Flickr
bill starr 2 by RD Dix, on Flickr
101_4335 by RD Dix, on Flickr
20210617_144619 by RD Dix, on Flickr
101_4336 by RD Dix, on Flickr
Bill S 7 by RD Dix, on Flickr
20210617_162040 by RD Dix, on Flickr

[Dirtman]

I love it! You have a way of showing the real car in  a great big way!!!!!


Rett

[bandit2026]

Nailed it

[john2]

   Very nice.  An oldie but goodie.

[sentsat71]

WOW!!!

[David Bogard]

Starr was one of the big dogs back in the day. Guys like him, Shorty Bennett, Benny Hofer, Ernie Speth et al would come down to Peoria for the State of Illinois Championships each year back in the 50's and 60's. Terrific representation Bob!!

[Bob P.]

Excellent replica build, very nice work.

Bob

[Maineboy]

Nice work. Got my intro to racing in the late 50's in Maine. Things here then were often a ways behind the rest of the country. I saw a lot of race cars that certainly were in the same family as this one was. Coupes, 4 dr sedans, two door flat backs and hump backed cars were all available at almost no cost to anyone desiring to go racing. The most powerful motor was that old flattie or maybe a Hudson 6 now and then. This car had a real nice job of lettering that was obviously done by a pro sign guy. Most Maine cars of this era were "hand painted" and the lettering on some looked like it had been done with a broom or something. I love that color and you are right. I don't remember many cars here in that era that were something other than black and white.

[BobD]

Thanks everyone for the nice words. Yes Maineboy, you aptly described many of the cars that raced here, which also included some GMC inline sixes and even a Ford woodie station wagon.  And for sure, most were hand-lettered.

And David - Bennett, Hofer and Speth also ran 'up north' here once in a while. The photos here show Ernie Speth in a 1956 rollover and aftermath at Tunis Speedway in Waterloo. 
E speth Tunis by RD Dix, on Flickr
E Speth Tunis wreck by RD Dix, on Flickr

[Maineboy]

I have photos of the racing on the dirt track in Unity, Me in the late 50's and they look just like your photos. I suspect those pics could have been taken on any one of thousands of short dirt tracks back then. Unity had jalopies and they separated them into 6 cyl and 8 cyl classes. You are right that some GMC truck engines were used and a few guys used those Hudson Twin H motors. They were so good that Hudson engines  were banned from many tracks 6 banger classes. I saw some flathead Ford 6 cylinders in those races too. When Unity first started the "modified" classes those were 6 and 8 cylinder also. I know of one man who won several championships with a GMC 6.

The thing that is most interesting is that back in the day it did not cost much to build and run a race car at your local track. Now you need to spend a fair amount in order to have a decent chance. I think the high cost of being competitive today is one of the reasons there are fewer tracks and fewer cars compared to the era of those photos. Famed  driver, and Maine track owner Ralph Nason, said several years back that you could sink $30,000 into a late model in Maine, and they are not going to race for a $200 purse.

Nathan

[David Bogard]

We may have crossed paths some time in the past Bob. Dad and me went up to Davenport, Sterling (the old Speedbowl Park), Coal Valley, East Moline, and sometimes farther into Iowa to Burlington and West Liberty. Later on when I could drive, I went to tracks all over Illinois and several in Iowa, Missouri, Indiana and so on.

[Olderndirt]

That’s a classic shot of the bent ‘40 Ford sedan, and the CJ2A push vehicle. Do any of you guys build vintage push vehicles?

Olderndirt

[ARCA Guy]

Another great replica - nice work as always!

[RCR]

That is cool! Email me a couple of pictures so I can get it on the website.