Indy roadsters. The term roadster was used to describe a style of racing cars competing in the AAA/USAC Championship Cars series (the IndyCar equivalents of the time) from 1952 to 1969. Watson’s Indianapolis roadsters had risen to iconic status in American racing history. Oct 18, 2019 · Keck was determined to put “Vucky” in the winner’s circle for 1955, too. By 1950, Kurtis roadsters would go on to win almost every Indy 500 The Indy 500 was the 1956 season-opener and Flaherty and Watson's new roadster proved to be the combination to beat. Johnny Thompson took the pole at Indy in 1959 in a Lesovsky roadster, finishing third. 1960 Indy 5001st Place Jim Hurtubise, Demler Special, Epperly-Offy. Cars from his Southern California shops dominated midget and championship racing in the postwar era, scoring victories in the Indianapolis 500 in 1950 and 1951. This 1952 Indy roadster on eBay was completely restored 15 years ago after it was found in a barn in 1999. The new Indy roadster style is a throwback to the days of front engine Indy roadsters and USAC dirt track cars. May 27, 2022 · Bill was an old friend who had restored four Indy roadsters. , worked pretty hard to entice European Grand Prix teams to come to Indy (what most do not know is, the Indianapolis 500 paid World Driving Championship points from the mid-1930's through the late 1950's!), and as such, there were accommodations made in this regard. Many 500D Indy Roadsters were equipped with 270 cubic-inch Offy engines with dual overhead camshafts, four cylinders, four valves per cylinder, and fuel injection. Free shipping. Currently 7Fifteen offers the two different styles – the Roadster and the Indy Roadster, which is a limited edition run of only 33 cars, the same number of cars that race the Indy 500. Watson, who’d been showing up at Indy since 1948, had his own May 2, 2020 · Long before his passing on May 12, 2014, A. com: Formula 1 racing Race car design Race car insurance In 1:18 scale by Replicarz, this is the 1964 Smokey Yunick Offset Roadster with sidecar driven at Indianapolis 500. Hurtubise enjoyed much success in sprint cars, champ dirt cars, and stock cars, and was the winner of the 1966 Atlanta 500; however, he never achieved the success at the Indianapolis 500 which his rookie qualifying run promised, when he Thirty-five years ago this month marked the end of an era; the reign of the roadsters was over. ,” says Miller. Called the "laydown Offy," it allowed for May 23, 2016 · Kurtis built a total of 46 Indy roadsters. Jan 9, 2020 · Page 1 of 2 - Indy roadster - posted in 1/32 Vintage Cars: I posted about this on another Forum, and thought I would do the same here, in case anyone might be interested. No expense was spared during the restoration, and the car is said to perform as well Feb 25, 2020 · In addition to the three Indy roadsters above, the Akin collection also includes an incomplete Offenhauser-powered 1956 Kurtis-Kraft 500E for which RM Sotheby’s has yet to release any information. The Foyt who would win Le Mans in 1967 and the 500 Watson “roadsters,” it was never quite THAT many. Feb 20, 2018 · The new look reminded people of the hot-rod roadsters that were popular in California, so they became known as “Indy roadsters. com Apr 16, 2016 · In a few short years the entire Indy 500 field was made up of roadsters, rendering the old upright cars obsolete. They didn't televise the race back then. S. Watson, who built 23 "Watson Roadsters" in his tiny garage in Glendale, California, of which Jones's car was among the . Mar 25, 2022 · In 1964, Foyt claimed his second career Indianapolis 500 win (pictured above), but it was also the last time a front-engine roadster would win at Indy. May 23, 2020 · The 1964 race would be the last-ever 500 to be won by a traditional Indy roadster, and by 1966, only one front-engine car would be fast enough to qualify for the race. Marshman qualified on the outside pole at 149. 371 mph and won the race; and Parnelli Jones in the #98, also a Watson, qualified on the pole at 150. It would still be a thrill to see one of those races run with the roadsters. Kurtis sold the midget car portion of the business to Johnny Pawl in the late 1950s, and the quarter midget business to Ralph Potter in 1962. Sep 2, 2021 · Wagner is a metal shaper and chassis fabricator with dozens of custom street-rods, land-speed cars, and road race cars under his belt. That’s when legendary driver Jimmy Clark drove Jun 15, 2016 · The last roadster to qualify and run at Indy (which happened to be a Watson roadster) was driven by Bobby Grim in 1966. This kit is a representation of one of those Indianapolis roadsters. E-T INDY BOLT ON. “His favorite line is that Indy made A. Superb cock pit detail with glass faced gauges and all pedals, shifters, and controls. J. Feb 14, 2024 · In addition to the Troy Roadster, a 1950’s Indy race car inspired version was also developed alongside. Commissioned by Pete Salemi and built by Floyd Trevis, #81 made its Indy debut in 1951, driven by Bill Vukovich. Watson first showed up at Indianapolis as a crew member in 1948 and made his debut as a chief Mar 19, 2013 · Page 1 of 2 - The Indy Roadster Era - posted in The Technical Forum: Despite its seeming backwardness (ok, indisputable backwardness) the classic Indy roadster circa 1952-65 has a lot of fans. This impressive resin cast model is sure to fill a void in your Indy 500 collection. Watson himself, this Watson Indy Roadster replica project commemorates the famous 1959 Indianapolis 500 victory by Rodger Ward. During the mid-1950s Epperly opened his own shop in Lawndale, California, where he came up with a radical approach in racing car design, by placing a four-cylinder Offenhauser engine on its side, rather than in the upright position, as was the usual custom for the Indianapolis roadsters of that era. I airbrushed Future as the clear coat. 99. Here's a brief history and a big photo gallery featuring Kurtis, Watson, Epperly, et al. 95 (15th Place) Indianapolis 500, May 1965, Branson/Grim, Leader Card Roadster No. David Malsher-Lopez Mar 26, 2018, 7:38 PM Upd: Mar 26, 2018 May 18, 2016 · No way around it: A. Dec 2, 2013 · This Facebook Group is to honor the beauty and heritage of the Roadster Style of cars that Raced at the Indianapolis 500. The Kurtis Kraft 500B, 500C, [6] 500F, [7] and 500G, [8] are a series of open-wheel race cars, designed, developed and built by Kurtis Kraft, for AAA and U. It is, however, a model of a specific KK 500C, which car exists today in it's 1955 race form. I had a similar version of this years ago; it had (2) screws holding the body halves together, and an open-frame motor. When Dan Rouster dreamed of a road-going, two-seat Indy roadster, he turned to Wagner and Cornfield Customs to make it happen. The Kurtis car worked great and dominated paved races in the decade’s first half. The basic idea was to scale up a 1963 AJ Watson Indy car to fit two people. See full list on hagerty. This car was built in 1960 and was run for a few years thereafter. While Akin displayed considerable passion for and expertise in mid-century Indy roadsters and Offy four-cylinders, he also had a number of other May 24, 2020 · We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. The “Roadster Era” at Indianapolis was characterized by lower, wider, offset-driveline cars that began after World War II. It was an exciting and very dangerous time, with drivers earning their rides at Indy by exhibiting skill, tenacity, and bravery while driving their midgets and sprint cars on rough and tumble tracks from coast to coast. C. These all ran the Indianapolis 500 from the post-war period into the early 1960s. Rose Trucking Special, Porter-Offy. 1957 Kurtis Indy roadster. It has a Mabuchi 15R grey can May 10, 2014 · He led the final 18 laps to take his fourth Indy 500 victory. Jim Rathman, Ken-Paul Special, Watson-Offy. Jun 26, 2023 · I can accept that. A. Car owner Howard Keck assembled a team of superstars to conquer the Indy 500: driver Bill Vukovich, mechanics Jim Travers and Frank Coon, and this battleship gray Kurtis-Kraft 500, the first true Offy roadster. Two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Bill Vukovich, bottom, died in a five-car pile-up in the 1955 Memorial Day race. Bill, you are quite correct--this kit as it stands is far more accurately done than it isn't. Indy car racing, between 1948 and 1960. Jun 9, 2015 · Here’s one of the most beloved stories in Speedway history: the tale of Jim Hurtubise and his Mallard-Offy, the last roadster to race in the Indianapolis 500. Feb 18, 2014 · The classic Indy roadster might well be America’s most beloved race car. 130-mph average at the hands of the legendary A. Aug 7, 2009 · Here's five of the Indy 500 roadsters from the 60's era that I've built o'er the past couple of years. He commissioned Epperly, Travers, and Coons to create the most advanced Indy racer ever built. The roadster engine and drive shaft are offset from the centerline of the car. won in rear-engine cars and front-engine roadsters, on the pavement and, in 1961, on the actual bricks! His record of 35 consecutive starts will likely never be touched. It did so with a record 139. The two most prolific roadster builders were Kurtis-Kraft and A. But elsewhere around Los Angeles, another gifted metalworker named A. And in 1967, a futuristic May 26, 2018 · Years before he created the familiar Indy roadster, Frank Kurtis was already a popular and successful car builder at the Speedway and elsewhere. J. May 15, 2018 · But the front-engine roadsters of the golden era are still some of the most captivating early race cars, and are rolling testaments to American ingenuity. Jan 2, 2022 · A place to sell or search for anything that is related to Indy Roadsters or the roadster era of the Indy 500 or related. Watson. During a 10-year span from 1955 through ’64, a Watson-built car won the Indianapolis 500 seven times. In 1962, Elmer George and his wife Mari commissioned Lesovsky to build this car, an offset Offenhauser-powered roadster. And the names “Foyt” and “Indy” have become virtually inseparable. Kurtis Kraft 500E and 500F Frank Kurtis built three Indianapolis race cars in 1956: Two 500 Fs set to receive Novi V-8s, and one 500 E for Dan Levine's Federal Engineering race team. Nobody can say with absolute certainty where the Indianapolis roadster first got its evocative name. Flaherty qualified on the pole and ran third or fourth through the early laps as Paul Russo took the lead and pulled away aboard a new rear-drive Kurtis-Novi. The ‘Roadster Era’ at the Indianapolis 500 will be celebrated on Legends Day on Saturday, May 26 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. They were front-engine racecars, known as “Indy Roadsters,” and became obsolete with the advent of the rear-engine cars that first appeared in 1965. This one has (1) screw (up front) and a tab holding the back in place. AP Photo. Casey Putsch takes over the Watson Indy Roadster build after his partner let the project sit for mostly a year. 1932 Ford frames: 1932 Ford windshields and tops: Some related pages on Roadsters. Apr 1, 2015 · In 1956, Watson built his first Indy Roadster from scratch. As far as I can tell, the car underneath the bodywork is pretty much standard 1955 Indy Roadster. Oct 26, 2017 · Thom Taylor takes a vintage 1959 Indy Roadster around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway before the 2013 Indy 500. H. Racing exclusively on ovals, the cars were very asymmetrical and unsuited for all but a few tracks. On the dirt ovals that led May 23, 2018 · One of the most beloved car styles in “500” history will enter the spotlight on center stage just one day before the sleek, new-look Verizon IndyCar Series car makes its highly anticipated May 11, 2017 · With the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 a mere two weeks away, we are reminded of the time when roadsters ruled the brickyard and 80 percent of the cars were built by five car builders in the Los Angeles area – all within 25 mile radius of each other. The Roadster Era had really ended the split-second Foyt crossed the finish 1955 Kurtis KK 500C Indy Roadster The history of American motor racing is deeply rooted in the dirt oval tracks that dotted our landscape. The Turbine and McLaren are just out of place. 370 mph May 11, 2021 · The Central Excavating Special takes us into the 50’s and is a beautiful example of the front-engined, Offy-powered roadsters that were common at the Speedway (and dirt ovals across the country) after WWII. Sep 4, 2020 · This would become his prototype for the prolific Kurtis Kraft series of roadsters and all Indy roadsters for years to come. Casey deep dives into the history of Indy Roa Jan 1, 1999 · Indianapolis Roadsters 1952-1964 is a dynamic history of the Roadster era, and contains fascinating and comprehensive coverage of the drivers, the builders, the team owners, the Speedway, and other popular tracks. Foyt. Apr 8, 2015 · The 1960 Watson Indianapolis Roadster is just about the perfect example of the iconic American racer, Indy Roadsters were the dominant design between 1952 and 1965 on the race tracks of North America, and even all these years later they’re still the first thing many people think of when you mention the Indy 500. The 1963 lineup coming the closest with 14, plus at least seven more, either built with his blessing by associates, or at least clearly copied from his design. Miller will eventually restore the car to Inspired by Troy’s original roadster, the Troy Indy Special takes the design to new heights with a modern tubular chassis and inboard coilover suspension for improved performance and driver comfort. In the golden age of the Offy roadsters at Indy, there were three young lions on the USAC championship trail: A. Watson, but there were others, including Trevis, Salih, Epperly, Lesovsky, and Kuzma, to name a few. James Ernest Hurtubise [1] (December 5, 1932 – January 6, 1989) was an American racing driver who competed in Championship Cars, sprint cars and stock cars. Svelte design, never used. Here is my BRP Roadster fresh from paint and clear coat. or Best Offer. The modern Indy roadster had evolved after World War II into a deceptively sophisticated device, brutally fast on the high speed Indy oval. Jul 11, 2023 · The Watson Indy Roadster is one such iconic design, forever associated with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the thrill of open-wheel racing. Removable hood to show the fully detailed engine area. Sep 23, 2018 · Frank Kurtis created a car with a lower center of gravity and an offset driveshaft that was quickly dubbed the Indy roadster. Its competition history includes: 1960 Indianapolis 500 – 30th, DNF (with Len Sutton) 1960 Milwaukee 200 – 1st (with Sutton) 1961 Indianapolis 500 – 19th, DNF (with Sutton) Mar 19, 2013 · When I was a kid I used to listen to the Indy 500 on my pocket-sized transistor radio and try to imagine what it was like to be there. Here are 10 of the most memorable examples. Nostalgic Inspiration The shape of the continuation Troy was derived from a precise 3D scan of the original Troy Roadster, crafted by Wally Troy in 1959. LINK: Another Carousel 1 - #4405 1960 Indy 500 Watson Roadster #56 Jim Hurtubise BRAND NEW (10) $109. He would go on to build only 22 more. During this time, a wave of talent, technology, ideas, and style arrived from Europe, spurring the rear-engine revolution in full force by Jim Clark’s 1965 Indy 500 victory. Customers could order them as either completed turnkey cars or as kit cars, it’s not known how many were built though just a handful remain today. From the 1930s through the 1960s, these tracks hosting weekly races for midget and sprint car drivers to show their stuff. Sep 20, 2001 · As the Offy roadster era at Indianapolis drew to a close, there were three young lions on the USAC trail: A. Indianapolis Racing Cars of Frank Kurtis 1941-1963 Photo Archive – Gordon Eliot White (2000; Ertel Publishing) Indianapolis Roadsters: 1952-1964 – Joe Scalzo (1999; Motorbooks) Indy Cars 1911-1939: Great Racers from the Crucible of Speed – Karl Ludvigsen (2005; Ertel Publishing) Indy Cars of the 1940s – Karl Ludvigsen (2004; Ertel Kurtis-Kraft created 120 Indianapolis 500 cars, including five winners in the mid-late 1950s. The Aurora roadsters represent the 50 and early 60s of Indy Racing. As the owner of several Indianapolis lap records, and having claimed 2nd place at the 1961 Indy 500 along with pole positions in 1960 and 1961, the Ewing Dean Van Lines Special is one of the last of the great Offy-powered Indy 500 roadsters, as it immediately preceded the rear-engine cars ushered in by Lotus and Jimmy Clark in 1965. ” The final step in the evolution of this concept came in 1957, when builders started laying the Offy engine on its side, thus further lowering the profile and center of gravity to create what became known as the Trenton 100, April 1965, Bobby Grim, Leader Card 500 Roadster No. They were simple in concept, yet they experienced unprecedented success at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The design and workmanship are exquisite and technically, they are sort of interesting in detail. 1 May 28, 2011 · Mike Greenlar / The Post Standard Race car fabricator Steve Miller of Mexico sits next to a 1961 roadster that raced the Indy 500 from 1961 to 1963. The Indy Car racing page. Driving the Bill Akin-restored Bowes Seal Fast roadster, Thom runs with other Oct 24, 2021 · The Kurtis 500 S Roadster is part of the second series of production road cars built by Kurtis Kraft, they were more or less just widened two-seat versions of the company’s Indy 500 race cars. As far as the current Indy races go I wouldn't bother to go see one if it was free. Shines up what otherwise was a drab body (the black is a flat black) and it holds up well to lane tape and marshal The car Agajanian hired Parnelli Jones to drive for the 1963 Indy 500 was not a new car, but it perfectly typified the final playing out of the front-engined roadster type that had been begun by others but perfected by A. Jan 28, 2015 · It also makes a fine basis for building other Kurtis "roadsters", as they dominated Indy for years. The 18" rear and matching 16" front, which was never made, yield the perfect big and little combination. 1961 Indy 50022nd Place Ebb Rose, J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones and Jim Hurtubise. Apr 20, 2016 · In 1961, a roadster built by Floyd Trevis won the Indy 500. Jul 1, 2011 · Indianapolis 500 Roadsters from the 1950s and early 1960s, such as Kurtis 500s, Watson Indy Cars and Epperly Specials This car, Lot 183, sold for $181,500, including buyer’s premium, at the RM Amelia Island auction, March 12, 2011. 95 (DNQ) THIS CAR Spearheaded by Frank Kurtis, the Roadster Era at Indianapolis marked a technical quantum leap, with some of the most successful examples built by A. Built in 2012 with consultation from A. The Troy Indy Special and 1959 Troy Roadster design and build specifications, information and photos. 347 mph and finished 5th; #3 Rodger Ward in a Watson qualified in the middle of the front row at 149. Cars, parts or equipment, transporters, memorabilia, collectors items and even Apr 10, 2015 · Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner, Anton Hulman Jr. Not everyone knows exactly what a Roadster is and there are many more Indy Roadsters Sep 16, 2024 · This photo gives a good indication of a laydown, in this case, the #54 Epperly driven by Bobby Marshman, relative to the Watson dinosaurs. tek fsla jndtw vhyhe kuxqwx xmbbik epmhr ltj twimqwp vbcab