Tag Archives: Rolex Reunion

Drag Winner – Maserati 450S #4504

Valerio Colotti commenced the initial design of the tubular chassis and body of Maserati 450S in 1954, the model was known internally as the Tipo 54.

Sharing some components with the 3 litre / 183 cui Maserati 300S the 450S, which was first raced in 1957, is differentiated by employing a 4,478 cc / 273 cui short-stroke V8 motor equipped with four Weber carburetors which produced 400hp.

Future Indy 500 entrant Jim Kimberly took delivery of today’s featured 450S chassis #4504 in time to race it at Road America where he finished 6th in June 1957, Jim’s only other known result is a 16th place finish in the 1958 Cudan Grand Prix.

Maserati 450S, Robson Walton, Rolex Reunion, Laguna Seca,

By July 1958 Harry Rollins had become the owner of #4504 and drove it in 3 events over the SCCA Carnival of Speed weekend at Walterboro winning the ITA Drag Event, finishing 2nd in race 3 and retiring from race 5.

Don Perkins bought the car in October 1958 and entered it in three meetings one each for John Haas, Ed Crawford and Hal Ullrich.

Ed scored a best 2nd overall and 1st in class in the 1958 Memorial Trophy during the Nassau Speed Week.

Maserati 450S, Robson Walton, Rolex Reunion, Laguna Seca,

At some point during the 1960’s the motor was taken out and used for a speed boat project.

In 1980 Virgil Milette is credited is reuniting the motor and chassis. Under the ownership of Luigi Mancini in 1987 #4504 was restored by Carrozzeria Garuti in Modena Italy.

I believe that Robson Walton who is seen driving the car in these photographs by Geoffrey Horton at the 2013 Laguna Seca Rolex Reunion has owned #4504 since 1999.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton as ever for sharing his photographs.

Thanks for joining me on this “Drag Winner” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at an Amilcar. Don’t forget to come back now !

Another Alternative C-Type – Sulprizio Hagemann GMC

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Like Walt Hansgen a few years earlier when United Engineering & Machine co owner Babe Sulprizio found he was too many dollars short to own a C-Type Jaguar he set to building his own special in 1955.

Sulprizio Hagemann GMC, Rolex Reunion, Laguna Seca,

Babe started by building a steel tube ladder frame to which he fitted Jaguar Mk VII independent front suspension and rear axle , a Morris Minor steering rack and a 5 litre / 302 cui GMC six cylinder ‘Jimmy’ motor mated to a 4 speed Moss gearbox.

It is said the ‘Jimmy’ GMC motor was chosen after the local Oakland Chevrolet assembly plant refused to supply a 265 cui V8.

For the bodywork Babe took his chassis with some sketched bodywork idea’s to expert english wheelman Jack Hagemann. Babe insisted the completed body be painted bright red which led to the car often being mistaken for a Ferrari.

I have not been able to establish any competition results for the car which appears to have been known as the Hagemann GMC or Sulprizio Hagemann GMC, if you know of any please do not hesitate to chime in below.

In 1976 the current owner bought the car and appears to have installed a Jaguar XK 120 motor, XK 150 disc brakes and tired of telling the inquisitive his car was not a Ferrari had it repainted in metallic British Racing Green.

Note this car is not to be confused with the 1957 Cozzi Jaguar Special which was also painted red and fitted with a Jack Hagemann body.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photo of the Sulprizio Hagemann GMC taken at last years Rolex Reunion at Laguna Seca.

Thanks for joining me on this “Another Alternative C-type” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at a Shadow. Don’t forget to come back now !

D.A. Lubricant Special – Kurtis Offenhauser KK500H

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For the 1958 Indianapolis 500 D.A.Lubricants sponsored an Offenhauser powered Kurtis KK500H that was to be driven by Johnny Thomson. Unlike previous Kurtis Indy cars this one did not lift it’s inside front wheel when going through the corners because it was the first Kurtis to be fitted with independent front suspension.

Kurtis Offenhauser 500H, Rolex Reunion, Laguna Seca

Johnny qualified the D.A.Lubricants Special 22nd and on the first lap got tangled up in the accident that killed Pat O’Conor damaging the suspension. Johnny continued for another 51 laps before the team called it a day, to be classified 23rd, with damaged steering. The race was won by Jim Bryan in the Salih Offy Belond Special.

Kurtis Offenhauser 500H, Rolex Reunion, Laguna Seca

In 1959 the D.A.Lubricants Special became the Smokey’s Reverse Torque Special driven by Duane Carter who qualified 12th and finished 7th to record the cars only Indy 500 finish in a race dominated by the Watson Offy’s driven by Roger Ward and Jim Rathman. Interestingly Smokey Yunnick had realised that by reversing the direction of the crankshaft and flywheel rotation the car should have had a better balance through the corners, hence the Smokey’s Reverse Torque name.

Kurtis Offenhauser 500H, Rolex Reunion, Laguna Seca

This cars final appearance in the 500 was in 1960 when Don Freeland drove the car now known as the Ross-Babcock Traveler qualifying 11th but being classified 22nd after withdrawing from the race with a magneto problem.

Ron Fournier restored the car to 1958 D.A.Lubricants configuration and to meet current vintage racing requirements in 2007.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photo’s of the car seen at last years Rolex Reunion at Lagunna Seca.

THanks for joining me on this “D.A. Lubricant Special” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me for Maserati Monday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Greenwoods Last Customer C3 – Chevrolet Corvette C3 Greenwood #12

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The last in this series of Americana Thursday blogs celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Chevrolet Corvettes features the last of the 12 customer Corvette racer built by John Greenwood as seen in these photo’s taken by Geoffrey Horton at the recent Rolex Reunion meeting run at Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca.