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Any Jack Hinkle pictures or stories out there?


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#1 Jerry Entin

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Posted 16 November 2005 - 20:15

jackandchet600x456.jpg
Jack Hinkle and Chet Johnson pushing Jack McGrath at Indy

I would like to start a post on Jack Hinkle. He was from Wichita, Kansas and was born February 2, 1912. He was an oil man and Banker. He entered Indy Cars in the early 50's and drove his own sportscars in club races in the 50's and 60's and 70's . He raced Kurtis Kraft cars at Indy and raced a Kurtis 500X sports car and  Birdcage Maserati's in club races he also had a  Cooper Monaco and a Brabham BT 8 and a Porsche 906 and CanAm Type Lolas a type 160 and a 165 Lola..

 

I raced against him in Tuscon, Arizona in 1967 with a Mk 2 McLaren. Most people call them Mk 1B's now. He was racing his Porsche 906 . He was a great guy and a mentor and I feel his cars should be seen on this site.

 

I Hope this site gets rolling. Jack passed away January 30. 2003  at the age of 90. He raced until 1983 and the age of 71. His driver at Indy was Jack McGrath they finished 3rd in 1951 and 1954 . They were on the pole in 1954. They also had the fastest time of over 143 mph in 1955 but didn't run because of high winds until the next day.

His car was on the front row at Indy from 1951-1955 lets see anyone do that now. All this with Jack as the sponsor himself. His driver Jack McGrath was sadly killed at a race in Phoenix at the end of the 1955 season.

photo : Rex Dean collection


Edited by Jerry Entin, 04 April 2020 - 09:07.


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#2 WINO

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Posted 16 November 2005 - 21:51

Jerry,

So you were the man brave enough to drive Bill Thomas' Cheetah! A friend of mine in Austria used to vintage race a Cheetah a few years back and finally sold it because its [miss]behavior in the corners. But obviously your drag race experience must have helped on the straights.

As for Jack Hinkle, I remember that Michael Lynch did a magazine article on Jack a few years ago. Was it Sports Car International, Vintage Motorsport? Don't remember, but Jack raced some interesting cars: 300S, Tipo 61, Cooper Monaco, etc, all painted red.

WINO

#3 Jerry Entin

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Posted 16 November 2005 - 22:28

Jack-Mc-Grath-5-480-x-598.jpg

 

Jack McGrath looking at the newest innovation, Disk brakes.
This is the Hinkle Special in 1955.
 

photo Rick Johnson- lent site Paul Johnson collection.


Edited by Jerry Entin, 01 April 2020 - 03:49.


#4 WINO

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Posted 16 November 2005 - 23:01

Jerry,

Haven't found the Jack Hinkle article yet, but have you seen this website?

www.cheetahcars.com


WINO

#5 Pedro 917

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Posted 16 November 2005 - 23:05

Here's the picture of Jack Hinckle driving a Birdcage at Lake Garnett 1960. (thanks to Double R). I love the sign on the tree!

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and here's Jack's Cooper-Monaco (thanks to Chuck Brandt) :

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These pictures were taken from ClubCobra

#6 WINO

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Posted 17 November 2005 - 00:26

I hear there is a good article of Jack Hinkle in the April 1972 issue of Road & Track, an issue I don't have unfortunately.


WINO

#7 Gerr

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Posted 17 November 2005 - 02:11

WINO, you have good hearing. Page 81 to 84. By Joe Scalzo.

#8 Pedro 917

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Posted 17 November 2005 - 17:24

Here are some more pictures (courtesy of Chuck Brandt) of Jack Hinckle's Ferrari-powered Cooper Monaco that Jerry sent me:

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#9 WINO

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Posted 17 November 2005 - 17:40

When was the Ferrari engine installed? Based on race reports, Hinkle ran the Monaco with a 2.7 liter Climax unit.


WINO

#10 Jerry Entin

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Posted 17 November 2005 - 17:54

Jack-no-helmet.jpg

Jack McGrath in the Hinkle Special

Jack McGrath was born October 8, 1919. He was skinny and around the Indy guys they called him The Thin Man or The Splended Splinter.

He was always smiling and he had reason too. He won the Pole at Indy in the Hinkle special in 1954 and was on the front row every year.


Edited by Jerry Entin, 02 April 2020 - 18:26.


#11 WINO

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Posted 17 November 2005 - 18:09

I noticed that one of the photos refers to Tracy Bird. Jerry, did you sell the Monaco to Tracy later on? He may have installed the Ferrari engine.

WINO

#12 Jerry Entin

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Posted 17 November 2005 - 19:06

Jack-with-trophy.jpg

Jack McGrath after winning a midget race

Jack married his wife Lois in 1941. He was sadly killed the last race of the season on November 6, 1955 in Phoenix at a Fairgrounds Dirt sprint car event.

 

 

 

Willem, I never owned that car I raced against it. Tracy Bird was one of the Founders of The CanAm Series and a SCCA official. Very nice guy and friend of Jack Hinkle's. Jack Hinkle's Cooper Monaco the one I raced had a 2.7 Coventry Climax in it FPF#430/17/1260 to be exact. I think Tracy Bird put in Ferrari engine #0718 in 1964 this was a 250TR type motor. This motor was later replaced by #5509 also a TR 250 type motor. This car is expected to be at Monterey for the Cooper Show.


Edited by Jerry Entin, 21 April 2020 - 22:10.


#13 Gokart Mozart

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Posted 17 November 2005 - 19:31

Jack always had Titanic battles year after year with Jerry "Harry" Hansen at Road America for the ASR win in the June Sprints...

Jerry, will you be at RA for the 40th anniversary of the Can-Am this coming year?

Respectfully,

Jacques N. Dresang
Gurney Eagle #7225 "Unfinished Business"

#14 Jerry Entin

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Posted 17 November 2005 - 19:42

Indy-1955.jpg

 

1955 Indy Driver Line up

 

 

Jacques I had planned on coming to Elkhart Lake. I have never been there for a Vintage meeting.I knew Jerry Hansen and he always did well in his racing. He usually bought the ex Penske cars. I only raced against Jack Hinkle in Tuscon. And really thought he was a great guy.

 

photo  IMS photo


Edited by Jerry Entin, 04 April 2020 - 08:30.


#15 Pedro 917

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Posted 18 November 2005 - 11:12

Here are some pictures of Jack Mc Grath at the Indy 500 qualifying in 1955 (thanks to Rex Dean)

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#16 Jerry Entin

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Posted 13 August 2006 - 16:32

mcgrath-1950.jpg

The great Jack McGrath in Jack Hinkle's dirt car.
Bob Lawrence loaned the site this great picture and he believes it is from 1950.
 

photo Bob Lawrence collection. 


Edited by Jerry Entin, 01 April 2020 - 23:28.


#17 Bob Riebe

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Posted 13 August 2006 - 18:31

I remember well Mr. Hinkle going against Jerry Hansen, and often having mysterious problems at the end of the race because while Jack could have been a multi-winner at the ARRC, he had no desire to.

As far as that goes, had he entered his BB Can-Am car in the pro series, I am sure he would have made a big impression.

I forget where, probably Autoweek & Comp. Press, they did an article and NO ONE, including a (whose name I cannot remember) well known pro driver, were allowed to try influence Jack on the track; if you did, in the pits, he would be in your face, telling you in no uncertain terms, that you would NEVER do that again.

I think Jack makes this "gentleman driver" term used by many on far side of the Atlantic, a bit of a obtuse minomer.
If being a pro means you take no prisoners, Jack was about a professional as they come.
Bob

#18 Jerry Entin

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Posted 13 August 2006 - 18:53

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Jack Hinkle next to his first Birdcage Maserati 2456

 

Bob when I knew Jack he was a very nice guy. He had the latest and best cars money could buy. A good story about Jack Hinkle is: We were in Tuscon for a club race I think it was 1964. We were staying at an older hotel with an elevator that had a gate like device that you shut after you got in. One night after being out on the town my brother Dennis and Jack Hinkle came back to the Hotel. The elevator operator wasn't there. So Jack and my brother got in and took the elevator to the top floor where we were staying. My brother Dennis didn't shut the gate in front of the elevator and you could fall in and end up in the basement where the food supplies came in. The next night we came back to the hotel again and went to get in the elevator. The operator came flying out yelling don't take the elevator. He said the night before some nuts had taken his elevator and left the gate open and left it on the top floor. He had to walk up all the stairs. We said we sure didn't know who they could have been. When ever I saw Jack Hinkle after that I always said "All aboard, going Up" to him and he just smiled. In 1964 I was in Ol Yaller 2 and Jack Hinkle was in his Cooper Monaco with a 2.7 Coventry Climax engine and it was a bright red car.

 

photo; Jeri Hinkle collection


Edited by Jerry Entin, 02 April 2020 - 00:51.


#19 T54

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Posted 13 August 2006 - 19:26

Jerry,
While restoring my ex-Jack Brabham BT8 in the late 1980's, I met and talked to Jack Hinkle and he very kindly gave me several pictures and copies of stories regarding his own BT8. I will dig that up after the Monterey Hysterics and post it here.
He was still very passionate then, and we talked for hours. His BT8 was powered by the same Climax 2.7 that powered the Monaco, and he won 38 races with it. Unfortunately while lapping a Vette at a track in Oklahoma, the other driver did not see him and the car ended in a tree, pretty much bent in half. Jack was not injured. Later he sold the remains to Bunny Ribbs and that car burned in a garage fire. The car was later reconstructed by the team of Jack Smith and Joe Cavaglieri (who also did mine), and it is now in the hands of Tom Byrnes. Unfortunately it is now blue instead of the original red color.
I am not aware that he of his mechanic installed the Ferrari engine in the Cooper Monaco car, I believe that this was done after he sold it.
Regards,

T54

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#20 Jerry Entin

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Posted 13 August 2006 - 20:05

Jack-and-1961-cage.jpg
Jack Hinkle and his Birdcage Maserati this is from 1961 this is his second Birdcage #2470

 

Jack-s-ed-cage-600-x-410.jpg

Janck Hinkles new Birdcage #2470 at LaJunta, Colorado.

 

T54

I know one time Jack Hinkle wouldn't run his BT 8 because it was raining.

.

I knew Jack Smith well and considered him a real craftsman. I was told by Rex Ramsey that Jack was killed on a motorcycle attempting a high speed record type run.

The last time I saw Jack Smith he was at the Vintage races in Palm Springs preparing a Shadow Formula One Car for George Follmer. The car looked very well prepared.


Edited by Jerry Entin, 03 April 2020 - 12:50.


#21 T54

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Posted 13 August 2006 - 22:00

Jerry,
Jack Smith was a true craftsman. He built my second BT8 and did a beautiful job, making the car immediately reliable and impeccably finished . He was testing his LSR Norton without a helmet when he lost control and killed imself. Not a good move for a very smart guy to drive without some protection. I regret him very much, he was really a good man.
Here is what he built for me:

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Same color as Jack Hinkle's BT8 because it was a semi-replica of the red car driven by Robs Lamplough in 1964. The car was just beautiful.
Jack was a good friend of George Follmer who knew that he could trust him for a good race car. Jack also prepared one of the Tyrell 001 before John Delane got it.
Regards,

T54

#22 Jerry Entin

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Posted 13 August 2006 - 23:08

Cooper-monaco-j.jpg

Jack Hinkle in his Cooper Monaco CM 5-62

 

 

photo: Jeri Hinkle collecrion


Edited by Jerry Entin, 03 April 2020 - 12:55.


#23 T54

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Posted 14 August 2006 - 00:52

How would you like to run Ol Yaller 2 against one of those BT8's ?


Mmmm. I guess I will stick to the red car... :lol:
My friend Peter Shea is driving the Buick-powered Old Yeller MKIX in vintage events against John Mozart in his Lister-Corvette. Epic battles nowadays with somewhat modernized cars, I don't want to be in the middle of that argument... ;)
At my age, racing is out of the question anyway, cruising is in. :smoking:
I'll get that info about Jack Hinkle ASAP but after the Hysterics as I am leaving in a couple of days and we are still frantically prepping the car.

#24 Jerry Entin

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Posted 14 August 2006 - 04:34

Mexican-road-race-54.jpg

Jack McGrath on the Lincoln Team in the 1954 Carrera Panamerican

Jack McGrath had a co driver Manny Ayulo in this event and they didn't finish due to an accident.

 

Here is some footage of Jack McGrath rolling a stock car in 1953 at Milwaukee   


Edited by Jerry Entin, 04 April 2020 - 09:13.


#25 T54

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Posted 14 August 2006 - 21:59

He told me that he was going to attend but he can no longer drive because of his bad vision problems. His wife Margaret has to drive him around now.
I hope that he will be OK. I last saw him two years ago when we had dinner at a hotel near Goodwood. He was really fine then.

#26 Jerry Entin

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Posted 14 August 2006 - 23:57

jack-51-indy.jpg

Jack McGarth in the 1951 Indy 500 in Jack Hinkles car

Jack McGrath finished 3rd.

 

Gary Wilson who was a long time friend of Jack Hinkle's has told me a couple of stories about Jack for the site. One is Jack was taking his brand new Pontiac station wagon in the early 60's down a narrow alley. He was going to see a fellow named Chet Wilson. Chet built Jack Hinkle's engines for him. Well, some guy in front of Jack stops and blocks the alley. Jack yells out " Hey how about moving that car so we can get through." The guy yells back hey why don't you move it. With that Jack backs up about 150 feet down the alley. He goes flying down the alley and rams the guys car. Knocking it halfway down the alley. The guy is in total disbelief of what just happened to his car. Jack gets out and goes up to the guy and gives him his business card. He says :"call them they will take care of this". The next day Jack had a brand new Pontiac station wagon the exact same color and that ram mobile was never seen again. Jack also flew his own plane in the 50's . He had a Beech King Air.


Edited by Jerry Entin, 02 April 2020 - 17:06.


#27 T54

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Posted 15 August 2006 - 00:49

:lol:
In fact the story is almost completely true... :)

#28 Jerry Entin

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Posted 15 August 2006 - 03:58

Jack-in-1955-at-indy.jpg

Jack McGrath in the Hinkle special with Jack Hinkle and Chet Johnson

This is from Indy in 1954 when they won the Pole position

photo: Getty Images.

jack-7.jpg

Jack McGrath in the 1955 Indy 500

Jack dropped out on the 54th lap and sadly his buddy Bill Vukovich was killed while leading on the 57th lap.

 

 

Philippe:

I wasn't there but that is what Gary Wilson said happened and he was in the car with Jack. Another one is Jack had gone to look at his Birdcage Maserati at the paint shop. It was just finished being painted red. He was behind the car and a fellow comes in the shop in a Austin Healey. The fellow was looking at the Birdcage and accidentally hits it. Jack was behind the car and was pinned against the wall by it. Jack was real mad and pushes the car off himself and proceeds to walk down the middle of the car toward this idiot who just hit his car. Jack just starts screaming at the guy and calling him things I can't say here. This guy was a football player and huge. Over 6'4". Finally after Jack had been calling him these terrible things the guy reaches over and picks Jack up by under his arms. Jacks feet are dangling in the air. The guy says: "Look Mr. Hinkle it was my fault and I am sorry. I didn't do it on purpose it was an accident. I have money and will pay to fix your car. Just stop calling me these terrible names!" With that he put Jack down. As Bob Riebe had said earlier you didn't want to mess with Jack Hinkle.


Edited by Jerry Entin, 22 April 2020 - 01:28.


#29 chuckbrandt

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Posted 10 September 2006 - 12:22

Since I'm working on the CM/5/62 chapter today I thought I'd update this thread a little. As mentioned earlier Jack kept the 2.7L Climax from CM-5-62 when he sold it to Tracy Bird in '64. He used the Climax in his next car the Brabham BT8.

Another interesting story about CM/5/62 which you may have already heard is it's influence on the Can-Am Series. During the late night phone conversations between Jim Hall and Tracy Bird to define the rules of the series, Tracy had the Cooper and Jim had the Chapparall. When a point of discussion came up they would each run out and measure their cars to make sure they conformed to whatever rule they were working on.

So CM/5/62 has the distinction of being a prototype twice, first of the T-61M and second of the CanAm Series.

I also found out the that the Kamm style tail was probably not the result of an accident as I originally assumed. I think that was either Jack's idea or an evolutionary step from Coopers because it is present in vintage photos from '64.

Chuck

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#30 Jerry Entin

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Posted 28 September 2006 - 13:32

Jack-with-cig.jpg
Jack Hinkle in the pits. They say smoking is harmful to you. But, Jack Hinkle lived to be 90 and he is clearly smoking here.

 

Photo lent to site by Tom Schultz. copyright 2006 Tom Schultz


Edited by Jerry Entin, 01 April 2020 - 15:33.


#31 Jerry Entin

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Posted 29 September 2006 - 09:19

Jack-brab-2.jpg

Jack Hinkle's Brabham BT 8

Jack retained his engine and gearbox out of his Cooper Monaco and used them in his new Brabham,

 

 

From the April 1965 issue of Southwest Racing News, Produced by the Texas Region of the SCCA: " Jack Hinkle, the Witchita banker, has a new Brabham BT8 with the good ole 2.7 Climax screwed in place. Tracy Bird bought Jack's Cooper Monaco sans engine and gears, and I don't know what he is up to.

 

This article was found by Willem Oosthoek.

 

 

Photo: Philippe de Lespinay collection


Edited by Jerry Entin, 03 April 2020 - 13:30.


#32 Jerry Entin

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Posted 29 September 2006 - 09:25

jack-cage-1-600-x-370.jpg

Jack Hinkle in his first Birdcage in action.#2456

 

photo Cliff Reuter collection - copyright Cliff Reuter 2008 www.etceterini.com 


Edited by Jerry Entin, 02 April 2020 - 23:47.


#33 VintageThunder

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Posted 30 September 2006 - 18:38

Jerry, I have a couple photo's of Jack Hinkle and his Lola CanAm car when he raced at Lake Afton, near Wichita, Kansas. I looked forward to see him blasting down that nearly 1 mile long straight, watching the nose of his Lola dip slightly as he shifted gears through that Hewland 5 speed. Jack won almost every race he entered there that I remember. He finally lost to Larry Johnson from Denver driving a new McLaren M8F, must have been about 1974 or so. My parents had a farm 3 miles from the track and I attended nearly every race there. Jack was a great "show", wearing his pressed khaki trousers and shirt. Not to forget the Red beret hat and the big cigar! He was a quiet man and always came prepared to win! Something I have strived to do with the race cars we prepare. I never saw him turn a wrench at the track, although he shined that car up between every session! His wife often accompanied him to the races. He always had Lola cars, but changed cars several times over the years, always red and polished to a brilliant shine. A few years back I saw one of his Lola's for sale in Autoweek magazine.
I often wonder when I attend the CanAm reunions at Road America, why I haven't seen any cars bearing his name. He was "larger than life" and I would be happy to get you copies of the two photo's I still have!I am also interested in your stories of Jack!You can E me at CorvetteMasters@cs.com!

#34 P 4 Staff

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Posted 30 September 2006 - 21:01

Originally posted by WINO
I hear there is a good article of Jack Hinkle in the April 1972 issue of Road & Track, an issue I don't have unfortunately.


WINO


Here it is.

Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image

Best.

#35 Jerry Entin

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Posted 01 October 2006 - 02:23

Jack-first-cage.jpg

Jack Hinkle's red  Birdcage Maserati #2465

 

 

 

 

photo: Cliff Reuter 2008

www.Etceterini.com


Edited by Jerry Entin, 23 April 2020 - 17:19.


#36 Jerry Entin

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Posted 05 October 2006 - 19:41

Hinkle1.jpg

Jack Hinkle and his Maserati 200 SI

 

 

Jeri Hinkle collection


Edited by Jerry Entin, 03 April 2020 - 13:31.


#37 suthvid

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Posted 28 November 2006 - 03:55

I stumbled on this forum today while looking for information on Jack Hinkle and Chet Johnson. Needless to say I was thrilled to find this thread! My dad was a friend of Chet and Jack's, and as a boy I was privledged to vist the shop and see the cars first hand. It made a huge impression on me to see Chet's immaculate shop and the beautiful machines he cared for. We would also take in the Lake Afton races every year and watch Jack compete with his various cars.

I'm trying to track down the wereabouts of three of Jack's cars, the ones that I saw growing up. The first was either the Brabham or Cooper (I don't remember which), the second was the Porsche 906, and the third is the Lola. As for the first car, it was whichever one he had before the Porsche. I remember when they got the 906, Chet loved that car for its engineering and detailed craftsmanship. Jack eventually sold it and got the first Lola, because finishing first in class wasn't as good as winning first overall!

As for the Brabham, I'm a bit confused. It looks like after it was crashed, it was eventually destroyed in a garage fire. Are the pictures here a rebuild of the actual car or a replica of sorts?

And onto another topic all together, I'm also looking for any original photos or film/video from the Sebring 12 hour race. I'm working on a film about a group of fans that inhabit Turn 10 at Sebring every year, and I need historical images to tell part of the story. As I will need to secure rights in order to use these images, they need to be something from a private collection. There is a short portion of the video on my site:

www.svpweb.com

go to the samples page and click on the documentary section to have a peek.

Thanks again and I'm looking forward to more stories about Jack Hinkle!

John Sutherland

#38 RA Historian

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 03:31

Actually, Jack had more than one Lola. It has been mentioned above that he drove, in order, Maserati 300-S, Maserati T-61 (two, I believe), Cooper Monaco T-61M, Brabham BT-8, and Porsche 906. In 1969 he drove a Lola T-160, then in 1970 bought a new Lola T-165. He kept that car for a decade, running it with a big block Chev until 1979 when SCCA limited ASR to 5.0 liters. He drove the T-165 in this form for one year and then went to a Lola T-590 S2000 for 1980. It was in the Sports two that Jack wound down his driving career.

#39 Jerry Entin

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Posted 26 July 2007 - 22:29

jackandjerryracing600x4ed4-2.jpg
Jack Hinkle in his Lola T-165 #61 getting ready to win the 1970 Elkhart Lake June Sprints.

His good friend Jerry Hansen is in his Lola T-165 #44 next to him ,
photo lent site Hansen Family collection


Edited by Jerry Entin, 01 April 2020 - 12:16.


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#40 T54

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Posted 02 August 2007 - 04:06

As for the Brabham, I'm a bit confused. It looks like after it was crashed, it was eventually destroyed in a garage fire. Are the pictures here a rebuild of the actual car or a replica of sorts?


Indeed it was burned, but it was after Jack crashed the car to avoid a Corvette. He sold the severely damaged car to Bunny Ribbs (the father of Willy Ribbs, the first black person to ever qualify for the Indy 500) and the car was toast when the garage fire happened. So Don Orosco bought what was left (not much) and sold it to Milt Janzen and had Jack Smith and Joe Cavaglieri built effectively a brand new car. But some shenanigans happened between seller and buyer and Janzen, disgusted, sold the car before he ever saw it finished. This was later sold to a succession of owners and is currently raced in HMSA. The red car is now blue and grew all kinds of spoilers and flares.
Jerry asked me to post the pictures of the car when Jack Hinkle had it and I will do that. Jack's BT8 is only one of only two GENUINE 2.7-liter cars, built from the get go with that engine. The other was Jack Brabham's own (also red) car now owned by Peter Shea after I got it restored.
All other BT8's were 2-liter cars, and some later received Olds V8 engines but none were successful with that powerplant.
Jack won EVERY race he ever entered with the BT8, that is until that big crash that wiped the car out.
Regards,

T54

#41 T54

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Posted 08 August 2007 - 00:46

I have promised for quite a while to unearth and post the pictures that Jack Hinkle gave to me and milt Janzen of his Repco-Brabham BT8 with the 2.7-liter Coventry-Climax FPF from his Cooper.
So I did find them and you can see them below. The body has obviously been widened quite a bit and a roll bar has been fitted. The glass house is no longer the original parts and the general shape has changed quite a bit from the original Tauranac design. These pictures were taken during the second year he ran the car, in 1966 I believe, and before the crash that pretty much destroyed the car.

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The Silver Fox told me during a long conversation we had in 1988 that he won every single race he ever entered with the car until the crash.
Regards,

T54

#42 RA Historian

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Posted 08 August 2007 - 01:09

Is that Dick Durant in his ugly but fast Special immediately behind Hinkle in the first picture? And is the track Wentzville?

#43 Jerry Entin

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Posted 08 August 2007 - 02:33

jack-and-Jerry-clark-walker-best.jpg
Jack Hinkle with his good friend Jerry Hansen and Clark Walker

 

 

photo lent site Hansen Family collection.


Edited by Jerry Entin, 04 April 2020 - 22:00.


#44 T54

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Posted 08 August 2007 - 19:01

Jerry,
It's my pleasure. I wrote about the history of Jack Hinkle's Brabham-Climax in a 1991 issue of vintage Motorsport. However, it is always good to get the truth out when restoring any car, and these below are the only surviving remains of Jack's car after the fire in Bunny Ribbs garage. The frame has been hacksawed in two main parts stacked on top of each other. The blue car in the background is the one assuming the serial number of Jack's car, SC-08-64. This car was entirely (and beautifully) built by Jack Smith and Joe Cavaglieri and uses a Tony Mantle engine with an FT200 box.
What basically happened with that BT8 is that Jack Hinkle bought Hap Sharp's contract for the car as Sharp changed his mind about purchasing it from M.R.D. The car was delivered with no engine but with an HD5 transmission and Hinkle had his crew putting the 2.7-liter Climax in it. Along with SC-07-64, they are the only two BT8's to have been fitted with 2.7's when new.
I think that it is an important detail considering how some organizations are a bit anal about limiting certain cars to a certain displacement for originality sake, which makes me laugh a bit.

Posted Image

Regards,
T54

#45 Jerry Entin

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Posted 01 September 2007 - 00:01

mcgrath-and-Bill-600-x-394.jpg

Jack McGrath in the Hinkle Special in the Lead at the 1955 Indy 500

 

 

 

photo:Jeri Hinkle collection


Edited by Jerry Entin, 03 April 2020 - 02:15.


#46 Jerry Entin

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Posted 10 September 2007 - 23:36

Jack-June-sprints-2.jpg
Jack Hinkle with Jerry Hansen hot on his tail. This was at the 1978 June Sprints at Elkhart Lake.
photo Eric Wunrow-copyright 2007 Eric Wunrow.


Edited by Jerry Entin, 01 April 2020 - 00:37.


#47 RA Historian

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Posted 11 September 2007 - 01:23

Originally posted by Jerry Entin
Posted Image
Jack Hinkle with Jerry Hansen hot on his tail. This was at the 1978 June Sprints at Elkhart Lake.
photo Eric Wunrow-copyright 2007 Eric Wunrow.

Jack and Jerry had a fine duel at the 1978 June Sprints. There was a definite power discrepancy between the two cars. Hinkle's Lola T-165 was powered by a big block Chevy V-8 while Hansen had the much smaller five liter small block. Nonetheless, Hansen won. The agility of the F-5000 based T-333 more than offset the ooomph of the big block in Hinkle's much older Lola. Not to mention that the T-333 was much more aero. In this photo one can see the custom rear bodywork on Jack's T-165. He had backed it into a guard rail at the previous year's June Sprints and replaced the destroyed rear with this creation. When I saw the car years later, it still had the custom rear bodywork on it. If memory serves, it was owned by a chap named Nero (last name) at the time. Hopefully someone out there can confirm this.
Tom

#48 Jerry Entin

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Posted 13 September 2007 - 03:42

30-Mc-Kim-1948-600-x-355-1.jpg
Bob McKim in Jack Hinkle's midget in 1948.

Bob McKim was the driver of the Hinkle midget and Jack Hinkle invited Bob to go to Indy with him in the late 40's.

 

Bob McKim couldn't make up his mind and Jack Hinkle chose Jack McGrath to replace him. On this car the C & H Air Service was an air service that Jack Hinkle and Dean Case had.

 

photo: Darrin McKim collection.
research Bob Lawrence and Jim Petty


Edited by Jerry Entin, 01 April 2020 - 13:27.


#49 Jerry Entin

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Posted 14 September 2007 - 00:22

Jack-54.jpg
Jack McGrath sitting behind the Hinkle Special at Indy in 1954.

 

 

photo lent site Rex Dean.


Edited by Jerry Entin, 31 March 2020 - 21:01.


#50 Jerry Entin

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Posted 14 September 2007 - 04:16

Jack-2.jpg
This is a Kurtis sportscar that was street legal owned by Jack Hinkle.
photo lent site Bob Lawrence


Edited by Jerry Entin, 01 April 2020 - 13:37.