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#1 Jose

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Posted 03 January 2010 - 15:45

I am looking for Any Book That Covers The Chevrolet Powered Indy Cars(that were sadly not much of a success or overshadowed) preferably in Color photos?
As well as the Buick Car, Which Book covers it the best ? Ludvigsen's ?*it's all black and white though* Alex Grabbards Indy's Wildest Decade? what about Friedman's Memories 1961-69 Book?any color pictures of Said Chevy and Buick Cars?(I have a couple of Dave's books)

And finally any racing footage out there? NTSC Format DVD or Vhs? of the cars? Dick Wallen,Rare SportsFilms,Etc. do they show any footage of the cars?

I am Surprised there is no "Powered By Chevrolet Book" or Chevrolet At Indy Book? Although Paul Van Valkenbergh's Chevrolet-Gone Racing Is good, b&w brief mention.

Thanks

Jose, 27.

Miami

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#2 Jose

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Posted 03 January 2010 - 17:04

For an engine that was "not much of a success", every team was certainly clamoring to have one. The unit first appeared at Indy in the rear of Al Unser Sr.'s Penske in 1986 - Mario came tantalizingly close to scoring their first Indy win in 1987. They won every Indianapolis 500 from 1988 through and including 1993. Not to say anything about the victories in the other races during these CART seasons. If that isn't success, let me fail like they did! Brian



Let me Re-Phrase, it wasn't a Success at the time(60's) at least the way it is overshadowed by Lotus-Ford, and The Lotus-Turbine cars. I love Chevrolet Power! :)

I Despise Fords no offense to Ford Fans. I am in agreement with you, One of the best engines if not the best for Indy. That's why I don't watch the series anymore. The Engine is gone.

I was referring to the Engine's Initial Debut under Thompson ,The Rollerskate cars, etc. And the Buick.

I am looking for books and Dvd/vhs ntsc format that feature the most *specifically in Color* pictures of the Buick and Chevy Cars of Indy Of the 60's.

Thanks/Regards,

Sorry for the Misunderstanding,

Jose

#3 Tom Glowacki

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Posted 03 January 2010 - 17:33

Let me Re-Phrase, it wasn't a Success at the time(60's) at least the way it is overshadowed by Lotus-Ford, and The Lotus-Turbine cars. I love Chevrolet Power! :)

I Despise Fords no offense to Ford Fans. I am in agreement with you, One of the best engines if not the best for Indy. That's why I don't watch the series anymore. The Engine is gone.

I was referring to the Engine's Initial Debut under Thompson ,The Rollerskate cars, etc. And the Buick.

I am looking for books and Dvd/vhs ntsc format that feature the most *specifically in Color* pictures of the Buick and Chevy Cars of Indy Of the 60's.

Thanks/Regards,

Sorry for the Misunderstanding,

Jose



Roger Huntington, the Doug Nye of American hotrodding in the 1950's and 1960's did a book on Indy car technology, the name of which I cannot recall, that would be of some help. There are also the contemporary Hot Rod and Motor Trend magazine articles. Other than that, I cannot think of a book that would be that much help to you. If there were any, I would have it in my bookcase.

#4 jimclark

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Posted 03 January 2010 - 19:53

Sorry for the Misunderstanding,

Jose

You owe no apology Jose.
You were perfectly clear in your request: "I am looking for Any Book That Covers The Chevrolet Powered Indy Cars(that were sadly not much of a success or overshadowed)..." :up:

I'm sorry I can't assist with your search and, worse yet, have toquestion your reason for abandonimg Indy car racing ("That's why I don't watch the series anymore. The Engine is gone.")... :p

I can think of numerous reasons other than the the source of power for my losing interest in it since TG screwed it up with the EARL...errr...I mean the IRL... :eek: :( :cry: :mad:

#5 Jose

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Posted 03 January 2010 - 20:33

You owe no apology Jose.
You were perfectly clear in your request: "I am looking for Any Book That Covers The Chevrolet Powered Indy Cars(that were sadly not much of a success or overshadowed)..." :up:

I'm sorry I can't assist with your search and, worse yet, have toquestion your reason for abandonimg Indy car racing ("That's why I don't watch the series anymore. The Engine is gone.")... :p

I can think of numerous reasons other than the the source of power for my losing interest in it since TG screwed it up with the EARL...errr...I mean the IRL... :eek: :( :cry: :mad:



Thanks, :cool:

Yeah I don't watch F1 anymore Either.

And even though I am 27, I know that the Accident Dave Macdonald(R.I.P.,early Corvette Driver) was involved in also was one of the huge things along with Ford/Lotus. and Then The LOTUS TURBINE(which I really like-no Ford Powerplant) :lol:

I know the Indy dvds are available of those years, Just want to know if there is footage if any.

Speaking Of F1 and Chevy. I have The Sound OF Speed On DVD! Scarab Chevy F1 Car. it's awesome short film. Reventlow is driving! bruce kessler did a great job. and it's awesome along with My Scarab 50th anniv Reunion DVD and Scarab Book. that car could have had potential. but then rule changes again to benefit the Europeans.

Jose

#6 RA Historian

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Posted 03 January 2010 - 21:24

Speaking Of F1 and Chevy. I have The Sound OF Speed On DVD! Scarab Chevy F1 Car. it's awesome short film. Reventlow is driving! bruce kessler did a great job. and it's awesome along with My Scarab 50th anniv Reunion DVD and Scarab Book. that car could have had potential. but then rule changes again to benefit the Europeans.

Jose

While I am as much of a Scarab fan as anyone, I think that you may have a bit of a misunderstanding of the Scarab F-1 program, Jose. The Scarab F-1 car, in order to comply with the then formula of 2.5 liters unblown, was powered by its own four cylinder Scarab engine. The engine did not give out sufficient power and of course the car itself was front engined, which was woefully out of date. Hence, the Scarab F-1 project was doomed before it even got to the track.

In the movie The Sound of Speed it is true that Lance Reventlow did some of the driving. But Chuck Daigh also drove during filming, reportedly more than Lance did. The car used in this movie was fitted with a pushrod Chevrolet V-8 from the sports car program, which gave out considerably more power than the proper F-1 engine. It displaced somewhere over five liters. As such, the car in the movie was not in any way eligible for F-1.

The lateness and the fact that the car was obsolete and uncompetitive doomed the F-1 project, not any rule changes "to benefit the Europeans".

Tom

Edited by RA Historian, 03 January 2010 - 21:26.


#7 Jose

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Posted 03 January 2010 - 22:15

While I am as much of a Scarab fan as anyone, I think that you may have a bit of a misunderstanding of the Scarab F-1 program, Jose. The Scarab F-1 car, in order to comply with the then formula of 2.5 liters unblown, was powered by its own four cylinder Scarab engine. The engine did not give out sufficient power and of course the car itself was front engined, which was woefully out of date. Hence, the Scarab F-1 project was doomed before it even got to the track.

In the movie The Sound of Speed it is true that Lance Reventlow did some of the driving. But Chuck Daigh also drove during filming, reportedly more than Lance did. The car used in this movie was fitted with a pushrod Chevrolet V-8 from the sports car program, which gave out considerably more power than the proper F-1 engine. It displaced somewhere over five liters. As such, the car in the movie was not in any way eligible for F-1.

The lateness and the fact that the car was obsolete and uncompetitive doomed the F-1 project, not any rule changes "to benefit the Europeans".

Tom


Yeah The car sadly was obsolete, but I still think it had potential. Motorsports however is always evolving.

#8 red stick

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Posted 03 January 2010 - 23:21

I am Surprised there is no "Powered By Chevrolet Book" or Chevrolet At Indy Book? Although Paul Van Valkenbergh's Chevrolet-Gone Racing Is good, b&w brief mention.


Given the period you're interested in there would be two problems:

1. Regarding Chevy's racing efforts in general, Van Valkenbergh's already covered it in exacting detail.

2. Regarding your area of interest in particular, it would be a slim volume.

Perhaps you've found your calling?

 ;)

#9 Jose

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Posted 03 January 2010 - 23:33

Given the period you're interested in there would be two problems:

1. Regarding Chevy's racing efforts in general, Van Valkenbergh's already covered it in exacting detail.

2. Regarding your area of interest in particular, it would be a slim volume.

Perhaps you've found your calling?

;)



Perhaps.

 ;)

#10 jimclark

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 00:47

jimclark - it's also perfectly clear that Chevrolet and Buick were part of the Indy scene in the '80's and '90's. Okay, maybe I jumped the gun a bit with my response, but when one was actually a small part of the series at that time, as I was, and the Buick was being developed 60) miles to the north of me in Coldwater, MI by Brayton Engineering and Jim Wright, I don't think that I'm totally off base. My apologies if you deem otherwise.


Jeepers creepers.... I wuz just tryin' to relieve Jose from the guilt he was feeling, not toss any at you. :kiss: :)

And Jose...I live just a hop, skip, and jump from you. 'Any plans for attending the Rolex 24? further out, Sebring? PM me.

And as for the Lotus invasion (be it Ford or turbine powered), that was what I loved about the old Indy cars....innovation...  ;)

Edited by jimclark, 04 January 2010 - 00:53.


#11 Jose

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 01:37

Jeepers creepers.... I wuz just tryin' to relieve Jose from the guilt he was feeling, not toss any at you. :kiss: :)

And Jose...I live just a hop, skip, and jump from you. 'Any plans for attending the Rolex 24? further out, Sebring? PM me.

And as for the Lotus invasion (be it Ford or turbine powered), that was what I loved about the old Indy cars....innovation... ;)

thanks, last time i went to Sebring was the ST Patrick 12 hr race in 2007, 12hrs in 2006 and the HSR dec 2006 vintage race. I really want to go 2010 Sebring. Never been to the Daytona race.


#12 helioseism

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 01:54

Jose --

I have both the Gabbard & Friedman books you asked about. Here's what I found:

The Gabbard book covers the Thompson Indy cars of 1963, with color shots of the numbers 84 (Al Miller) and 82 (Masten Gregory) cars. There are also 5 B&W shots. But you will have difficulty reading the chapter, which is "1963 - Ford Enters The Fray"! The Buick-powered Thompson cars are also covered in the 1962 chapter, with a color shot of number 34 (Gurney).

The Friedman book also has a color shot of the '62 Thompson-Buick #34. However, that's it for color.

There is a big difference in the colors of the #34 between the two books. It looks like the Friedman book has a more accurate color reproduction given the look of the car in the B&W shots, but perhaps the color scheme was changed during the event?

Hope that helps.

#13 Jose

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 04:28

Jose --

I have both the Gabbard & Friedman books you asked about. Here's what I found:

The Gabbard book covers the Thompson Indy cars of 1963, with color shots of the numbers 84 (Al Miller) and 82 (Masten Gregory) cars. There are also 5 B&W shots. But you will have difficulty reading the chapter, which is "1963 - Ford Enters The Fray"! The Buick-powered Thompson cars are also covered in the 1962 chapter, with a color shot of number 34 (Gurney).

The Friedman book also has a color shot of the '62 Thompson-Buick #34. However, that's it for color.

There is a big difference in the colors of the #34 between the two books. It looks like the Friedman book has a more accurate color reproduction given the look of the car in the B&W shots, but perhaps the color scheme was changed during the event?

Hope that helps.

Thanks!! so no chevy car ? :)

#14 pete3664

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 05:42

Dale Coyne did run Chevy V8 (smallblock) power in the mid to late 80's under a grandfather clause, and Bobby Rahal ran a smallblock Chevy a little before that and I believe won MidOhio with it. Shortly after Red Roof win @ MidOhio w/Bobby , the stock block was outlawed as it was thought with the greater torque that everyone would need one for the road courses. After that almost all Stock blocks were downsized V6's that were turbocharged and even with some sub-rosa help from Chevrolet (Foyt) they weren't developed enough.

#15 helioseism

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 05:54

Thanks!! so no chevy car ? :)



The '63 Thompsons were Chevrolet powered.

#16 Jose

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 13:40

The '63 Thompsons were Chevrolet powered.



Thanks,

So which book you think is better for me?

Jose

#17 helioseism

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 13:54

Thanks,

So which book you think is better for me?

Jose


Well, the Gabbard book has more color photos of the Thompsons, but both books are very good. By the way, it looks like the '62 Gurney Thompson-Buick did indeed have two color schemes during the event.

#18 Tony Matthews

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 15:22

I Despise Fords

I will never understand how anyone who likes engines can 'despise' an engine just because of the badge or casting on the cam-covers.

#19 Jose

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 16:14

I will never understand how anyone who likes engines can 'despise' an engine just because of the badge or casting on the cam-covers.



I am A GM Guy, Corvette first, then Chevy. I don't like fords or mopars.

Everyone likes a Certain something. I prefer Coke,others Pepsi. and so on.



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#20 RA Historian

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 17:35

Dale Coyne did run Chevy V8 (smallblock) power in the mid to late 80's under a grandfather clause, and Bobby Rahal ran a smallblock Chevy a little before that and I believe won MidOhio with it. Shortly after Red Roof win @ MidOhio w/Bobby , the stock block was outlawed as it was thought with the greater torque that everyone would need one for the road courses. After that almost all Stock blocks were downsized V6's that were turbocharged and even with some sub-rosa help from Chevrolet (Foyt) they weren't developed enough.

Brian answered this before, but perhaps I can add a little bit more. The Mid Ohio race in question, 1983, was won by Teo Fabi in a March with Mario Andretti second in a Lola. Bobby Rahal was third in a March with a pushrod Chevy V-8. The usually reliable Champ Car stats web site lists Rahal's March as being Cosworth powered, but that is in error. It did have a pushrod V-8.

A few races earlier, at Road America, the Penske team had a pushrod Chevy V-8 in a Penske PC-11 chassis. Rick Mears practiced with it, but decided to use the Cosworth in the race. I believe that is the only time that this car appeared.

The pushrod V-8 was in vogue at this time because it supposedly was better suited for road courses than a turbocharged engine. As Brian explained, it was not "outlawed", but became impractical to use due to the necessity to stick with one unit or the other for the entire season. In fact, several small teams persevered with non-turbo pushrod V-8 engines for a number of years beyond 1983. Among them is the aforementioned Dale Coyne team, plus such as Jet Engineering, Herm Johnson, and until 1985 AAR. In fact, AAR had won the oval Milwaukee race in 1981 with Mike Mosley driving a pushrod V-8 Eagle. There were others who used pushrod V-8s beyond these.

Those with longer memories will recall George Follmer winning at Phoenix in 1969 in a car powered by a pushrod Chevy V-8. The same year Art Pollard won at Dover in a car powered by a pushrod Plymouth V-8.

Tom

Edited by RA Historian, 04 January 2010 - 17:38.


#21 rateus

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 17:40

Going back to the period Jose's interested in, don't forget this beauty :love:

http://sdsproadster....P Roadster.html

#22 Jose

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Posted 04 January 2010 - 21:32

Photos of the late Greg Weld reunited with the 1961 Mike Magill Chevy powered Indy Roadster at the March, 2008 "Bench Racing Weekend", as seen in rateus' prior post. Unfortunately, we lost Greg five short months later. Brian

photos: B²
Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image



Awesome Pictures, thanks for sharing!

R.I.P. Greg.



#23 CRChenowth

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Posted 21 November 2010 - 16:30

This Roadster is the San Diego Steel products CHENOWTH Indy Roadster ,
Built in 1960 by Chuck Chenowth , Terry Chenowth , Roger Sanders , Elwood Arita , Eddy Kuzma & others in the SDSP shop in San Diego Calif.

The car ran for 25+ years in competition , on pavement & dirt as a indy care , champ car & sprint car.
It is now owned by Dave Schleppi . He restored this car to its presnt 1960 configuration.
Terry Chenoth is my Father . That is how i know so much about the car.
In the second photo of Greg Weld in the car , you can see a placard in the back that says ROADSTER , I now own that placard & it hangs in my living room. Dave Schleppi found another record the car set & had a new placard made up , he sent the old one to me.

RIP.... Greg Weld . Mike Magill , Terry Chenowth & Roger Sanders.

#24 jimclark

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Posted 21 November 2010 - 16:52

:wave: Welcome and thank you for the info. :)

#25 Magoo

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Posted 21 November 2010 - 22:09

This Roadster is the San Diego Steel products CHENOWTH Indy Roadster ,
Built in 1960 by Chuck Chenowth , Terry Chenowth , Roger Sanders , Elwood Arita , Eddy Kuzma & others in the SDSP shop in San Diego Calif.

The car ran for 25+ years in competition , on pavement & dirt as a indy care , champ car & sprint car.
It is now owned by Dave Schleppi . He restored this car to its presnt 1960 configuration.
Terry Chenoth is my Father . That is how i know so much about the car.
In the second photo of Greg Weld in the car , you can see a placard in the back that says ROADSTER , I now own that placard & it hangs in my living room. Dave Schleppi found another record the car set & had a new placard made up , he sent the old one to me.

RIP.... Greg Weld . Mike Magill , Terry Chenowth & Roger Sanders.


I've seen the car several times in the Carb Day show at Indy and it is one of my all-time favorite roadsters -- a real jewel. The car's craftsmanship was/is second to none.

#26 xj13v12

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Posted 21 November 2010 - 22:49

The V8 355 c.i. (about 5.9 litre) alloy Chev was entered quite often in 1979-81 by a wide range of people, often rookies. Not that many of them made the race but this short list of names gives an indication. Jerry Sneva, Roger Rager, Tempero, Bettenhausen, Johnson, Mosley, Karl, Caliva, Klauser, Bigelow, Bubby Jones, Hamilton, Chasely, Miller, Threshie, Fisher, Harkey, Dickson etal. This was the big V8. At around the same time there was a sprinkling of V6 Chev engines being entered as well. There were even some attempts to turbo the Chev to achieve the required power. There had been the ocassional Chev powered rear engine car in USAC races through the 60s such as Ronnie Duman's Eisert Chev. Wallen's book notes Mario Andrietti running a Brawner Hawke Chev at Mosport in 1967. Gerhardt, Turnet, Curtis (not Frank Kurtis but Frank Curtis), Halibrand and Gilbert chassis all appeared with Chev power during the 60s. Even Mark Donohue appeared in USAC races using an Eagle F5000 during 1968 and Revson in an Eisert Chev at Riverside in 1969. The best result I can see after a cursory glance is george Follmer in a Cheetah (Wallen says Cheetah, other sources call this the Gilbert) at I.R.P race 2 in July 1969. Of course there were Meskowski Chevs running the ovals for McElreath and others. Bobby Unser tried a Chev in his old Eagle in 1969 too. Quite a range to choose from.
xj13v12.

#27 Bob Riebe

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Posted 22 November 2010 - 03:23

The V8 355 c.i. (about 5.9 litre) alloy Chev was entered quite often in 1979-81 by a wide range of people, often rookies. Not that many of them made the race but this short list of names gives an indication. Jerry Sneva, Roger Rager, Tempero, Bettenhausen, Johnson, Mosley, Karl, Caliva, Klauser, Bigelow, Bubby Jones, Hamilton, Chasely, Miller, Threshie, Fisher, Harkey, Dickson etal. This was the big V8. At around the same time there was a sprinkling of V6 Chev engines being entered as well. There were even some attempts to turbo the Chev to achieve the required power. There had been the ocassional Chev powered rear engine car in USAC races through the 60s such as Ronnie Duman's Eisert Chev. Wallen's book notes Mario Andrietti running a Brawner Hawke Chev at Mosport in 1967. Gerhardt, Turnet, Curtis (not Frank Kurtis but Frank Curtis), Halibrand and Gilbert chassis all appeared with Chev power during the 60s. Even Mark Donohue appeared in USAC races using an Eagle F5000 during 1968 and Revson in an Eisert Chev at Riverside in 1969. The best result I can see after a cursory glance is george Follmer in a Cheetah (Wallen says Cheetah, other sources call this the Gilbert) at I.R.P race 2 in July 1969. Of course there were Meskowski Chevs running the ovals for McElreath and others. Bobby Unser tried a Chev in his old Eagle in 1969 too. Quite a range to choose from.
xj13v12.

Up to 1970 push-rods were not 355 in. cu. but depending on year up to 320 or 25, been too many years, depending on cylinder head.
A 305 was used by Gurney with his two Indianapolis second places, though in a Ford not a Chevy.

Follmer and Mosely have the only two wins for a push-rod Chevy in Indy cars.

So CART forced them to use the same type engine at all races, that did the independents zero good, but helped the big boys from a possible embarassment.

Edited by Bob Riebe, 22 November 2010 - 04:47.


#28 xj13v12

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Posted 22 November 2010 - 04:39

Up to 1970 push-rods were not 355 in. cu. but depending on year up to 320 or 25, been too many years, depending on cylinder head.
A 305 was used by Gurney with his two Indianapolis second places, though in a Ford not a Chevy.

So CART forced them to use the same type engine at all races, that did the independents zero good, but helped the big boys from a possible embarassment.


That's right. The size went up trying to give the stock block a bit of a chance. The Gurney Ford was best known stock block but the question here was Chev related. AMC also had a go sometimes too.

This is a small block Chev. My last post might have insinuated a big block. Remember that standard capacity was 255 c.i. or 4.2 litres for Offy and Indy Ford engines. 2.65 litre for turbo application, so allowing larger capacity stock block was a fair deal really, especially when it got to 355 c.i. alloy engines. The torque would have made this size pretty competitive on shorter road circuits. It did allow independants a chance to qualify in older machinery.

#29 Jose

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Posted 25 July 2011 - 15:11

I am looking for Any Book That Covers The Chevrolet Powered Indy Cars(that were sadly not much of a success or overshadowed) preferably in Color photos?
As well as the Buick Car, Which Book covers it the best ? Ludvigsen's ?*it's all black and white though* Alex Grabbards Indy's Wildest Decade? what about Friedman's Memories 1961-69 Book?any color pictures of Said Chevy and Buick Cars?(I have a couple of Dave's books)

And finally any racing footage out there? NTSC Format DVD or Vhs? of the cars? Dick Wallen,Rare SportsFilms,Etc. do they show any footage of the cars?

I am Surprised there is no "Powered By Chevrolet Book" or Chevrolet At Indy Book? Although Paul Van Valkenbergh's Chevrolet-Gone Racing Is good, b&w brief mention.

Thanks

Jose, 27.

Miami



any racing footage out there? NTSC Format DVD or Vhs? of the cars? Dick Wallen,Rare SportsFilms,Etc. do they show any footage of the cars?


Where can I find the Art Print "Stock Block" of this same car SDSP Roadster?

Jose


#30 Henri Greuter

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Posted 26 July 2011 - 11:48

The V8 355 c.i. (about 5.9 litre) alloy Chev was entered quite often in 1979-81 by a wide range of people, often rookies. Not that many of them made the race but this short list of names gives an indication. Jerry Sneva, Roger Rager, Tempero, Bettenhausen, Johnson, Mosley, Karl, Caliva, Klauser, Bigelow, Bubby Jones, Hamilton, Chasely, Miller, Threshie, Fisher, Harkey, Dickson etal. This was the big V8. At around the same time there was a sprinkling of V6 Chev engines being entered as well. There were even some attempts to turbo the Chev to achieve the required power. There had been the ocassional Chev powered rear engine car in USAC races through the 60s such as Ronnie Duman's Eisert Chev. Wallen's book notes Mario Andrietti running a Brawner Hawke Chev at Mosport in 1967. Gerhardt, Turnet, Curtis (not Frank Kurtis but Frank Curtis), Halibrand and Gilbert chassis all appeared with Chev power during the 60s. Even Mark Donohue appeared in USAC races using an Eagle F5000 during 1968 and Revson in an Eisert Chev at Riverside in 1969. The best result I can see after a cursory glance is george Follmer in a Cheetah (Wallen says Cheetah, other sources call this the Gilbert) at I.R.P race 2 in July 1969. Of course there were Meskowski Chevs running the ovals for McElreath and others. Bobby Unser tried a Chev in his old Eagle in 1969 too. Quite a range to choose from.
xj13v12.



It was, I believe, in 1981 that Tom Klausler drove the Schkee-Chevy and that was a turbocharged V8. Pete Halsmer drove an Eagle fitted with such an engine in '82. Gurney used one for Mosley in the factory Eagle that same year but DNQ after blowing one engine after another
And that at a time when there vas a V6 program had been started as well. Ryan Falconer was involved with that program. But despite some 5 or so cars entered in '83, none of them made the field.
And then there was of course AJ's contraption: the Blowtorch, oops eh sorry, the Chevy V6 he had fitted into March cars from '84 to 90. but never upgraded from '86 anymore siince the most recent chassis it had ever been built into was a March 86C. Raced three times, the car fitted with that engine did 13, 0 and 2 laps and was classified 32rd, 33rd and 30rd respectively. Had it not been for three cars being retired in the first lap accident in 1988, its last race, then it had been classified 33rd a second time.
He fortunately quit that embarassment to Chevy in 1990 in exchange vor getting the real deal: an Ilmor-Chevy engine deal. That zero laps performance was really embarassing since the car set its bodywork alight during the warm up laps and never ever took the start, it retired before the race.
For one reason or another the Chevy V6 wasn't used anymore after 84 other then by AJ and I suspect that he did it more to please his engine man Howard Gilbert then himself. Had he had any faith in it or seen a benefit in it he would have used it himself. But as far as I know, other than in 1990 he never turned a lap in the Blowtorch powered cars.
That Chevy gave up on it or whatever you want to call it, It made sense given their involvement with the Ilmor engine. It took some time to get it done but eventually that engine did a lot of good for them.

Another interesting engine was the one used by Smokey Yunick in '73 and '75. That was a twinturbocharged Chevy, a turbo for each bank of cylinders. To my knowledge the only twinturbocharged engine ever used at Indy. But little is known and published about this engine, julst like the later turbocharged V8's of 81&82 I already mentioned


From what I have found out, the CART chassis built after 1986 were so compact and utterly dedicated to the more compact Quadcam 2.65 liter race engines that is was virtually impossible to fit an atmo stock block into such a "post '86" car anymore. Dale Coyne, who raced a car powered by such an atmo stock block at Indy as late as 1988 used a March 86C because that was about the last car built that could handle such a block and even then only after some modifications.
But frontal area of the cars was reduced from 1987 on and the frontal area of a stock block was simply way too large compared with that of a Quadcam. The smaller V6 (Buick & Menard) had less such problems.



Henri

Edited by Henri Greuter, 26 July 2011 - 11:57.


#31 T54

T54
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Posted 26 July 2011 - 16:53

Roger Huntington, the Doug Nye of American hotrodding in the 1950's and 1960's did a book on Indy car technology, the name of which I cannot recall, that would be of some help.

Unfortunately and as well as for the Alex Gabbard book, the Huntington book is full of factual errors and can only be trusted for the great pictures in it. It is called "Design & Development of the INDY CAR", published by HP Books in Tucson, AZ, in 1981.

Reading DCN many books in my library and since I was privileged to live much of those days as an attentive spectator since the year 1948 at age 5, I have not found too many factual errors yet.

A great book about one of the teams that really succeeded with push-rod "Chevy" stock blocks is John Zimmerman's Eagle book. It has lot of very insightful info without BS.
And of course there is quite a bit of info in the various Clymer and Hungness Indy Year books before Hungness was basically banned in different wording and various barriers across his way by the IMS from publishing any further about it.
Hope this helps.