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Miller's four cylinder engine for Hugo Ogren - Sep 1916


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#101 Michael Ferner

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Posted 02 April 2016 - 08:25

Wow, Carl!

What a wonderful piece of research, many thanks!

Looks like the Northams were the neighbours your mom and dad always warned about...

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#102 robert dick

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Posted 02 April 2016 - 09:56

Toft was an interesting - and for many people a controversial - figure:
After the Delage episode of the 1914 Santa Monica races, Omar Toft was suspended by the AAA until January 1916. Toft reappeared in February/March 1916 with his Omar Special, at Ascot Park/Los Angeles. The car was described as modified Duesenberg, owned by Toft and Sam McKee (of McKee's Cafe). Toft was injured in a practice accident before the Ascot race so that in April at Corona the Omar was driven by Teddy Tetzlaff, and later in other California races by Hughie Hughes.
Toft drove the Omar until the end of the 1917 season.
In 1918, Toft appeared with the Miller formerly driven by Andy Burt, Arthur Cadwell and Gil Anderson. In 1919, Toft entered the Miller under different names - Ascot, Toft or Darco Special.
In the spring of 1920, Toft and his wife Leotia took over two dancing cafes in Phoenix, Arizona, the "American" in town and "Morley's Country Club" at Forest Park.

In October 1920, Toft drove a Frontenac in the 100-miler at the Arizona State Fair Grounds/Phoenix.
Leotia Toft/Northam died on 22 December 1920 in a hospital in Phoenix.
Omar Toft left Phoenix for Santa Ana. In April 1921, he married again, his bride coming from Phoenix, Elizabeth Morgan.
In November 1921, Toft drove a 4.5-liter Delage in the Fair Ground races, Phoenix. The Delage was owned by Arthur Doe's and Sam Bogart's Cunningham Motor Co. of Los Angeles by whom Toft was employed as salesman. On 12 November 1921, Toft started in a 50-miler and crashed after 24 miles. He received such injuries that he died within half an hour. It was reported that before the start, the radiator of the Delage was boiling over. After the accident when the car was inspected in the ditch, it was found that the Delage was in third speed and that the rear wheels, transmission and engine were tightly locked, indicating that the engine and clutch may have frozen, causing Toft to lose control.

Toft in his Omar Special:
https://purl.stanford.edu/rz290bp1369
https://purl.stanford.edu/wb235yh7589
Toft and his Miller/Ascot Special:
https://purl.stanford.edu/jt266fk5012

- Was Toft involved in McKee's Cafe? (McKee's was a popular meeting place of the Ascot drivers and officials)
- Was the Omar Special a modified Duesenberg, meaning Duesenberg chassis + engine, or did the chassis come from elsewhere?
 



#103 Jim Dillon

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Posted 02 April 2016 - 11:41

Carl I agree that is quite the article. What a time in history anyways. I had run across the mention of Toft and his travel to acquire a Delage and had some question marks alongside. Now I know why. Good stuff. Robert some good stuff as well.



#104 Michael Ferner

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Posted 02 April 2016 - 14:22

The Omar was not a modified Duesenberg as we understand the words today. It was a special, probably built from parts of several other (makes of) cars, some custom built. The chassis frame was definitely not of Duesenberg manufacture, though I can't say what it was. People with more knowledge of period stock cars may be able to answer that question.

#105 carl s

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Posted 20 April 2016 - 20:45

Omar Toft

An anonymous note sent to me:

"Interesting picture of Omar Toft. He was born in Boone County, Missouri on a farm about 3 miles west of Sturgeon, Missouri. He was a first cousin of my grandmother Etna (Lewis) Heath. He was the son of Nis Toft, a Danish immigrant and Annie Lewis. His mother died fairly young and after her death, his father Nis converted to Seventh Day Adventist and moved to the San Fernando Valley of California. So Omar was incorrect that he was born in Denmark but his father was."



#106 GPevolved

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Posted 20 April 2016 - 22:23

Carl-- That's fascinating.  I actually live in the county just east of northern Boone County.  I actually pass Sturgeon on my way to work, depending on what route I commute in on.  



#107 carl s

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Posted 17 May 2016 - 14:38

Have lost the link but a past comment regarding Omar Toft from John Glenn printz:

"

"Toft had an unsavory reputation. Omar was accused of slashing his opponent's tires before the Sept. 2, 1918 Uniontown 112.5 mile race, and Tommy Milton always thought that Toft may have murdered Mrs. Leotia K. Northam's husband. Mrs. Northam was a financial sponsor and supporter of Toft. Before all that, Omar had deliberately delayed the arrival of Mrs. Northam's 1913 Grand Prix Delage from New York to Santa Monica in February 1914. The Delage was imported from France for Toft's use in all the important 1914 AAA races, including Indianapolis (Source: NEW YORK TIMES, 27 Jan., 1914, page 10). Toft was angry when he learned that Bert Dingley (1885-1966) had possibly replaced him, as the driver of the Delage. Dingley was badly injured at Tacoma on July 4, 1914 and never raced again.

 

Omar also apparently avowed that he was born in Denmark when, in fact, his birthplace was Bourbon, Missouri. Toft himself was out of big-time racing after 1919 and died at Phoenix, AZ on Nov. 12, 1921. It was in a minor 50 mile race won by DePalma, who led all 50 laps. Toft went over an embankment on his 24th circuit and the car caught fire. The cause of Omar's accident was not known."



#108 robert dick

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Posted 19 May 2016 - 09:10

Harsh comments... Seems that some people did not appreciate Toft's lifestyle.

= = = =

Coincidence?
After Northam's death (October 1912), his widow Leotia (= Mrs. Toft after March 1916) lived at the Larchmond apartments, at the corner of Washington and Main Streets, Los Angeles.
Bob Burman and his wife lived at the same address; and later, in 1917, Arthur Cadwell when he drove his Miller.