Races in Sweden 1938-1954
#1
Posted 25 October 2003 - 10:24
Was really there only the 2 international races in 1947, none for 1948-1951, only 1 each for 1952 & 1953, none from 1954 ?
What happened ? Changing to sportscars ? Money problems ?
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#2
Posted 25 October 2003 - 13:56
Source is "Äventyrens Sport" - Martin Strömberg 1983.
Result of Racing & Special Class, 25 laps
1. "Bira", Maserati 4CLT, 52'38.6"
2. Baron de Graffenried, Maserati 4CLT, 52'39.4"
3. Gunnar Olsson, Ford Special, 24 laps, 55'52.58" (winner special cars class)
4. Gunnar Karlsson, Ford Special
5. Ture Melin, Ford Special
?. Karl Melin, Fiat Special, (lapped "many times")
DNF Oscar Swahn, Cooper F3, 24 laps
DNF Raymond Sjöqvist, Cooper F3, 16 laps
DNF John Kvarnström, Hudson, 14 laps
DNF ?, F3-car
DNF Lasse Bergström, Buick, 10 laps
DNF Olle Bergström
DNF Sven Karlsson, 8 laps
DNF Arne Hinsverk (N), Ford, 8 laps
DNF Leo Mattila, (SF), Ford, 8 laps
DNF Valdemar Stener, Maserati 6CM (chassis 1537), (retired "early")
DNF Gert Kaiser
DNF Helge Hallman (SF), Ford
DNF Bengt Jansson, Bugatti, 1 lap
DNF Magnus Knutsson, Alfa Romeo Monza, 0 lap
And of course there was the 1948 Stockholm Grand prix for F2 cars
(cfr Sheldon)
#3
Posted 25 October 2003 - 20:26
Stefan
#4
Posted 25 October 2003 - 21:04
#5
Posted 25 October 2003 - 21:38
There was an ice race at Delsjön on 10 March 1940 in a attempt to collect money for Finland but I don't know any details, not even the name of the winner.
#6
Posted 25 October 2003 - 21:44
#7
Posted 26 October 2003 - 04:42
Originally posted by Leif Snellman
I guess because there wasn't no permanent race track in Sweden and as I understand it the Swedish Royal Automobile Club (K.A.K.) was not too keen on GP type of racing, prefaring endurance or rally type of events.
Dear Leif,
sorry for insisting... The 1937 were not on permanent tracks, so why no races in 1938 ?
Did, for example, Erik Lundgren built his Special for only 2 races in 1952 & 3 in 1953, including the Finn events ? He was entered (not appeared) in the 1951 German GP — not even a formule libre race, on ice or anything other, that year ?
#8
Posted 26 October 2003 - 08:46
Sorry, I DID have the results for sports class!Originally posted by Leif Snellman
IThere was an ice race at Delsjön on 10 March 1940 in a attempt to collect money for Finland but I don't know any details
1 Helmer Carlsson, BMW 328
2 P.F.Lewerentz, BMW 328
3 Sture Rosenberg, Mercury
There was another Ice race earlier that year in Karlskoga.
Winner in the racing class was Tore Berg (Alfa Romeo) from Adolf Westerblom (Bugatti T35)
Winner of the sports car class was Tobiassen (N) in a BmW 328.
#9
Posted 26 October 2003 - 09:11
Well, there was at least 13 hills for hill climb events (gravel) in Sweden in the 1930s, even if they don't show up on Hans' list (at least yet).
I have recieved some information from the son of race driver Helmer Carlsson , and while I dont know how much details I can give as the son is trying to write a book, I can pick a bit from his statistics:
Starts in Sweden for Helmer Carlsson:
1936: 1 trotting track, 1 reliability race, 5 ice races, 8 hill climbs, 1 speed record attempt.
1937: 1 trotting track, 1 reliability race, 5 ice races, 8 hill climbs.
1938: 1 trotting track, 2 reliability races, 1 ice race (driver ill during winter) , 8 hill climbs.
1939: 1 trotting track, 2 reliability races, 6 hill climbs.
1940: 2 ice races.
1941: 1 race for produces-gas cars.
1946: 2 reliability races. 1 ice race.
1947: 5 reliability races. 1 ice race, 4 hill climbs.
Helmer Carlsson was the best hill climber in Sweden so he concentrated on those events but I think the list still will give some indication of what went on in Sweden during those years. The ice racing events are of course dependable on the weather. If there is no ice there cannot be any events.
#10
Posted 26 October 2003 - 19:56
Originally posted by Vitesse2
King-Farlow calls this the III Swedish Summer GP, run at Skarpnack, having numbered the 1948 race as the second. He has the same drivers placed first to third, but has Olsson in a Kaiser Special, rather than a Ford. Distance given as 47 miles, winning speed 53.01mph, which doesn't quite tally with Alessandro's time.
There was a F3 race supporting the formule libre event. Paul Sheldon indicates it was a 10 lap race, which totalled 18.64 miles.
So the venue was of 1.864 mile, that making 56.60 miles for 25 laps.
I'm not a great mathematician — what all this mean on the race average ?
#11
Posted 26 October 2003 - 22:56
Originally posted by Jimmy Piget
There was a F3 race supporting the formule libre event. Paul Sheldon indicates it was a 10 lap race, which totalled 18.64 miles.
So the venue was of 1.864 mile, that making 56.60 miles for 25 laps.
I'm not a great mathematician — what all this mean on the race average ?
I can tell you're not a great mathematician, Jimmy! Nor am I, but I think you'll find that 1.864 x 25 = 46.6!
46.6 miles tallies very well when you apply Alessandro's time to King-Farlow's speed. I make it 53.11mph.
#12
Posted 26 October 2003 - 23:19
Any pictures... please? I am begging...
Could the 'Kaiser' have been the chassis and the 'Ford' the engine in the case of Olsson's car?
#13
Posted 27 October 2003 - 06:28
Originally posted by Vitesse2
I can tell you're not a great mathematician, Jimmy! Nor am I, but I think you'll find that 1.864 x 25 = 46.6!
46.6 miles tallies very well when you apply Alessandro's time to King-Farlow's speed. I make it 53.11mph.
Thumbs down A nought for me in my mathematics exam ! Thumbs down
#14
Posted 27 October 2003 - 12:02
"Go-On 1", Gunnar Olsson's Ford Special. It was Gunnar Olsson who built Swedens first permanent race track at Karlskoga.
Norwegian Arne Hinsverk's Ford Special.
"Go-On 2", Gunnar Olsson's second car, ready for a race on ice. First with Lancia engine, later Alfa Romeo.
The start at Hedemora 1952. Left is the Go-On 2, to the right Erik Lundgren in another Ford Special.
Result; 10 laps:
1. Erik Lundgren, Ford Special, 33'29.1"
2. John Kvarnström, Hudson Special, 35'55.5"
3. Gunnar Olsson, Go-On 2 (Alfa engine), 35'57.8"
4. Ola By, Ford Special, 36'21.0"
DNF Erik Carlsson
DNF Valdemar Stener
etc
10 starters
Stefan
#15
Posted 27 October 2003 - 17:14
Another link in the chain just came out... the chain that formerly separated our racing from that in 'sophisticated' Europe.
And what about details of the cars, how they were built, what from etc?
You mention Lancia and Alfa engines, which engines were they?
Thanks very much for those photos... any more?
#16
Posted 27 October 2003 - 18:28
The Alfa was, I believe, a 6C 1750 (it might have been a bigger one).
(I will check out more details and if I have more pictures later this week,
as I don't have access to my books at the moment)
#17
Posted 27 October 2003 - 20:17
'Ockelbo' Lundgren in his special.
#18
Posted 27 October 2003 - 20:40
Thanks for that pic, Rainer, any more? (just greedy, you know how it is...)
I think Lundgren has copied his body styling from the Wilcox Dodge, by the way... but the axle covering in the front is clearly his own invention. The stems coming from that support seem to indicate that headlights might have been removed for the race and that this car was in fact a road car between races?
Kaha... I await your news with interest...
#19
Posted 27 October 2003 - 21:07
Djurgardsloppet, Helsinki, Finland 1948.
According to my sources, Olssons Alfa Romeo engine was "a 2.5 litre sportscar engine from 1946"
(I wonder why all my scans from this book has some sort of stripes over the whole pic?)
Stefan
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#20
Posted 27 October 2003 - 21:13
Does your scanner program have a 'descreen' facility on it? If so, it probably has a couple of options (light, normal or heavy)... when you scan, try each to see which gives the best result, then save that one.
Now... this spinning car looks very Hudson?
#21
Posted 27 October 2003 - 21:57
I will check when I get home later this week. The car is mentioned in Bengt Gustavssons book "Lancia i Sverige" among other interesting Swedish Lancia based specials.
#22
Posted 28 October 2003 - 00:20
Originally posted by Leif Snellman
I have recieved some information from the son of race driver Helmer Carlsson , and while I dont know how much details I can give as the son is trying to write a book, I can pick a bit from his statistics:
Starts in Sweden for Helmer Carlsson: (...)
1938: 1 ice race (...)
1940: 2 ice races.
(...)
1946: 1 ice race.
1947: 1 ice race, (...)
dear Leif
without deflowering a future book, is it possible to know which were these ice races ?
#23
Posted 28 October 2003 - 01:19
According to the entry list it should be Hans Hansen, Denmark, Ford special.Originally posted by Ray Bell
Now... this spinning car looks very Hudson?
#24
Posted 28 October 2003 - 01:26
Möckeln, Karlskoga 20 Feb 1938
Finlandsinsamlingen, Karlskoga ?, ? 1940
Finlandsinsamlingen, Göteborg, 10 Mar 1940
Lake Flaten, Stockholm, 3 Mar 1946
Midvintermotor, Västerås 12 Jan 1947
Riddarfjärden, Västerås 9 Mar 1947
#25
Posted 28 October 2003 - 05:46
One more (timid) question, if not going too far : who were thre winners ?
Stefan,
There is a clever way to avoid moire pattern. You just have to put the picture (from a book or a magazine) slightly tilted, instead of horizontal, inside the scanner.
Once scanned, Photoshop or similar will put the picture back to horizontal.
#26
Posted 28 October 2003 - 09:01
For Göteborg 1940, se reply #8 in this thread.
Helmer Callson, Fiat 508c, won at Riddarfjärden, Västerås 1947.
The rest I don't know!
#27
Posted 28 October 2003 - 10:06
Originally posted by Stefan Ornerdal
Djurgardsloppet, Helsinki, Finland 1948.
and the same place 55 years later.
#28
Posted 28 October 2003 - 12:55
The only major Swedish ( not DK, N, SF ) races for "Specials" on tarmac that I have logged for 1949-1953, and are probably incomplete, are as followed:-
29/05/1949 Stockholmsloppet.....Gunnar Olsson......Go-On Mk 1-Kaiser Spl
04/06/1950 Kanonloppet.............Gunnar Carlsson...Mercury Spl
1951 None
13/07/1952 Hedemoraloppet.......Erik Lundgren.......E.L.-Ford Ardun Spl
31/08/1952 Kanonloppet.............Erk Lungren..........E.L.-Ford Ardun Spl
14/09/1952 Skarpnacksloppet.....Gunnar Carlsson...Mercury Ardun Spl
12/09/1953 Skarpnacksloppet.....Erik Lundgren........E.L.-Ford Ardun Spl
19/09/1953 Kanonloppet.............Erik Lundgren (?)...E.L.-Ford Ardun Spl (?)
The regulations for the "Specials" 1950-1953 stipulated the following:-
Max 4500cc ( minimum weight 750kg ) Hjulbas ( ??? ) minimum 230cm
Max 2500cc ( 510kg ) 230cm
Max 2000cc ( 450kg ) 210cm
Max 1000cc ( 350kg ) 210cm
The most important championship for "Specials" were for races held on ice during the first few months of the year. There were between 6 and 9 races each year and in 1952 it appears that the summer races were included in a combined championship. If only a Swedish historian could gain access to newspapers, official journals etc and cast more light on this fascinating period. Of course it would require much burning of midnight oil and the Swedes do have long midnights!!
In 1954 the Swedish Championship switched to sports cars and the "Specials" sprouted wings and lights and took on the imported Ferraris and Jaguars.
John
#29
Posted 28 October 2003 - 14:23
#30
Posted 28 October 2003 - 14:38
And would you believe, the biggest papers is and was owned by Jo Bonniers family!
Otherwise, it's quite easy to have access to old papers, if you live in Stockholm and the Royal Library. I do not.
There was a good motorsport-magazine at that time, called "Racing", unfortunately I have only got my hands on a very few issues.
hjulbas = wheelbase.
Stefan
#31
Posted 28 October 2003 - 18:10
I have, like usually, some questions again... this time about the circuits used.
Leif, you mentioned Karlskoga as the place for the 1938 Möckeln race.
But I thought Möckeln was located near Almhult and Karlskoga near Örebro. Where is my mistake ?
For 1940, when talked about Karlskoga, and in 1950-1953 when talked about Kanonloppet, was it the circuit of Gellerasen ?
#32
Posted 28 October 2003 - 18:33
Originally posted by humphries
Of course it would require much burning of midnight oil and the Swedes do have long midnights!!
At least our winter nights are really long even in the Stockholm area, and if you go further up north, night is all they have for a month or so...! Off course during midsummer, they don't have nights at all...
#33
Posted 28 October 2003 - 19:01
The first race at Gelleråsen was 1950. There was no tarmac then!
Here is a website (in Swedish):
http://www.karlskoga...t/kanonmeny.htm
including prog-cover, track map and entrylist for the first F3-race.
Stefan
#34
Posted 28 October 2003 - 21:08
Any idea of what methods were used to keep big end bearings intact in the Hudsons? What gearboxes were used? Did anyone run a Chev... or more to the point, a Vauxhall or Chrysler or Wolseley six?
More pictures are always welcome, moire pattern or not...
#35
Posted 29 October 2003 - 14:21
Originally posted by Ray Bell
What gearboxes were used?
About the vehicle seen below, it was known to have used an ERA type Wilson pre-selector gearbox.
It was built and driven by Ture Melin and used a Ford V8 with Ardun heads and produced 220 bhp.
On the picture it is seen in 1949 among the straw bales at the Skarpnäck airfield.
That is all I know about this picture. About the cars in the Nordiska Specialvagnsklassen , some 30 to 40 specials are estimated to have been constructed mainly for use during 1946-1954.
#36
Posted 29 October 2003 - 15:35
I do have a race poster and I have a photo I think is from the start. I think I can see nine cars standing at the start, but the only list I have found (at www.classiccars.com) only list seven cars.
The race program seems to be rather difficult to find (I missed one for sale at an local auction in Pingbo (near the Hedemora TT display)).
Is the Tojeiro entered by Cliff Davis JOY 500 or LOY 500 or some other car ?
Fredrik Bökman
Falun
Sweden
#37
Posted 29 October 2003 - 20:13
John Kvarnström (S) , Hudson
Arne Hindvaerk (N) Ford Special, later raced by Gunnar "Persberg" Carlsson (S)
#38
Posted 29 October 2003 - 20:31
Originally posted by Rainer Nyberg
About the vehicle seen below, it was known to have used an ERA type Wilson pre-selector gearbox.
It was built and driven by Ture Melin and used a Ford V8 with Ardun heads and produced 220 bhp.
On the picture it is seen in 1949 among the straw bales at the Skarpnäck airfield.
That is all I know about this picture. About the cars in the Nordiska Specialvagnsklassen , some 30 to 40 specials are estimated to have been constructed mainly for use during 1946-1954.
Kind of like a left hand drive long wheelbase George Reed Special, as John and Dick will understand... I note that there's a majority made with pre-war brakes when post-war stuff would have been better suited, no doubt a lack of availability.
Thanks Rainer, keep them coming!
#39
Posted 29 October 2003 - 20:33
Originally posted by Leif Snellman
John Kvarnström (S) , Hudson
Arne Hindvaerk (N) Ford Special, later raced by Gunnar "Persberg" Carlsson (S)
Nicely done, Leif...
The Hudson is on disc wheels, I wonder if anyone in your countries learned that they like to break their spoke wheels? And this Ford has the later brakes, no doubt the grille implying that the whole package came from a '46 Mercury?
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#40
Posted 29 October 2003 - 22:46
Originally posted by humphries
Jimmy The only major Swedish ( not DK, N, SF ) races for "Specials"
Any results from DK, N, SF (except the well covered Helsinki GP) ?
#41
Posted 30 October 2003 - 12:14
We already discussed Kaiser Special and its engine here:
http://forums.atlasf...t=Kaiser Sweden
#42
Posted 30 October 2003 - 12:46
Originally posted by dmj
Great thread! Fascinating cars!
We already discussed Kaiser Special and its engine here:
http://forums.atlasf...t=Kaiser Sweden
So it was originally Kaiser-engined and then had a Ford fitted ..... thanks Dino, I'd forgotten that thread.
#43
Posted 30 October 2003 - 21:16
Stefan, I think we have some common genes... I must have been on the road when that thread was current, I've never seen it before.
#44
Posted 04 November 2003 - 22:29
It shows the Holbein HH 48 with BMW engine and the caption says it was taken at an ice race in Sweden in 1950 or 1951. The year can probably not be true as the car was owned by Bechem still in 1952 (German GP!) and only sold afterwards repordedly to Gunnar Wahlberg.
So can anybody tell me the event and the year?
#45
Posted 11 November 2003 - 23:12
I did a bit of digging through my books but they didn't give any new information.
Instead I called Bengt Gustavsson to get some more info, he will try to send me some results and images if he can find them. (I will also try to lure him to TNF)
The chassi for Go-On II came from a SS (don't know which type) the chassi was to weak, and in the end Gunnar bought back his original Go-On!
Go-On II used a Lancia gearbox and a Alfa gearbox with their respective engines.
The good news is that Go-On II still exists! It is however in a really sorry state lacking engine and gearbox. It is at the Svedino museum, but I don't know if it is even exhibited or not.
There have been attempts to rescue/restore the car but so far no results.
BTW, there are some of those 'specials' still around in Sweden. I have not seen them in a competive race, but there are usally a few showing up at the anual Gärdesloppet/Prince Bertil Memorial which is more of a demonstration run type of event.
#46
Posted 13 September 2006 - 19:17
Stefan, would it be possible for you to share this photo of the start again? I would like to know if the car of Ola By can be seen and to confirm if this was the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza with Ford V8 engine.Originally posted by Stefan Ornerdal
Sorry for the quality, but here is some pics:
...
The start at Hedemora 1952. Left is the Go-On 2, to the right Erik Lundgren in another Ford Special.
Result; 10 laps:
1. Erik Lundgren, Ford Special, 33'29.1"
2. John Kvarnström, Hudson Special, 35'55.5"
3. Gunnar Olsson, Go-On 2 (Alfa engine), 35'57.8"
4. Ola By, Ford Special, 36'21.0"
DNF Erik Carlsson
DNF Valdemar Stener
etc
10 starters
Stefan
Any other photos of this car would be highly appreciated!
#47
Posted 14 September 2006 - 06:38