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The Blue Hilton


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#1 SKL

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Posted 20 February 2017 - 23:47

http://www.racer.com...ton-transporter

 

 

 

Pretty neat idea for the Captain's 80th birthday...  I remember seeing that several times over the years at Road America!



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#2 B Squared

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Posted 21 February 2017 - 11:35

This International Harvester Fleetstar was restored in my hometown of Ft. Wayne, IN. My Dad spent 32 years as an IH road test engineering mechanic and this platform was one he spent considerable time on developing and some of the design aspects are his,(the standard Fleetstar, not the Penske version), but are seen on the Penske Blue Hilton also. It was amazing that we are trusted enough within Team Penske that we got to see this before Mr. Penske knew anything about it, sworn to secrecy and no photos allowed.

Watching my nearly 84-year old Dad go over the vehicle and talking to the restorers about the technical challenges when it was developed and his contributions was extremely rewarding, when he was invited to take the driver's seat, he removed his shoes and climbed aboard like he was 30 and ready to give it a road test. I knew of his work with the Travelalls and Scouts and pickups because at times he'd swing by the house while out testing to show co-workers our cars, but to learn of his involvement with this very Fleetstar platform makes it all the more special. Thanks to the Penske people for this amazingly well-done project. Great memories past and present.

An NBCSports article by Tony DiZinno:

http://motorsports.n...ng-transporter/

Edited by B Squared, 21 February 2017 - 11:43.


#3 Vitesse2

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Posted 21 February 2017 - 14:36

http://www.racer.com...ton-transporter

 

 

 

Pretty neat idea for the Captain's 80th birthday...  I remember seeing that several times over the years at Road America!

Not wishing to detract from the project, which is admirable, but I think the late Earl Howe and the late Prince Chula - both of whom had complete rigid body mobile workshop/transporters custom-built in the 1930s - and quite a number of other British and European teams might dispute this statement:

 

The truck was one of the first known enclosed transporters used for racing purposes.



#4 retriever

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Posted 23 February 2017 - 22:19

Surely this topic should be closed and postings transferred to the Transporters topic.



#5 fbarrett

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Posted 23 February 2017 - 22:37

Nothing new, actually. It was at the Road America vintage race in 2015. Very impressive!



#6 E1pix

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Posted 24 February 2017 - 04:02

Surely this topic should be closed and postings transferred to the Transporters topic.

Surely you're welcome to peruse a topic of more interest to you.

#7 B Squared

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Posted 24 February 2017 - 07:58

Nothing new, actually. It was at the Road America vintage race in 2015. Very impressive!

Actually it's quite new; what you saw is another Penske transporter of the era, the 1972 "White Hilton" that is painted in the "Blue Hilton" colors. It is beautifully restored also and at the time of its meticulous restoration was thought to be the only one still existing and was restored as the "Blue Hilton." The Penske-owned Blue Hilton is the one that was thought to have been scrapped and lost for good. It was discovered within the past year-and-a-half and restored to its current glory in Fort Wayne, IN over the past year. Two totally different vehicles, but they are the original Penske White Hilton (now blue) and Blue Hilton (Penske-owned) transporters.

There are others here much more familiar with the story on the blue White Hilton. It first premiered (I believe) at the July, 2010 Road America vintage races that coincided with the book launch of Michael Argetsinger's Mark Donohue: His Life in Photographs and was part of the display of Mark's racecars that totaled around 20 and was arranged in large part by Paul Powell. Many Penske Team members and Mark's Penske crew and were there too. These included Karl Kainhofer, Jerry Kroninger, John "Woody" Woodard, Ron Fournier, Chuck Cantwell, David Hobbs, Don Cox, Peter Law, and many others, all esteemed. One of the greatest racing weekends of my life. Apologies in advance if I've gotten any of the information above incorrectly presented.

Edited by B Squared, 24 February 2017 - 09:25.


#8 fbarrett

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Posted 24 February 2017 - 16:54

B Squared:

 

Thanks for the clarification. Since I was editing books for David Bull, I was also there in 2010 for the launch. Tom Warth and I were driving his gray 2CV...

 

Frank



#9 SKL

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Posted 24 February 2017 - 17:52

Should never have missed that 2010 meeting !   My publisher additions of Michael's excellent bio on Mark sit proudly in my office, along with the newest Kirby book on Karl Kainhofer and Penske Racing.  (Surprised that wasn't published by David Bull BTW).

 

Would love to figure out a way to get the Captain to sign the Kirby book at the PIR Indycar race in late April...

 

Someday they should have the Blue Hilton on display at the Penske Musuem in north Scottsdale!



#10 Eaglenindy

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Posted 23 January 2019 - 03:07

I was outside the Penske garages on the openint weekend (last weekend of April) in 1972 when Karl and Woody unloaded the M16-B off the "Blue Hilton".  At the time it was very impressive.  A totally enclosed transporter that obviously carried ALL off the spares needed.  What was really cool was the obvious realization, that the "Blue Hilton" held EVERYTHING needed for a race weekend (outside of Indy).  Fuel, spare engines, bodywork, spare car, suspension, etal....

 

It was definitely more impressive than McLaren's arrival with two open slant one ton pickups carrying their M16-B's in the open with no noses or wings!