21 replies to this topic

[Gokart Mozart]

The last time I heard, it was parked next to a swimming pool and used as a flowerbed somewhere near Indianapolis.

I am currently working on a project about the team, and I have tracked down the two Formula B cars....yet the Indycar is still out there.

The car debuted in 1973 at Milwaukee, with Jerry Karl driving.

The rebuilt Cidada, after Murphy's 1974 Phoenix wreck, attempted Indy in 75 with Murphy and Harkey, and then sat until it's famous last race at the final USAC Milwaukee event in 1979 when it was supposed to have a Ferrari V-12 in it.

I spoke to a man yesterday who owns both of the Formula B Cicadas, but he too had no idea where it was, other than as a flowerbed near Indy.

I would like to track this car down, as it is an important part of Wisconsin racing history, and if the flowerbed stories are true, it deserves better.



Respectfully,

Jacques N. Dresang
dresangjn02@uww.edu

[Gokart Mozart]

Seven months later, and my search still leaves me looking for one Walter Medlin, the Ferrari guru. I had contact with Harvey Wiese and talked to Dan Murphy's business associate, but neither know where the car is, thus, Medlin's tracks are the only ones that will lead me to the car...that I know of.

Cheers,

Jacques N. Dresang
UEMSI Motorwerks

[RA Historian]

Have you talked to Dan Murphy, the owner/driver? According to Allen Brown's web site, he now lives in Arizona and is head of Phoenix based Yaw Perfomance.

[Gokart Mozart]

Dear Tom,

Yes, I've been in touch with Dan via his business partner, Paul Yaw, though he doesn't know the whereabouts of the car at the moment.

The owner of both Cicada FB cars mentioned that he heard that the Indycar was a planter in the frontyard of someone's house near Indy, though I have no confirmation of that tale.

Regardless, considering it was built in downtown Plymouth, the home-built special would please quite a few if it turned up again. There is still reminants of when it was built in town, as a wall had to be knocked out of Weisse's home to get the car out of the basement! Sounds a little familiar if you ask me.

Respectfully Yours,

Jacques N. Dresang
UEMSI Motorwerks

[HDonaldCapps]

Regardless, considering it was built in downtown Plymouth, the home-built special would please quite a few if it turned up again. There is still reminants of when it was built in town, as a wall had to be knocked out of Weisse's home to get the car out of the basement! Sounds a little familiar if you ask me.

It was built by the same Norwegian Bachelor Farmers who built the duck decoys the basement in Lake Woebegon and which were too big to move without dismantling them?

[RA Historian]

Originally posted by Gokart Mozart
Jacques N. Dresang
UEMSI Motorwerks

Hi Jacques,

Mike Argetsinger tells me that your 1973 Eagle is going on display in the Watkins Glen Motor Racing Heritage Center.

Enjoyed seeing it run this past summer and look forward to seeing it again next year.

Best,
Tom

[T54]

Jacques,
I heard the same tale about the flower planter, but it came from John Mecom about the whereabouts of the actual 1966 Lola T80 driven by Graham Hill at the '66 Indy. Apparently the car painted as such today is not the actual chassis.

Could there be more planters out there, where cicadas sing in the fall?

[Gokart Mozart]

Yes Tom, we took the car out last weekend, and it will be on display until March. Since it was run at the Mile we had Mike Lewis, the original AAR wing builder, make us a 61 3/4" rear wing, spec'd to how the car was run for the '73 "500." I'm in the process of setting up a Web site dedicated to the history of the car, including transripts of articles that featured key moments in the car's lifetime, especially when Rick Mears raced it on 9/11/76.

T54, it seems the same fate was destined for Andretti's STP March 701. Then again, I wouldn't blame Andy G. for doing this, as this was the same model that made J. Servoz-Gavin to believe that he was no longer good enough for Formula 1.

[David M. Kane]

Andy G= Andy Gilberg? As in Marchives?

[Gokart Mozart]

Sorry for my lack of detail David, Andy Granatelli was the man who planted flowers in a March 701 ;)

Here is a shot, thanks to Artemis Images, of Leon "Jigger" Sirois in the Cicada during qualifications for the '500' in 1974.

http://www.artemisim...keywords=cicada


You'll notice that the sidepods are very similar to the 1972 Parnelli, or if you want to add some international flare: a 1970 BRM P153.

Respectfully Yours,

Jacques N. Dresang
UEMSI Motorwerks

[gbl]

Found this little video on my hd, the scene is from a video about 1973 but I think the editor messed up this scene since it looks like the #25 Cicada and the track is definately Phoenix so it must be 1974. In the scene the engine just blows up and the car is parked, no accident.

[Gokart Mozart]

Thank you very much gbl!

I noticed on your Web site that a Cicada is listed as a Leader Cards entry for the 1972 Indy 500 for Rick Muther. I have never seen the Cicada listed as a Leader Cards entry, even though both teams were headquartered in my native Wisconsin.

Steve Zautke emailed me a 1974 National Speed Sport News article that I will be transcribing over the next few days about the second car, made after Murphy's 1974 Phoenix accident, as well as some information about the mystery behind the Ferrari connection with the Cicadas.

Respectfully Yours,

Jacques N. Dresang
UEMSI Motorwerks
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

[RA Historian]

Originally posted by Gokart Mozart
I noticed on your Web site that a Cicada is listed as a Leader Cards entry for the 1972 Indy 500 for Rick Muther. I have never seen the Cicada listed as a Leader Cards entry, even though both teams were headquartered in my native Wisconsin.

I believe that in 1972 Leader Card entered three cars, for Mike Mosley, Jigger Sirois, and Bruce Walkup. Mosley was the only one who made the race. Sirois and Walkup failed to qualify. All cars were Eagles. Prabably just two, as I suspect that Sirois and Walkup both tried to qualify the same machine. I never heard of Leader Card running a Cicada.

[gbl]

The 1972 trackside report list for Jigger Sirois 21th of May: #97 Cicada/Offy.

[RA Historian]

Originally posted by gbl
The 1972 trackside report list for Jigger Sirois 21th of May: #97 Cicada/Offy.

We're going to need some help on this. Info I have seen for '72 Indy 500 lists #97 as an Eagle, powered by the turbo Drake four, entered by Leader Card.

Since I have never seen or heard of Leader Card having a Cicada, I suspect that what is mentioned above may be in error. What say other TNF'ers?

[Gerr]

http://www.indy500.c...ide/1972-pg.pdf

That is the daily report.
Cicada #97 is mentioned several times,
Page 14, 17, 25 and 51.

[RA Historian]

Hmmmm...the mystery deepens....

[Allen Brown]

I have this car listed as an Eagle on OldRacingCars.com but I have that from Harms and had never checked it until now. There's a picture in Hungness 69-72 (p230) and it's clear that it's not one of the old Watson-modified Eagle 68s. The car is has more in common with the Cicada that was at Indy in 1974 (Davidson p119).

The #97 raced at Ontario 3 Sep 1972. Anyone have photos from that race?

Anyone know when Leader Cards acquried their 1972 Eagles? The first race I'm sure they had them is Indy 1973 but I imagine they'd have had them some time before that.

Allen

[Allen Brown]

Originally posted by Gerr
http://www.indy500.c...ide/1972-pg.pdf

That is the daily report.
Cicada #97 is mentioned several times,
Page 14, 17, 25 and 51.

Gerr

You missed one. It's also on Friday 5 May (p44) where it mentions the arrival of "the #87 Mike Mosley backup machine (a Cicada chassis)". On the entry list, #87 is Mosley's backup so this isn't a typo for #97. The #97 car - presumably intended to be the other Watson-modified Eagle - is listed as not turning up (p4) so the Cicada must have been given the traditional Agajanian number of #97 instead of the regular Leader Cards backup number of #87.

Then on 18 May, with the numbers having moved around, Walkup is noted as running the Cicada chassis. So his refresher test on 18 May and Jigger's on 19 May were also in the Cicada. Walkup's aborted practice run on 21 May specifically mentions the Cicada chassis.

I'd say that's conclusive. Leader Cards had a Cicada.

Allen

[Herbert]

Originally posted by Allen Brown
Anyone know when Leader Cards acquried their 1972 Eagles? The first race I'm sure they had them is Indy 1973 but I imagine they'd have had them some time before that.

Allen

According to Wallen's 70s book, Mosley was at Texas (April, 7th) "still in a 1968 Eagle", not sure about Trenton. But often teams during that time saved their new equipment for Indy.

I found this picture by Phil Harms, but do not know where it was taken:

[Gokart Mozart]

The photo of Mosley and the crew is from Pocono, the grandstands are the giveaway.

The two 72 model Eagles that Leader Cards had were purchased directly from AAR, though not in time for the '500' in 1972.

[Gokart Mozart]

FOUND: http://www.trackforu...ead.php?t=89021