10 replies to this topic

[chuckbrandt]

Hi Folks,
I'm building a model of this car with my kids and I have a very patient friend making decals for it. I'm interested in what the scripty looking text in front of the rear tire on the fenders says. I assume it's drivers and mechanic but would like to see a good picture of it. It's #11 and I believe it was also run that way at Laguna Seca USRRC in '65.

Sports Car Graphic August '65 might have a picture, don't know for sure.

Thanks,

Chuck

[S&M Minis]

Chuck,

The Mecom T70 is on the cover (head-on shot) of the August 65 SCG and is the feature of a technical report by John Blunsden with cutaway drawing by Gordon Bruce. There is no race report for the RA 500, but I'll check other issues for that.

In the article is a left side shot with the following just ahead of the rear wheel:

MECH.
Lou Fingleman
Max Kelley

The first line is all caps block letters and the names are scripty font. Spelling of the names may or may not be correct, they get lost in the dot-printing. The second name is actually on the pontoon. There's a large air scoop on that side and not much room for any more names. There's a Dupont logo above ZEREX SPECIAL over the rear wheel and the Mecom logo is on the door. There is a rignt side shot with the engine cover off and the same name on the pontoon. The word DRIVER is on the left front but there don't appear to be any names. The pictures look like Riverside, but no mention of this particular car, date or location in the article. There's good detail in the cover pic if you want to go the "rivit counter" route, to borrow a phrase from the model railroad community. Like each body-colored headlight cover has four little holes in a diamond pattern -so you know if you left the headlights on? Email me if you want scans - prjm3@msn.com. I have that model kit somewhere in this mess, unbuilt, always thought it would be a good shelfmate with the Zerex Special Scarab I built way back when.

[Ray Bell]

Try an e.mail to Mike Argetsinger...

He's currently doing the Donohue book and has already done the Hansgen book. He's undoubtedly got pictures, I think you'll find him happy to help out if he can.

[S&M Minis]

The RA 500 report is in the November 65 SCG. A long shot of the Mecom T70 shows the same marking pattern as your model but with even less detail than you already have.

The cover of the July 65 R&T has the Mecom T70 on the cover. Different marking pattern with the names LEW ---N-LEMAN and MAX KELLEY on the door - the letters are already wearing off. Good luck with the search. This car (or cars) went through some evolutions!

[raceannouncer2003]

GMP did the Hansgen/Mecom Lola T70 like this:

http://www.motorspor...ansgenLola.html

Vince H.

[chuckbrandt]

Vince,
I've seen that paint scheme before but the pictures in SCG from Laguna Seca (May 9th, 1965) are #11 with white stripes. Same paint scheme (more or less) for Road America 500 (Sept. 12th, 1965). Note also that they say Winner, I believe the car was a DNF there (and several other times that year).

"Three laps later Hansgen was right on Hall's new adjustable spoiler, giving the shifty Texan fits for nine more laps, until in a blaze of steam, Hansgen was forced to retire with a fried engine, due to a loss of a fan belt."

Chuck

[chuckbrandt]

I figured it out, sort of. Were there 2 USRRC races at Laguna Seca in '65? One in May and one in October?

Walt won the one in October in #17. From Dave Friedman's book "Pro Sports Car Racing in America".

"When the professional sports car season moved to Laguna Seca in October 1965, all of the european teams boycotted the race because of a dispute over starting money. That fact, however, did not prevent the event frombecoming the best, closest, and most exciting race of the 1965 season. Early in race, Walt Hansgen in his Lola T70 (17) and eventual third place finisher Don Wester, driving his Genie (60), race for the lead."

I suspect the May event was a USRRC event, and so was the October event, but part of the fall pro series.

Chuck

[David McKinney]

Yep, May 9 (won by Hall) and October 17

[RA Historian]

David said it quite succinctly. The May Laguna event in 1965 was an USRRC race, while the fall event was the free standing Monterey GP, a part of the unofficial fall pro series of races that became the Can Am in 1966. Walt won in October in one of his greatest races. He fought hard with Hap Sharp in the all conquering Chaparral 2. I stand to be corrected on this, but I seem to recall that Hall was either a DNS or a very early DNF in the race, making it a great show between Hap and Walt.

[raceannouncer2003]

Yes, my brother and I drove down for the 1965 Monterey GP in his brand new Sunbeam Tiger. We arrived at night and were trying to find the track when a Start-Finish banner appeared overhead! Have you ever come into the Corkscrew at night? Lots of fun till they pulled us off the track.
It was a great race. Jim Hall went off in heat one after apparently running over a tire marker flipped up by Parnelli Jones. And Hansgen was apparently involved in first heat starting grid incident. One thing I'm trying to figure out...a photo in the Competition Press coverage shows Hansgen and it sure looks like #11. I'll have to check my program, some day when I can dig it out!

Vince H.

[AlMark]

Hi Folks,
I'm building a model of this car with my kids and I have a very patient friend making decals for it. I'm interested in what the scripty looking text in front of the rear tire on the fenders says. I assume it's drivers and mechanic but would like to see a good picture of it. It's #11 and I believe it was also run that way at Laguna Seca USRRC in '65.

Sports Car Graphic August '65 might have a picture, don't know for sure.

Thanks,

Chuck

Nice to see part of my photo of my 1/43rd model even if it is uncredited.

Gil