78 replies to this topic

[Mark Onofri]

Thanks Martin,
I'm glad you accomadated me. I wish I had known you then! For those who are not familiar with the Genie, it's a mid- engine,tubular space fraim(like a lotus 23) with..... flat six Corvair power!!! I've never seen the red one!!!!! Could you please PM me with a few details on it?

[Dave Crevie]

The only red Genie I know of was the one campaigned by Dave Ridenour. But it had a small block Ford for power. I believe that is Sr. in the shot of the chassis. 

 

 

 

[Martin]

Hi Dave, I did not work on the one you show in the you tube post. It is a Mk8, where as the Corvair and the Alfa are Mk5's a lighter chassis designed for under 2 liter.

I do not think that is Joe Sr. Partly because Joe would have in his late 80's, not that he couldn't drive a car around in this area. But I just wonder why he would.

I never saw that car come through Huffaker's shop, but I was only there for a couple of years. Mainly to finish the Titus Corvair car then while there the 88 car was found under a 80's welded on chassis with no body and lots of damage. It was found and owned by Mike Vogul.

 

I remember reading somewhere that Huffaker at one time was the largest race car producer in North America.

[Martin]

Finally manged to play the YouTube clip in HD and I can say without a doubt this is not Joe Huffaker Sr. or Jr.

 

[Martin]

Found this:

 

Qvale hired Huffaker in 1958 to run the operation, which became the largest race car manufacturer in North America. The company initially focused on the Formula Junior class, but then developed a series of mid-engine sports racing cars called the Genie, named after his wife, Jean.

[Dave Crevie]

Quote, "I do not think that is Joe Sr. Partly because Joe would have in his late 80's, not he could not drive a car around in this area. But I just wonder why he would."

 

Sorry. Should have worded that better. I was referring to the shot in your post #69. I never met him, only his son.  

 

I believe the Mk 5 was intended to use the BMC/Austin four. Mine might have begun life as a Mk 5, but also ended up with a Corvair engine. The car was built by Jim Kellison of Kelmark, who built a few very swoopy coupes that he also sold as kits. As far as I know, his Genie was mostly parts built, and had no chassis number that I could find. Someone started to convert it to a V-8 to run Can-Am, but abandoned the project. It was found in a shipping container along with some other sportsracer chassis. 

 

Anyway, I think we have drifted away from the original topic of this thread. 

Edited by Cheater, 10 August 2023 - 09:28 PM.

[Mark Onofri]

Some people have all the luck. I've wanted to copy one since '80! I've got enough Corvair 140hp motors and transaxles! I just need 40 more years!

 

Anyway, did the evilbay link work? I don't know how to post the photos.

[Martin]

I asked Greg to move our Genie conversation here, in memory of Joe. 

 

This is the last pic of Joe I have taken while working with him.

 

[Dave Crevie]

Good move.

 

As I said, I never had the honor of meeting Joe Sr. Met Joe jr. many times at vintage racing events. He was very accommodating with my questions about Genies, and it was he who suggested I change to a Hewland transaxle. He was well aware of the shortcomings of the BMC box. Surprising, since he was deeply involved in Trans-Am at the time. 

 

It is amazing that the vast majority of the big names in auto racing are really good, down to earth people. Always willing to share their knowledge and experiences, and don't mind spending time with us "bottom feeders". 

[Martin]

I just spoke to Joe Huffaker Jr. and sent him a link to this blog page.

 

Got to say thanks to Joe Jr. for having the faith in me to do these race cars justice. It was a dream to work under Joe Jr. and occasionally along side Joe Sr. 

 

Jr. knows what he wants and his commitment to quality was outstanding. You raise your game when you work in his shop.

 

The team Jr. put together was top-notch and I was honored to work with them. I will always remember my short time there; it was exciting.

 

There were race schedules to build to and always customer race cars to fix, mod, or maintain.  But it was a job you jump out of bed for.

 

If only I could have told my 14-year old slot car building self, you would be building the real thing later in life.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions for Joe and I will do my best to get an answer for you.

 

[Bugeye]

Martin,

 

   Next time you talk to him, tell him I said Hi. 

 

Thanks,

Rob 

[Martin]

Will do Rob, how do you know him, SCCA, or ?

[Bugeye]

Martin,

 

    Yes and business and also we bought a Trans-Am car from him.

 

Rob

[Martin]

Hey Rob, I met with Joe today and he said he remembers you well.

 

He said he still has your number and will give you a call to catch up.

 

Next time I will take my camera, lots of cool history on the walls. 

[Martin]

I did find some pics of how the #88 Genie arrived at the shop. It was a mess and had a abused and confused life. 

Below are a few of the before pics.

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[Dave Crevie]

Somewhere I have a bunch of shots of this car without the front and rear body sections on it. If I find them, I'll post them. 

 

The car was originally owned by Dan Blocker of Bonanza fame. It was sponsored by local Chicago Chevrolet dealer Nickey Chevrolet. When vintage racing really got popular, Tom Stephani of the Nickey Chev family had it restored. It was sold a few years ago to a vintage race car collector.

 

[Martin]

Thanks for this pic, Joe Jr. actually remembers Dan coming to pick up his car. He was a figure you would remember looking up to as a young boy.

 

Would love to see more pics, when you get time Dave.

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[NSwanberg]

"abused and confused life. " Now that is a term.

[Dave Crevie]

Will do, Martin. I'm finding all sorts of crap while cleaning out the house.

 

My father was a rabid Bonanza fan. As a kid, I sent in a order form I cut out of a TV magazine to get a picture signed by the main characters. (it didn't have "live" autographs, just printed on when the picture was printed) I got it to give Dad on his birthday. It may still be in his bedroom somewhere.  

[Martin]

I just noticed the word VINEGAROON on the front fender, I guess it was the cars nickname?

Some kind of acid shooting Scorpion.

 

I see the Nickey name on the door also. You can just see the backwards K.

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[Dave Crevie]

 Vinegaroon was the name John Harris, chief mechanic for the Nickey team, gave the car after they made extensive modifications to it. It was the name they used to enter the car in events from then on. Originally a Mk 10, John Cannon drove the car in USRRC events in 1965. He started in Can Am with the Nickey team, but somewhere mid season he was replaced with a Hollywood stunt driver who's name escapes me. 

 

After Tom Stephani had the car restored, he had John Cannon's son drive the car in the vintage race at Road America.   

[Martin]

Thanks for that info Dave.

Do you have any information on why the Vinegaroon car has head lights? Was there night races you can tell us about ?

[Dave Crevie]

The original USRRC rules mandated "full road equipment". That included headlights, tail and brake lights, a passenger seat, a spare tire, and a compartment that would hold a "regulation" suitcase. I would guess that the magazine photo was taken when the team was still running that series, especially since it is still painted in the olive green. 

 

Many of those rules were carried over to the Can Am Cup series. Those rules were often "fudged" by the teams. The spare tire was sometimes just a trailer tire, the passenger seat so small that only a teddy bear would fit.

 

Both the noses that came with my car were cut out for headlights. The two patch panels, which were half noses, were not. But then, I wonder if someone along the line wanted to make a street car out of it. Much like the one that was running around Wisconsin, that Bill Watkins had restored to it's original state. It was reputed to be a very famous car. I have pictures somewhere of it as the street car. I'll post those if I find them. Such an abomination of a historic race car you can't imagine.  

[Dave Crevie]

The original USRRC rules mandated "full road equipment". That included headlights, tail and brake lights, a passenger seat, a spare tire, and a compartment that would hold a "regulation" suitcase. I would guess that the magazine photo was taken when the team was still running that series, especially since it is still painted in the olive green. 

 

Many of those rules were carried over to the Can Am Cup series. Those rules were often "fudged" by the teams. The spare tire was sometimes just a trailer tire, the passenger seat so small that only a teddy bear would fit.

 

Both the noses that came with my car were cut out for headlights. The two patch panels, which were half noses, were not. But then, I wonder if someone along the line wanted to make a street car out of it. Much like the one that was running around Wisconsin, that Bill Watkins had restored to it's original state. It was reputed to be a very famous car. I have pictures somewhere of it as the street car. I'll post those if I find them. Such an abomination of a historic race car you can't imagine.  

[ajd350]

Is this the one?

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