8 replies to this topic

[Martin]

I have searched for an ID on this one without success.

 

Notice double fill caps on left side, four black holes (left side) and two indents at rear, exhaust possibly?

 

Anybody out there have an idea? An early (late '50s-early '60s) rear/mid-engine Indy car, but what?

 

 

[Bill Seitz]

It looks like the Cooper that was the first mid-engined car to race at Indy in '61 and '62, but the Cooper's sides didn't bulge out as much as this. The fuel tanks did mount to the outside of the space frame in this location, and larger tanks would create a larger side bulge.

[TSR]

It is a copy of it. It is a 1964 Vollstedt, which was one of the first American built mid-engine Indy cars alongside the Thompson-Buick powered cars, also copies of the Cooper.

 

This is a Lancer body.

"In 1963, Vollstedt constructed an Offenhauser-powered, rear-engine Indy car, which Sutton proceeded to qualify in eighth place for the 1964 Indianapolis 500."

He blew the engine on lap 140.

The car was so good that A.J. Watson made two copies of it, one Offy powered, one Ford four-cam powered. This one should have won easily, running on methanol instead of the Ford recommended gasoline, but had to stop too many times due to a malfunctioning valve meaning that only one of the two fuel tanks provided the fuel. It still finished in second place to Foyt's antiquated front-engine "roadster." 

[Martin]

Philippe, thank you, I could not find that anywhere.

 

Nice try, Bill. That's what I thought for a second but take a look at the rear exit vents and double fill caps, etc.

 

In your pic, P, the exhaust is exiting the left side. The pics I found the exhaust is exiting the right rear. Change of plan at some point.

 

 

[TSR]

Martin,
 
On an Offy, you can run the exhaust on the right or left by reversing the block on the crankcase. The gear tower bolts on either side.
 
By the way, the three-view drawing above is very inaccurate, but in the day that's the best you could get.
 
Vollstedt built three of these if I recall correctly and at least one still exists.

[Martin]

Thanks again for adding a bit of history to this car.

Do you happen to know the name Lancer gave this body. I have looked through the list of early bodies and it is not obvious to me.
Wynns special #123?

Not the same car I am reading here below now.

https://www.oldracin....com/watson/64/

 

[vfr750]

Scalextric produced a "Rear Engined Offenfauser" in 1966. It was loosely based on this car.

 

Cheers,

 

John

 

[Martin]

Thanks, John. stuckinthe60s)on SF mention this also.

 

A bit too toy-like for me. But that is the car for sure. Too bad Vollstedt does not get remembered or credited for this car.

[TSR]

Martin,
 
The "Wynn's Spl." is the second copy of the Vollstedt built by AJ Watson and driven by Don Branson.
 
The other, driven by Rodger Ward, is the "Kaiser Aluminum Spl." Both cars still exist and are now in a collection in California.

I have never seen the Vollstedt listed in the Lancer catalogue, but then there are quite a few that exist and are not listed.

Below is the Lancer "Wynn's Spl.," obviously a different body from the Vollstedt (picture courtesy Steve Okeefe).