53 replies to this topic

[TSR]

Michael,

I cannot agree more with you.  Indy was a great place for innovation, but that was strangled by years of mismanagement. Now it has lost a lot of its character... and audience. And that is very sad.

 

[MG Brown]

Very interesting that this photo was posted as I just recently had a discussion about the "Jim Robbins Co." of Troy Michigan.... in regard to some late 1960's injection molded plastic (auto) pieces apparently farmed out from Chrysler Corp. to JRC.

[Steve Deiters]

I came across this photo on a Facebook page and it caught my attention.  I always thought the Watson 1965 rear engine Indy car was very cool looking although it didn't really accomplish much on the track. Pointy, pre-wedge body form and overall smooth lines powered by a Ford 4 cam driven by Don Branson until I saw the attached picture.  It seems as though there was at least one powered by a normally aspirated Offy.  It was owned by Bob Wilke as was the Branson car.  This picture is from a 300 mile race at Atlanta in 1966.  Sam Sessions finished 12th with it winning $1050(!) with it.  Mario Andretti won the race and $12,000 (!!) in the Brawner Hawk-Ford.  Interesting stuff. 

 

Final note. I think Lancer made a great body of the Ford version of the Watson car in that awesome series of Indy car bodies they came out with in the late '60's.

 

[TSR]

The story is that there were two cars like that, built by AJ. Ward failed to qualify his at the 500, and it was later converted to run an Offy. Incredibly, it was then converted to a rear-engine sprint car, just like the horizontal-radiator Huffaker Indy cars were! Not sure if it survived in any condition today.