8 replies to this topic

[mjsh]

Just got back from quick trip down to Speedy's house to borrow a charger for my new R/C buggy. While digging through boxes in storage building, he mentioned the old inline Champion-looking frame hanging on the wall was in fact the stock car chassis Cukras used at the Atlanta Nats. Looks like a production unit with some added rails, etc. Maybe we could find a more appropriate place to store it. 

 

We're looking for anyone who has more info on the car. I don't remember the race report having a picture of the car. Can I assume a 517 motor, a Fairlane body (green probably), Champion fronts and rears?

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[don.siegel]

Hi, 

 

Any dates on that Atlanta Nats? 

 

I have a copy of Model Car & Racing from November 1967 with a report on the Atlanta Arco 33 race, which was only a sports car race, plus an 8-hour enduro - no mention of stock cars. Cukras was top qualifier and finished first with a pretty conventional 4-rod chassis - there's one pic, but it's very dark! 

 

I do remember one big national event with several classes, including stockers, but didn't think it was Atlanta... 

 

Don 

[MSwiss]

I think THIS is the race mjsh was referring to.

[don.siegel]

Thanks, Mike. That seems to be it! 

 

Don 

[tonyp]

If I remember the report John's car was pretty bad and had launching issues on the American orange the race was run on.

[TSR]

 

While digging through boxes in storage building, he mentioned the old inline Champion-looking frame hanging on the wall was in fact the stock car chassis Cukras used at the Atlanta Nats.

 

Interesting and questions provoking. The parallel-rail jail-door Champion chassis were not available until April 1968, in fact AFTER the advent of the anglewinder and 3 months after the Atlanta Nats. Cozine had a prototype of that in the sports car race at the race, shown in the Morrissey newspaper and in Car Model mag I think.
Before that, Champion had issued in mid 1967, a tapered-rail rod chassis (see picture below) that would match the Nats time frame, but unless Cukras would have borrowed a car from Jack Lane, it is hardly believable that he would have not raced a hand-built chassis he would have made himself. Good question to ask John if he can remember. The race report mentions that only Lane (Team Champion's captain) raced a stock production chassis in that event. Cukras was hired as a Team Champion member at the Nats, until he joined Mura in mid 1968.

 

[mjsh]

It is a tapered rail design with an added rail or two. See if Mr. Cukrus  can remember as I would like to verify. Not a class he would have normally raced in so may have just modified or borrowed something.

Almost done with the car.

How's the photography going?  Can't wait to see the book!

[tonyp]

All I know was from the reports his car was horrible and kept launching.


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[TSR]

 

It is a tapered rail design with an added rail or two. See if Mr. Cukrus  can remember as I would like to verify. Not a class he would have normally raced in so may have just modified or borrowed something.

Almost done with the car.

In the time frame, the tapered chassis makes sense. Those chassis were total piles, so launching was one of the nicer things they would inflict to their owners... but they do look pretty.
 

 

 

How's the photography going?  Can't wait to see the book!

 

 

A nightmare to complete, but soon over at last...