The 1967 Champion Arco "Nats" in Atlanta were a highlight of pro racing history, a series of races for F1, GT coupes, sports cars and stock cars in which Team Champion Bob Cozine was named "Grand Champion" without winning a single event but placing well in all. It is being described in detail in my upcoming book (no snide comments please) with comments by the people who were there.
The LASCM so far, had only one car in its collection from that event, the F1 winning entry of John Cukras, restored by Yours Truly. John later donated the winning plaque to the LASCM.
A few months ago, a pair of survivors from that event surfaced. Bob Emott had built cars for himself and others, all inline of course since the only anglewinder cars were still hidden in the Midwest where club racers were enjoying their superior handling. Somehow when the LASCM purchased Bob's collection of surviving cars (mostly chassis), several had already escaped and were in the hands of one of my contacts in New Jersey, and I was able to convince that very secretive person to "let go" of a pair of them. There was a stock car and an F1, in fact at this time, the only known examples of inline chassis built by Emott. The stocker was fortunately well documented as pictures of its chassis were printed in a Model Car Journal issue by Mike Morrissey. It had been loaned by Bob to Howie Ursaner who collected a fine 3rd place with it. That car has now been put back together with a replica body painted by Noose, and a replica Team Russkit motor as described to me by Ursaner.
The F1 however, was in doubt. When I first showed pictures of it in these pages, there was no real evidence of it being an Emott, and I based my conclusions from its construction style, especially in the way its lead weight over its drop arm had been fitted, with the arm's stop soldered directly to the lead weight, just as on the stocker. The chassis had a dropped front axle and Dynamic cast wheels, very unusual indeed.
Well, after a bit more hair pulling, my source let go of a body that appears to have been the "backup" for this car, as it was already trimmed and fitted for it, and the doubts were instantly gone, as Bob's name was painted on it. More, the original Kean motor had survived, albeit in very rusty condition. It still had a piece of the blue Marklin lead wire favored by Emott still affixed to one of its terminals.
Now, the car has been cleaned, the corrosion on the motor removed, the motor rebuilt and installed in the chassis. Correct rear wheels and tires as well as a Weldun crown gear have been fitted, and NOS K&B tires mounted on the front wheels. New Marklin lead wires were used. A cox guide and period Cobra braided contacts finished the job.
The body was missing its driver, so I temporarily installed one Noose painted for me, but a proper example with soon be in the car.
So here are pictures of the finished car that will soon join the flotilla of genuine pro cars on display in the Los Angeles museum.
The Dave Bloom painted 1966 Dynamic Ferrari 3-liter Fi body suffered minor storage damage and has a nice coat of grime, but will remain as found.
There is a cut in the body to clear the crown gear, but it is almost invisible.
As found, the left side of the front axle was badly bent, as Emott ran into trouble in the race and launched the car on the American 150' track's straightaway, effectively ending his race. This was repaired and rewired for strength.
Bob Kean liked the Cox "NASCAR" 16D can and used them a lot, and this motor has that style of can with a pair of Arco "33" shimmed magnets, one of Kean's fine armatures and a stock Mabuchi endbell with Mura brush holders and Champion springs and spring posts. The armature was cleaned, the comm recut and the arm re-balanced, and NOS Champion shunted brushes were used in the rebuild. The endbell has a crack as the Delrin plastic has aged, but it is the original and I preferred to keep it with the motor rather than replacing it.
The body is mounted with straight pins inserted in two 1/16" piece of brass tubing floating inside a larger tube soldered to the chassis.
Another one saved...
