Seven Minutes of Track Roadsters in SoCal: A Little More Time Travel

[Ace-Garageguy]

Very good quality print of a short B&W film. Sharp-eyed viewers will notice a Hallock windshield on one of the cars in the infield, and a '37 Ford V8-60 lightweight tubular axle under the front end of one of the race cars. Plenty of other period details too, like some early ideas in roll bars.

Judging from the non-race cars visible , this was shot either just before or just after WW II.

 

 

Edited March 10, 2018 by Ace-Garageguy

[afx]

Great video-thanks for posting it.

[espo]

It would be interesting to know were this movie was taken. You have to wonder what shopping mall is there now. This also shows why model A and '32 roadsters and Grill Shells are so hard to find. The question as to how all these cars survived all of the WW II scrape drives. Interesting tread patterns being used on the rear tires. In my mind I think they were probably were using recap tires using a truck type compound and no tread pattern. They could then cut their own tread pattern according to what they thought worked best.   

[Greg Myers]

There were a bunch of interesting things going on there.

I was surprised to see so many Model "A"s running, The things they did to their cars was interesting as well. Seeing a few with louvered panels and other holes in the hoods showing  different attempts at getting air to the carbs. Jim Rathman's car looked quite professional in amongst all the Jalopies.

Then the   feeble attempt at Roll bars 5:44.

I'm not a fan of "Artillery Wheels"  but was surprised again to see them on the car at 1:19 . Then the early tall Model "A" wires at 5:00.

One more thing, they were racing on dry dusty dirt. Wonder when the switch to wet clay came about?

Nothing like an original look at history the way it really was. Thanks Bill.

 

Edited March 10, 2018 by Greg Myers

[Richard Bartrop]

A great reminder that hot rods didn't just go in straight lines.

[Daddyfink]

I would say this is pre war by the looks of things. Love that pile of junk jalopies in the infield! 

[Richard Bartrop]

There's what looks like a 1942-47 Ford pickup, which would place it late 1941 at the very earliest just on that.  The one license plate that's visible has a light background, and according to http://www.worldlicenseplates.com/

California license plates had black backgrounds from 1941 to 1946, so I'm going to say 1947 at the earliest.

[oldnslow]

There's a 46-48ish  Merc behind the wrecks at 3:05 , and a 46-48ish Plymouth in the pit at 6:50 .

[THarrison351]

Well, its no longer on YouTube

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, THarrison351 said:

Well, its no longer on YouTube

Yeah, I just checked. Says it was "removed by the user".

I guess he took his marbles and went home.