Old School Dry-Lake Racer
Modified and Streamliner Race Car Recreations - The Clone Ranger
Numerous streamliners and modifieds made history in the few years before and after the war, but two in particular stand out. One is Stu Hilborn's streamliner. Black, sleek, and devoid of any creature comforts, it served as a test bed for one of the first automotive applications of fuel injection, arguably one of the greatest innovations the automotive industry has yet seen.
These two cars stand out for a few more reasons beyond Stu and Danny's station in history. First, they're both Jim Lattin's cars. Second and what may seem unlikely to make such cars noteworthy, they're both recreations. Rumor has it that the originals both exist but a very extensive, decades-long search has only led to dead ends. Finally, though, it's impossible to judge the absolutely most-handsome race car, they're two of the better-built, better-looking cars of their time.
As is the case with most noteworthy historical race cars, Stu Hilborn's famous race car didn't start life as Stu's. Until he bought it on Dec. 7, 1941, Stu's car was Bill Warth's. In fact it was Warth's second car.
What Warth did was apply his ideas proven on the first car to his next. Rather than spanning a pair of '24 Chevrolet framerails with crossmembers, he welded a '37 Ford front axle and Model A rear axle directly to it. He committed the earlier car's shape to metal and achieved a 132-mph run with a Chevy engine topped with a three-port Olds head before selling it to Stu. Only instead of giving Stu the car's engine, Warth offered the following caution: a V-8 wouldn't fit in the narrow frame.
With the understanding that fuel injection would solve the problems in one swoop, Stu set to work; however, with few tools, much less the applied knowledge of how to make a fuel-injection system work, he admitted progress didn't come easy. Ironically, some of the greatest resistance he faced was from the people who stood to benefit most from his labor, the hot rodders of the day.
But the ultimate resistance Stu met was the hard-packed El Mirage lakebed at the Aug. 10, 1947 SCTA meet. The wire wheel at the left-rear corner of the car collapsed at speed and sent the car into a tumble. The car's lack of rollcage-one of the shortcomings that killed early streamliners-meant Stu's head and shoulders bore the brunt of the car's hurtling weight.
According to Stu, Miller Jr. repaired the car without telling his convalescing pal or taking a cent of compensation, a real accomplishment considering the body's resemblance to a wadded-up paper ball. But repair it he did, and the following year on an unpublicized run Stu proved at least to himself and a few friends that his system did in fact work by using it to urge the car to at least 120 mph. A follow-up run at the July 18 SCTA meet with Howie Wilson at the helm of the car officially vindicated Stu: the car claimed the title as the first to transcend the 150-mph milestone.
Once again Stu called on the streamliner to advance his career, albeit in a less-auspicious way: after quitting his steady job to start his injection business, he sold the car to Gerry Grant, owner of Grant Piston Rings. According to photos, the car resurfaced as a would-be dragster at an NHRA meet in Edna, Kansas. Though the Miller manifold still exists on Doc Parson's T roadster, many believe that a subsequent owner dismantled if not scrapped Stu's car.
Danny Sakai's Modified
Born in America to Japanese immigrants, Danny Sakai's story is unique to the times. Like other nisei, or second-generation Japanese-Americans such as the Morimoto brothers, Yam Oka, Mino Kamimura, Ernie Murashige, and even the father of the Stingray, Larry Shinoda, he earned the respect of his peers on one of the more level playing fields of his generation: parched lakebeds.
Danny retained the entire body, including the '39 LaSalle grille and shell, but replaced the Kelsey-Hayes wheels with 17-inch-diameter snap-ring accessory Firestone wheels. Also new to the car was the front belly pan, dark blue paint, and headers that paired the leading and trailing cylinders from each bank into one 2-inch pipe and the center two cylinders into another. Each side of the car boasted the number eight, Danny's place standing in SCTA points for the year.
Though the car was arguably more handsome and probably stronger than before, most notable from a racer's perspective was the Mal Ord-built Flathead. With it Danny transformed the car from a 100 mph also-ran into a bona fide runner. As reported in the June '41 issue of Throttle magazine, Danny ran 118.27 mph-6 mph faster than even the fastest streamliner-at the May 25, 1941 Western Timing Association meet at Harper dry lake. On June 15, less than a month later, he once again ran the fastest time: 125.52 mph at the SCTA meet at Muroc. On July 20 at the SCTA meet at Muroc he triggered a 121.89-mph pass. Though his 126.58-mph run at the September 28 SCTA meet at Muroc was the third fastest of the day, it was good for Danny's fastest time and yet another record.
In fact everything seemed to be coming up roses for Danny until Oct. 17, 1941. Riding fellow Walkers Club member Bob West's motorcycle, he reportedly swerved, hit a telephone pole, and died on contact. As premature as his death was, Danny had set at least four records and earned numerous trophies and points for his club. The obituary Throttle published described Danny as one of the most well-liked members of the club.
Comment
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Comment by Mike Redinger on May 4, 2011 at 10:40am -
Thanks for posting this. I'm in the middle of building one of these laksters. I'll post the build pix soon.
© 2012 Created by Kory Krista.
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