[BOUNCE vintage-race@Autox.Team.Net: Non-member submission from ["Wm.
Severin Thompson" <wsthompson@merging.com>]]
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 1997 14:38:57 -0500
From: "Wm. Severin Thompson" <wsthompson@merging.com>
Subject: Re: Jack the Bear -Reply
My understanding was the Golden Submarine is a recreation, not the
original.
I have my great uncle Gus's photo albums from the turn of the century
including the glass negatives. I have a number of shots of Barney
Oldfield in "Lightning Benz" circa 1911 which was a precursor to the
"Blitzen Benz". I think both cars were world speed record holders. Also
in the photos is Ralph DePalma in the Ford 999 car.
I hope to add some oof these photos to the Team Thicko web site at
<http://www.thicko.com> in the near future if any one is interested.
WST
Team Thicko
Thom Kuby wrote:
> >
> >My grampa Gene, as we called him, loved old cars and had two favorite
>
> >expressions about driving. This was used when you asked him if "we were
> >there yet?" or later "which way should I go?" to which he would
> >invariably reply "Drive on Laddy-buck, until I tell you to stop!"
> > Of course if you or anyone drove a little too fast he would
> >exclaim "Faster than Barney Ol'field!" or "He was goin' like Barney
> >Ol'field."
> > Q: Are any of Barney Oldfield's cars still raced today?
>
> Yes...the "Golden Submarine", which is an early Miller project (1916-1917)
> with a 4 cyl.engine displacing about 289 c.i (bore of 3.625in and a stroke
> of 7.0 inches). Oldfield commissioned this car right at the beginning of
> Miller's race-car career. Upon final delivery of this $15,000 car,
> Oldfield did about 102mph on wooden boards first time out in 1917, in
> chicago. During the '17 race season, Oldfield spent lot of time getting
> into Ralph DePalma's face with this car...won four out of six matches
> against DePalma's Packard. at the end of this '17 season, Oldfield flipped
> the car into a pond at Atlanta and nearly drowned...he cut the top off and
> raced it during the '18 season as a roadster. He later sold it. The car
> is fully restored with the top back on it. I saw it at Monterey on the
> "Miller Year" -- The old guy burns a lotta oil. I have no idea who the
> current owner is, or even if this car gets brought out on a regular
> basis...I've only seen it once -- which is enough of a treat for me.
>
> Cheers
> Thom Kuby
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