Back in the mid 70s the Ferrari Owners Club ran an annual race up a small
mountain in Colo. Springs. This was open to non members as well, so the
Sunbeam race car was hauled to that place and the entry fee paid.
That day there were 44 Ferraris' and many Vettes and some Jags and one
Aston Martin. The little Alpine set the fastest time and took home the
trophy for best non Ferrari entry.
Next year the Sunbeam creamed them all a second time.
The third year the entry was rejected and to this day they have not allowed
any non Ferrari to enter (if they still run the event I am not aware these days).
Back in the early 50s I once won a huge (for that time) $500 bet with a guy
who bragged about his race prepped cadillac built by detroit engineering
co. (al then famous hot rod house). I simply mentioned that I had a 4 cyl
car which would outdrag him in either the 1/2 or full mile, any day, and place!
Terms were written up and money placed in reliable hands to assure a honest
payoff with now whining or complaints.
On a certain Sat. morning, about 6am, we met on a highway outside chicago,
(Southwest Highway old #1 I think)and he and some friends were shocked to
see me roll up towing the 270 Offy Indy Car I had been allowed to drive for
Wm. P. Burns Racing group. Immediate protests were disallowed, since the
terms only required that I had a 4 cyl car!
After I blew him off and was parked waiting at the 1/2 mile marker, he
declined to run again or at the longer distance. Money was paid and i
loaded up the old wire wheel ex john Zink race car and hauled it back to
Bill who reinstalled the long track gears we would need for the next event.
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Sieg; where you sign up for the race engine is a problem because i have no
shop here in the St pete FL region. Of course I could rent space somewhere
but then I need sheet metal forming equip, welding, engine stands etc. etc.
The job involves a cold air box being built into the fender and around
carbs, engine torque arm to control the power and not rip out the engine
mounts or tranny mounts, make a custom four into one custom header and long
pipe system, carb mods,cooling system mods, oil cooler, fuel system mods,
race clutch, light flywheel machined down, lots of balancing, oil pan mods,
pistons, rods, bearings etc. etc., head mods, manifold mods end lots more!
It would be fun to make an engine for you using prior proven mods. It might
be more fun to make an engine which would be SCCA illegal but which would
have some higher outputs.
The only way I could even see doing such a thing would be to have say 10 or
more owners cough up front money to set up a little corner of a local hot
rod shop for me to build some engines on a one shot basis.
This would require me to commit to several months work as well.
I don't know if this is an answer is of any use. Other suggestions might be
kicked around as well.
It sounds like fun to have several Alpines running around doing nasty
things to cars which normally out run the little fellows.
Dick T.
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