There were apparently rear engine coupes also, A couple years ago at the
Spokane swap meet there was a Body and frame, I think 34 Ford that was
obviously an old Lakes car. I think the almost legible # on the side was
555. Kvach
----- Original Message -----
From: Glen Barrett <speedtimer@earthlink.net>
To: John Beckett <landspeedracer@email.msn.com>
Cc: <land-speed@autox.team.net>; Dave Dahlgren <ddahlgren@snet.net>
Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 11:17 AM
Subject: Re: Rear Engine Ts
> John
> The rear engine mod roadster I drove was at the first Bonneville meet in
49.
> Several people were involved with the car over the years. Bob Fugatt
bought the
> car I believe in 1950. It was run at the lakes at Russetta and SCTA meets
as
> well as on the salt.
>
> Some of the the names involved were Jack Stecker, Clark Cagle, Leroy
Newmeyer,
> Joe Maillard who I drove for in 1957 the only over 200 mph run the car
ever
> made. 217 mph and broke crank on the run. Leroy drove it to 193 mph a few
years
> befor. We are the only two that never spun the car.
>
> I found the handling to be good when I let the car more or less pick it's
own
> path within reason. The car had very slow steering so if the driver was
paying
> attention it was easy to drive. I also run the car at the drags with no
> problems. With a fuel flat head, a gas flat and a injected fuel chrys.
Clark
> Cagle run it with an Ardun with some success. I also run the car on the
> Riverside 1/2 mile with a flat head on gas and beat Jack Chrismans hi-boy
with a
> speed of 141 mph.
>
> Today, with some safety changes I would get back in it today and make a
pass.
> The car was donated to Jim Lattens Museum in San Diego by Bob Fugatts
son.In the
> fifties none on us knew a lot about aerodynamics, weight placement, fast
and
> slow steering and getting the horsepower to the ground and keeping it
straight.
> The high boy roadsters probably spin as much or more then any other car.
>
> Just my input on the rear engine roadsters.
> Glen (wish I had one)
>
> John Beckett wrote:
>
> > Putting the handling issue aside for a moment. From what I can see
most
> > of the old rear engined T's of the 1950's lacked a great deal of safety
> > equipment...roll bars for example. Doubt if there was much of a
> > bulkhead/firewall either. The list of dangerous factors can go on and
on. No
> > wonder people got hurt in those things at that time.
> > Now granted there may be some magic speed at which these cars become
> > unmanageable, but maybe not. With 50 years of improvement in technology,
> > current rules allowing wings, and especially with today's dramatically
> > improved safety designs I think that these cars can be as safe as any
/MR
> > running now.
> >
> > John Beckett
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Dave Dahlgren" <ddahlgren@snet.net>
> > To: <land-speed@autox.team.net>
> > Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 11:44 AM
> > Subject: [Fwd: Re: [Re: Rear Engine Ts]]
> >
> > > I feel personally if you can run an old belly tank or new
> > > one for that matter with pretty much identical Cg and
> > > wheelbase and track and probably weight then what is the
> > > diff? there are loads of cars at bonneville with terrible
> > > aero that just beg to fly at some pretty modest speeds. I
> > > have yet to see anyone tell someone you could not run a
> > > certain body in a certain class because the aero was
> > > terrible. or have they and I just missed it. I have stood at
> > > the starting line looking at a few full body cars and
> > > thought to myself either the person driving is completely
> > > fearless, going for a "Darwin " award or just had no clue
> > > why airplanes fly..
> > > Dave Dahlgren
> > > ( no I won't cite examples as that would name names and i
> > > am not into that)
> > >
> > > "Clay, Dale" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Yes, but the aerodynamics are quite different. To my eye, it looks
like
> > > > you'd get rear lift from the turtle deck without a spoiler or
something.
> > > > You might be able to take care of that with a diffuser style belly
pan
> > too.
> > > >
> > > > Don't get me wrong, Dave ... I'm in favor of trying to bring them
back.
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Dave Dahlgren [mailto:ddahlgren@snet.net]
> > > > Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 9:22 AM
> > > > To: Clay, Dale
> > > > Cc: 'Phillip Landry'; Rick Yacoucci; land-speed@autox.team.net
> > > > Subject: Re: [Re: Rear Engine Ts]
> > > >
> > > > Which is drastically different than a belly tank in what
> > > > way? same aft CG same lack of a real good cage same short
> > > > wheelbase... so the difference is other than sheet metal?
> > > > visually remove the outer skin for these pics and what is
> > > > different that a little cage work would change. Sure looks
> > > > like the same car to me.
> > > > Dave
> > > >
> > > > "Clay, Dale" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > I was only referring to the safety issue.
> > > > >
> > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > From: Dave Dahlgren [mailto:ddahlgren@snet.net]
> > > > > Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 8:51 AM
> > > > > To: Clay, Dale
> > > > > Cc: 'Phillip Landry'; Rick Yacoucci; land-speed@autox.team.net
> > > > > Subject: Re: [Re: Rear Engine Ts]
> > > > >
> > > > > and the difference between this and a belly tank is?
> > > > > Dave Dahlgren
> > > > >
> > > > > "Clay, Dale" wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Very cool. But you might have a bit of trouble getting through
tech
> > > > > today.
> > > > > > Wouldn't want to get this one shiny side down! It would be neat
if
> > > > these
> > > > > > could come back ...
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Dale
> > > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > > From: Phillip Landry [mailto:saltracer@netscape.net]
> > > > > > Sent: Thursday, January 04, 2001 8:55 PM
> > > > > > To: Rick Yacoucci; land-speed@autox.team.net
> > > > > > Subject: Re: [Re: Rear Engine Ts]
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Rick,
> > > > > > this is scanned from the July 52 issue of Hot Rod. It's Fred
> > Carrillo's
> > > > > car
> > > > > > and the article states he ran 175. Phil
> > > > > >
> > > > > > http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=53220&a=6560596
> > > > > >
> > > > > > "Rick Yacoucci" <TurboRick@TurboRick.com> wrote:
> > > > > > Anyone have any pictures or links to pictures of these Rear
Engined
> > T's?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Rick
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