This little 1908 racing car lead a long and productive life. Here it is seen circa 1915 with a transplanted Duesenberg 16-valve racing engine being used by Barney Oldfield in one of his appearances. Below it is shown earlier with star drivers Ralph De Palma and George Robertson racing on the Brighton Beach Race Track (N.Y.C.). See more photos and read all about this interesting form of racing in the July 27, 1910 Horseless Age magazine and all the details of the Cyclone @ http://theoldmotor.com/?p=108598
David,
Good stuff, thank you for posting,
Rob
Rob, Glad to hear you enjoyed it, that is one of the best early racing photos we have featured in a long time.
I'm surprised they were still using chain drive in '15. Seems to me a differential would be fewer moving parts and easier maintenance, Don.
Don, They were still using it because the car was built that way somewhere between 1906-08. The other benefit was a lightweight rear axle with very little unsprung weight compared to the heavy gear - driven axles of the time which resulted in very good handling. The third benefit was it was easy to quickly change gear ratios by using the desired front sprocket and changing the length of the chain.
You have my thank's!! Bud.
David, I love that picture. I think I will make a copy and put it in a frame and hang it in my shop. thanks, Joe
A few more Oldfield pics.
This is the only photo I've seen where both Arrow and 999 are shown together. Arrow was also called another name (such as "yellow demon" or some such), although I can't recall at the moment.
Barney Oldfield in one of the Ford cars:
Oldfield, driving the Winton Bullet, racing Tom Cooper in one of the Ford racers:
Tom Cooper was later killed while driving, but in Central Park, not on the racetrack.
Imagine Arrow and 999 racing wheel-to-wheel with that tiller steering ... that'd make any big bruiser of a man pucker up!
Garnet