[twov8sandat4]

Originally Posted by 67drake

Where do you think I got those MEME's from? The YB!

Those threads are treasure troves


One of my favorite guitarists

[Doug]

Check out the story about this car!

[Lightfoot]

Originally Posted by Doug

Check out the story about this car!

I'd be interested to read that but I can only make out about 20% of the text on the plaquard.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Doug

Check out the story about this car!

The sign reads:


In the late summer of 1958, Jesse and Clyde Potter began a project to build a race car. Their intentions were to race this car in the first Daytona 500 ever to be raced on an asphalt track.

The project began in a little garage in Johnson City, Tennessee. A lot of work needed to be done, but the two were not alone. Help came in the form of friends with different talents. Among these talented friends were welders, sheet metal apprentices and even some who were willing to put in the necessary time and patience to see that the job was done.

There were a lot of great ideas that came out of the little garage. One in particular was dealing with the suspension of the race car. Jesse and Clyde designed the first Panard bar on a race car of this era. It consisted of a spring taken from a railroad box car. This spring was placed on the right front of the car, which kept the car from pushing in the turns.

The car was completed in time for the race. They arrived in Daytona in February 1959. But problems soon began. The engine would not turn enough RPM’s. Realizing an adjustment was needed, they picked up an additional 1,000 RPM’s by changing the cam shaft. But due to the lack of time, they could not change the valve springs, which resulted in bent push rods all through the race.

The first race at Daytona was a sweepstakes race, convertibles and hardtops. However, there wasn’t enough convertibles to make up the field, So, NASCAR offered Jesse to convert his car into a convertible. He accepted the offer and with the use of an ax and a hacksaw he began to work on his car in the infield. He worked past midnight to cut off the top off of the race car.

There were other problems Jesse and Clyde faced on race day, and it took a lot of work to keep the car going.

When the checkered flag came down, the Potter race which had started in 28th place, finished in 33rd. They were proud of their accomplishments and felt pretty good about their first race at Daytona in 1959.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Doug

Jesse and Clyde designed the first Panard bar on a race car of this era. It consisted of a spring taken from a railroad box car. This spring was placed on the right front of the car, which kept the car from pushing in the turns.

Good effort; but - that doesn't sound like a "Panhard Bar"...

Originally Posted by Doug

The first race at Daytona was a sweepstakes race, convertibles and hardtops. However, there wasn’t enough convertibles to make up the field, So, NASCAR offered Jesse to convert his car into a convertible. He accepted the offer and with the use of an ax and a hacksaw he began to work on his car in the infield. He worked past midnight to cut off the top off of the race car.

Evidently (per the pic) they put another top back on the car?

K

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Good effort; but - that doesn't sound like a "Panhard Bar"...



Evidently (per the pic) they put another top back on the car?

K

I was curious about the top. (Is it the original one?)

The "Panard" bar got me too. (The car is around here somewhere. It will probably be at a big local car show June 4. I'll check it out again and try to get details and pics.)

[67drake]

[67drake]