Triple London Championship Night

Wimbledon Stadium

La Machine - #17 Vollstedt - Offenhauser 77 (14)

As I have blogged elsewhere in 1978 the USAC Championship came to England and I was lucky enough to see the one of the two championship races at Silverstone and meet some of those involved at a meet and greet at Jubilee Gardens on the banks of the Thames in Central London.



One of the enduring memories of those two events was seeing the striking lines of Rolla Vollstedts #17 La Machine - Vollstedt - Offenhauser 77 [14], to my mind one of the most visually arresting open wheelers ever built, one that has a place of special veneration reserved at the top table in Art Tidesco's Automotive Temple of Speed.



1960 US Olympic Team Skiing alternate Dick Simon was the driver of the immaculately turned out Vollstedt. Simon's best finish in 1978 was 4th at Phoenix he also scored three further top tens finishing the season 18th in the Champ Car Series standings.



The master mind behind the car was Rolla Vollstedt, a man with more stories to tell than I'll ever have hot dinners. Rolla has been devoting his life to racing since 1937 when he took part in unsanctioned Oregon street races with a Buick Coupé in 1937.

Working with modest budgets among Rolla's many achievements since starting his team in 1947 are building the first rear engined Offenhauser powered Indycar complete with rear wing to improve traction and counting the legendary Jim Clark, in 1967, along with Janet Guthrie, the first woman to compete in the Indy 500 among the drivers of his Championship cars. Rolla was also the last owner to attempt to qualify an Offenhauser powered for the Indy 500 in 1983.

I would like take this opportunity to wish Rolla a happy 93rd Birthday Day and thank him for building one of the most alluring automobiles it has ever been my privilege to see.

Thanks for joining me on Rolla Vollstedt's Birthday edition of 'Gettin' a lil psycho on tyres', I hope you'll join me again tomorrow for Ferrari Friday. Don't forget to come back now !

Awaiting TLC - Porsche 912

From 1965 to 1969 around 30,000 entry level Porsche 912's were sold, featuring the body of the then all new Porsche 911 with the 90 horsepower motor from the old Porsche 356.



In 1967 well known Polish Porsche privateer Sobiesław Zasada won the European Rally Championship in his 912 fitted with a factory supplied rally kit.



The 912 was replaced by the 914 allegedly built in a not so harmonious collaboration with Volkswagen from 1970 - 1976.



In 1976 914's were temporarily replaced in the the Porsche line up by 2099 additional 912 E's, with 911 G series bodies and 2 litre engines from the ill feted 914/4, built exclusively for the US market until the arrival of the water cooled Porsche 924.



Porsche 912's are easily recognisable when looking at the engine, they only have 4 cylinders instead of the 6 of the 911.



This particular model was on it's way to the Porschmode Specialist body shop for some long overdue TLC when I happened on it at the end of last year.



Hope you have enjoyed today's in need of TLC edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' and that you'll join me again tomorrow for a look at one of the most outrageous Porsches ever built by the factory. Don't forget to come back now !