Diesel Race Car. Diesel Indy Car 1952. Cummins Diesel.

Fascinating story of the development and racing of the Cummins diesel race car at the Indianapolis 500 in 1952. Number 28, the Cummins Diesel Special, clocked a qualifying track record that year of 138.01 MPH, using a truck type Cummins diesel engine. What a story! Transferred from a 16mm Eastman Color film, with significant color fade. Color restoration by Adobe Premier.

[@williamsharp4729]

I'm proud to say that I witnessed the running of the Cummins Diesel Special seventy years ago in Indiamapolis when I was 8 years old. My father was able to obtain two tickets to the race. Having grown up in Columbus, Indiana, it was the major talk of the town. Fred Agabashian, the driver, started the race having won the Pole Position with the fastest average time of 4 laps around the track. The chassis design of the race car was definitely futuristic for 1952.

[@CarsandCats]

What a memory, I can imagine!

[@RedBud315]

I myself was wondering when I saw the kids on bikes checking out the car where they are today as they were probably around 10 at the time. And then noticed one of the adults standing there holding some fish he just caught.

[@wolverine9632]

@@RedBud315 As a young Hoosier who attended my first Indy 500 last year, I tip my hat to you, sir!

[@kimsndergaard973]

Its like Americans cars in 80 And and Early 1990 when 8,0 liters have 180hp 🤣😂

[@patrickwayne3701]

@@kimsndergaard973 guessing you are known in your local pub as 'that guy'. The only American car in 1992 that had an 8 litre engine was a Viper,,, and it had 400hp, on low octane pump gas, no less. Now, if you want to talk about the 5.9 litre Cummins in 1990,, IT had 175hp and 495 ft. lb. of torque. But, you probably don't want to parse the truth with that spelling of your last name.....

[@HANKTHEDANKEST]

Lordy, let's have a moment of appreciation for the 50s madlad *manually drilling* holes in fuel injectors using a jig and microscope. It's a wonder what feats of precision could be accomplished with old-time machine tools and a proper professional at the controls.

[@rasmith66]

I’m from Columbus Indiana! This is hometown history for me!

[@MoviecraftInc]

Glad to oblige!

[@andyharman3022]

The 1952 race car was on display at the Cummins headquarters in Columbus when I started work there in 1990. Cummins was still very proud of their accomplishment with #28. It was the first car to run at Indy with a turbocharger, and the first to be tested in a wind tunnel. The Kurtis Kraft chassis design was adapted for the traditional Offy engine in later years. Cummins would use the horizontal engine installation in other applications such as city busses and railcars. A few years ago, #28 was pulled out of the headquarters and returned to running order by Cummins employees.

[@MoviecraftInc]

Wonderful history. Thanks for sharing.

[@davidsignor7931]

I saw the car on display 1983 I think it was the only car that didn't refuel

[@barneymiller7894]

They have a right to be proud! #28 was so much more than just a diesel race car, every part of the program was cutting edge for the era.

[@nothanksguy]

just over a year ago when I visited company headquarters they still had that engine among many others on display in corp building

[@patrickwayne3701]

Andy!!,, how are you man?? You worked on the test line at CTC didn't you? I was at 320 with Rob Smith in 1992-3.... We still are proud of old #28! I got to help with its renovation and marketing efforts a few years ago. Still turning wheels here in research. #28 is just across town in the historical collection. It is one very cool old piece to be around!!

[@davidhewson8605]

I worked for Scammel Trucks in Tolpits Lane, Watford UK in late 70s early 80s as senior designer. We installed engines to the buyers preference Cats., Detroits, Leyland, Rolls Royce, Gardner et al. Top motor by far was....Cummins !!. This documentary brought my five years with Scammel back. Cummins power and reliability were well respected in the UK. The race car was a gem design wise. Did it survive?. Many thanks all. Dave

[@MrRobster1234]

It's in the museum looking like the day it raced.

[@jeffnpatricia]

The country was such a different place back then.

[@bjnuma01]

Love the diesel mechanics all with their bow ties on. Got to love the 50s!!

[@einautofan6685]

I love the orchestra music! Soo 50's!🤣👍

[@hoosierpete]

My grandfather was a driver, I still have articles and other memorabilia from not only that race but others through the years. I even have a picture of that car and Freddy sitting in it.

[@JJBblitzball]

What was his name your father

[@skunkbucket9408]

The development of the diesel engine is impressive, but what really strikes me is that the car looks like it was sent back in time from a decade later. The rest of the field are the classic dirt track design, with the driver sitting on the car more than in it, but the Cummins has the low, sleek look that dominated before the rear-engine cars arrived in the sixties. Fantastic documentary!

[@nick4506]

back in the day there wasint mutch different between dirt and road cars. but fun fact in the mid nieitys people were running modified real indycars on the all dirt pikes peak. they were pretty competitive, paul dallenbach ran one in 1995. like nieinties ones not too mutch different from the ones today. and rod millen is running his dirt setup toyota tacoma without changes this year for the 100th running so maybe the dynamics arent that different between smooth dirt and road.

[@headbrown5629]

@@nick4506 a.j. Foyt & others ran their dirt roadsters also known as Midgets, on pavement & Indy for years. Until the early 60's when Englishman Collin Chapman brought over his Lotus, rear engine,monocoque frame car, with independent suspension, driven by Jim Clark, did the change over from front engine roadster to rear engine monocoque chassis begin.

[@nick4506]

@@headbrown5629 also for some reason the indy 500 counted for points in the f1 championship in the 60s. so there are a lot of Americans on the lists for winning races in f1.

[@johncarter1137]

@@headbrown5629 No one ever ran a midget at Indy, they were all championship race cars which were larger than the midgets and sprint cars.

[@mk1cortinatony395]

It actually looks like the pre war Mercedes gp car, so not a modern look really. The pre war cars were also faster.

[@shelleyking8450]

Still amazing when we see what the Indy track was back then, just a wide, bumpy, brick street through a park with just a single rail between drivers and oblivion. Imagine POWER SLIDING around Indy on bricks. These men were different back then.

[@artysanmobile]

Bricks were only a very small portion of the track, surrounding the start-finish line on a dead straight section. So, no sliding on bricks.

[@jimcox8148]

@@artysanmobile In 1909 the entire track was paved with over 3 million bricks, hence the name The Brickyard. By 1938 the turns, the short chutes and the backstretch was all asphalt while the majority of the front stretch was still brick. In 1961 the remainder of the front stretch was paved while leaving 3 feet of brick pavement to serve as the start finish line. So, you are right about no sliding on bricks, but it was still a bumpy ride down the front.

[@Redmenace96]

What about the crowd, just next to the front straight. No fences or guardrails.

[@datadavis]

They survived a world war a few years earlier, adrenaline addicts! Same could be said for the boardtrack racers three decades earlier 💪

[@tsf5-productions]

Boy! Talk about a well made film documentary about one of auto racing's historical auto racing cars of all-time...this is one of the best! The 1950's saw a lot of famous and infamous racing drivers who, many, had tragedy come to them in those years. Indianapolis was the top of the line...and still is. The Cummins race car could have changed the course of racing engines had that car stayed together, just like the "STP Oil Treatment Special" Paxton-Turbine powered 1967 car almost did. Good show!

[@geoffreypiltz271]

The car did "stay together". It was a lack of adequate filtration on the turbo that ended its race.

[@Vincent_Sullivan]

@@geoffreypiltz271 Which makes one wonder why, after having absorbed all of the engineering costs, they didn't put a good air filter on it and bring it back the next year!

[@pootthatbak2578]

I was hooked..been leaving many youtube videos 3 minutes in...boring! This was pretty good and informative.

[@jackhammer111]

This has the feel of those industrial Arts and other kinds of films they showed us in high school.

[@bobkonradi1027]

The video says the reason for the car's dropping out of the race was not because of any mechanical problems, but because chunks of tire rubber clogged up the turbo's air cooler and it lost a lot of power.

[@VirtualR]

I wish they came back again for more outright attempts, unbelievable the potential they found

[@greggravitas5849]

Ah, foundary and factory work in the old days. Ramming greensand into moulds, pouring molten metal, no hearing protection, no gloves, poor ventilation.. no PPE, what YOU SAY? Men worked hard and paid a physical price to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads..

[@MoviecraftInc]

Skilled Men, Metal, Machines. You gotta' love it!

[@aaronanderson7619]

Amen

[@K-Effect]

That was a good job, that was state of the art

[@deborahchesser7375]

My Dad was the same, 37 years at Timken, hot, oily, loud and detrimental to his health, but he went every day sick or not to keep the $ coming in. They don’t make em like that anymore

[@aaronanderson7619]

@@deborahchesser7375 agreed. Here's to your old man. Cheers

[@johnmajane3731]

I looked it up and in 2019 they got it running again!

[@alexander1485]

I heard it but no video opportunity 😭

[@ebbonemint]

Seeing the technology that went into this car in the 50’s is impressive. Considering the tech of the era, this car was beyond the cookie cutter principles everyone else was running.

[@pickfairguy]

Great story set in an America that is unfortunately gone forever. Would make fine basis for a dramatic film, something of a mashup of October Sky and Ford vs Ferrari. Thanks for posting this.

[@RaysNewLife]

vote for politicians that support your self empowerment. it doesnt have to be gone this is tomorrows solar racers

[@MrChuckie2you]

I have a 16mm original print of this film that my grandfather gave my dad. Awesome that someone digitized it and posted it.

[@rotax636nut5]

Wow, what days they were, the designers at Curtis Craft and Cummins produced the best looking and most race worthy car of it's time..

[@briansharp4388]

The cars were really beautiful back then, remember the last front engine they let run qualifying of indy. Think wide world of sports....they didn't want to let him run....

[@mikehylton7194]

Thanks for saving the original aspect ratio. You're historians!

[@MoviecraftInc]

Our pleasure! I hate it when they stretch the picture. 16mm should always be full frame 4:3.

[@coloradostrong]

I saw this live! I was 25 years old then, and it left a last lasting impression on me and my 17 yeah old wife. Our sons enjoyed it too.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

You are 96?

[@brandonobaza8610]

@@BuzzLOLOL That's what you're focused on? How 'bout the wife with 2 kids old enough to attend the race by the time she was 17? Was she married at 10? 🤣

[@BuzzLOLOL]

@@brandonobaza8610 - Age 9 was typical in the South...

[@coloradostrong]

@@BuzzLOLOL In jew world, 12 years 6 months and 1 day they are adults. The females are called _Bogerets._ They are known as _Na'arah_ before they are Bogerets. Betrothal is at birth for some females. True stuff. You don't want to look up Mishnah Niddah 5:4 though.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

@@coloradostrong - In the south, by age 12, she's an Old Maid...

[@garylewis6495]

What a beautifully designed Indy roadster! It looks fast sitting still.

[@i3DStereo]

I came from Ohio where my family was in the surface coal mining business. Cummins diesels were used in draglines and other equipment to mine and remove coal; then fill in the cuts during the reclamation process. Our family was proud to be there at Indy to see and hear this unique race car. It's roar was special and it did amazingly well.

[@lauramildon-clews7850]

In my 50 plus years of experience in diesel engines Cummins have been the choice of a lot of manufacturers. They have been consistently better than a lot of other products.

[@johnboyd7158]

I wa a generator mechanic in the Army, 1969-78; Cummins diesel were used on some of the 100KW units. Good . reliable and fairly easy to maintain. Thanks

[@supertramp6011]

Agreed, I have used them in fishing boats,however, modern ones seem to be let down by poor ancillaries,such as starters, alternators, wiring looms and lift pumps. The block, crank etc seem to be very well made though. 👌

[@joefell7845]

The only engine offered as an option by EVERY truck manufacturer.

[@thesteelrodent1796]

unfortunately they seem to have had some issues complying with stage 4 and 5 of the damn eco regulations along with the reliability issues that comes with all that, so a lot of manufacturers of tractors and construction equipment have steered away from them. Still some of the best sounding diesels, though, even when regulations cockblock them

[@MitzvosGolem1]

Except 555 V8 and 903 v8

[@michaellavery4899]

Fantastic piece of history and no adverts. Thanks.

[@yellowdog7078]

Thanks to all the research that went on for this project, I enjoy today a turbocharged diesel that will cruise all day at 130 mph and still get 43 mpg at 80 mph. W211 CDI. Danke Herr Diesel.

[@CarsandCats]

This is one of the best Indy car documentaries I have ever seen. I can't believe I never heard of this car before.

[@hotrodandrube9119]

Racing without a roll bar seems insane.

[@saysflushable]

I owned an old late 1940s midget race car. I asked the original owner why nobody thought of a role bar . He just shrugged his shoulders, even though he broke both arms in an accident. My head sat well above anything that could offer protection.

[@RaysNewLife]

roll bars were heavy and unlike brakes off no advantage. these guys were drilling holes in parts to make it lighter, no math just feeling it out. i am not a fan of regulations but rollbars are a decent regulation for racecars

[@wheater5]

I find high powered diesels fascinating. I was lucky enough to see the JCB Dieselmax world record attempt car in the flesh when it ran for the first time at RAF Wittering in U.K. It still holds the record at just over 350mph. The company decided to limit the car to that speed because of tyre limitations. It ran in 5th gear but could have gone faster in 6th. The car has two engines which were designed to power the JCB earth movers but were boosted to many times their original 100 horsepower. I was asked by the aerodynamics designer (Ron Ayers) how fast I thought it ought to be capable of and I said probably 400mph. He nodded but told me the record would be taken at just 350 and explained about the tyre issue. As the whole project was to advertise their new engine, the last thing the company wanted was an accident.

[@MrDragpics]

I remember that we provided the Alternators for that, ex Lucas but then Prestolite, .

[@suhayl5157]

A fascinating piece of history; never knew anything about this before today, and I thought I was a racing nerd.

[@jeffkeopp6220]

I had the pleasure of sitting in this car and the 1931 Cummins Diesel Indy car at the open house of the then-new Cummins Diesel Sales, Inc. shop in Roseville, MN. My Dad worked there. I believe I was around 6 years old. I need to ask my Dad what year that was to be sure, but I still remember sitting in the cars. My Dad used to bring this film home and show it to us now and then back in the 70s. Brings back memories... Thanks for making this available.

[@MoviecraftInc]

And thanks for the memories!

[@supertramp6011]

That must be a great memory, and what a fantastic film this is! Your Dad must be an old boy now! I have had several Cummins Diesel engines in fishing boats, really tough engines, sadly let down by poor ancillaries,such as wiring looms,starters ,alternators, etc. - but that is true also of many fine engines nowadays, Caterpillar, John Deere, Perkins and many others I’m sure. 👌

[@brieannateylar5810]

@@MoviecraftInc what type of transmission did the car use ? What rear axle ratio did it run ?

[@patrickwayne3701]

@@MoviecraftInc Hey, are you guys affiliated with the Cummins historical folks or the Corporate marketing department?

[@MoviecraftInc]

@@patrickwayne3701 We are a film archive preserving the actual film elements of motion picture films. We are not affiliated with Cummins. This film is in our automotive collection.

[@donolbers9446]

Great story here! This car was featured in Open Wheel or Circle Track back around 35 years ago, when the car was around 35 years old, and Agabashian and Frank Kurtis were still around. Along with 1952's Vukovich-driven Kurtis, it jump started the roadster revolution that ruled the roost for the following dozen years.

[@russellking9762]

i did not know about this….and i kept track of all the Indy engines from the Offenhauser’s to the Cosworth’s or thought i did…this just blew my mind….AWESOME thank you sir!!

[@geoffreyfretwell4428]

When I was a kid back in the 50's UK I was crazy on lorries. My favourite was a E.R.F. with a Cummins engine and it had a fantastic sound. For speed it beat all other lorries. Fond memories.

[@thomasciul8932]

I think it's cool how they're the using the same car! The little death trap special!!

[@josephhermann648]

I was actually at the 500 this year and I'm pretty sure this car made a few laps !! I was pretty amazing to see it and hear it!! That's back when men were real men!!!!!!

[@jacquesblaque7728]

And all aspects of driver protection weren't yet a glimmer in any eyes. Who needs life-expectancy? Things move slow on those skinny little sneakers, so what's to worry about?

[@biscuit8641]

I seen it too, Mario drove it

[@headbrown5629]

@@jacquesblaque7728 those old drivers said they knew the one thing you DID NOT DO, was crash. Even up until the late 90's & into the 2000's it was bad. I heard AL Unser Jr talking about hitting the wall & worrying about their feet in a head on type collision. But I'm like you, the guys back in the early days had Big Brass Balls. They were totally exposed with no restraints.

[@GregBrownsWorldORacing]

And now we're elderly gentlemen I guess

[@rockerpat1085]

And The Women Respected Men!!! Unlike Today!!!!

[@JRS986]

Took this video out to my Dodge Cummins so it could see what it's grandfather was up to at that time. I am sure some lessons learned are incorporated into my motor.

[@randymagnum143]

Case corporation did most of the engineering work on the b and c series Cummins.

[@petejohnson8397]

@@randymagnum143 amazing so few people know that

[@robertheinkel6225]

Back when the track was all brick, not just the finish line. That was how it came to be called the brickyard.

[@joealbert7773]

I got to see the car in the 80's at Cummins headquarters. It was in the back of the lobby and had a display with a film of the qualifying run.

[@PeterDad60]

That Cummings Desiel Iny Racer sure is a beauty! Before viewing this video I remember something about the Cunnings Diesel Indy Race Car. Wasn't the fatal flaw (which cost the race) the air intake up front and too close to the track and it sucked in track debris which destroyed it's supercharger on the last lap as it was in the lead? That's what I remember. I was only 2 years old so this was in fact a little before my time so to speak. However even at age 2 years I strongly identified with the Mobile Oil Corporation's Flying Pegasus and that symbol was on this racing car! Our local gas station in town owned by Peter Cursio, a mile down the road from our home had that same Flying Pegasus and was a Mobile Oil Corporation fuel outlet also known as the Flying "A". He also sold BSA Motorcycles with one always right in the front office where Dad would bring me inside to pay for the fuel, and that started me on my life long love of motorcycles and street racing. My Dad had a 500 Triumph hidden across the street from our house in our neighbor's garage so that my Mom would not know about it. I sat upon it even as a 2 year old. I myself purchased a new 1976 Triumph T140V Bonneville 750 on January 10, 1977 from Pete Cursio and that same gas station and I still have her and she sits right outside our Dinning room window. She won every race from 1977 to 1992 when I retired because I was a responsible father who understood my first priority was to take care of our children. She won against every motorcycle being made for the street anywhere in the world and she defended our Long Island as it's Champion. - Peter age 72 I want to say hello to my Son "Peter age 35 and my Daughter Mary Zina Nelson" age 33.

[@rossbryan6102]

YOU ARE SPOT ON REGARDING THE TURBO FAILURE!!

[@rconger24]

PeterDad60 - There shure are a LOT of "Lucky Sevens" in " *1976 Triumph T140V Bonneville 750 on January 10 1977* " Even the 140 is 2 x 70.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

The lesson is don't race a dirty track without an air cleaner... when did they start vacuuming paved tracks?

[@tommaples9174]

I worked for Cummins. This car was part of the legend that every employee new.

[@highway445]

I love the story I guarantee.

[@donkeech1081]

Wow! Being born 1960, and deep into Computers/Internet since Day 1, how did i miss this video! Much appreciated!

[@GregBrownsWorldORacing]

Talk about a blast from the past. This was still six years before I'd be born. But so wonderful to see the history of this joint and this car. Today my RV Has a Cummins Diesel in the back of it. I just wish diesel would go back under $6.00 a gallon so I could afford to drive it again. Let's go Brandon.

[@paulg3336]

5:51 "here we see why grandad was deaf as a fence post." I admire these people's dedication to developing a car and never letting the incessant Looney Toons orchestral backing music get to them. 36:56 "Not a second can be lost ,every motion must count" The pit crew saunters over to the car , looking confused at the round things they have to fit to it. The driver waits until he leaves the pits to replace his face mask....

[@kermitefrog64]

What is incredible is to see a diesel in that kind of race. I have a 1981 Mercedes Benz W123 240d and it gets incredible fuel mileage for a solid metal car. I regularly get 30 mpg. Because it is a 4 cylinder without a turbo it is no speed machine but once I get up to speed it does great keeping up with traffic.

[@jcreeker5581]

Amazing work done this crew. Hard to believe a pit stop of over one minute.

[@herbb8412]

And you’d stay on the same lap! 😊

[@ernestogasulla7763]

And remember, "not a second can be lost". 😄

[@55commander]

Great video! Being a Studebaker owner it is fun seeing those cars and trucks in the film.

[@MoviecraftInc]

It sure is!

[@ssbn6175]

Not to mention that very elegant Pace Car. Studebaker forever!

[@jacquespoirier9071]

I can testify that the development of a product is tha most interesting part on an engineer carreer, mnagement ia a plague.

[@MrPnew1]

5:14 or as we learned in trade school for auto mechanics in Australia in the 70's - suck, squeeze, bang, blow

[@burtbrooks7731]

I live bout 20 minutes from cummins headquarters and you can still go see this car in the lobby of the main office👍👍 we do a lot of excavation work for cummins I got to help build the factory for the new 14 liter monster they just debut few years ago as well, they have all kinds of cool projects going on all the time!!! Better not get caught taking any pictures tho😳they don’t joke when they say no pictures lol!!

[@jimdieseldawg3435]

“To sound fantastic when Jake-braked and straight-piped” 😁 Over here in Blighty we got the 12-litre then at rated power outputs of 180-220bhp. The arrival of the 14-litre turbo got us to 250bhp. Then the NTE 14 with air-to-air charge cooling got us from 320-410bhp. CELECT pushed the limits up to 525bhp. My probably controversial opinion is that the NTE series sounded best, at least before the 80dBa noise limit forced us to strangle everything with huge mufflers. Glory days 🙂 Had no idea that there was a racing pedigree to this particular bloodline; thank you for sharing 🙂

[@Mercmad]

It wasn't Cummins first race though. back in 1932 they ran a Cummins diesel in a Duesenberg Chassis, Number 8. It's in the indy museum. .

[@jimdieseldawg3435]

One I forgot: there was a 15-and-a-bit-litre naturally-aspirated version available in early Ford Transcontinental models. Rating 240 - 250bhp dependent upon which source you trust. Probably sounded lovely but I wouldn’t like to drive one anywhere with hills without a VERY long run-up 🙂

[@Diamondback68]

Kurtis Craft was the preferred race car builder and also made Indy Cars, sports and salt racers.. You could buy a car from them and drive it on the street. My father bought a 1954 Kurtis 500c which looked similar to this and had a big block Cadillac motor. It was much faster than his Jaguar XK120M which was at the time the world's fastest production car. It was the fastest street car in Los Angeles at the time. One owner drove his 500C to Seabring, won the race, and drove it home. He raced it for a couple years till the arrival of the 5th of my 10 siblings forced mom's hand to forbid him to kill himself racing. Lots of people died in those days.

[@ejharrop1416]

The world has gone mad and I am thankful to have lived thru that time and thank you for putting this great video out. Cheers!

[@FoxPopvli]

I'd lie if I said I'm not kinda envying you :')

[@TheTruthKiwi]

Yeah, as long as you weren't working in a foundry with no ear or eye protection I'm sure it was great.

[@alandavies55]

@@TheTruthKiwi I worked in a foundry in the 60s, great days, I went to work in a two litre Healey that I could not afford to run now, but was cheap at the time. I was there when ear defenders came in. One of the slingers capitolised on this by selling us identical looking ones with a built in radio, it was several weeks before the managers caught on. Work in those days was more fun that the over- managed affair it became later.

[@TheTruthKiwi]

@@alandavies55 Haha I'm sure it was Alan. About 15 years ago I worked in a huge meat abattoir in Australia and all the boners (Guys cutting the meat off the carcasses that come through on chains) would sing songs every shift. 40 or 50 dudes singing along in unison is something to behold. Pretty sure they still do it, or will until the whole thing becomes mechanised anyway. There's still some old traditions around but they're getting very few and far between.

[@rubenmontes249]

Been watching Indy racing since I was 10, never knew about this car. Very impressive and a great achievement for its time . I have to add this car to my bucket list , would like to see it.

[@johnmoser2689]

very enjoyable documentary #28 was quite a Legendary race car I'm surprised they didn't fix the turbo issues and try again

[@ernestogasulla7763]

The regulations didn't allow it... it was allowed to race as a publicity stunt, like the gas turbine much later.

[@johnmoser2689]

@@ernestogasulla7763 interesting that we didn't see turbo diesel vehicles long before the sad GM fiasco seems like Cummins could've done it right It wasn't until the 80s that we got great diesels from Germany and those were very limited

[@robertthayer5779]

Aerodynamics of a HOT DOG BUN... And those FAT tires! AMAZIN'!

[@stevenkilsdonk2046]

Cummins had entered and raced with diesel-engined cars before 1952. 1931, 1934, and 1952.

[@MoviecraftInc]

Good point...I corrected the description of the film. Thanks...

[@denilsonmartins5684]

Época maravilhosa de descobertas, tempo mágico!

[@kasuraga]

Man that 28 looks absolutely like the next generation of indy cars. Ahead of the game big time in chassis development from the looks of it.

[@thesteelrodent1796]

Really great documentary of a ground breaking and iconic car. What the documentary doesn't explain, and the whole reason it was difficult to use a diesel for racing back then: a diesel engine has much higher torque but less horsepower (relatively), and runs at lower rpm than a gasoline engine. You need the torque for moving mass and the horsepower to do it quickly, which is why gas engines were perfect for light weight race cars, but by adjusting the gearing you can compensate for the lower hp and rpm in a diesel. Only because diesel have so much more torque you need a more durable gearbox, which weighs more. Also important was that your common diesel at the time was made from cast iron with steel cylinder liners in order to stand up to the much higher compression ratio a diesel needs to run, so casting the engine out of aluminium was groundbreaking - it's incidentally how all vehicular diesels are made today to save weight (but all engines still use steel cylinder liners). Mounting the engine horizontal was also unheard of - the carburator in gas engines doesn't like being flipped over, but that's not an issue with the fuel injection in diesel. Horizontally mounted engines are incidentally still used in some buses, especially city buses, in order to lower the floor height. Also today there are several diesel powered cars in the GT series (especially in GT2 and 3) and modern Indycars are essentially all diesel, they just run on methanol.

[@v12alpine]

Two corrections -- modern Cummins use iron blocks. From dodge trucks to tractors, industrial and semis, all iron blocks. And there's no such thing as a diesel powered engine that runs on methanal. It's one or the other.

[@worldssickestmedia2713]

That car was so ahead of it's time. You actually sit in the car while the other cars you sit on them. They look like old dirt sprint cars. No matter the engine I'm sure a lot of innovation came from this car and the cars the very next year were a lot different looking.

[@anthonyxuereb792]

Entry into a few races prior to the 500 would have highlighted the turbo ingestion problem.

[@ernestogasulla7763]

The "special entries" like this one, or the gas turbine later, did not meet regulations... they were allowed to race because they attracted people's attention. I guess there was an unwritten agreement that they couldn't win.

[@anthonyxuereb792]

@@ernestogasulla7763 That's good to know, thanks.

[@davidchristensen6908]

What a nice movie they put together. Amazing a team was thinking to high speed Diesel engines. I love industrial movies.

[@mrafard]

i like when the driver was in the car at the vindtunneltests

[@J.F.K.O]

i love that kind of narrative its so cosy (hyggeligt) in Danish and nostalgic

[@rambojambone4586]

Working at a Cummins dealership in 70’s. Just learned about this today

[@Douglas-up2vh]

Days before the EPA Gansters....50's were the Best times of America

[@RaysNewLife]

the front tire coming to pieces and the straights on brick is just omg, utter madman, if that tire blew at those speeds he would just die

[@rjl110919581]

thank you for sharing a great video show great true diesel engine so far further today's world

[@alvarsdzenis4739]

Love the precision Coca Cola wooden flat crate holding the engine up @9:55 👏👏👏

[@randallmason9687]

Looks like a perfect daily driver to Me!#

[@chrisbaker2903]

I love my 2001 Dodge Ram 3500, with it's 5.9 liter Cummins and 6 speed NV5600 transmission. I wish I had 8 gears though. My previous experience with Cummins powered trucks was a 210 hp naturally aspirated Cummins with a 10 speed Road Ranger transmission. I loved that truck. That 10 speed was a great transmission. Super easy to remember the shift pattern and complimented the Cummins 6 beautifully.

[@andyharman3022]

Put a GearVendors overdrive on it.

[@aspiceronni4462]

I feel it would have been an amazing feeling, living in an analog world.

[@sonnybrooks264]

I used to work for Cummins Charleston, SC. Every four or five years they would send the car down here to Charleston and put on display. Still had the old tires on it.

[@pitts3219]

When Americans we’re proud to be Americans!

[@Bramon83]

Slick airways, that's so sick.

[@james-faulkner]

This shows that if you have good engineers and throw enough money at a problem you will succeed.

[@faerieSAALE]

And today - School buses run Cummins 4-cylinder diesel engines capable of a blistering pace of 65 - 69 mph! WOW... and that's going downhill with a tailwind!!!!

[@richardwernst]

Wonderful. I know this is just a conversion of another film, but sure would have loved to know more about why the tire was being shredded so fast during timing runs, and more info on the teardown and what learned about the engine after it's run.

[@stuarth43]

Clessy Cummings was a genius, I loved my time as a field serviceman at Cummins Au

[@doncarlson8391]

The guy admiring the car while holding those 2 big fish, cracked me up. Really good documentary. Not knowing how it would end made it exciting to watch.

[@bradpotter6401]

Disk brakes back in 1952! What death traps these race cars were with no roll bars.

[@pdtech4524]

The no. 28 Cummins Special looks light years ahead of the rest of the pack! Look how higher up the other drivers sit.😲😳😁

[@ivartillotson835]

Smoking in the pit area… those were the days.

[@ungabungaable]

thing that amazes me is they raced on red clay brocks back then, its a wonder tires didnt shred more than they did at those speeds.

[@aspiceronni4462]

Damn, those qualifying laps were exciting. Not kidding, I held my breath.

[@jameskenyon2091]

Why didn’t they enter the car in a shorter race before going to Indy? Maybe they could have gotten some of the bugs out before going 500 miles.

[@johnrucker-vy5in]

Boy, does this bring back memories. I grew up in Seymour, IN about 20 miles south of Columbus. My dad's cousin was a machinist at Cummins for 40 years (I didn't see a picture of him in this film). Between my freshman and sophomore years of college (summer 1968), I was a fill-in security guard at Cummins. My dad (a school teacher and principal) had done this job in the summer for several years but let me have the job that summer so I could make some money. On one occasion, I was sent to the headquarters building at night ( my usual shift). This car was in a roped off area in the entrance on the first floor. Since it was very late and no one was around, I gave in to the temptation to sit in the car. I had actually sat in the Cummins race car driven by Freddie Agabashian! I didn't advertise that I had done it because I didn't want to lose my job. Growing up in southern Indiana, you always had a favorite driver. My brother and sister liked Troy Ruttman. I, however, was a Vukovich fan (a terrible end to his life). Thanks for this film. Old memories...

[@MoviecraftInc]

Thanks for the great story!

[@carlosalvarezlorenzo3266]

Fantastic movie.

[@annsmith8000]

Thanks so much for this movie, what was the rpm of this almost 140 mph amazing vehicle. The sheer torque of Diesel engines is still a wonderful thing,I was so excited I kept waking up last night having watched this clip, I was 4 years old at that time, growing up in England,it was an exciting time to be alive listening out for aircraft overhead passing through the sound barrier and seeing the open wheeler style of race car belting around all those tracks no wonder I became a lifelong speed freak and eventually a pretty good mechanic sorry don’t mean to swell my head but I sure loved the Internal combustion engine and the sounds they make. It is a struggle for me now working on vehicles and I can no longer help people by fixing their cars but I still try. Enjoy this God given life people all the best .....👍👍👍Robert from NZ

[@BuzzLOLOL]

Lesson is don't race a dirty track without an air cleaner... breaking the sound barrier over USA was outlawed some time after 1960's so I didn't hear it again until 2000s when they were apparently practicing for the gulf wars... the Concords were also restricted from doing that, so only used over oceans...

[@arcanondrum6543]

​@@BuzzLOLOLIndeed because "screw the whales" when you want to get home a little sooner than "losers".

[@m9b7v5]

Clessie would love this movie!

[@geoffreypiltz271]

What a terrific film! And I love the faded colour.

[@artysanmobile]

Nice to see the engineers called out by name.

[@tonysid3563]

Had no idea of this history. The first real truck i drove was an AutoCar 10 wheel dump with a Cummins 250hp inline 6 mated to a 13 speed double overdrive Fuller Road Ranger. Great running truck and pretty much bullet proof. That was back in 1969. Those were the days.

[@hotwings9382]

The production on this is quality

[@ronniewall492]

MAN NEED TO GROW. THIS SCARES THE ELITE

[@pinpointautodiagnosticsene9655]

They prove a very important point, diesel can produce good power and performance benefiting all manufacturers that followed

[@ilcylic]

I'd love to have seen Cummins do something like this in the 90's with the 12 valve 6BT! :D

[@ilcylic]

It also blows me away that this was 70 years ago.

[@jimrobcoyle]

Well, Indy is now a spec car race. The old innovator's are gone. 😑

[@davidsignor7931]

Why a 12 valve go for it with a 24 valve common rail system. I was really impressed with this video I've worked on Cummins engines for 35+ years I'm not sure but this engine looked like it may have been a J series Cummins they never said what series it was

[@ilcylic]

@@davidsignor7931 Only because the 6BT is the one I've had a bunch of. :) No other reason, really. I'm sure they could do all sorts of cool things no matter which engine they picked.

[@jadams736]

24 valve common rail don't hold a candle to a 12 valve.

[@TheLionAndTheLamb777]

Awesome, I really enjoy these old videos.

[@meoochoa]

I saw that race car in '90"s when I visited Columbus. When I was initiated to Cummins thru its Philippine dealership in 1970 I learned about this. It's unfortunate the engineers/designers of the race car did not anticipate the turbocharger's getting clogged because it was positioned in the the rear wheel well where the drive wheels churn the road dust. The engine being mounted horizontally was smart and is now commonly found in high performance cars i.e. Toyota/Subaru sports car.