Prewar Dry Lakes Hot Rod Racing in 8mm

[@kengillcole1806]

Fabulous music track attached. Jammin' just like all the drivers and their hot roadsters.

[@derricktassey1655]

We need more of this hot rod history to whet the interest of this and future generations, if our hobby is going to survive......good job !!

[@petercooper2665]

Wow! Amazing footage - interesting to see a Bugatti at the meet, along with my old buddy, the late Earl Bruce, in his then-new customised '40 Ford coupe! Thanks for sharing.

[@andrewdimartino]

This is my favorite hotrod/music video of all times! Well done, Sir.

[@andyk8331]

I just saw this mentioned in Hot Rod Deluxe, and I am glad I did. This is amazing footage... and perfect tunes added too.

[@steveschlah372]

This reminds me of my Dad's friend Claude Neal, who with Hi Halfhill, set a record at Muroc in 1933, in a Riley headed '29 Ford, of 114.65mph. In 1955, Claude, his son Robbie, my Dad and I went to Goldstone, north of Barstow, to search for and retrieve a 1919 T Touring body that Claude knew about. We found it (which he picked up later) and left the area by way of the "Camp" Irwin Tank Range, only to be stopped at the gate by MPs, who wondered how we got into the post. Obviously, they let us go.

[@chrispile3878]

What a fine collection of early hot rodding history!

[@averyhuelsbeck3116]

These boys are flying for pre-war chassis.. must've had balls of steel. Amazing footage, thank you Dave for sharing.

[@andrewdimartino]

One of the best vintage videos Ive ever seen. Way to go. The music was perfect and elevated the film to fine art. More please!

[@cruzpch]

I wish I had more footage. Since posting this I've learned actual film from these days is pretty rare. Lots of snapshots, but no movies. Within a year or two these guys were all in uniform, fighting a war. God bless 'em.

[@andrewdimartino]

Well, thanks for sharing that great video. I've got a chopped and channeled Ford and it's great to see the cars in their original habitat.

[@2932AV8]

This is a great question. Those are Riley OHV conversions. Amazing to see multiple examples, as they made very few sets.

[@PerWebb]

Not only dry lake racers, some fantastic pre-war customs as well. This made my day!

[@joeparson5531]

Great video, nothing beats the way it was done in the early years. Thanks for sharing, still enjoyable in 2020.

[@cedave1]

Great Video!!! This is obviously mixed footage even though it's titled as being Harper Dry Lake. It looks to me that most of this footage is out at El Mirage Dry Lake, one can see Shadow Mountain numerous times in the background. At about 3:40-3:45 I see what appears to be Black Mountain in the background, which would then be Harper Dry Lake. Nevertheless, love the old Hot Rodder footage from those days (it's so rare), and the music is quite fitting as well!!!

[@tboyce47]

Thanks a ton for posting this. I'll watch it many more times...so cool! BTW, I think the car at 2:23 - 2:29 is one of the five 1935 Ford Indianapolis race cars Preston Tucker built for Henry Ford.

[@jamesdonoho3038]

Car was built by Harry Miller

[@dalecomer5951]

Tucker was the "entrepreneur" who apparently sold Henry or Edsel Ford on the idea and formed a company with Miller to build the 10 cars for Ford.

[@jgmagoo1]

GREAT FILM!! And your choice of music is FABULOUS!!!

[@campingkillen]

Thank´s a lot for sharing this great piece of hot rod history! Lot´s of interesting cars, one I think is a pretty early Miller racer. Feel sorry for that poor -39 coupe though:-( Amazing with those customs, not many people would do such radical modifications to a car only one or two years old today...

[@janiceleftwich]

Is that a belly tank racer @ 4:08? I thought belly tanks made their first appearance in 1946 after WWII

[@cruzpch]

No. It's a hand-formed body.

[@Iamjohniwanna]

That was amazing, car guys just doing their thing. Well shot and edited.

[@thomasrosenthal1738]

At about 5:07 it looks like a clip of one of the 1935 Miller Ford Indy cars, and the background doesn't look like the dry lakes. Something just crept in?

[@stevebalding1964]

My dad use to race with Earl Scheib's sons on Forest Lawn Dr in the 50's, Dad had a 56 or 57 Dodge Saratoga, they swapped out Dads intake for one of the Scheib boys dual quad set

[@ЮрійСергієнко-ф4г]

Such a cool video!!! Thank you and your Uncle Tommy!

[@JohnW1711stock]

Great footage. I really enjoyed this. Thanks.

[@wilkesjournal]

@edslides1 Ry Cooder, "Cherry Ball Blues"

[@RotorMedic7]

Amazing footage!!! THANK YOU FOR SHARING!

[@sawmillslim]

EDSLIDES, It is outstanding footage......I can't say for certain, but I believe that could be Ry Cooder's slide guitar work.

[@SimpleImprovement]

A list of cars, as posted by a user of jalopyjournal.com: 0:05s - 0:05: #9 Bill & Tom Spalding T modified. Riley OHV heads Mercedes roots blower. Post war Don Blair rebuilt it into The Goat. 0:10s - 0:17s #8 Danny Sakai Modified outfitted with Mal Ord speed equipment. 0:09s - 0:09s #111 Sandy Belond Sandy's Speed Shop. 0:18s - 0:21s #42 Uncle Tommy's A? 0:49s - 0:49s #20 1932 Roadster 1:02s - 1:02s #224 T modified. 0:58s - 1:04s 1939 Ford convertible custom I have seen this pictured somewhere. 1:09s - 1:14s #360 Sprintcar Streamliner 1:14s - 1:22s #9 Spalding bros. Mod 1:23s - 1:24s #26 1932 roadster 1:24s - 1:25s 1930-31 Model A RPU 1:49s - 1:49s #402 Model A Phaeton 2:06s - 2:08s #20 '32 roadster 2:23s - 2:25s #410 1935 FWD Miller Ford entered by Willet Brown owned by Tommy Lee speed 116.88mph 2:26s - 2:31s #311 1929 A roadster banger 2:31s - 2:37s #414 Tommy Lee's 1931 T-51 Bugatti 2:38s - 2:42s #414 Bugatti T-51 straight 8 engine 2:42s - 2:51s Tommy Lee 2:51s - 2:52s #265 '32 roadster 3:07s - 3:09s #350 modified Rod Pugh 3:13s - 3:17s #151 '29 A roadster Clint Seccombe V16 cad 124mph 3:17s - 3:24s #113 '28 A roadster V16 Cad 3:28s - 3:30s #69 Bob Knapton / Jim White (aka Jim Harrell of Harrell speed equip.) Mod was later run by Doug Caruthers and is still around as Art Chrisman's #25 dragster. 3:42s - 3:45s #32 1928A roadster 3:35s - 3:46s Tommy Lee Kurtis Offy special 3:47s - 3:49s #290 '31 supercharged A roadster 3:50s - 3:54s 1940 ford coupe from earlier in clip appears to have had a rollover 3:54s - 3:56s #244 Arnold Birner's '28 A roadster 3:56s - 4:00s #265 1932 roadster Hornets 4:00s - 4:15s Bob Rufi's Streamliner 4:15s - 4:19s #286 Sakai modified. 4:20s - 4:24s #2 entered/driven by Bill Spading. Roadster owned by Bill Kurten. Riley OHV Engine owned by Gene Von Arx. 4:24s - 4:39s Earle Bruce '40 Ford Custom 4:29s - 4:29s #44 sprintcar streamliner class 4:40s - 4:43s #155 T modified 4:43s - 4:47s #270 T modified 4:47s - 4:54s #265 '32 roadster 4:54s - 4:56s Tommy Lee Kurtis Offy special 4:56s - 4:59s #265 '32 roadster

[@dalecomer5951]

Thanks so much for that amazing info.

[@AmericanHotRodFoundation]

Hello Dave, it's David Steele writing to you once again. I am in the process of transferring all of the American Hot Rod Foundation footage to the next step of digital ( hard drives ). Currently we have most everything on DVCAM. In the process I came across the footage we transferred from you. Once again, it is simply astounding. Because I'm the one overseeing this process, I'm getting to see a good portion of all of the footage we have. That being said, the footage you donated has to be my favorite that we have. It is just astounding, and for so many reasons. If you would, please email me sometime so that we can communicate more about it. I have some follow up questions that I'd love to get answers to so that we can have it all in the files with the film footage. I thank you in advance... David [e-mail] Best and thanks!

[@mikewinkelman7015]

Must have been wonderful times.

[@MrSchlah]

My question is what were those overhead valve V8s, at the start of the film? They definitely were NOT Arduns, on a "Flathead". The rocker covers almost looked like Y-block Fords, but could not have been.

[@ProjectsMB]

@rentatrip1 Does he attend the Throttler's Picnic at Johnny Carson Park? If not he would be able to reunite with Bob North and one other Hollywood Throttler. Bob is 94 and a founding member of the Throttlers he lives in Malibu and is in great health although he is no longer buying green bananas.

[@v2gbob]

Very awesome. Thanks for sharing. I think I saw my dad... :)

[@jamesdonoho3038]

Bob Tregilus My uncle was Bill Blystone your dads running partner at the dry [e-mail]

[@v2gbob]

James Donoho Whoa, I haven't seen / heard that name for a few years.

[@wendyjeffries123]

I wonder how many spectators were hit in those days. I can't believe how close to the track the photographer and others were! Bonneville Racing News, Wendy

[@dalecomer5951]

Amricans were in shape in those days and could easily jump out of the way like the Europeon WRC spectators do now.

[@whabamp]

This is unbelievably cool! TP

[@Baymoore]

Don Montgomery books LIVE!!! Just totally AMAZING!

[@HutmanMedia]

Hello Cruzpch, Love the film, the footage of the dry lakes are awesome. My company Hutman Media is working on a film for the Colorado Grand a charity Organization based in Colorado. The Tommy Lee Special participated in the years Grand and your film has footage of it. It would great if I could have access to a short clip. Let me know. Thanks Todd This is a last minute request I just got your link today and I will be wrapping my project up on 11-15-2012.

[@hiboybadas]

Wow how and/or with what do you convert old film like this? Is this regular 8mm? I'd like to convert some film for my Dad of his old rods. He's not quite as saavy to this stuff

[@wendyjeffries123]

@Dave31452 At first I thought it was Bob Rufi's however, looking at his 1939 photo when it was #6 I see it was a lakester not a streamliner and the nose seems to be less pointed. Mystery. Wendy @ Bonneville Racing News

[@CruisinCulture]

Killer stuff! Thanks for uploading!

[@PapisPlayhouse]

Great stuff, thank you for sharing!

[@paulhammersley4562]

thank's for the upload,

[@DanielFuggetto]

Absolute jem! Could someone help me identify the song? thanks!!

[@ThomasDeLello]

What is that soundtrack...? A little slide guitar blues, huh...?Who is that...?

[@cruzpch]

Ry Cooder

[@ThomasDeLello]

+Dave Oh...! I should have known it. He's the best...! Go type [Maso's Blues ] in "Search" above and see my six videos playing my blues too...!

[@cruzpch]

+Thomas De Lello wow, smooth! You can come play in my local bar anytime Maso.

[@ThomasDeLello]

+Dave - I'm probably too far. I'm in North Carolina.

[@vandenabeeleandries]

This shows one thing ... how stupid my neighbours are :). All they ever nag about is airco, power steering, gps and itunes in their cars. I nag about jet sizes, cam lobes and flow rates on my flathead :). Lovely vid !!!! Piece of history right here

[@ryonr6053]

Who needs power steering? It's just a good workout!

[@rentatrip1videos]

My Pop"is" one of the original lakesters...Bob Swordfish Larson - 91 & possibly the last living Hollywood Throttler Club member

[@MrSchlah]

I learned recently that "Muroc" was NOT an Indian name, but the reverse of Clifford and Ralph Corum, as it was given its name on Dec. 25, 1910, by the Santa Fe RR as a station, though it became a station in 1882, it had many names. Its Post Office was established on Dec. 17, 1910, so the lake was a slam dunk. Then the name of the dry lake and the Air Force Base was changed on Jan. 27, 1950, to honor the test pilot, Capt. Glenn W. Edwards, who had been killed in a test flight over the area.

[@TheLegendarylars]

So much fun thanks Dave awesome !

[@kurtiswa-k-8346]

Great piece of History... $

[@victor_peters]

just can't get enough!! I just can not get enough... just can't get enough!!

[@hobamasucs]

Costa WAY to much to do this nowadays here in CACAFORNIA !

[@SISKOKID55]

I was definately born in the wrong era! Around (2.44) in the video, was that a Bugatti? Maybe a T35?

[@wilkesjournal]

Awesome celluloid gold.

[@rentatrip1videos]

@modernwarfre2495 - He used to go to those picnics- not much any more - he told me Bob Cressey was still living over in Burbank - Bob Cressey's son still runs out at Bonneville, Salt Flats ? i spoke with Cressey Sr. 2 years ago - I will ask my Pop about Bob North ? OK? and ask about green bananas - ask North if he remembers "FEETS" , Grumpy, Liver Lips Van Luven , Ed the Mole Donovan ?

[@blownflatheaddeuce]

SIMPLY AWESOME !!

[@jamesdonoho3038]

It was Willet Brown.

[@mctim64]

Very cool!

[@pony21090]

fantastic!

[@natorino]

i think that is a bugati and it looks like Howard Hughes driving it

[@1927fordroadster]

Perfect!!! Thanks Bigtime.

[@2932AV8]

Dave, I can't thank you enough for posting this. I have to ask; was your uncle Tommy Lee? Thanks

[@cruzpch]

+David Steele Naw, that would be pretty amazing. It was Tommy Lorbeer.

[@2932AV8]

+Dave Anyone who was there is amazing to me. Having a direct connection to someone who was part of it would be a great and interesting thing. Thanks for getting back to me and feel free to check out the non-profit organization that I direct called The American Hot Rod Foundation. I'm sure we have some information in our archives on your Uncle. www.ahrf.com

[@cruzpch]

+David Steele -- I know the AHRF, in fact I sent Steve a copy of a pre-edited version of this footage back when I first had it dumped onto a VHS. The quality was poor, this digital version is much cleaner.

[@spacemanvw]

Bitching ....... it almost makes you cry that you were born to late, I would have loved to be there

[@xyling]

Wow, a Bugatti T-33 at 2:30?

[@kylek70]

awesome

[@MrSchlah]

Car #414 was indeed a Bugatti and probably a 35 (3.5 liter?) 4 banger, but definitely NOT Howard Hughes.

[@jamesdonoho3038]

Car #414 belonged to Tommy Lee.

[@richardcunningham2840]

I've often wondered what those guys could have done if they'd had just a little of today's technology. They'd take a piece of junk and build it into something that would really run.

[@balucci94]

BILL GOLDBERG!!!

[@raes5255]

Fuzzy vid, but very cool gitfiddle

[@cruzpch]

Fuzzy Vid? It's an 8mm handleheld camera from 80 years ago. You win the clueless comment award.

[@StarlightWorkshop0z]

Cecil b Botsko lol. Clueless

[@billimplom6610]

no helmets, fire suits, roll bars, etc. who needs it.

[@craigpennington1251]

Somebody throw that band in the lake. Boy are they terrible.

[@kengillcole1806]

Man, you need your ears tuned up. That band is jumpin' good.

[@garymattischannel6207]

Film Cool music sucks had to turn it off !

[@Dave31452]

That #77 car towards the end of the video was pretty cool for way back then. Does anyone know what it is?