Solved: GTE 464 - Dave Thormin Special (and possibly Hodge-Podge Special?)

[gte4289]

Identify this car for a point:

[gte4289]

Experts?

[D-type]

I feel I should recognise this one.  Is it aero engined?

[gte4289]

No, not aero engined.

[gte4289]

Pros?

[nicanary]

American?

[gte4289]

American?

Built in America

[nicanary]

 Is it the Echo, a.k.a. Siakooles Special ?

[gte4289]

Is it the Echo, a.k.a. Siakooles Special ?

No

[nicanary]

I take it this is a Formula 3 car?

[gte4289]

I take it this is a Formula 3 car?

Yes it is

[nicanary]

I've exhausted the usual well-known source of US-built machines, so now all I can do is guess.

Hodge-Podge Special ?

[gte4289]

I've exhausted the usual well-known source of US-built machines, so now all I can do is guess.

Hodge-Podge Special ?

I was expecting this question! But now how do I respond without giving everything away? Let's give this a shot...

• It seems the creators of the Hodge-Podge Special owned this car during a period of time when they were racing a car they called the "Hodge-Podge Special."
• After selling this car, they continued to race a car they called the "Hodge-Podge Special."
• In the puzzle image, the car is being driven by a subsequent owner, for whom it was named at that time ("The [owner/driver's name] Special").
• You must provide the name of the car at the time of the photo (and its major mechanical details) to earn the point.

Having never seen the Hodge-Podge Special, I can't rule out the possibility that this car was the original HPS and that, after selling it, its creators continued to race a new car under that name. However, it's also possible that they were racing the same HPS all along and this was just another car they'd built and sold.

Either way, this thread is LOCKED for you to identify the name of the car as it appears in the puzzle photo, along with the major mechanical details.

[nicanary]

Jack Brink Special ?

[gte4289]

Jack Brink Special ?

Not him. Still LOCKED for you.

[nicanary]

I have found only one image of the Hodge Podge, alongside the Dane at San Diego in 1956 with Ray Poe at the wheel. It's below. The car has the same cutaway cockpit sides and tail fin as the puzzle car - I think you're right, either the Poe brothers built 2 identical cars, or the puzzle car is the Hodge Podge but renamed.

Meanwhile - is it the Shay Rompell Special ?

[gte4289]

I have found only one image of the Hodge Podge, alongside the Dane at San Diego in 1956 with Ray Poe at the wheel. It's below. The car has the same cutaway cockpit sides and tail fin as the puzzle car - I think you're right, either the Poe brothers built 2 identical cars, or the puzzle car is the Hodge Podge but renamed.

Nice find!

Meanwhile - is it the Shay Rompell Special ?

Nope

[nicanary]

Dave Thormin ?

[gte4289]

Dave Thormin ?

Yes! What can you tell me about the mechanical details?

Still LOCKED for nicanary.

[nicanary]

I can't find a thing on UK search engines. Was this powered by a 750 Harley engine, as allowed in the USA?

[gte4289]

I can't find a thing on UK search engines. Was this powered by a 750 Harley engine, as allowed in the USA?

Engine was not American

[nicanary]

BSA ?

[gte4289]

BSA ?

Correct! You've earned the point on this one.

The Hodge-Podge Special was created by Raymond and Elvin (sometimes listed as "Elwin") Poe, and campaigned by them beginning as early as April 1954 (Torrey Pines). The puzzle car was advertised for sale by E. Poe in April 1955, and subsequently raced by Dave Thormin under the name "Thormin Special" from early as November 1955 (Glendale) until at least November 1956 (Pomona). The Poes continued to race what you've shown to be a near-identical car under the name Hodge-Podge Special, also at least until November 1956. In fact, the two cars competed against each other (Thormin in his Thormin Special and Raymond Poe in the Hodge-Podge Special) at Pomona on 21 October 1956.

I'm marking this one as "Solved." While there's definitely more to be uncovered when it comes to these two cars*, I'm not going to keep this puzzle open for that.

Here is the ad as it appeared in the April 1955 issue of West Coast Sports Car Journal, along with a color photo of Dave Thormin in his Thormin Special at the Santa Barbara Road Races (Santa Barbara Municipal Airport ) in early 1956, and the results from Pomona Road Races on 21 October 1956.

*...such as, is it just coincidence that the car wears #14 in both photos, or are the photos from around the same time and I've somehow mixed up the dates?

[gte4289]

Santa Barbara Road Races, 1956 September 1-2, another race in which both cars competed:

[nicanary]

Thanks for the (hard earned!) point. I don't get many these days.

Looks like the nose of the bodywork was supplied by a WW2 belly-tank.