Djetset 803 - part solved as the Ganschow Morris Minor Competition Special

[Djetset]

Is the driver Charles Burns?

I'll need to check as currently away from home where my reference source is, so please give me a couple of days.

[Djetset]

To update my last comment, I've now found something on-line, and can now confirm that the driver of this car is not Charles Burns.

[nicanary]

J. Ferguson?

[Djetset]

J. Ferguson?

No.

[nicanary]

Your puzzle question did ask for the name of the car, so I know in advance what your answers are going to be, because in every instance the car is entered as "Morris Minor Special". Still, nothing ventured.

Ken Miller?

[Djetset]

Not Ken Miller, and this did have a name as well as a Morris Minor Competition Special.

[Djetset]

BH...

[nicanary]

Bit of a long shot, but is this the Oliver Special, built by Wally Oliver?

[Djetset]

Bit of a long shot, but is this the Oliver Special, built by Wally Oliver?

Sorry, not that, AFAIK.

[nicanary]

Forrest Edwards?

[Djetset]

Forrest Edwards?

Sorry, but not him.

[nicanary]

I just found this on another website. There's no point saving it as a puzzle because nobody on that forum knows what it is - most suggestions are a Ford 1172 special  ;D !

Look at the similarity. The photo was taken at Brackenhurst hillclimb in Kenya in the late 1950s - would all specials based on a Morris Minor have ended up looking the same? Very odd.

[Djetset]

Gosh, I can certainly see the likeness, but this car is not from Kenya, and definitely not a Ford special!

[gte4289]

Here's a convoluted guess about a car I have never seen:

Palo Alto, California car dealer Carl E. Ganschow owned a Morris Minor Special, which he ran in various SCCA events on the West Coast in 1951 and 1952. The car was usually driven by either Ganschow himeself or John Cox, but Mrs. Ganschow drove it in the Ladies Handicap event at Torrey Pines in '51 and Barry Wagner drove it at Stockton in '52. The car wore race #43 for most (if not all) of these events.

At the time, Ganschow's Morris Minor Special was the only West Coast car running in SCCA's "Class 7," which meant he could take 1st in Class at every event. In fact, the car DNF'd at Pebble Beach  in '52 and was still awarded the 1st in Class trophy.

So here's my guess: This is Ganschow's Morris Minor Special, with Cox at the wheel and Ganschow to his right. The trophy, of course, is for 1st Place in Class 7 at some West Coast SCCA event circa 1951-52. As for the name of the car, I have only seen it referred to as a "Morris Minor Special," but I suppose it might also have been the "Ganschow Special" or given a name relating to Ganschow's car dealership?

All just a wild guess, of course.

[Djetset]

Wow, for a car you've never seen before, that's a pretty good, and reasonably accurate, guess as you've got the right car.

You haven't quite answered the full question and found the common nick name for this car, but it is a Morris Minor Competition Special that competed in Class VII in various Southern Californian events and venues in the early 1950s, running up a surprising strong of victories at Palm Springs, Reno and Torrey Pines. The car was indeed owned by Carl Ganschow of Palo Alto, with the car also driven by John Cox, as you've mentioned.

I will award you one point for correctly identifying some key information, and leave this puzzle open to find the car's commonly-known nick name.

[gte4289]

it is a Morris Minor Competition Special that competed in Class VII in various Southern Californian events and venues in the early 1950s, running up a surprising strong of victories at Palm Springs, Reno and Torrey Pines.

These victories were neither surprising nor strong. As I mentioned, the Morris ran uncontested as the only car in its class. Despite being the slowest car in each of these events (and consistently finishing in last place overall), it was always guaranteed a "1st in Class" trophy. Motorsports journalists of the time made repeated references to the absurdity of this situation.

As an example, the Morris was driven by both Mr. and Mrs. Ganschow in the CSCC event at Del Mar in 1951. Mrs. Ganshow competed in the Ladies Handicap race. Being the only competitor in the "under 1000 cc" class, she was given an enormous head start. She ran the Morris off the road, however, and became stuck in a ditch. Her head start was wasted while several spectators worked to free the Morris and get it back on the road. Mrs. Ganschow was the last to complete the 5-mile event, yet she was awarded First in Class.

Mr. Ganschow then drove the Morris in the main event. He managed to keep the Morris on the road, but finished last nonetheless. He was also awarded First in Class.

[Djetset]

Hmm, a strange situation indeed! I was quoting from a publication re 'running up surprising victories..."  Any idea what the car was known as as yet?

[gte4289]

In all of the old racing programs and magazines I've found where this car is mentioned, it is simply referred to as a Morris Minor Special. But I will do more digging when I have time.

By the way, I have yet to find another photo!

[Carnut]

running up a surprising strong of victories at Palm Springs, Reno and Torrey Pines.

These victories were neither surprising nor strong.

I think there's a typo there in Djetset's reply; I believe it should have said "...running up a surprising string of victories..."

[gte4289]

running up a surprising strong of victories at Palm Springs, Reno and Torrey Pines.

These victories were neither surprising nor strong.

I think there's a typo there in Djetset's reply; I believe it should have said "...running up a surprising string of victories..."

I did catch that after I had responded.

[gte4289]

Still no nickname, but I have finally found my first image of this car -- at Pebble Beach in 1951.

[gte4289]

Wow, for a car you've never seen before, that's a pretty good, and reasonably accurate, guess as you've got the right car.

You haven't quite answered the full question and found the common nick name for this car, but it is a Morris Minor Competition Special that competed in Class VII in various Southern Californian events and venues in the early 1950s, running up a surprising strong of victories at Palm Springs, Reno and Torrey Pines. The car was indeed owned by Carl Ganschow of Palo Alto, with the car also driven by John Cox, as you've mentioned.

I will award you one point for correctly identifying some key information, and leave this puzzle open to find the car's commonly-known nick name.

I came across a source which lists this car as "Morrly Minor." Ordinarily, I would just assume this was a typo, but I thought I would run it by you since it's the only instance I've seen where this car is referred to as anything other than "Morris Minor Special."

[Djetset]

No, sorry, but it's nickname was not the 'Morrly Minor"!

[gte4289]

No, sorry, but it's nickname was not the 'Morrly Minor"!

I can't find any instance of the car being known by a nickname during Ganschow's ownership (driven by Ganschow and Cox). Was this nickname used while the car was under different ownership?

[Djetset]

No, sorry, but it's nickname was not the 'Morrly Minor"!

I can't find any instance of the car being known by a nickname during Ganschow's ownership (driven by Ganschow and Cox). Was this nickname used while the car was under different ownership?

Very sorry, but I don't know the accurate answer to your question, despite my research.