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31/05/2020 8:52 am
(pics) Models of historic American postwar oval-track racecars
GMP produced this beautiful 1/6 scale model of the Offy motor, developed by Fred Offenhauser in California, and later marketed and further developed by Myer & Drake. Various versions of this motor have been used in American racing beginning from 1935 up until the early 80s, by then in turbocharged form.
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GMP made this 1/18 model of the Offy powered 1948 Kurtis midget racecar.
Mike Caruso was the owner of the 'Deuce' as it was known, and it was driven to a few Midget championships by one-legged Bill Shindler (he'd evidently lost a leg in a 'Champ Car' crash in 1936).
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Franklin mint offered this 1/16 1952 Indianapolis winning Offy powered 'upright' (Basically a dirt track racecar) driven by Troy Ruttman. In subsequent years, this type of car was overshadowed on paved ovals by the Kurtis, and later, Watson 'Roadsters'.
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The beginning of the 'Roadster era' at Indianapolis. Carousel produced this 1/18 model of the 1953 winning 'Fuel Injection Special...designed and built by Frank Kurtis, owned by Howard Keck, powered by Offy, and driven in a dominating performance by Bill Vuckovich.
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Carousel also offered this 1/18 Offy powered, Watson-built Indianapolis 'roadster' which won the '500 driven by A J Foyt in 1961. within the next couple of years, the 'roadsters' themselves were superseded by rear-engined science, and improved motor technology.
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GMP made this 1/18 1975 Syracuse 100 winning 'dirt Champ Car', driven by Sheldon Kinser. By this time, the relatively light, small-block Chevy V8 engines had superceded the ubiquitous Offenhauser racecar motors in professional dirt oval racing, and Chevy small-block derived motors are, to this day, the typical racecar motor for most'Saturday night racing'
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