My Favorite
1950's SCCA Hmod Racing Cars (500cc-750cc)
Jerry
McDermott page
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In
many ways the most interesting, but also the most neglected, is
the SCCA 750cc H Modified class. By a stroke of luck, the
post-war all-American Crosely was powered by a lightweight five
main bearing SOHC engine of just about that capacity, and the
factory built Crosely Hotshot won the first race at Sebring in
1950 (on handicap). The Hotshots were rare, but more abundant
were the beautiful, fast, and oftentimes fragile Italian racing
cars known as etceterinis with engines built in small far away
garages and very, very hard to come by. Installing the
readily available Crosely engine gave these tiny Italians a
renewed lease on life and they quickly populated Hmod grids of
SCCA events from coast to coast. The primary importer of these
hugely successful Italian cars, Tony
Pompeo, often preferred to receive them from Italy without
engines. Etceterinis did not walk away with SCCA titles
without a fight from a few incredible home built American
specials which are partially listed below:
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Hmod Article
PBX
TXP
Fibersport
1956 Road America
Hmod Results
1957 Martin
Tanner Article
1958 Hmod Club
Newsletters
Jabro
The Little Digger
ERM
Jones De Camp
Crosley
Jaybird Mark X
Miller Sparks
Crosley
Jones Special
Fairchild Panhard
1963 Hmod Meet
Jomar
1954
Andrews AFB
1954
Nassau Bahamas
1955
Thompson
(Coldplugs.com
photo)
1956
Road America Hmod results
1957 Martin
Tanner Cars Article
Sandy
MacArthur's 1958 Hmod
Newsletters
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In
a letter to Mary Kuly, Mel Wagner described the camaraderie of
the early class H Modified racers. "...it is a broad
fraternity made up of people like your dad (Clair
Reuter) and our club members to the very wealthy movers and
shakers, from brewery magnates, paper product heirs, meat
packers fortunes and film stars. "It was at Milwaukee
Wisconsin race where I met (through your dad) Mike Rahal, who
raced an Austin Healey. On a later visit with your dad to the
Rahal home in either Lombard or Glen Ellen I was introduced to
the family and a little kid named Bobby Rahal, who would go on
to be a very successful Indy race driver and team owner. Another
notable name your dad knew through the Chicago Region of the
SCCA was Carl Haas, now half owner of the Newman (as in
Paul)Hass Indy racing team. I believe Carl began racing an Hmod
Stanguellini in 1956, hence the relationship with your
father."
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(Clair
Reuter photo)
TXP
at 1957 Put In Bay
TXP
at 1958 Put In Bay (Put
In Bay Website)
(Clair
Reuter photo)
(Sandra Fodi
archives)
(Clair
Reuter photo)
(Sports
Racer.net photo)
1958 Road America
Bill Mays (Sports
Racer.net photo)
Richard Metker
Meadowdale (?) (Sports
Racer.net photo)
As seen at 1991 lime
rock (Sports Racer.net
photo)
Tim
Foster photos
1961 Vineland
1963 Green Valley
Texas
1966 Green Valley
Texas
1967 Green Valley
Texas Saab Engine
1967 Green Valley
Texas Saab Engine
Mark 1
Mark 2
Jabro Bodied Special
sports.racer.net
scans
(Clair Reuter
photos)
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The ERM was
developed by Clair
Reuter and "Klein". This duo planned on mass
producing these Hmod racing cars but it did not come to
fruition. These photos were taken by Clair Reuter and
given to etceterini.com by his daughter, Mary Kuly. This
car raced at least twice (1954
Offutt AFB and 1954
Road America).
age
1
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Tom
Clayton sportsracer.net
photos
1963 HMod
Meet
May
4-6 2007 Fernley Nevada Hmod Meet Photos
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