Vehicle Description
The American racing scene in the 1920s and 1930s drew huge crowds
to places like Allentown, Pennsylvania, Syracuse, New York and the
Iowa State Fairgrounds where locals watched their favorite drivers
pilot their home-built specials in heroic wheel-to-wheel action at
speeds approaching 100mph on dirt ovals. These weekly events often
had huge attendance and this unique brand of dirt racing was one of
the most popular and exciting spectator sports of the era. While
each discipline of motorsport has its own requirements, the basic
tenet of race car building has always remained the same - strip
away the fat and leave behind only what's necessary to go fast; and
the classic American dirt oval race car is one of the best examples
of that formula. Oval racing really took off in the 1950s, when
manufacturers like Kurtis and Hillegass began to offer standard
chassis built to accept Offenhauser four-cylinder engines. But
before the advent of the "production" race chassis, most racers
built their own light, purposeful machines based on everyday road
cars. The most advanced of these dirt trackers sported cut-down,
single seat bodywork, narrowed frames, and solid front and rear
axles. The Ford Model T and Model A were the obvious choice as they
were cheap and plentiful, with aftermarket speed parts such as OHV
conversions available to eek every bit of power out of the
four-cylinder engines. But the rules of racing at the time allowed
for vast creativity, and virtually any conceivable combination of
chassis and engine. The more creative car builders sometimes looked
beyond Ford in their quest for greater power, speed and glory. This
1928 DeSoto Special is a charming example of the sort of car that
would thunder around the fairgrounds dirt-track scene in the late
1930s. This gorgeous special is a beautifully restored car in
period appropriate livery that captures the essence of early
American motorsport in its wide stance and purposeful, pared-down
appearance. While many of the cars from this period were fitted
with ubiquitous Ford engines, this car is unusual in that it
features Chrysler flat-head six-cylinder power. The 170 cubic inch
Chrysler six might not seem like the obvious choice for a
dirt-tracker, but this compact flat-head six was good for 45
horsepower in standard DeSoto trim, and was similar to the engine
that powered the Chrysler Model 72 to a surprising 3rd place finish
at LeMans in 1928, so there is little doubt it was up to the task.
For race duty, this example sports an Edmunds dual-carb intake
topped by twin Zenith carburetors. Exhaust is expelled through a
single chrome straight pipe which has developed some pleasing
bluing numerous heat cycles. The little six sounds just fantastic
in this configuration, emitting a baritone bellow from the straight
exhaust. We can only imagine how great it would sound at full chat,
kicking up a rooster tail of dirt as it slides around a flat-track
at speed. The pretty bodywork epitomizes the classic American
dirt-racer - a narrow, single seater with the classic upright, cut
down cockpit that gives the driver the room and leverage to saw
wildly at the wheel while chucking the car around at speed. The
presentation is quite lovely, with fine quality cream-yellow paint
that is accented with bright red wire wheels, red seat and hand
painted, period-type lettering. The car presents with fabulous
detailing such as the cut-down chrome grille and the chromed from
axle. The older restoration has aged quite well, with high quality
finishes and brightwork remaining in very good condition.
Mechanically, this is a proper bare-bones dirt racer. The gutsy
little six-cylinder sends power rearward via direct drive, with no
need for a power-sapping transmission. Braking is handled by an
outside lever connecting the rear-wheel mechanical brakes, which
aid in setting the car up for big power slides. Knobby rear tires
bite the dirt while ribbed fronts provide a bit of help when
steering - though any real dirt-tracker knows that most of the
steering is done with the right foot! As with many racing cars from
the late pre-war and early post-war period, this car's competition
history has been lost to time, but it remains an alluring period
piece that would be a worthy addition to most any collection. It
would also be a very welcome sight in vintage dirt track racing, or
with groups such as the Classic Racing Times who promote and
celebrate the preservation of classic American oval racing cars
such as this. Simply as an aesthetic period piece, this DeSoto
special is a beautiful creation that would be at home in virtually
any collection, but for the enthusiast courageous enough to take it
to the track, it will surely provide unrivaled thrills.