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SIAM Chassis

H Modified

Introduction

Builder: Students at Purdue University for a class project

Engine: Crosley

Current Owner: Larry Haynes

Bill Mays writes, "At the first race [of 1954], the guys from Purdue were talking about how the "H" cars didn’t have any real engineers designing the cars so Purdue was going to show everyone how to really design and race cars. The first race, they ran dead last in a field of 20 "H" cars. They went back to the drawing boards."

Running Gear

The car's frame, built by the Purdue engineering students, is a sturdy ladder, that mounts a widened Crosley front suspension with drum brakes in front, with a Fiat Topolino rear axle and Fiat drum brakes in the rear. The 4-speed transmission is from a Triumph Standard model 10 sedan. The Crosley engine was set up by Bruce Townsend in Bloomington, who also built Crosley specials. Removing the steel plate between the block and crankcase raised the compression. The engine has a billet crank with a special cam ground by Weber to specs provided by Isaacson.

The body is a Fibersport, a fiberglass body built by Bill Mays. It was modified to have a rear boot. Seat appears to be an aircraft seat and the wheels are steel.

The SIAM name

According to family members, when the car was completed the builders wanted a name for it. They went to the dump and found an emblem on a Canadian washing machine (or refrigerator, they weren’t sure) called the SIAM.

Past Owners/Drivers

People that raced the car include

  • Frank Isaacson (car #33, Orange)
  • Steve Hawxhurst (#35, Blue)
  • Charles Rupert (#41, Green)
  • Jim Wisniewski (#41, Green).
  • The car was raced by Frank Isaacson at Wilmont, Lawrenceville, and other tracks. Wilmont, Rolla-Missouri and Lawrenceville were all "a weekend apart".

    Hawxhurst raced the car until 1962 including a class win at the Milwaukee State Fair in 1961 and also ran Meadowlake (near Elgin, Illinois).

    Wisniewski ran the car until 1964 when it was stored.

    An additional owner of the car was Warren Meyer, who kept the car at Sandy McArthur’s garage.

    Now

    Larry Haynes is seeking any info on this vehicle as it undergoes a total restoration. Plans are to race in New Mexico in the spring of 2005. Larry can be reached at lhaynes@hughes.net or 505-670-3949.

     

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    Information and photos on this page were provided by Larry Haynes.

    Revised: April 20, 2007.

    Sports Racer Network