Post for Russ - '37 Shaw Paycar...

[herk56]

Here's a car by Russ Bundy, he'll follow up with the details.

[Deleted]

Thanks Herk56!!!

I'm still clueless to get photos on here, so a Big THANK YOU for the assist!

This is Gary Doucette's/Front Motor Models Pay Car model with help from a wonderful figure maker and painter named Fred Lombardo from Chicago. Fred is a great guy and if you order any of Chris Etzel's or Lance Seller's driver figure kits or look at Lance Seller's customer gallery, you are familiar with his work. Fred made and painted Shaw and the riding mechanic figure Jigger Johnson for me to put into this car.

Now, there is a really good model of the 1937 Indy 500 winner available for you to build, but this isn't it. Bill Jorgensen does a really beautiful model of Shaw's Pay Car, and if you want to build a really nice model of a unique Indy 500 winner, that's the one to get! I built that kit for the Hall of Fame Museum Display and it's there now.

For those of you that are not familiar with the 1937 Indy 500, let me tell you a little about it. Shaw had built his "Pay Car" hoping it would pay-off for the 1936 500. It didn't and finish 7th because of a long pit stop. He them wrecked it later that year and it needed much work. Shaw got it ready for the 1937 500. In the race, Shaw was gone! No one could catch him. He had a lap lead on Ralph Hepburn with 20 laps to go when Shaw noticed the oil pressure gage would drop to almost zero when going through the turns, then go back up on the straights. Shaw knew he was almost out of oil. So by backing off on his speed, the oil pressure stayed steady, so that is what Shaw did. He lead Hepburn un-lap himself, while Shaw cruised at a steady speed.

On the last lap, Hepburn was right behind Shaw. Coming out of the fourth turn, Hepburn tried to make his move. Jigger Johnson, the riding mechanic was watching for Hepburn, turned to Shaw and screamed "NOW" in his ear and Shaw floored the Pay Car, knowing he was either going to win or blow up. The Pay Car leaped ahead of Hepburn and Shaw finished just 2.25 seconds ahead of the Lou Meyer entry and becoming the closest finish in Speedway History until Johncock's 1982 win.

Fred made the figures to depict the moment Johnson yells at Shaw, all I did was build the car and put them in. Wilbur Shaw was one of my grandfather's favorite drivers and raced against him a few times at Legion Ascot Speedway in Los Angeles. I grew up hearing how nice a gentleman Shaw was and how my grandfather hated Kelly Petillo. So I grew up a Wilbur Shaw fan. Thanks Fred for letting me show-off your work.

[indy]

Cool model and cool story. I (through Excel) figured out that 3rd place finished only 20 seconds back of the winner, too! That's a tight 500 back in the day.

Jordan

[macsparty]

I always love reading the stories behind the models like this. I've probably heard the story before, but I'd long forgotten it and was good to hear again! My only problem is, Shaw's car probably wasn't as clean and pretty as this model after 500 miles back in 1937.

Seriously, though, Shaw was my dad's favorite too as a kid, even though he was long done driving before my dad really got into it. So much that my dad named one of his dogs Wilbur.

Oh, and I have the Jorgensen kit for this car. I hope someday it turns out half as good as yours!

[Deleted]

Great story and model, Russ!

I have admired Fred's work for quite some time. Even before I found this site! he's a true artist..

Thanks for posting!
Bill <><

[indy]

Apr 29, 2008 23:30:12 GMT -5 @ancientmodeler said:

I have admired Fred's work for quite some time. Even before I found this site! he's a true artist..

Yeah, I'd go to Lance Seller's customer gallery and just admire the great car of everyone but his were always very eyecatching. Great job! Bravo! ;D

Jordan

[2lapsdown]

Great car, great build, great story. It's stories like that, that makes us all love Indy and the cars and personalities so much. Thanks for sharing

[Deleted]

I have to agree with you there!!

Stats are nice, cool and may win a few bar bets. But the stories make Indy Special! Like why is there a parade lap before the pace lap? Everyone thinks it to wave at the drivers? NO! In the days of riding mechanics, many would knock down a quick drink before the start of the race so the extra lap was to make sure they tossed their empty bottles onto the infield. Or the night Troy Ruttman and Jim Rathmann brought a "woman" in the garages just to make Superintended of the Speedway Clarence Gagle angry. Or Rodger Ward messing with A.J. Foyt's head prior to the 600 in 1962.

In the 1937 500, Shaw rested his foot against the transmission to keep a steady pace the last 20 laps and the transmission was so hot it "baked" his foot and he ended up with second and third degree burns on his foot. That didn't stop Wilbur from jumping a fence and punching out Lou Schneider later that day. GOD!!!!!!!! I love Indy!

Best to you all

Russ

[Deleted]

Apr 29, 2008 12:25:28 GMT -5 @oldcalhoun said:

Thanks Herk56!!!

I'm still clueless to get photos on here, so a Big THANK YOU for the assist!

This is Gary Doucette's/Front Motor Models Pay Car model with help from a wonderful figure maker and painter named Fred Lombardo from Chicago. Fred is a great guy and if you order any of Chris Etzel's or Lance Seller's driver figure kits or look at Lance Seller's customer gallery, you are familiar with his work. Fred made and painted Shaw and the riding mechanic figure Jigger Johnson for me to put into this car.

Now, there is a really good model of the 1937 Indy 500 winner available for you to build, but this isn't it. Bill Jorgensen does a really beautiful model of Shaw's Pay Car, and if you want to build a really nice model of a unique Indy 500 winner, that's the one to get! I built that kit for the Hall of Fame Museum Display and it's there now.

For those of you that are not familiar with the 1937 Indy 500, let me tell you a little about it. Shaw had built his "Pay Car" hoping it would pay-off for the 1936 500. It didn't and finish 7th because of a long pit stop. He them wrecked it later that year and it needed much work. Shaw got it ready for the 1937 500. In the race, Shaw was gone! No one could catch him. He had a lap lead on Ralph Hepburn with 20 laps to go when Shaw noticed the oil pressure gage would drop to almost zero when going through the turns, then go back up on the straights. Shaw knew he was almost out of oil. So by backing off on his speed, the oil pressure stayed steady, so that is what Shaw did. He lead Hepburn un-lap himself, while Shaw cruised at a steady speed.

On the last lap, Hepburn was right behind Shaw. Coming out of the fourth turn, Hepburn tried to make his move. Jigger Johnson, the riding mechanic was watching for Hepburn, turned to Shaw and screamed "NOW" in his ear and Shaw floored the Pay Car, knowing he was either going to win or blow up. The Pay Car leaped ahead of Hepburn and Shaw finished just 2.25 seconds ahead of the Lou Meyer entry and becoming the closest finish in Speedway History until Johncock's 1982 win.

Fred made the figures to depict the moment Johnson yells at Shaw, all I did was build the car and put them in. Wilbur Shaw was one of my grandfather's favorite drivers and raced against him a few times at Legion Ascot Speedway in Los Angeles. I grew up hearing how nice a gentleman Shaw was and how my grandfather hated Kelly Petillo. So I grew up a Wilbur Shaw fan. Thanks Fred for letting me show-off your work.

i rest my case...

[Patrick]

What's the story behind the name of the car??? "Pay car"?

Patrick

[clm1545]

Jul 9, 2011 12:37:57 GMT -5 Patrick said:

What's the story behind the name of the car??? "Pay car"?

Patrick

Shaw did not want to drive for percentage and decided his own car was the way to make racing really pay. He designed, built, and owned the car. Gilmore painted the car and gave Shaw $1500 to put the name on the car. Because he got all the prize money, he called it his "Paycar".
Take Care
Craig

[Patrick]

Ah, a driver that wanted to get properly paid for his talents. This won't happen 'till the late 60's.

Thanks,

Patrick