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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2009 8:46:08 GMT -5
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Post by racerbrown on Jan 3, 2009 10:05:50 GMT -5
thanks for sharing!
lots of variety as well as the indy cars.
duane
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Post by professor on Jan 3, 2009 11:33:40 GMT -5
This is the 60 winner now owned by Bob McConnell. The car in the speedway museum is not the 60 winner but is said to have some original parts from the winner.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2009 13:57:33 GMT -5
I LOVE THIS SUBJECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, for all of you that are "Watson Heads" like myself, there is a must have book on the subject. Witness Publications came out with, "The Watson Years...when roadster ruled the speedway" by Gary Wayne... A GREAT BOOK!!!! in 2001. Sadly, when, when Ed Watson died, (no relation gosh darn it! as Ed would say), This book and many like it went out of production. It has ever story and blood line of every Roadster that A.J. Built that raced at the Speedway.
According to this book, the Ken-Paul Watson is, like the professor said, in the collection of Bob McConnell panted as it last raced at the Speedway, painted as the Wally Weir's Mobilgas Special number 4....complete with the larger fuel cell.
The car in the Speedway Museum is not the 1960 winner and has caused many arguments among researchers...and between Smokey Yunick and Jim Rathmann too. I have no idea what car that is.....neither does anyone else.
A.J. Watson built a replica Kan-Paul Special for Jim Rathamnn who still has it, as far as I know. Some think it is the "THE" car he won with, alas, it isn't.
Best to all
Russ the Watson Head
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Post by professor on Jan 3, 2009 14:29:16 GMT -5
Several cars in the Museum are not what they claim to be, the Johncock winner is not the car that won but is probably the #60 driven by Graham Mc Rae, the winner is currently for sale for $400.000. The 69 Mario Hawk is a copy but they admit that and there is some question as to which Coyote won in 77 (the speedway has 2). There are others that are not what they say the are in the museum. For example, the #14 Miller is not correct in color and has the wrong engine in it and even the Marmon Wasp color is in question. The 72 winner has an incorrect rear wing etc.
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Post by pylonguy2003 on Jan 3, 2009 14:42:58 GMT -5
Just to let everyone know the book on the Watson Roadsters by Gary Wayne is still available from the Coastal 181 Website. I picked up a copy about a year ago and it is an essential reference for the Indy Car modeler. The price is $35.00 plus shipping. The Coastal 181 site has many other good books for the Indy Car modeler. Check their website out. Tim  |
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Post by indycals on Jan 3, 2009 17:24:24 GMT -5
The 72 winner has an incorrect rear wing etc. It does?  Can you elaborate. I see nothing unusual about it (checking my personal photos of the car). |
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Post by racerbrown on Jan 3, 2009 21:27:58 GMT -5
i've dealt with coastal 181 as well and also recently picked up that book. every one that i've talked to there are as friendly as can be and will look for books that aren't always available any more. duane www.coastal181.com/ |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2009 23:22:33 GMT -5
THAT IS A GREAT BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best to you
Russ
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2009 2:01:12 GMT -5
I have to agree with the Professor on this one....
I was told that, indeed the 1973 winner is the number #60 car that Graham McCrea drove. Lee Brayton, Scott's father owns the 73 winner and the Museum should buy it. The 1969 Hawk is a copy. I have no idea what the 1960 winier is...or the 1961 winner. Funny thing is, a few years ago Indy asked Foyt to take a lap in that car, to honor him. The staff from the Museum held their collective breath when Foyt took a "hot" lap in it. Seems Old Super Tex wasn't told it was a lap of honor, or didn't care....and he drove the brains out of the old car. Old A.J. ran the old roadster flat out.....Only Foyt could do that!
As for Foyt's 1977 car....The car sits quietly in the Indianapolis Hall of Fame Museum, or does it? Jim Gilmore said he had the car, The 500 Museum said that they had it, and then at an auction in the mid 1990’s A.J. Foyt sold a car he claimed was real car that had won in 1977. Which one was it? No one knows for sure, but the winning bidder was Tony George and that car now sits in the Indianapolis Hall of Fame Museum for all to see. How accurate is it? According to Foyt, parts from the winner are on several cars. The one that was display now, is not as accurate as the one it replaced....So you guess is as good as mine!
I loved the Hall of Fame Musem...My favorite place in the world. Many great cars are there and the place is spotless! You could eat off the floor. They change the cars every so often. When I was there in 1994, they were restoring Somkey Yunick's 1964 Side Car....and then there is the basement...WOW!
My favorite story is of the Murphy Special painted up as it won the 1922 French Grand Prix. The car was lost for many years...or mis-placed. Mrs. Murphy, upon Jimmy's death sold the car. The car, with the Miller engine in it was used by Mack Sennet as a camera car for all the old Keystone Cop Movies. The tail was removed and a platform was build for the camera. One day... a studio flunky was going through the back lots car inventory and saw only the Dusenberg label on the nose....He though he'd found a true automobile gem, rusting in the back lot....He opened the hood and didn't see a Dusenberg engine...and thought the car was junk. So he called the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and asked it they knew anything about the old car....Someone at Indy did indeed. So they arranged to buy it from the Studio and restored it. That is a true story....give or take a lie or two. As they said in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance."...When the legend becomes the truth....print the legend.
Best to you all....and the next time your in Indianapolis...Go to the Museum!
Russ
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Post by indy on Jan 4, 2009 2:15:51 GMT -5
Best to you all....and the next time your in Indianapolis...Go to the Museum! They have a pretty nice model display there, too! ;D Jordan |
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Post by indycals on Jan 4, 2009 12:28:21 GMT -5
The staff from the Museum held their collective breath when Foyt took a "hot" lap in it. Seems Old Super Tex wasn't told it was a lap of honor, or didn't care....and he drove the brains out of the old car. Old A.J. ran the old roadster flat out.....Only Foyt could do that! I was there that day... he really floored it coming down the front straight... on those then 30-some year old tires |
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Post by sandysixtysfan on Jan 4, 2009 22:58:13 GMT -5
Great info on this topic. I ordered "The Watson Years" today. I'd never heard of it before. Can't wait to see it.
Sandy
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Post by sandysixtysfan on Jan 7, 2009 22:37:58 GMT -5
The Good Retailer Award goes to.... Coastal 181 Books! I ordered "The Watson Years" on-line Sunday and it arrived today. Great book. Thanks to Tim, Duane and Russ for the heads up on this book!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2009 1:58:57 GMT -5
I have the Watson book on order along with a couple more. I can't wait to get them!
Thanks for the heads up, guys. ;D
Mongo
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Can you elaborate. I see nothing unusual about it (checking my personal photos of the car). 
