1949 Auto Shipper Indy Special at the 58th Annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

V - Open Wheel Race Cars

V - Open Wheel Race Cars Vehicles

1912 National Speed Car

1927 Miller Model 91

1935 Era B Type

1937 Maserati 6CM

1949 Auto Shipper Indy Special

1957 Kurtis Kraft 500G

1959 Quinn Epperly Demler Special

Information on the 1949 Auto Shipper Indy Special

More photographs of the 1949 Auto Shipper Indy Special

This Auto Shipper's Special was built on a Russ Snowberger chassis and used many parts taken from the famed Miller cars, as Louis Rassey (owner of Auto Shippers) had purchased most of the Miller stock.

Running in its orange and black livery, it made a promising debut, qualifying in 1949, as driver George Lynch hurtled around the brickyard's 2.5-mile oval to achieve 8th place on the grid. His three-lap qualifying average speed was 127.823 MPH, 4 MPH faster than Duke Nalon's pole time of 123.939. However, it was set on the second weekend of qualifying and not the first like Nalon's. Unfortunately, this did not go far, as on race day Lynch hit the wall on the opening lap and spun onto the infield.

The car was rebuilt and entered for the 1950 Indy 500, this time driven by Bill Schnidler. It qualified at an average speed of 132.690 MPH, a time only bettered by three other cars. On race day, it ran well for over half the distance, but on lap 111 of 200, a universal joint broke forcing retirement. In fact, this race was stopped by rain just 27 laps later (128). The car was run for the rest of the season with mixed results of retirement and a 12th place finish at Springfield and 7th at the Darlingon races.

Louis Rassey retained the car for quite awhile and then sold it to renowned Indy car collector David V. Uimlein in the mid 70s. He had the car built with Juo Phillps rebuilding the Offenhauser engine.

The car was purchased from David Uimlein in 1998.

Also photographed at :

Christie's Exceptional Motor Cars at the Monterey Jet Center >> 1945-1957

The power plant is the inline four-cylinder Offenhauser unit. Painted in the distinctive orange and black livery at the 1949 Indy 500, George Lynch began in 8th place on the grid but only completed on lap of the race. The following year it was driven by Indy rookie and one-legged East Coast sprint specialist, Bill Schindler. It ran near the front of the field, but on lap 111 a universal joint failed, forcing the car into retirement. The car continued to race up until 1953. For many years this famous vehicle remained the property of Louis Rassey.

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