1937 Miller Gulf Special Boattail

The Miller Gulf four-cylinder single-seat race car, built under the guidance of the legendary Harry A. Miller, was of futuristic design. Miller was the designer and owner of the most sophisticated and successful cars raced from the 1910s to the 1940s.

Perhaps most notably, the side-mounted fuel tanks created aerodynamic downforce - a design that continues to influence modern racing. Miller Gulf brakes were 'disc' style (the first of their kind of any race car) with a clutch-type action rather than the disc brakes employed on modern cars since the 1950s. Another unique feature of this car was the starter. A shotgun-type cartridge was inserted into a breech under the dash, ignited and the force of the shell charged a Coffman air starter, that turned the engine, all located at the front of the engine.The car's most striking feature is the cooling system, which wrapped around the front of the body with one-half inch of continuous steel tubing. It was supposed to cool the engine as it circled the oval track at 100+ MPH. Due to cooling problems, the design of the car changed often over the next three years.

The car has been restored to its original design and specifications and all components are original except the upper body and the cooling system which is functional, if needed. The numeral 1 is stamped throughout the brake and steering parts which was observed during the restoration.