1962 Watson Indy 500 Racer

The 1962-1964 Forbes Special/1965 Weinberger Homes Special is the only Watson to complete four consecutive Indy 500s. Owner Bill Forbes and Chief Mechanic Dave Laycock chose 1956 USAC midget champion Clark 'Shorty' Templeman to drive. He qualified 6th for the 1962 Indy 500 and ran in the top 10 when a spin put him into the wall but he went on to finish 22nd. Ten days later Templeman started the Milwaukee 100-miler in 17th and spun on the 84th lap to finish 16th. Jim McElreath drove at the August 200-miler at Milwaukee, qualifying 15th and finishing 5th.

In 1963 McElreath again qualified at Indy 500, outside 2nd row, and finished 6th. Lloyd Ruby qualified at the 1964 Indy 500 in 7th and finished in 3rd place.

In 1965, Sid Weinberger and Frank Wiseck bought the car and ran it as the Weinberger Homes Special.' Gordon Johncock drove it in the 1965 Indy500 and finished 5th. It was to be the last front-engine car to complete 500 at the Speedway. After configuration changes, numerous other races, drivers, and owners, Bob McConnell bought it in 1981 and started restoration. Jack Layton completed the restoration. In April
1997 it became part of the 'Tom Malloy Collection.'

Built by Indy 500 legend AJ Watson for driver Shorty Templeman, the Offenhauser-powered 'Bill Forbes Special' qualified sixth and finished eleventh in the 1962 Indianapolis 500.

After its front-line racing career was over it was converted into a Super Modified as were many Indy Roadsters. As a result, the frame was reproduced by AJ Watson himself for the restoration. The engine and driveline are the originals from 1962 and retain the USAC (United States Auto Club) stamp on the engine block from the 1962 and 1963 '500'.

This faithful and precise restoration includes the Meyer-Drake two-speed transmission and the Halibrand roadster rear end, both stamped 'FORBES' and verified as original by Dave Laycock the chief mechanic of the car in 1962 who was also instrumental in the restoration.