Vintage Indy Garage

[Ryan]

So I was farting around on Flickr and found the above photograph. It's a diorama that was put together at the Indy 500 museum to show a typical 50's/60's era workspace found...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Garage Journal, click here.

 

[RCH99]

That's just flat out cool. Is that a solid axle laying on the floor there, ready to go...?

 

[White Trash Renegade]

What scale is that, I wonder.

 

[Stuart in MN]

If you go back and look at photos of Gasoline Alley, even into the 1970s it was a pretty basic place. The garages were nothing special, with old fashioned barn doors on them. Look at the tools on the wall, the mechanic probably carried them all in a small hand held box...nothing like the giant tool carts you see at the races today that come complete with built in flat screen displays and observation decks.

 

[spity]

No distractions, so you can get **** done.

 

[jjjrmx5]

What scale is that, I wonder.

LOL

Uhhh, that's a full scale recreation museum exhibit.

Given all of the cars, **** and memorbilia that the Indy Musuem has in it's basement and in offsite storage that the public never sees, they could triple the space of the current facility they have and still have enough stuff to fill it twice over.

 

[Graham08]

What scale is that, I wonder.

Full scale. It's set up in one corner of the museum to represent a typical garage in the old Gasoline Alley.

 

[Graham08]

That's just flat out cool. Is that a solid axle laying on the floor there, ready to go...?

It's the axle and ring gear out of a Halibrand quick-change, like they ran in Indy cars at that time (and still run in sprint cars and midgets).

 

[ptschram]

I have a client who is restoring his grandfather's Indy racer, circa 1929-1935. No, it was not raced at Indy, but built for it.

Fascinating to see such an example of a one-off handbuilt car. It's not like you could buy parts off the shelf, or at least very many of them.

 

[BevoZ06]

I grew up just south of the track, and always had garage and pit passes. I agree the old garages were really something when you consider all the chief mechanics had to accomplish in the small spaces and with the hand tools of the time.

I remember that women were not allowed into the garage area and all the restrooms in the garage area had open doors and were not labeled. When Janet Guthrie came to the track in the 70s to qualify as the first woman driver they closed one of the doors and taped a piece of paper sign on it to make it for women only.

There was nothing like the sound of the old Novis in the early 60s.

 

[Doktor Schnell]

Simple and beautiful!

 

[Falcon67]

That's what I'm talking about.

 

[PETE14]

I was just at that museum this past summer and it was awesome. HIGHLY recomended for anyone who is remotely a gearhead. The day I was there, they had a "package deal" going where you could pay extra, and get not only admission to the museum, but a bus ride around the track with a tour guide telling all about the history of the track. The bus stopped several times at various places. We all got out and walked around at the brick starting line, and we also got to go up into the Pagoda - the big Japanesse looking building where all of the timekeeping and scoring happens.

The museum is actually inside the track.

If you were to take 5 steps back from where that pic was taken, you would see that a good size peice of THE ORIGINAL old wood garage was salvaged and preserved - an entire wall several garage stalls wide.

I have no doubt that every single item in that picture is the real deal.

I hope I'm not hijacking this too much, but here's a few pics I took when I was there.

Pete

 

[Zeke]

Seems kinda narrow. If someone was working on the brakes no one could get by.

 

[colt zantop]

very cool pic! things sure were simple back then.....

 

[Scout Driver]

Cozy, clean, inviting! I could see myself in that garage.

Is that a Proto wrench set hanging in its roll on the wall??

Scott

 

[Zeke]

Yeah, looking at the tools and it's funny. 2 sets of combo wrenches and you know they didn' t need no stinkin' metric. One set of sockets, a couple pliers and FOUR hammers.

Must be AJ Foyt's garage.

 

[BevoZ06]

Yeah, looking at the tools and it's funny. 2 sets of combo wrenches and you know they didn' t need no stinkin' metric. One set of sockets, a couple pliers and FOUR hammers.

Must be AJ Foyt's garage.

If that was Foyt's they would be Craftsman tools. Remember when he used to do the old Craftsman Tool commercials on television? I always had the impression he did that commercial in one take and none of the producers or directors were brave enough to correct his grammar. "You can take it back cause you know where it come from."

Then there is the more recent commercial where he talks about handing down the tools to his sons and grandsons.

 

[Fedwrench]

Less is more

Proto was always associated with Indy. I wonder why

 

[joecon]

Proto had special proto 500 wrenches that were to celebrate
the race.

 

[ff4500]

I live down the street from the Museum...

I've driven on the track, ridden a MC on the track, been to the track, yet never stepped foot in the museum. I'll need to change that soon.

 

[hotrodmetalgarage]

Pretty cool place to visit. If you're even remotely into cars, it's worth the trip.

These are a couple of shots when I was there last year.

They change the cars in the museum, so it never seems to gets old.

 

[Greatbear]

Ah, back when it was all about the racers and not about the sponsors.

 

[RCH99]

Must be AJ Foyt's garage.

I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to visit AJ's original old shop in the early 90's here in Houston. It was like stepping back in time to the late '70's. It was a non-descript blue, barn, warehouse looking structure, buried in the middle of one of the rougher, worn out parts of town. I remember seeing the faded, hand painted "AJ Foyt Enterprises" across the front of it. Inside was as cool, yet unexpected, as it could possibly be. There were literally hundreds and hundreds of trophies everywhere you looked......all coated in dust. There were many fantastic pictures, most of which were becoming faded, or yellowed. It was as if time had stood still.
Out in the actual shop, it was dark and mesmerizing at the same time. Many, many very cool machines. In fact, the black Copenhagen that he supposedly turned his last lap at Indy was there.
I can't remember who was driving for AJ at the time I was there, but they had two current cars that they were prepping. One had the cowling off, and I could tell that they were getting ready to start it. One of the guys came over and told us that we needed to go outside because it would be too loud, and the methanol will burn our eyes. ......we said, " ********!...fire it up!". And so, they did. I can still 'taste' that smell. I loved it.
It was amazing to be in there, and contemplate the monumental amount of engineering, hard work, sweat, and overall significance of what had been accomplished in that shop. ....if only i had thought to take my camera....

 

[tpwalsh]

If you're into this sort of thing you can NOT miss the speedway motors museum in Lincoln, NE. The place is huge, 3 stories of all sorts of neat stuff. From direct injected SBF motors, to DOHC small blocks, to toy cars of all sizes, to Indy cars of all sorts.

They have a similar display.

 

[BevoZ06]

Seeing the old 56 of Jim Hurtubise "Herk" sure brings back some memories.

I can remember being around him in Indianapolis in the years following his terrible crash and burning episode. Shaking his hand was like shaking a curved piece of wood. After he was informed by the doctors who were reparing his burns that he would never be able to move or flex his fingers again, he told them to fuse his fingers in a cupped position so he could grip a steering wheel.

Herk was a real character, and was always considered a man's man.

 

[IndyGarage]

The speedway is a great place to visit.

If you do, make sure you take the bus ride around the track. If you've never been there, you'll be in awe at the size of the place. The history of the track is incredible - it's arguably the most famous racetrack in the world, but the story of its founders - who were incredible visionaries and how it got there is amazing in its own right.

So many men have achieved immortality and unfortunately many have achieved mortality in that place. I became addicted to cars there one race day when I was 9 years old. I've sat in the exact same place in turn 1 for every Indy 500 since 1982 - and several of the "neighbors" have been there that long too - that's the kind of magical place it is.

When I talk to the young guys and gals who drive in the Indy 500, most don't know, and some don't care about all the history - but they can all feel it. It gets into their blood. They want to win that race like no other.

The museum is not huge, but chock full of racing and automotive history. Every time I go over there I burn several hours just taking it all in.

Also be sure to go upstairs and visit the speedway photo shop. There you can buy official track photos from any year of racing at the speedway - all the way back to 1909.

Last time I was there they would print any photo any size for you - and there are literally millions to choose from. Up near the photo shop was Donald Davidson's office. He's the speedway historian - and a walking encyclopedia of Indy 500 history - great guy to talk to.

 

[L84ARACE]

That garage exhibit has been in the museum for about 4 years now. They rotate different cars in and out of it. I go there every year for Carb Day and each time I notice something new about the detail of the garage. Very cool.

 

[5qf3764b]

The hammers were the first thing I noticed. Pretty sure they don't use those on Indy cars anymore. The car would disintigrate after one blow...

I got to visit Johnny Rutherford's garage in River Oaks, Texas when I was about 10 years old. He had a huge 3 or 4 inch wrench hanging on the wall and I asked what he used it for. He replied, "that's for adjusting the nut behind the wheel." I litterally started looking for a 4 inch nut somewhere in the car... It was years later that I finally got it. I'd give anything to go back. I think the car that was there was his yellow 1980 Indy 500 winner. I didn't appreciate where I was and what I was looking at.

 

[cravej]

If you're into this sort of thing you can NOT miss the speedway motors museum in Lincoln, NE. The place is huge, 3 stories of all sorts of neat stuff. From direct injected SBF motors, to DOHC small blocks, to toy cars of all sizes, to Indy cars of all sorts.

I agree, Speedway Motors Museum is incredible! Here is a photo I took of that same display:

 

[SpeedwayRyan]

Proto had special proto 500 wrenches that were to celebrate the race.

Proto also used to make Indy 500-branded lead hammers used to hammer the wheel knockoffs on and off. You still see them on eBay sometimes.

BTW this garage display is in the same building as my office...hence the username. Not a bad place to go to work everyday!

 

[youtanut]

My Grandfather HM Hurd was the the tool man in the pits, he is the one who developed the tool that Ingersoll Rand still builds for his company too this day that indy and nascar use in the pits. I have his original set of proto 500 wrenches that hung in his tool van till the day he passed away, I also have one of the Indy 500 brass hammers made for knocking off the spinners on the indy cars.

 

[dragoocoda]

I've been to the museum a few years ago.. I loved every minute of it!!

 

[AudiGuy]

I was able to visit the museum on more than one occasion when I was living in Indy. Thought I would share my pic of the garage display from a visit last March.

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aWmLW0P0n11aPrwkOlYQ3tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vGnhBXqDl18/TvpGu6OtdgI/AAAAAAAAIJY/EhLTUO7oHiM/s800/IMG00151-20100313-1526.jpg" height="600" width="800" /></a>

 

[SpeedCoach]

such awesome old photo's of an era that is probably gone forever.....the ineptitude i see in those running indy baffles me.....they've been carried by history and sacrifices of the past...the last 10 or so years haven't done much to carry on the traditions that they all have been riding....

 

[firecop9774]

I was the last night fireman in the old Gasoline Alley before they were torn down (1985 I believe). Snoozed in the cab of a new FMC fire engine every night, and made frequent walks through G A, witnessing more than one team burning the midnight oil in the old garages.

Good times. The concrete replacement garages are certainly roomier, but boy do they lack the charm and history of the old.