The Scarabs See also post 34 and 36
By Nicole Wakelin


The Scarab racer was an all-American open-wheel race car built by Tom Barnes and Dick Troutman for Reventlow Automobiles Inc. The duo’s careers for building cars for amateur road racing began back in the 1950s. The company, owned by Lance Reventflow, saw its cars garner both successes and rather grand failures during their short production run which ended in the early 1960s.
Success came in the 1958 Riverside International Grand Prix, which saw Chuck Daigh behind the wheel of a Scarab that won the race, beating out heavy-hitters like Phil Hill and the Ferrari team. Scarabs also took the win at that year’s SCAA International Grand Prix. Two of those cars were sold the next year, but Lance Reventflow’s was converted into a street-worthy vehicle for his personal use.
PHOTOS: See More of the Stunning Scarab Racer

Scarabs saw more glory when Carol Shelby drove one at the Continental Divide Raceway in Castle Rock Colorado and set a new course record in the process. This was followed by a less than stellar attempt at Formula One during 1960 where the car’s front-engine design proved to be its downfall.
The 4-cylinder engines had a layout similar to the Offenhauser, but were Scarab’s own design with a Desmodromic valve gear like what was on the Mercedes F1 engine from the 1950s. That gear simply couldn’t manage the movement in the engine block which pulled the valves too far closed and caused them to fail.
RELATED: See Photos of the High-Powered Shelby Cobra 289

Scarabs took part in five Grand Prix races, experiencing problems with hydraulic brake fluid aeration and oil starvation issues that saw only one of the original nine vehicles entered actually making it to the final F1 race of the 1960 season, the American Grand Prix held in Riverside, California. While the car did finish, it only did so just barely with Daigh keeping RPMs under 6000 to avoid fuel delivery issues.
Another unsuccessful year followed in 1961 with Daigh crashing before the season was out and destroying the car which was then left in Europe. A final car was built for the 1962 season with a Buick aluminum V8 with Phil Remmington fabricated intake and exhaust manifolds that was deemed illegal by FIA engine rules so that it couldn’t even be raced in Europe.
RELATED: See Photos of the Caterham Superlight Track Car

The last Scarab was built as a mid-engined two-seater, again with a Buick V8, but this one Reventflow wanted to take out on the streets. He installed a muffler, went to the California DMV, and got it registered as his personal car. He also took this one to the track three times, sans muffler, managing second place in Santa Barbara.
When he decided to close-up the Scarab shop, he sold his personal car to John Mecom, Jr. of Houston Texas who put in a Traco-built 327 Chevy engine. A.J. Foyt took that one to the track, winning several races at Nassau, Bahamas during 1963. It later got a Chrysler Hemi engine which Augie Pabst, who still owned the car as recently as 2013, drove to several victories.

 

Tying some racing history together
See last post in thread:
See it before it goes away.

 

For anyone going to Hot Import Nights type the code HOT in any promo code box.
Feel free to pass this around.

The best deal for Hot Import Nights is 4 spectator tickets for $31.96
1. Go to this link https://hin.webconnex.com/tampatickets2016
2. put a 4 in the box under ticket options and the price will drop to $10 each
3. It will say convenience fee $11.96 and total will be $51.96 for 4 tickets ($40 for 4 tickets + 11.96= 51.96)
4. Type HOT in capital letters in the promo code box and click apply to
deduct $20 and the total will drop to $31.96
4 tickets for $31.96........ is almost 1/2 of the original $60.....at (4 X $15 each).
When 3,000 tickets are sold, the price will change, but typing HOT in the promo code
will always save $5 per ticket.


To buy only one $15 spectator ticket........
1. Go to this link https://hin.webconnex.com/tampatickets2016
2. put a 1 in the box under ticket options
3. It will say convenience fee $2.99 and total will be $17.99
4. Type HOT in capital letters in the promo code box and click apply to
deduct $5 and the total will be $12.99
That is for only one ticket. When 3,000 tickets are sold, the price will change, but typing HOT in the promo code will always save $5 per ticket.

To register a single show car at Hot Import Nights
1.Go to this link https://hinevents.regfox.com/2016-hi...r-registration
2.Put a dot in the circle beside Vehicle/2 Passes and it says $50
3. It will say the convenience fee is $2.99 for a total of $52.99
4. Type HOT in capital letters in the promo code box and click apply to
deduct $5 and the total will be $47.99 for a single show car registration.

Promo code HOT saves $5 which is better than full price and each show car Registration gets 2 free tickets

For multicar registrations at Hot Import Nights
1.Go to this link info@hotimportnights.com with the name of your club
and number of entries for instructions. 5 show cars or more save even more $$$$

 

History of Motor Racing pt 1 1902 - 1914


King Rose Archives
Bill Mason while working for the Shell Motor Company's film unit assembled an impressive series of documentaries that trace the history of motor racing. The first film shows the early years as Panhards raced against Mercedes. The German Kaiser showed up at the races. The French Grand Prix with Lancia, Fiat, Renault and Hotchkiss squaring off. Talbot races Delage at Brooklands. Accidents abound. George Boillot becomes a star. And Grand Prix racing attract huge crowds. S042

 

History of Motor Racing pt 2 1919 1929


King Rose Archives
While working at Shell Oil, filmmaker Bill Mason, produced a series about the early days of motor racing. It's an in depth classic. This film picks up after WWI with an early look at racing at the Indy 500 in 1919. The Kaiser is there and says hello to Louis Chevrolet. The winner of the race that year was Howdy Wilcox.

We see cyclecars race in France and return to Indy for 1920 and see Henry Ford, chatting with fellow automotive fans before Tommy Milton wins. The 1922 French Grand Prix at Strasbourg sees Felice Nazarro win for Fiat. In 1923 we're introduced to Bugatti. And begin to follow Campari's wins for Alfa Romeo. His fellow driver Antonio Ascari is also a perennial winner for Alfa.

The French Grand Prix attracts the American Tommy Milton for Duesenberg who battles Campari and Bugatti. Back to Indy in 1926 for Peter DiPaola to win for Duesenberg. S042 Shell

 

History of Motor Racing pt 3 1930 1934


King Rose Archives
While working for Shell Oil, Bill Mason, assembled a classic multi-part film series looking at the history of motor racing from the turn of the 20th Century to the outbreak of WWII. This comprehensive series showed the rivalry between countries and their cars and the legends who raced the cars. Tazio Nuvolari for Alfa Romeo and Maserati. Rudolf Caracciola for Mercedes. This episode sees Bugatti and Alfa fall away as the German Silver Arrows from Auto Union and Mercedes come to dominate Formula racing in Europe. The Nazis are determined to show off their superiority as the Master Race by using racing.

 

[h=1]History of Motor Racing pt 4 1935 to 1939
[/h]


When Bill Mason worked for Shell Oil in their film unit he created a series about the history of motor racing from the turn of the 20th Century to the outbreak of World War II. This fourth part covers the mid 1930s up till 1939 when Formula racing was dominated by the German teams of Mercedes Benz and Auto Union.

Their racing efforts were underwritten by Adolf Hitler who wanted to demonstrate the superiority of the Master race on the race track. The German cars were dubbed the Silver Arrows because of their sleek designs and silver paint. The Nazi swastika adorned the cars and the drivers became legends. Alfred Neubauer managed the Mercedes team and it was the most professional organization motor racing had ever seen. His drivers included Rudolf Caracciola, Hermann Lang, Manfred von Brauchitsch, and the Englishman Richard Seaman. Auto Union's most famous driver, Bernd Rosemeyer died attempting to break a land speed record held by rival Mercedes and he was replaced by his good friend Tazio Nuvolari.

Nuvolari had been the chief driver for Alfa Romeo but competing against the Germans became almost impossible. It was a thrilling time but the dark side of this enterprise has stigmatized ever since. In addition to the Formula racing we see the land speed attempts by John Cobb, George Easton and Sir Malcolm Campbell.

The races about Indy with Wilbur Shaw. And England's Richard Seaman racing his Napier before being scooped up by Mercedes. This version was prepared for release in Italy but I've chosen to use the English language sound track. S043 Shell


King Rose Archives

 

[h=1]A History of Motor Racing Part 5[

Part 5 - "Racing Reborn". A film depicting the world of automobile racing from 1940 - 1948. Original film is housed at the AACA Library & Research Center in Hershey, PA.

 

[h=1]The History Of Motor Racing Pt 6[/h]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWxzGDiiIyY

musrum
Published on Sep 26, 2006

PLEASE RATE AND LEAVE COMMENTS, out of respect to those who raced and took part. 1932 - Monaco Grand Prix 1932 - German Grand Prix at Avus 1932 - French Grand Prix at Rheims 1932 - Italian Grand Prixat Monza 1932 - Indianapolis 500 1933 - Mille Miglia 1932 - Monaco Grand Prix 1932 - Tripoli Grand Prix 1932 - German Grand Prix 1932 - French Grand Prix 1932 - Italian Grand Prix 1932 - British Grand Prix at Donnington Park

 

[h=1]History Of Motor Racing Pt 7[/h]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pnGtPAdsuM

musrum
Published on Sep 30, 2006 PLEASE RATE AND LEAVE COMMENTS, out of respect to those who raced and took part. 1933 - Tourist Trophy Donnington Park UK 1934 - Indianapolis 500 1934 - Monaco Grand Prix 1934 - German Grand Prix 1934 - French Grand Prix