FROM WINGS TO WHEELS

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In racing parlance, what now a days is called a sprint car, back in the day was referred to as a "big car". Big cars were, well, just that: BIG. They normally ran Offys or Ford model B's, and were the crowd favorite at state fairs and racing circuits from one end of this country to another. One of the outlaw offshoots for power-plant choice in those days was actually a refugee from WW II. It was known as the Ranger race car, or "airplane" car. In its simplest terms, this was a big car powered by a surplus Ranger aircraft engine. The mill, originally designed in 1926, was simply a wonder of engineering and technology, utilizing aluminum alloys and magnesium. Moreover, German design cues were borrowed from Mercedes Grand Prix cars, as well. In the end, what was born was a 6 cylinder, air cooled, 440 cubic inch engine that served well in primary trainer aircraft for the military. The Fairchild airplane company began building the PT-19, (Ranger) largely as a response to the wishes of Army Air Corps flight instructors. Basic flight training in the United States prior to World War II was generally provided in light bi-planes, which tended to be slow, stable and tolerant of young, inexperienced pilots.

Read the rest of this article in ISSUE 11: BRENT'S '27