| Tam,
Pardon my terse reply to your anonymous letter from some friend
of XXXXX. I love the fact that it bugs him so much that my car may be now
more original than his.
I've answered many letters like that of your secret historian.
Attached is a letter to a guy named Jacobsen who wrote a letter to
our club magazine questioning the authenticity of Ol Yellar #1.
Mike
Dear Vintage Voice,
In your Spring 2001 issue, under Letters……, you included a letter
from Michael. A. Jacobsen which questioned the originality of the Morgensen
Special (Old Yellar #1). Considering my association with the car since
1958, and as the owner/resurrector of the Morgensen Special, I feel very
qualified to answer his questions.
As a historian and fan of the Morgensen Special, and the cars Max
Balchowsky built himself, Mr. Jacobsen must know that hardly any of the
Old Yellars racing on the vintage circuit today are totally original. As
for the Morgensen Special, 80% of the car had to be rebuilt in order to:
a) make it a car and,
b) to meet the strict safety standards of VARA
I don’t know what Mr. Jacobsen meant when he stated that he did not
believe that Mr. Lim’s car was the original, but a replica with a few not
very significant parts of the original car on it.
I don’t think that Mr. Jacobsen has been in my pit or has seen the
car run at our VARA events, and I also don’t know what he means by “not
very signficant parts”?
The not very significant original parts incorporated in the restoration
are:
1) the entire front end, front brakes and front suspension,
2) the rear fenders,
3) brackets and shifter levers,
4) some salvageable frame members (note: that
the original frame which had
126 welds in it prior to Hauser’s crash of 1961, would not pass VARA tech)
5) Isky 505 Magnum Cam and upper valve train assembly less
the roller tip rocker arms (not roller lifters).
During the resurrection of the car, Eric Hauser requested that I
put the dummy machine guns back on the front fenders. I told him that the
only machine guns that were going to be on this car were going to be in
paint.
The significance of original parts is really held by historians and
in the heart of the restorer. Mr. Jacobsen should read an article that
appeared in Vintage Motorsport by Art Eastman on the subject of Original
Cars. I also highly recommend checking out www.tamsoldracecarsite.net.
As far as Larry Lim’s contribution to the car, I cannot say enough.
He is one of the nicest people and most remarkable drivers in our sport
today. To come from a Lotus 23 and then step into my old beast and achieve
3 class wins, and 2 seconds out of 9 races entered is more than most racers
can brag about. He would have done better if it wasn’t for the mistakes
some guy named Larkin made in prepping the car.
Mr. Jacobsen’s comments as to when the name Old Yellar was first
used is almost correct. The Morgensen Special was given that moniker by
Mary Davis at a CSCC race at Pomona in 1957. The first time it was in race
print was in the program for the 10th Santa Barbara in early 1958. From
the time that my brother and Eric joined forces (1958 through 1961) the
car had a real variety of names, i.e. “the Dean Van Lines Special,
the Larkin/Hauser Special, the Larkin/Hauser Lioncage, and finally the
Lafayette Escadrille.
In conclusion I am very happy that Mr. Jacobsen is a fan of my car
and that I would tell him what I have told others asking me the same questions
on originality. The Morgensen Special (Old Yellar #1) may not be totally
original; however, the spirit of Larry Lim and of my crew is 110% of what
it was back when in the late 50’s and 60s when Morgensen, Hauser, Bal-
chowsky, and my brother Jim Larkin campaigned the car.
As a further note, Mr. Jacobsen needs to get his history books out
because, the next car coming down the pike is the Sorrell/Larkin
Special circa 1962.
|