(11-4-08)  From David A. Hueppchen:

"Roll bars add weight?  Surplus of drivers? It reminds me of my Crosley Spl. when I first got it. It had a square-cornered roll bar. Picture me in it looking like yer photo with a roll bar going accross under my shoulder blades."

(11-4-08)  From Tim Foster:

"Do you know what region the car was from?  That sure looks similar to the body (apparently a Fibersport) ON MY CAR.

Hard to tell without seeing the front, but the rear looks very similar to the second generation Fibersport.. then again it could also be a very early Jabro.. they had a similar rear."

(11-4-08)  From Tom Churchill:

"Hi Group in particular SoCal members.  The H-Mod that Tam is asking about is clearly named "The Full House Mouse". I have seen other pictures of this car. Someone in this group should have much more knowledge of this car."

(11-5-08)   From Derek ...

"The implication of the name 'Full House Mouse' is that it was based on a Fiat 500, affectionately known as 'Topolino'. (Topolino = Little Mouse in Italian).  The Fiat 500 chassis was a popular base for specials in the '40s and early '50s. The early Cooper 500s were a classic example, not forgetting the many variants that ran in the Mille Miglia.  I'm 99% sure those wheels are Fiat 500. This should narrow the search a bit.

(11-5-08)   From Marty Stein:

"The use of "Topolino" stuff as a basis for race cars was widespread in the 50s. For example, Siata, Bandini, Giaur, Moretti, Nardi, and likely a host of other even more obscure Italian cars were built using some of the components from the various 500cc cars. 

I'm not certain it is totally correct to use the designation "Topolino" though. I thought that name referred to the pre-war 500. I don't know much about the mechanicals of these although I have seen hotrods built on the chassis and body and have scale models of them so I know what they look like. 

The post-war cars were generally known as "Cinqucentos" (500 in Italian), and were further designated by letters after the 500, though not necessarily badged differently as far as I could tell. There are still thousands of these in Italy, and almost all I have seen are in good condition (including restorations) and are used as daily drivers, particularly within the walls of the old villages and cities. 

I don't really know what differences there are between the chassis, brakes, suspensions, trannys and difs, and steering bits between these and the pre-war cars, but suspect there were many and that they are non-trivial. These are the bits most commonly used for post-war H-Mod race cars."

(11-8-08)   From Ed...

"Bob Foley wrote "Inboard Racing - A Wild Ride" Author House, 2006. His Crosley powered boat, built about 1956, was registered with APBA as #69-Y "Full House Mouse". 

Several owners of this boat kept the name.  Foley bought "Full House Mouse" in 1967, and ran it through 1979.  A photo on pg.24 of the book documents the name, but the script is unlike that of the car #157 HM under discussion. 

Does anyone recall whether the previous owners of the boat (E.M Remund, Cecil Oswald, John Lyle) perhaps become interested in cars and used the name again? The rhythm of the name may have prompted use in other venues without Topolino connection. 

The wheels on Car #157 in the pic do indeed look like Topolino wheels. The boat, however, had no Topo or other Fiat parts at all; it did have Nardi aluminum rods till they cracked. Any Crosley racing freaks definitely should get a copy of Foley's book."

(11-11-08)   From Michael Jacobsen:

"The Red #157 (the Full House Mouse) is a Crosley Special; perhaps taken at Montgomery Field.  Nice body that imitated Randy McDougall's 1100 OSCA."

(11-13-08)   From Ken (Docc) Intrieri

"Yes..,  A Crosley special without a roll bar. Well at least the pilot has a safety STOGGIE to protect him ! Oh the good old days..cigar chompin'... head stickin' out... wonderful days..!   Love the site !! Thanks for all you do."

(11-12-08)   From Vince Howlett  (Posted on Atlas F1 "Nostalgia Forum")

"Apparently there was a Tommy Jamieson of Burbank who raced a #157 Simca-Crosley in H Modified in 1955-1956 (Palm Springs, Paramount Ranch, etc).  Maybe him?"

(11-19-08)   From Derek...                                  (hmod@yahoogroups.com)

"This is a useful piece of information that tells the story: definitely Fiat underpinnings, presumably powered by Crosley.  In the immediate pre- and postwar years Simcas were Fiats built under licence.  In France the Fiat 500 became the Simca 5 and the Fiat Balilla 1100 became the Simca 8. The early Gordinis were based on Simca-built Fiats and ran as Simcas."

(11-19-08)   From Randall J. McConnell:          (hmod@yahoogroups.com)

"That's very timely information, I was just about to post a reply asking what Simca components might have been used in the making of the Mouse.  It also explains why bodies variously described as Fiat or Simca looked pretty much the same when used in fuel altered drag racing classes and competition coupe Bonneville classes.  Of course, that's a reference to the pre-war Topolino and Simca bodies."

(11-17-08)   From racing historian Ron Cummings:

"Peter McKercher's photo of the Full House Mouse car #157  H Modified looks, to me, like Palm Springs.  There is a photo of the car, credited to Al Moss, in "Paramount Ranch Remembered" by Art Evans on pg. 38. 

The car is listed in the CalClub Paramount Ranch race program of August 18-19, 1956 as:  #157   Jamieson, Thomas   Burbank (California)   Simca-Crosley  748cc.   H Modified. 

The car finished 17th overall and 4th in H Modified in Saturday's under 1500cc modified race.  It is listed as a DNF in Sunday's race due to a thrown rod. 

The car is also listed in the CalClub Paramount Ranch race program of March 9-10, 1957 as:  #157 Tommy Jamieson   Burbank  (California)  Simca-Crosley   Orange  748cc. H Modified.   The car does not show up in the results sheets for this race weekend printed in Art's book."