Help with the History of this Car?

[ianashdown]

I have just bought a Ralt RT-1 Supervee, Chassis number 114. It was shipped from the factory on August 8th, 1978. The first entry in the Log Book is the initial Tech inspection on 5/31/79 and the driver is Stuart G Moore. Car number 46. See attached photo.

There was some thought that the car may have been owned/driven by Gary Bettenhausen but there is no mention of him in any of the Log Books. Is it possible that Gary B drove the car in Pro races in late 78 early 79 and that would not have required an SCCA Log book? I know that he did drive an RT-1 in that period.

I'd like to find out what the car was used for from the time it arrived in the US up to the SCCA inspection in May of 79. Does anyone know how to contact Stuart Moore?

The car is very complete and mostly original, albeit with a very novel intake system of 4 Flat Slide motorcycle carburettors. It has sat in a storage unit since 1989 and is covered in dirt and dust (see next picture) but I think it will clean up quite well and will make a nice fun little car one day!!

If anyone has any information that can help fill in the early history I would very much appreciate hearing.

Ian

[PCalhoun]

Stuart Moore is still in Mundelein, IL

http://www.smrcomponents.com/profile/

[dereklola]

Ian - according to the Ralt chassis book 114 was shipped on March 8, 1978 - consigned to Robertson with driver annotated as Hoagon. Color was listed as white. The only earlier RT1s were 107 and 108 for Robertson/Bill Scott. Derek

[ianashdown]

Hi,

Just one quick point it's an RT-1 not a RT-5. I guess I've been in the US too long and forgot that dates are expressed day, month, year in England!

The list on 10/10ths shows the driver as Hogdon, probably a typo somewhere, but I can't find any record of any name in any results even close to this. I did find a chap with the last name Hodgdon but he was an entrant I believe. Does anyone know how to contact Brian Robertson?

Still the gap in records from delivery to May 79.

Thanks for all the info.

Ian

[provamo]

is photo #1 from the Glen?

[Phil Creighton]

The flat slide Amals were the carb to have in SCCA BUT they leaked fuel on a regular basis and are quite prone to flare-ups. I remember Dave Aman (spelling?) having issues along those lines in the NE.
I would track down Dave McMillan (ex Ralt USA) or Wilbur Bunce if you want to know more - Brian has pretty much closed off that part of his life as far as history goes. I probably have contact details for both.
Like the other post said - Stuart is alive and well in Mundelein IL - great guy.
Phil

[ianashdown]

Thanks to the help given here I was able to get in touch with Stuart Moore and we've been emailing back and forth today. He told me he bought the car from Geoff Brabham, not Gary Bettenhausen. He sent me a picture from Watkins Glen in 79 (see attached) and told me that this car still owns the Lap Record at MIS for SV, set in 1980. I've seen some YouTube video of SV cars at speed at MIS and boy do they look scary!

Thanks to everyone who helped with information.

Ian

[kea]

I have the X Dave Amen, Peter Kuhn, Geoff Brabham RT-1 and the slide carbs he had were Electron's (Rochester, Michigan). Yes, they made real good HP (191 at the time), but a pain to keep up.

[kea]

I thought a Bob Riley designed car got the MIS Super Vee record in 82-83 ?

[ianashdown]

It possible. I'm only repeating what Stuart told me. I haven't been able to find anything online.

Ian

[kea]

I was at the MIS event, and I think the Super Vee pole was faster than a couple of "stock-block" Indy cars that qualified that weekend.

[provamo]

a foggy recollection:the Pratt (?) driven Riley car was sooooooooooo fast that it was some how later deemed illegal???

too bad spec racing precludes the interesting variety of vehicles we once witnessed

anybody recall the Nickel or Nickle super vee..........of driver constructor owner Earl Nicewarner(?)

[kea]

I was also thinking it was Pratt driving.
Remember they (Tech) didn't like the adjustable cam pulley they had at MIS. Think they had to put the standardly used version for the race.
Remember some RT-5 (Halsmer?), having on one side, an aero side-pod in place of the normal RT-5 tunnel. Rules required the car to be symmetrical from an overhead view.
Other than that, I don't know why it didn't sell.

[provamo]

KEA: interesting observation regarding alternative aero configurations

as i recall when Sneva ran for Texaco at Indy with Mayer/Alexander engineering the car they used "short tracks " pods and just trimmed the heck out of the wings

[Lola_T360]

The first owner is Werner Hodgon, who wasn't a driver but an entrant. He entered it as the #73 car in 1978 in Mini Indy
Moore sold it to Tim Evans, according to On Track 28 May 81 'purchased Moore's three year old RT1

I'd be interested to know who the other names are in the log book

Chris
oldracingcars.com

[ianashdown]

This is getting confusing!

So Warner Hodgdon was the first owner of the car for Roger Mears to drive. Stuart Moore told me he bought the car from Geoff Brabham, so did Geoff drive the car in some races?

Stuart sold the car to Tim Evans who I believe sold it to Tom Van Scoy who sold it to Brad Van Dyck. He stored it in 1989 until it was dug out of the storage unit last Saturday.

It would really nice to get the definitive history of this car.

Ian

[Lola_T360]

This is getting confusing!

So Warner Hodgdon was the first owner of the car for Roger Mears to drive. Stuart Moore told me he bought the car from Geoff Brabham, so did Geoff drive the car in some races?

Stuart sold the car to Tim Evans who I believe sold it to Tom Van Scoy who sold it to Brad Van Dyck. He stored it in 1989 until it was dug out of the storage unit last Saturday.

It would really nice to get the definitive history of this car.

Ian

Ian
It certainly looks like Hodgdon's name in the Ralt build records I have, and he was a regular Indy entrant I believe. It may be that he didn't get the car, sales records are sometimes wrong, but the entry lists for 1978 certainly show him running an RT1. Incidentally, shipment date on this car was 8 March 1978.

Geoff Brabham ran all of 1978 with Ralt American in, I think, chassis 140 [which has traceable history back through Keith Averill, David Ammen and Peter Kuhn].
114 might, of course, have gone back from Hodgdon to Ralt American and Geoff could simply have brokered the sale to Moore.

I have van Scoy with an RT1 in 1985, was that the first year he used the car?

Chris