OLD YELLER II

The History of Max and Ina Balchowsky and Old Yeller II (Part 4)

The famous “chalk lines” for the new Old Yeller II on the Hollywood Motors Garage would consolidate the critical elements Max thought important. Max was looking for the ideal wheelbase and track for a race-car. The custom chrome moly tube chassis (tubular box type frame) was 1¾” x .058 tubing with upper and lower tubes with cross members. The chassis is designed with safety in mind as Max always noted the “100 ton” impact that the chassis could take upon impact. The chassis curved to the outside of the cockpit creates safety from a “T-bone” impact. The big block 1959 401 “Nailhead” Buick (6.6 liters) engine is positioned in the chassis as far back as possible to the firewall as the cockpit would be over and near the rear end assembly. The Buick motor has a stock 305 bhp at 5400 rpm in the most mild set up.

Often times, Max would be asked why he always selected a Buick engine for his race-cars and he had several answers. Max was quoted …”I can’t find an inexpensive small engine with any possibilities”… “The only substitute for cubic inches is more cubic inches”. He also commented that… “at the time I started, Buicks were the cheapest and they still are…It cost me $600 to fix up a Bucik and $1500 for a Chevy”. A big Studebaker truck radiator with it’s big cores was needed for the sometimes “hot” running Buick and the nose of the car would have to surround the radiator leaving a not-so-sleek nose for the Old Yeller II.

In a letter to the Buick engineers at Flint, Michigan, Max had many concerns as he stated…”I have tied or broken the lap record at most race courses he, but this is done with the first five laps of 25 or more lap races”.

There were many DNFs with all race-cars in the late 50s racing and Max wanted to make sure he could get to any part of the car immediately, thus came the use of the aircraft Dzus fasteners for all of the panels of the aluminum body. The Dzus fasteners for the removable body panels are attached to special stingers under the body panels. The original aluminum hand-formed body was completed by “Daddy’s Auto Body Shop” in Burbank. The firewall and flooring was aircraft aluminum honeycomb material. he aluminum finned Buick drum brakes were good and became superior with the experimental lining material that Max used as well as truing the drums. The independent front unequal A arms were classically a Balchowsky design with the drilled upper Jaguar A arms (to allow absorption of forces upon impact) and the shortened by 4 inches lower stamped Pontiac lower A arms. The large Jaguar ball joint would help the stress load and the front suspension assembly could be adjusted for a specific track with shims and spacers. The rear suspension would be a modified Studebaker Champion locked rear end. The original transmission was a 4- speed from a C Jaguar. The Morris Minor steering rack provided the necessary quick steering needed. The Morris Minor torsion bars were used for most Road Racing Specials and the Old Yeller II was no different. The reliable 6 Stromburg 97s carburetors were used on prior race cars with a special Edelbrock log type manifold. Weiand Company copied the original “log design” that Max had developed in the 1950s. The Stromburg 97s were used most of the racing season in 1960. The Webers carburetors and Hilborn injector systems were used during various times during the first racing season. The weight is currently 2100 lbs with a 15- gallon fuel tank. The rim size is 16 inches with a 6- inch width. The rims are a stock (very heavy) steel General Motors rim. The race tires currently used are Dunlop hard compound Racing tires. The Buick aluminum finned drum brakes are on all ‘four corners’ and in the year 1959, Max was experimenting with special composition Ferodo linings from Gold Industries of England. The valve gear consisted of OHV- push rods- solid tappets. The compression ratio was 9:5 to one. The rear suspension is a solid axle with two semi-elliptic leaf springs (off set center bolt) and shocks. The original rear suspension was the “Balchowsky” concept of a “floating- self aligning” system with allowable movement in the set up. This Max design would allow the rear suspension to pivot and slide ½ inch off the chassis. There was a noted minimal cross trussing which became a problem with hard racing and the possible over stressing of the chassis weld joints that could cause failure.

Max had friends and property in Idaho and since he would drive his race-cars to the tracks… he had mounted the Idaho license (“Famous Potatoes”) plates. Max claimed that the original cost for the new Old Yeller II was $1452.76 (but in reality Max traded out for additional future work with friends for some help). The Birdcage Tipo 61 had cost $10,800 plus air-freight in 1960. Haskell Wexler (Academy Oscar Award winner- Cinematography) was a silent sponsor of the Old Yeller II and III and he had a “company” titled Haskell Automotive, to which billing statements were sent.

The original clutch was a period Auburn light 826 pounds of pressure clutch. The color of yellow was a “Golden Rod” ford pickup color. Throughout the racing season, Max would drive the Old Yeller II to the local drag strips for a few quick runs to test the efficiency of power to the track. Max noted that he sometimes would start out from the starting line in high gear for comparative testing.

When Max would arrive at Lions Drag Strip in the evening, the gates would magically open, as the announcer would announce… “The Old Yeller has arrived… Max would go to the front of the line and make a pass (usually have the class top time) … and then return home (leaving the trophies for the other entrants). Pete Brock worked with Max for several years and always praised the pragmatic and simple approach that Max always focused on with every element of the cars that he built.