Topic: Puzzle #256 - Solved! Kurtis-Offenhauser 'Rounds Rocket Special'

[Otto Puzzell]

Know what it is?

Please, respond below and let us know the make and model designation of the car posted here.

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[shamrock]

is it the gulf indy special?

[Tifosi]

That's Bill Taylor in the Rounds Rocket, a 1949 Indy car based on the prewar Auto Union.  It almost qualified, but was about a half MPH slow...the car was rather heavy.  It was beautifully constructed, and should be in the Speedway Museum, but it hasn't been seen since '49, at least not at the Speedway...it had a DeDionrear suspension and a transaxle that was derived from the FWD unit that powered the Welch Novis.  Just too heavy to handle well...there is brief footage of this car in the movie THE BIG WHEEL, which supposedly  took place during the '49 500.



Dan

[grobmotorix]

It reminded me of the Auto union Type D from the start, but the engine layout and the front end were different. The impact of the Auto Union design at the time is clearly visible.

The Rounds Rocket seemed to have been powered by a 4 cyl. Offenhauser engine. That would match with the car shown here.

[Otto Puzzell]

Kurtis-Offenhauser 'Rounds Rocket Special'

Apart from the Gulf-Miller a rather more handsome looking rear-engined car tried to qualify for the Indy 500 in the late forties - the Rounds Rocket Special driven by Bill Taylor, who did his rookie test in the radical car and was to become a Mobil racing director and NASCAR chief steward in later life. Despite its stunning looks it didn't make the race.