Topic: #2601 - Yosemite Ranger F. S. Townsley/Guz Petzel/“4-cylinder home-made product”

[Otto Puzzell]

For one point: who are those guys, and where was the picture taken?

An unmolested picture will be added when the puzzle is complete.

[Otto Puzzell]

Up

[D-type]

Bloody Mary ?

[Otto Puzzell]

I never drink before noon!

The car is not Bloody Mary

[richard cuyler]

1926 and a baby racing machine built by Gus Petzel, pictured in Yosemite with a massive ranger standing over the car. Popular Science, February 1926, had an article with the headline:

 'MIDGET RUNS 52 MILES ON A GALLON OF GAS:     

A baby automobile, no longer than a man is high, pulled into Washington DC recently and sailed up to the Capitol, the end of a Transcontinental tour from San Fransisco. Its driver, Gus Petzel, of Alameda, California, was also the designer of the sturdy little machine that scooted over mountains and deserts that bother cars five times its size. It has a four cylinder, air-cooled motor, nine speeds, electric lights and starter and is equipped with airplane tires. The wheelbase measures 60 inches and the car weighs 560 Pounds. It can make a sped of 80mph on the track, it is claimed and 65 on the road. After reaching Washington, the designer demonstrated that his unique little car could travel 52 miles on a gallon of gasoline.'

[Otto Puzzell]

That's some impressive sleuthing, or an A+ memory! Either way, locked for you to provide the rest of the answer (need both fella's names)

Here's a clean pic of the car:

[richard cuyler]

Gasp! You don't want much, do you?!    Presumably the chap in the car is Gus Petzel, but I can't find anything about the big fellow's name.   

By the way, it was a combination of sleuthing and memory that got me the details, although the closeness of the name Petzel to the word pretzel did help me to recall some of the details.

[Otto Puzzell]

You can take all the time you need. Diligent Googling of the information you've already found should turn it up.

[richard cuyler]

My dear wife is up in arms about me wasting so much time on the 'net trying to locate AutoPuzzles info. There's a growing list of things I have to do round this old house, none of which have been attended to...until now, that is: After a long (and interesting) time scratching round, I can finally carry on with my assigned tasks, because I have at last located the name of the big bloke in this shot:It's Ranger Townley.

I hope to heavens this finally gets me the point. Otto. I can't take any more ear-bashing.

[Otto Puzzell]

Well done, sir!