Topic: Solved NIC#866 - 1916 Richard Special Indy race car

[nicanary]

What is this car?

[nicanary]

Experts?

[Fёdor]

made in Europe

[nicanary]

made in Europe

No.

[D-type]

Made in USA?

[nicanary]

Made in USA?

Yes.

[richard cuyler]

Has it got a V-engine, say a V8, or a big straight four?

[nicanary]

Has it got a V-engine, say a V8, or a big straight four?

My source does not say. I can tell you that it displaced 296ci.

[Fёdor]

 National

[nicanary]

 National

Not as well-known.

[nicanary]

Pros?

[Allan L]

Looks as if it's supposed to be a racing car so I'll ask if it was made by a recognised racing car maker.

[nicanary]

Looks as if it's supposed to be a racing car so I'll ask if it was made by a recognised racing car maker.

It was built to contest the Indy 500 but was a DNS. Not made by a recognised racing car manufacturer, but the builder is supposed to have had family who were.

[Allan L]

So it's 1911 or later then.

[nicanary]

So it's 1911 or later then.

Yes.

[Allan L]

I'll leave it to someone else (or just give up!) as I'm not much good at US cars that made it let alone those that didn't.

[FrontMan]

Perhaps this horrible-looking thing deserves a home in The Black Hole!  I found it on "The Old Motor" website tagged as a Richard Special, and stated to be of 296cu.in displacement. However, the bore and stroke are given as 3.75 and 8.937.  This would give 98.71cu.in per cylinder, and suggests that it was a THREE-cylinder engine.

[nicanary]

Perhaps this horrible-looking thing deserves a home in The Black Hole!  I found it on "The Old Motor" website tagged as a Richard Special, and stated to be of 296cu.in displacement. However, the bore and stroke are given as 3.75 and 8.937.  This would give 98.71cu.in per cylinder, and suggests that it was a THREE-cylinder engine.

That's right! I didn't actually calculate the displacement from the figures supplied so I hadn't realised the discrepancy!

The builder was Francis Richard (born Francois in France) who founded his automobile company in Cleveland, Ohio. It is claimed that he was the brother of George S Richard of Georges-Richard and Brasier fame, although there seems to be some doubt about this and he possibly claimed this association to enhance the credibility of his venture.

[Allan L]

Well done to find it!
296 cu.in. (4850 cc) doesn't seem much for a car of that size and apparant date.
That stroke figure seems most unlikely as (a) in the USA a round(ish) figure of inches would be used and 8.937 is not that.
and (b) had it had the French connection alleged a round(ish) figure of mm. would be used and 227 is not that.
moreover a bore:stroke ratio of 2.38 is getting on for Lion-Peugeot territory