Pictures relating to George Arents' racing

I have developed a thirst to learn more about what George raced. and his part in the Ferrari story ...slowly i am getting that together, with some help. I have very few photos and would like see if there are F-chatters who might be willing to share.

Of course all copyrights will be honored. If you would rather keep our conversation private, i respect that, and invite you to send me an email or PM...my contact info is all there.

Here's a synopsis that was shared with me (many thanks)

http://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/George-Arents-USA.html

~~~~~~~~~~~fingers crossed~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

just my newbie-ness showing :/


hmmm, for some reason I thought in that thread part of the addy dropped out

 

Merci beaucoups Francis! I have my grandfathers diecast model of this very car! i have often wondered the purpose of the piece of what looks like plexiglass, in front of the pilot on the bonnet.....my ponderings lead me to think it for aerodynamics- but what for? to keep bugs off the windscreen? or to settle down the rear wheels, keeping the rear of the car pushed down? am i even close?

here i go thinking again, is there any way to find out which pilot was driving the car when during the race?

 

merci Francis! that's what i thought was most likely.

my grandfather also spoke of requesting what was, at that time a non-stock 5-point restraint seat belt as opposed to the more typical lap belt...not for safety reasons relating to (God forbid) a crash, but to reduce fatigue on the drivers part......

any ideas out there as to what year the 5 point harness might have been originally available?

 

Good Mornin' Gramps Nice to meet you! Thank you immensely for sharing these photos, they are all new to me! Man, that 290MM is a beautiful machine! Were you there those years perhaps?

Good morning Bill the gearhead in me appreciates the detail of your answer, and loving it! Grumpy mentioned having the same concerns with some single engine aeroplanes he flew back in the 1940's, that as the 12 pistons made their cycle around, a small amount of sooted oil escaped...and made vision difficult if not impossible.
many thanks~

 

Hi Don! very intriguing point- thank you!

Francis- thank you for the clarification do you recognise the car in my brand new avatar?

It looks very much like him indeed- the Arents profile is pretty distinct What a great photo!!

 

Merci, merci beaucoups Antoine * *
Magnifique!

Seeing the leather bonnet buckles and straps reminded me og Grump talking about one race.....it had been raining during the day, and the Porsche's were having difficulty that day- it seems the differential housing was getting very very warm, and the rain splashing up from the road was cold enough ( and apparently a casting flaw)that the housing would crack and the car would be done. During that race, his car was challenging because the back end was 'loose',all day.....a pit was made in the middle of the night. The pt crew, in their haste ( and the dark) did not fasten the buckle properly (unbeknownst to the driver) and he took off into the dark night- the hood lifted a little, the ass-end settled down and they placed well!

the third photo also caught my eye! The two figures, just above the fellow in the red shirt- sitting on the wall- are my two Aunts. My Mom was present that day, but apparently was "not where she was supposed to be" when the photo was taken. Mom tells of Taffy Von Tripps warning her that her father was ticked off that she wasn't where she was supposed to be.....

I haven't stopped smiling all morning!

 

Merci Antoine Another gem unearthed! i had heard of the Clermont-Ferrand circuit, this is my first view of any race there.

Merci beaucoup pour vous aider et de l'interet!

L-

 

a friendly bump

 

I wish that there was a 'dusty box' in the attic! Grump was not one to save stuff- he liked living fully in the moment present....He had saved a few pieces of his memorabelia (sp?) and had them preserved in a shadow box frame....that a family member has.....I have his model replicas and the one photo he had on his library shelf. i wish i knew where THE steeringwheel went that used to be on his wall in the study.

I was with him when i saw my first Bugatti at Laguna Seca, with protruding metal eyes that the body panels were 'laced' together with wire.....when i have access to a scanner I'd be glad to share some of the pics! I knew that the evolution from exposed rivets to smooth body panels had happened- but that little piece of history was a real eye opener!

From what i can gather from talking to Mom- he wasn't racing for a title- he loved driving and having over -the- top cars, and would be intrigued by a tracks configuration and would decide to go there to investigate. So it's a challenge to figure out where he was when!