Beschreibung:

On the cover of the book American Sports Car Racing in the 1950s Masten Gregory rests a proprietary hand on the fender of Tony Parravano’s Ferrari 375 Plus while talking with Carroll Shelby at the Palm Springs races in December 1955. Intently adjusting something on the other side of the Ferrari’s big V-12 is Parravano’s mechanic, David Addison. What’s not apparent here is that David R. Addison was an accomplished road racer long before Parravano, Gregory or Shelby even began racing. His road to maintaining the Ferraris and Maseratis of Parravano was driven in this Ford-Auburn special which he built in his one car garage in Santa Monica. In a day when most young Southern Californians were building hot rods for the dry lakes, Bonneville, oval tracks and Indy, Addison was very different, having an image of a Jaguar SS100 in his mind and creating a near-duplicate from home-grown American parts. He then went on to drive it to the Monterey peninsula in 1950 where a group of enthusiasts were bent on holding a race within the exclusive confines of the Del Monte Forest near the Lodge at Pebble Beach. They came from all over the West Coast, not least another mechanic who had recently returned from his apprenticeship at the Jaguar factory in England with one of the new and exciting Jaguar XK 120 roadsters, Phil Hill. The Ford-Auburn raced throughout the West Coast for years. It is believed to be the only surviving veteran of all seven of the Pebble Beach Road Races from 1950 through the meeting’s demise after the 1956 race. Entered by Addison as a Ford-Auburn and by later owner Dr. Robert L. Louis as the “Louis Special,” it never could shake the name it got from its builder’s nickname, “Beezy” Addison, the “Beezymobile.” Dr. Louis raced it enthusiastically in many of the race meetings in California at places like Paramount Ranch, Torrey Pines and Golden Gate Park. Addison’s Ford Special began life as a 1933 Ford and still has its frame and front axle as well as the rear deck, part of the rear quarters and the internal firewall. The rear axle is from a ’40 Ford. The front brakes are big, from a 1941-48 Lincoln. Power comes from a 221 cubic inch 1937 Ford 21-stud flathead V-8 running aluminum Ford heads from Canada. Two Stromberg 97 carbs are mounted on a very rare Frieman intake manifold highlighted by its two brass balance tubes. A hot Isky 400 Jr. cam works the valves with aggressive timing that give the easy-starting flathead a fierce lope at idle and leaving onlookers without the slightest doubt that this is one hot motor. Drive is taken through a ’39 Ford gearbox with stock gears to a fairly aggressive rear gear of probably 3.7:1 ratio. It is in the bodywork and choice of the underlying pieces where Addison’s workmanship and design sense is particularly apparent. The long hood, short body proportions belies the short V-8 under the hood. Addison cut down the vee radiator shell from a Cord Front Drive L-29 and molded it smoothly into the hood. The sweeping fenders, running boards, dashboard and centerlock wire wheels (adapted to Ford hubs) are the Auburn part of the Special. The instruments are correct period Auburn replacement items with curved glass. Everything is done to standards of craftsmanship rarely seen on road racing specials and more appropriate to the show cars being assembled by California customizers. Even the body joints on the cowl were filled and smoothed until they were invisible. Addison built his own custom radiator to fit within the L-29 shell, welding his initials on it to identify his work. The carb air intake stacks and exhaust pipe tips both are crafted with folded lips. Rather than leaving even this unusual feature alone, Addison delicately shaped a point on one side of each lip. Addison raced the Ford-Auburn at Pebble Beach in 1950-52, then sold it to Dr. Louis who continued to race it from 1953 through 1956. Its history then becomes obscure although it pops up from time to time, its dramatic appearance too m