Although no Holden-badged models were sold in the U.S., several vehicles made it to the states and were badged as the Pontiac G8 and the Chevrolet SS, but GM shuttered the brand in 2020. Launched in 1856 in Australia as a saddlery brand, Holden later began to build cars and became a subsidiary of GM in 1931. The logo’s four directional arrows represent innovation and adventure (outside arrows) and being inspiring and inviting to all (inside arrows). Represented by the R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV, these all-electric vehicles are manufactured in Indiana. The wonderfully authentic and beautifully restored Lucenti Special is truly an extraordinary member of this elite group.Beginning in late 2021, the first models sporting a Rivian emblem will take to the road. Resplendent in the livery of its 1934 Indy race configuration, the restored Lucenti Special made a class-winning debut at the 2010 Amelia Island Concours.Īmong the very small number of early '30s Junk Formula Indy cars built, few survive. The custom-made four-carb manifold still contributes to the car's performance-and it looks great, too. The veteran racer was remarkably intact-its aluminum body, wire wheels and power team were original, with only the missing exhaust system and deteriorated upholstery having to be recreated. In 2006, the Lucenti Special passed at auction to a new owner, who immediately commenced a full and proper restoration. He fixed it up a bit, painted it white.and kept if for 55 years. A pioneering collector saved the still quite complete car from further deterioration when he bought it soon after. About that time, it was donated to an orphanage, where it became a playground diversion for the children. The Graham may have been raced at regional events as late as 1950. Painter took the wheel himself the next day, but couldn't find the speed needed to qualify. Driver Herschell McKee spun out and smacked a wall during qualifying, resulting in minor damage to the car. Roy Painter brought the Graham-powered racer, renamed the Frigenor Special, to Indy for a final shot at glory in 1935. The Lucenti Special was also running eighth at Syracuse that year when a bearing failed, ending the car's 1934 campaign. An eighth-place showing followed at Springfield, Illinois. Starting mid-field on race day, the Graham was piloted at first by Ardinger, and later by Danny Day, to a quite respectable tenth-place finish. With driver Herb Ardinger at the wheel and Eddie Shearn again serving as riding mechanic, the #24 Lucenti Special qualified at 111.722mph. Lucenti returned to Indy in 1934, entering the Graham under his own name. The saga of the sleek Graham open-wheel racer wasn't finished, though. A subsequent attempt to field the car at Syracuse was also not successful. Unfortunately, the car failed to qualify. The Pittsburgh partners completed their car in time for the 1932 Indy 500, entering it as the Lupasa Special-'Lupasa' being an amalgamation of the first letters of their surnames. Its "banjo frame" design permitted the rear axle housings to pass through the frame sides, and that-combined with front and rear leaf springs mounted alongside, instead of under, the frame rails-enabled an exceptionally low center of gravity. The low-slung Blue Streak chassis was well suited for a competition car. They chose a Graham Blue Streak Eight chassis as the basis for their 'special.' The Graham's 265cid L-head straight-eight engine received a high-lift cam, enlarged valves, and a custom-made manifold carrying four Winfield Model SR carburetors. Saunders banded together to construct a home-built Indy contender in 1932. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania racing enthusiasts Angelo Lucenti, Roy W. A stopgap solution was the so-called "Junk Formula," which, from 1930 to 1935, opened Indy to relatively economical "specials" based on modified stock passenger-car chassis, with engines of up to 366 cubic inch displacement. The expensive custom-crafted Miller and Duesenberg powered racecars that had dominated Indy in the 1920s were aging, and little money was available to engineer replacements. In 1930, the Indianapolis 500 was facing unique challenges in the midst of a burgeoning global financial depression.
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