This is the 1949 Snowberger-Offy Indianapolis '500' Roadster, engine number 130, a very interesting machine that utilizes a chassis designed and created by American racecar driver and owner, Russell Snowberger, and an engine from Meyer-Drake Offenhauser, also known as a Offenhauser Racing Engine, or an Offy. The ‘Offy’ engine, which was first created in the early 1930s, was an overhead cam monoblock 4-stroke internal combustion engine that was developed by machinist and self taught automotive engineer, Fred Offenhauser alongside American race car designer and builder, Harry Miller. This racing engine dominated American open wheel racing for over 50 years, and is still even popular to this day. The engine was brought to life with the help of draftsman, mechanical engineer and automobile designer, Leo Goossen. In the year 1946, the design for the engines, along with the name, Offenhauser, was sold off to American Hall of Fame race car driver, Louis Meyer and Dale Drake, one of the sons of J.A. Drake & Sons, the manufacturers of Jadson valves. Together, the duo formed the Meyer-Drake Engineering Company, and their further refinements to the ‘Offy’ engine left it to be nearly invincible to competition. The car shown here today is a true Meyer-Drake Offenhauser-tuned, 350hp DOHC inline-four cylinder-engined car which is fed by a Hilborn fuel-injection system. The car shown here was driven by American race car driver George Lynch during two Indianapolis 500 qualifying attempts in 1950 and 1951, after being entered into the competition by racing aficionado Louis Rassey. The car was sponsored by Automobile Shippers, Inc., a Michigan manufacturer of twin-engined trucks for the Army and the Corps of Engineers, and therefore, is wearing it’s period correct orange livery, the same one it dawned in 1950 and 1951 during it’s qualifying attempts.
How many made? One-of-a-kind
Engine: Meyer-Drake Offenhauser-tuned, 350hp DOHC inline-four cylinder
Debut: Indianapolis 500 qualifying attempt, 1950
Top Speed: n/a
0-60mph: n/a
Photo Credit: @am_media_ny
Research: @rarecarsonly