1967 Gerhardt Ford for sale

[rjbh20]

Nice looking car, though I don't recall seeing it in this livery in 1967. And it would have stood out -- anyone able to confirm?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=271362050373

[editor]

Perform a search for Al Miller's Walter Weir-entered Cleaver-Brooks Gerhardt-Ford from the 1967 Indianapolis 500 for more. Miller started the 500 last and finished 28th.

Miller and Rollie Beale each ran some practice in the Weir entry at the Speedway the following year.

[mearsgang]

A bit more history would include the car being entered originally for Lorenzo Bandini, who was fatally injured that May at Monaco.

[editor]

A few other tidbits include:

-- Bill Cheesbourg was announced as Lorenzo Bandini's replacement.

-- The Gerhardt's checkerboard pattern livery resembles the Croat coat of arms.

-- At 43, Al Miller was the oldest driver in the 1967 500.

-- Miller bumped Jim Hurtubise.

[cheeseczar]

Not fond of the paint but I love the looks of the cars from around then.

[jnormanh]

Nice looking car, though I don't recall seeing it in this livery in 1967. And it would have stood out -- anyone able to confirm?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI...m=271362050373

Yes, that's just how the car ran in '67. Clearly shown in the starting lineup in Popely's book.

[rjbh20]

Yes, that's just how the car ran in '67. Clearly shown in the starting lineup in Popely's book.

Thanks. Guess my attention was focused on the front of the field. My first 500, and probably the most interesting field of cars & drivers ever put together. 1968 a close second.

[MD-IRLFAN]

The pre-wing rear engine era is my favorite.

[rjbh20]

And speaking of 1967, the attached is some great detail of that year, I believe furnished by the Speedway to the press. Imagine -- 90 entrants, 21 different chassis, 12 different engines (including the previously noted turbo-Rambler inline six), six current or future World Driving Champions & 10 current or future 500 winners, several with multiple wins. And the turbine, of course.

And today we see 33 hideously ugly clones droning around the track in unison, changing tires every 20 laps & waiting for the last lap crash. Yawn.

1967. What a great time to be a racing fan. Never to be repeated.

http://indianapolismotorspeedway.com:8080/var/assets/1967.pdf

[1969FIRST500]

Love seeing the 10 lap summaries of the 67 race.

Lap 80


Foyt
Parnelli
Pollard
Al Unser
Dennis Hulme
Jackie Stewart
Mel Kenyon

[jnormanh]

http://indianapolismotorspeedway.com...ssets/1967.pdf

As you said, all sorts of innovation - some successful, some not. Six former/current/future F1 champs. Seventeen bumps during qualifying. Jones made running in front look easy, but behind him it was dog-eat-dog among the best of the best. Half the field, and they were good drivers, were in over their heads. That was racin', boys.

Woo-hoo!

[1969FIRST500]

And speaking of 1967, the attached is some great detail of that year, I believe furnished by the Speedway to the press. Imagine -- 90 entrants, 21 different chassis, 12 different engines (including the previously noted turbo-Rambler inline six), six current or future World Driving Champions & 10 current or future 500 winners, several with multiple wins. And the turbine, of course.

And today we see 33 hideously ugly clones droning around the track in unison, changing tires every 20 laps & waiting for the last lap crash. Yawn.

1967. What a great time to be a racing fan. Never to be repeated.

http://indianapolismotorspeedway.com...ssets/1967.pdf

I think 67 was one of the best lineups ever, two years before my first race, but WOW.

Sadly, with as much innovation as you note, there is always the bad side to every year and scenerio, and for me it is the fact that second place finished two lpas down, and 10th place 11 laps down. Attrition was high, less than 10 finishers. For a lot of years after that race, you had a few teams with new equipment, and a lot of guys who had put together cars from pieces of cars that were 2-4 years old and who had zero chance to win the race. Add to that the fact that almost 20 percent of the field that year would lose their life racing, and my point is simply sometimes age makes things look better than they were, because we don't remember the bad.

Just like in 30 years I won't remember anything from last year except an exciting finish with TK getting his first win.

[PHJIndy]

My favorite Indianapolis 500 will be the 2014 Indianapolis 500!:I500

[Rick Jones]

1967 was my first race. I was nine. We sat at the very south end of Tower Terrace and I checked out each car carefully as they were pushed out of the pits to the starting line. The Miller car with its checkered design stuck out in my mind because it was so unique. I was heart broken that we had to go home after only 19 laps. The rain postponement was hard to comprehend as a nine year old. From memory, I drew the entire starting field that night. I was so pumped about going to the 500, drawing the cars that night eased my anxiousness of returning to the track the next day.
I seem to remember that Al Miller was clean shaven bald in 1967 and he got some razzing from the PA announcers as being the Ajax soap jeanie. By todays standards he would have been trendy, but this was 1967 and the Beatles and long hair was becoming the fad of the day.

[grogg]

1967 was my first race. I was nine. We sat at the very south end of Tower Terrace and I checked out each car carefully as they were pushed out of the pits to the starting line. The Miller car with its checkered design stuck out in my mind because it was so unique. I was heart broken that we had to go home after only 19 laps. The rain postponement was hard to comprehend as a nine year old. From memory, I drew the entire starting field that night. I was so pumped about going to the 500, drawing the cars that night eased my anxiousness of returning to the track the next day.
I seem to remember that Al Miller was clean shaven bald in 1967 and he got some razzing from the PA announcers as being the Ajax soap jeanie. By todays standards he would have been trendy, but this was 1967 and the Beatles and long hair was becoming the fad of the day.

My first as well. I sat across the track a little North of the Paddock. Wally Dallenbach broke the u-joint and crashed in front of us. I was pumped as well but was bummed because it was the first rainout in a long time. We alway's called Al Miller Mr. Clean after the floor cleaner guy. The only ones I can remember that were clean shaven at the time were Yul and Telly.