Hisso Racing Cars
Page 1
1910 – 1931
“Most drivers of Hissos were known as ‘Hisso Chauffeurs’ because it took a special talent to drive one. The main reason was you had to keep the r.p.m.s up. Otherwise, it would take two or three laps to get them wound out again!” – Tom Delagrange, owner of the #100 Delagrange Hisso
Webmaster’s Note: Some of the “thumbnail” photographs on these web pages are links to other complete web pages on this web site with a number of additional photographs of the subject cars or drivers on those.
Voiture de Zuccarelli – #2 Coupe de l’Auto Hispano-Suiza – 1910
France –
Automanie.net |
#38 Hispano-Suiza – 1914
Three-litre Hispano-Suiza “Voiture de course dite, La Sardine, au meeting de Boulogne, Pilotée par Bertin.” – Automanie.net |
André Dubonnet – à la Coupe Georges Ballot – 1921
|
à Boulogne/Mer – Automanie.net |
Alastair Miller – #4 Wolseley Viper 1 – 1921
This British Wolseley Viper is the earliest known racing car to be powered by a Hispano-Suiza engine. It competed at the Brooklands racetrack in Surrey, England in 1921 and 1922 – The Brooklands Society collection |
André Dubonnet – #5 Hispano-Suiza – 1922
|
“au GP de Boulogne” – Automanie.net |
Alfieri Maserati – #5 Issotta–Franchini Special – 1922
This may be the first known racing car to be powered by a four-cylinder Hisso engine although it is not known if it predates the #6 Kennedy Dynamite Hisso to claim that honor – The Roaring Twenties by Cyril Posthumous |
Earl Vance – #6 Kennedy Dynamite Hisso – Early 1920’s
Earl Vance drove this Hisso for owner Ralph Kennedy of Philadelphia, PA It is not known if this car predates the #5 Issotta-Franchina Special to be the first known car to be powered by a four-cylinder Hisso Engine – Jeff Adams collection |
Walter Lezotte – #37 Shiesser Hispano-Suiza – 1922
Walter J. “Ruff” Lezotte is shown here in the car in which he lost his life in a crash at Allentown, PA on September 23, 1922 – September, 1922 Allentown, PA newspaper clipping from the Jeff Adams collection |
Larry Beals – #31 Beals Hispano-Suiza – Early 1920’s
Larry Beals utilized the full 719 cu. in. Hispano-Suiza V-8 engine in this early racing car – Larry Beals collection |
Tom Homan – #44 Hispano-Suiza – Early 1920’s
Tom Homan in an early Hispano-Suiza powered racing car – Dana M. Lowe collection |
Larry Beals – #37 Beals Hispano-Suiza – 1923
Larry Beals utilized the full 719 cu. in. Hispano-Suiza V-8 engine in this early racer. The car was described as being ugly and hard to handle. The #6 car lined up next to Beals is the Kennedy Dynamite Hisso – Larry Beals collection |
André Dubonnet – #1 – 1924
“a la Targa Florio” – Automanie.net |
Larry Beals – #6 Kennedy Dynamite Hispano-Suiza – 1924
Larry Beals drove the Kennedy Dynamite Special in an AAA sanctioned race at Bass Park in Bangor, ME – Leland Gohlike collection |
Larry Beals – #24 Beals Hispano-Suiza – 1924
Larry Beals utilized the full Hispano-Suiza V-8 engine in this early racer – Jeff Adams collection |
Don Harkness – Harkness Hispano-Suiza Minerva – 1925
Don Harkness in his Hispano-Suiza V-8 powered Minerva on Gerringong Beach, New South Wales, Australia right after a run through the measured mile there at an average speed of 107.14 MPH on October 17, 1925. Harkness reached a top speed of 120 MPH during these land speed trials sanctioned by the RACA – From the book Half A Century of Speed - Australia |
Lou Scheibell – #150 Scheibell Special – 1926
The 150 h.p. Model-A Hispano-Suiza airplane engines were called A150’s for short. This is probably how the car number on the Scheibell Special was derived. This car later became the Superior Special |
#V-7 Hispano-Suiza – Late 1920’s
The engine in this car appears to be the full size V-8 Hispano-Suiza enginee but nothing more is know about this car. Please contact Bob Lawrence at sprintguy @ cox.net if you know anything more about this car or the other racing cars in the background at left in the picture – Jeff Adams collection |
#c-100 Howe Hisso – 1928
The driver is unidentified in this publicity shot of the Howe Hisso that appeared in a newspaper ad touting an upcoming race at Decatur, IL on May 27, 1928. The car was owned by W. T. “Bill” Howe of St. Louis, MO. According to pre-race publicity, a potential driver being considered to drive the car at Decatur was Art “Dode” Withrow of St. Louis – Decatur Review newspaper |
Arthur “Art” Withrow – #100 Howe Hisso – 1928
Arthur “Art” Withrow (a.k.a. “Dode” Withrow), left, of Glencoe, MO drove this car for owner Bill Howe. The man seated on the rear tire at right is Merle B. Lemcke of Vinita Park, MO – Jeff Adams collection |
Abe Scruggs – #2 Nelson Special – 1928
Abe Scruggs drove this bobtail Hisso owned by August Brunke of Excelsior Springs, MO. That is the Superior Special Hisso visible at left in the photo – August Brunke photo |
Wilson Pingrey – #100 Howe Hisso – 1929
The Bill Howe Hisso from St. Louis was one of the first, if not the first Hisso to use a custom crankcase rather than the unreliable stock airplane case. This car started showing up in race results in 1927 and 1928. Shown in this 1929 photo is Wilson Pingrey who crashed with John Gerber on August 17, 1929 at the Illinois State Fair. Pingrey was seriously injured and retired from driving – Larry Sullivan photo |
Clay Corbitt – #5 Howe Hisso – 1929
This car was built by Bill Howe in 1929 specifically to race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway but the actual racing history of the car when it was owned by Howe is unknown. The car is different in many ways from the other Howe Hissos. Howe changed the car to #35 before he sold it to Clarence Delagrange in 1939. Please contact Bob Lawrence at sprintguy @ cox.net if you know anything about the history of this car during the period it was owned by Howe – Wassi collection |
“Ducky” Scott – #1434 Superior Special – 1929
Alfred “Ducky” Scott of Topeka, KS is shown here in the Superior Special Hisso that Mack McAnally, Wendell Sparling, and Tom Murie also raced in Kansas. The photo was taken in front of the Superior Garage in Winfield, KS and the four diget car number was also the telephone number for the Superior Garage – Larry Sullivan collection |
Lou Fenno – #100 Howe Hisso – 1930
Lou Fenno with the #100 Howe Hisso at Vincennes, IN on May 11, 1930 – Jeff Adams collection |
“Wild Bill” Cummings – #100 Howe Hisso – 1931
“Wild Bill” Cummings drove the #100 Howe Hisso in 1931 – Larry Sullivan photo |
Bob Carey – #100 Howe Hisso – 1931
Bob Carey in the Howe Hisso at Cedar Rapids, IA – Roy Eaton collection |
Dick Glover – #1 Glover Hisso – 1931
Dick Glover of Benton, IL in a car he built in 1931. This car later became the #1 Davis Hisso and still later it was raced at the #35 Snell Hisso – Glover family collection |
Bryan Saulpaugh – #100 Howe Hisso – 1931
In 1931 and 1932, Bryan Saulpaugh from Taylor Ridge, IL drove for Bill Howe who
is shown here leaning on the car. Bryan had the required driving style
to get the big Hisso up front – Larry
Sullivan photo |
To go on to page 2: Hisso Racing Cars 1932 - 1934 |
To go on to page 3: Hisso Racing Cars 1935 - 1937 |
To go on to page 4: Hisso Racing Cars 1938 - 1939 |
To go on to page 5: Hisso Racing Cars 1940 - 1947 |
To go on to page 6: Hisso Racing Cars 1948 - 1959 |