Creating The Monster

[JohnM]

Originally Posted by whulsey

were switched to Chevrolet in late 1952 for a little project now called the 'small block Chevy'.

I've got the 3.5 lt derivative of one o' them in my Range Rover. Luuurverly motor, and the bestest burble in town., but it's only got two carbs on it. I wanted to put a four barrel Holley on it, but at 17 mpg and the price of petrol now, I guess LPG makes more sense. Ain't got room to wind it up to any speed round here anyways. It's mostly used in low range off road now, but it's the only mudplugger round here that can do 100+mph as well.

[1950lemans]

deleted post

[1950lemans]

Originally Posted by airdave

Fascinating story...but that has to be the ugliest race car I have ever seen! LOL

That front end is anything but aerodynamic!
And with the damage to the left headlamp, it must have been like driving a brick into the wind!!



I'd say the biggest reason it has not been modeled, is because it is basically unknown.
I've been interested in Motor Sports all my life and never seen or heard of it.
I'm no expert, by far, but you'd think I would have come across it at least once.

One race and not even a top ten finish...thats probably why its so obscure.

NO...Canadian built would not make it any more interesting to me.
I grew up in Canada because thats where my parents put me.
I didn't ask for it.
I don't embrace it.
I never enjoyed it.
I may be as Canadian, as the next Canuck...but I am NOT into Canadian things per se.

LOL I am also not a fan of Caddies! LOL
...except for those LMP cars.

Is there anything more interesting about this car?
Other than its peculiar lines and shape.
Tell me it set some sort of record?
It doesn't look like a difficult KoolWheelz model.

The front end damage did not come from ditching in a sandpit. When Briggs unloaded the cars from the ship they were not put on transporter vehicles. He drove them on street roads to Le Mans. Lo and behold he got into a traffic accident! They did a quick patch job to get the car race ready.
I don't remember where he had it done but the car was aerodynamically tested and it was deemed efficient enough.

[1950lemans]

Originally Posted by whulsey

Its a pretty well know car in Le Mans and sports car history. By the way it was aluminum bodied and not fiberglass. I saw the car several times when the Cunningham Museum was still open in Costa Mesa. Would love a 1/25-24 model of it. Has been done in 1/43 and I think there was a 1/18 die cast of it.

1950 Cadillac Le Monstre (Monster) - Conceptcarz

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012...ns-again/?_r=0

The Revs Institute | 1950 Cadillac Series 61, Le Mans “LeMonstre”

I stand corrected. Thanks.

[1950lemans]

Cadillacs were a big player at Le Mans in the 1950s believe it or not.
BUT (there's always a "but"), it was their engines that were in the races, not the Cadillac car itself.
In the 1950 race, where Le Monstre appeared, a Cadillac-engine British Allard took third place. Tom Cole, a British guy, did his racing under an American license. He was the one who started to put Caddy engines into Allards and they were formidable throughout the 1950s American road racing circuits. Cole did a lot of his racing in the USA.
The last half hour of the 1950 race, the Allard overtook a British racing car called the Healey which was powered by a six banger, Nash Rambler engine. Healeys would be built with Nash engines until 1954 when Nash got out of the racing business. Healey then switched to the British Austin engine and the famous Austin Healeys were born.
Gorgeous car but they never did as good as the Nash-Healeys did at Le Mans.
Here's a picture of the 3rd place Cadillac-powered Allard.

[1950lemans]

Third place Allard #4

[1950lemans]

4th place Nash-Healey #14.