Indy Car History at Millers at Milwaukee Vintage Event

Automotive News

Indy Car History at Millers at Milwaukee Vintage Event

Story and Photographs by Mike Beckers

Last year the annual “Miller at Milwaukee” was quite a treat for everyone who attended. With its emphasis on the legendary Miller and other race cars of the twenties and thirties, it gives us a chance to travel back in time to a period when the mechanics had to install shields on the exhaust pipes to protect the driver’s elbows. A time when the tires were tall and thin and the steering wheels were so large that they made us think of saying “leave the driving to us”. The Derby-Miller

This year's event held at the famous Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin, July 8 and 9th was no different with many of the historic and beautiful creations of the great Harry Miller in attendance.

During the twenties and thirties the Miller race cars, in their various forms and especially the Miller engines, dominated professional racing in the United States. In their most famous, 91CID form, they were masterpieces of design and, while not perfect, represented the cutting edge of automotive design. In short, if you wanted to be the National Champion from the mid-twenties thru the mid-thirties, you had to have a car with the Miller logo on its radiator shell.

One of the standouts at this year’s event was a special Miller 91 CID front wheel drive car restored by Mitchell Rasansky. The car was originally assembled by Phil Shafer in 1927. It was to be campaigned at Indianapolis under AC Delco sponsorship. The car was built-up from parts obtained from one and possibly two, wrecked Miller 91s. The radiator shell and cowling is slightly taller on this car to improve cooling as the front mounted superchargers blocked air flow through the radiator. The car finished 6th at Indy in 1928 and 12th in 1929.

Two British gentlemen at the 1929 race were impressed by the car and purchased it to provide a vehicle for their driver, Gwenda Stewart. When the car arrived in Europe, she began to set speed records that stood for many years, topping out at 138mph. In 1931 she beat her own records and those in America in 5K, 5Mi and 10K sprints. By that time the speeds had risen to 142mph.

The engine crankcase split in 1931 and a new engine was built. The precise casting was done at a foundry named “Derby”, which is cast into the crankcase. Since then this car has been referred to as the Derby-Miller. At Monthlery in 1934 Gwenda set a lap record of 147.79mph. That record still stands. She later did a lap at the Brooklands course at 135.67mph, which also still stands.

Talk about the little car that could! To know something of the history of this car, and to be able to see and touch it, was quite an experience.

Besides the jewel-like Millers the event hosted some wonderful Watson roadsters and some Offy lay-down roadsters, even a Kurtis 500. Everyone in attendance had a great time and the folks who put on the show do a great job. If you can make it, this event is highly recommended. Maybe I’ll see you there next year.