MTFCA Forum

The homemade “speedster” 8th photo from the top: does he even have a front spring ? And consider the combined effort of redesigning front axle parts necessary for that axle ‘dip’ to accommodate the hand crank. Wow !

George H, Those look like Laurel type "suicide brackets on the front axle. Similar brackets were made and sold by a few companies, however Laurel advertised heavily and is remembered for them. They became known as "suicide" brackets as they held the axle forward ahead of the spring and frame such that IF the bracket or bolts were to break at speed, the chassis would hit the ground and the result could be nasty. The fact is that they rarely ever broke.
One of my speedsters had a similarly "V-ed" front axle to clear the hand crank. It did not have Laurel type brackets, however another major lowering chassis mount that placed the axle very close to the hand crank. I had gotten a front axle that had been "V-ed" by cut and welding. I didn't like the look of the cut and welding on it, so I stuck one end of the axle in an industrial trailer tongue and then jumped up and down onto the other end of it! One of the welds broke, and one cracked slightly. So I ground them out and rewelded them myself. Again stuck one end into the trailer tongue and jumped even more and harder. So after confirming the axle was straight and everything in spec, I installed it and used it. I drove that car hard for several years (even once spinning donuts on asphalt with it just to see if the car could do it!).

Pic# 11, Flooding.
I would be willing to bet the city where the photo was taken, still has a flooding issue at that location!

#6 that driver is very short and possibly a couple of soldiers