The Dixon’s Graphite Special Was Originally built by  Fred ‘SKINNY’ CLEMONS in 1927. 

It was raced under his owner-ship at various tracks in the Indiana, Illinois region by Benny Benfield, Joe Russo, Red Campbell and Bryan Saulpaugh.

 ‘The Bugatti Queen’ (in search of a motor-racing legend) by Miranda Seymour.

  This  book is the Biography of Hélène Delangle, a French racing driver who drove Bugattis, and was a part time exotic dancer.

 This book shows that Hélène Delangle came over to America in June 1927 to drive board track and sprint cars.

Whilst in the USA her manager was Ralph Hankinson who arraigned for her to drive

De Palma’s  ‘Miller’  and Hermann Schurch’s  Clemons special.

  On page 124  there is a photo of Hélène sitting in the Clemons car with ‘Fred’ skinny Clemons in the background.

Later owners and drivers were Jim and Hank Strube of Hanna City, Illinois.

The next two owners are unknown to us at this time ; all that is known is that they lived in Henry Illinois, and LaSalle, Illinois.

A further owner was Jim Ash of Wisconsin (A.A.R.A. founder member)

Next owner was AL Egelseer of Hustisford Winsconsin.

From the 1960,s until it was imported into the ‘UK’ car was through to have been kept in a small town museum on the East Coast.

The 'Clemons' chassis is fitted with Ford model 'A' front and rear axles fitted with Dayton center locking wire wheels. The original 'Dryer' body and 3-speed gearbox are still also part of the car.

Prior to the Strude family ownership the original Clemons overhead cam engine was replaced with the Lincki twin OHC engine. The front mounted oil tank was also removed and the front part of the chassis was modified.

The LINCKI engine was removed and sold to Henry Adamson of Chicago. 

The car was then  fitted with a ‘GEMSA’ engine fitted with twin Stromberg 48,s and a side drive WICO mag.

The original Clemons engine has been found and is to be rebuilt and put back in the car next year.

This is a chain drive single over head cam head with twin plug ignition, twin Winfield carb's, side mounted water pump and Mag Drive.

    The engine is no CM5. It is believed that only six 4 cylinder engines and two 8 cylinder engines were ever built.

This particular engine was found with help from two enthusiasts in the U.S.A

    Kem whom I have been corresponding with by e-mail over the last few years, who has been helping piece together the history of the Clemons 4 cylinder engine, and Jim who knew the engine existed but did not know about my quest for an engine. After seeing  of the engine, Jim agreed to buy it from the owner on my behalf, I then arraigned to fly over to Pittsburgh to view, pay  and then pack as many engine parts in my luggage as possible before return to England.

    Having worked out the flight times I was able to fly out of Birmingham U.K  first thing on a Saturday morning, fly to New York U.S.A and onto Pittsburgh by Saturday evening U.S local time 

    The next step was to meet Jim, see the engine which Jim had already dismantled & cleaned, pack it into my luggage, two cases each weighing just under the allowable load. Both of which were to go in the hold and one piece of hand luggage, which included the carb', inlet manifold, cam shaft, drive chain and engine back plate.

 Arriving back in the U.K for breakfast Monday I had completed a 10000 mile round trip with-out ever leaving any airport in the USA and then going  straight to my office ( engines still in my baggage ) for a full days work before finally arriving home, three days after leaving home but with the Clemons engine.

I  have now run the Clemons with the Gemsa engine fitted. Before starting the mammoth task of rebuilding and fitting the original Clemons engine. 

at this time the plan is to run the car at a VSCC sprint in October, and then plan for a full year of competition in 2009 .

Any information that helps fill in the gaps in the history of this 'Clemons' car which I am rebuilding.    Or in tracing the ORIGINAL RADIATOR COWL and any other surviving engine parts would be gratefully received.

History as known to me so far is as follows.

SKINNY Clemons was originally a shop welder and parts chaser for  the Chevrolet brothers (frontinac)

Clemons built both sprint and board-track racecars of his own design.

They were fitted with 8 and 16 valve overhead cam engines of his own design. An identification letter ‘C’ usually appears in front of the race No,s  on his cars.

in 1925 /1926 both Lou Schneider and Wilbur Shaw drove for him.

One group of  Sprint cars were built in 1927 using bodies by 'Pop' Dryer of Indianapolis.

He entered both 4 and 8 cylinder powered cars for the Indianapolis 500.

One car in 1927 driven by Wilber Shaw ( No 29)

0ne car in 1930 driven by Rick Decker ( No 48 ) Hoosier Pete special

Two  4-cylinder cars in 1931,  known  as the Hoosier Pete specials.

 Driven by Billy Winn  (No 55) and Herman Church (No10). 

One  8 cylinder cars was commissioned by a consortium of Indianapolis businessmen in the early 1930,s. 'Skinny Clemons ' assisted by Augie Duesenburg built the 8 cylinder 4.4 litre Clemons powered car for the Indianapolis 500. It was subsequently bought for European road racing by Count Trossi in 1933 the then president of Scuderia Ferrari. Trossi lent it to Whitney straight who ran it at Brooklands, lapping at 138.34 mph. At that time the car was known as the wonder bread special. Jack Duller subsequently brought it from Trossi. The car was eventually sold to Paul Emery who used the engine in the Emeryson special.

That car is now kept at the Brooklands museum after ‘Jenks’ managed to re-unite the car and engine.

In 1931 he used independent rear suspension on the cars entered for the 500 

In 1934 after building cars in Indianapolis, it is reported that 'skinny' Clemons moved to Miami Florida where he was planning to run midget cars. he formed a corporation for the control of cars and tracks and intended to lease race cars to the drivers. This has now been seen to be incorrect.

                    ^{'Judy Bodwell'}

^{the granddaughter of Fred Clemons  has generously granted me access to their Clemons family records.}

^{From where I have been able to compile the following.}

^{Born February 14  1889.}

^{He died at the family home  6138 Michigan road,  Indianapolis .}

^{after suffering a heart attack,  aged 55 on  February 10th  1945.}

^{He had been involved in   ‘6 ‘  Indy 500 miles speed races.}

^{He was racing prior to 1916.}

^{He started his  racing career as a race car designer by building two cars for the Mc Farland motor company in 1910.}

^{Lou Meyer,  Joe Russo, Wilber Shaw and many other top drivers  drove his cars.}

^{His last car was built for the Seagram distilling company in 1940.}

^{He held at least 5 /12   USA patents.}

^{The last eight years of his life were spent running}

^{‘Grand mothers kitchen’ restaurant  at 14 south capitol avenue, Indianapolis Whilst still building cars at home.}

^{At one time his workshop/ garage was situated  where the present ‘world war’ memorial site is now located.} 

^{He attended the Emmerich manual training school.}

^{Wife’s name                 Mrs   Mable A Clemons.              died in 1967.}

^{Daughter                      Mrs. Betty  Rust.                         died in  1987.}

^{Mother                         Mrs  Anna L  Clemons.}

^{Brother                         Mr Joseph N Clemons.}

^{They both lived in      Miami, Florida.}

^{His other Sister           Mrs. Alice Fichenor.                 lived in Greensburg Indiana.}

^{His funeral was held at the Charles R Howe funeral home}

^And

^{He is buried in the  South Park Cemetery Greensburg  Indiana.}

^{Both his Father and grand father bred and trained race horses.}

Again  any additional information regarding ‘skinny’ Clemons and any of his other cars would also be helpful with my research.