Author Topic: Mormon Meteor III  (Read 3026 times)

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Offline arieb

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Mormon Meteor III
« on: August 15, 2018, 06:36:09 AM »
Hi all, I am hoping to get some historical facts straight on the Mormon Meteor III.

1) I know in July 1939, on trials as well as record runs MM III had the exhaust manifold, and in 1940 when the car was sponsored by Gilmore Oil and Kendall it still had the exhaust manifold!
There are a number of pictures where the date is given as 1939 with the 12 individual exhaust pipes right and left, but I am wondering whether that is an error as I also have seen a newspaper article on the August 1939 runs still mentioning the exhaust manifold! Does anyone have definite information on this?

2) In 1940 MM III was sponsored by Gilmore Oil (it had the Gilmore Lion on the side of the car) as well as Kendall Oils for Lubrication. I have seen picture of the car with both these on, but the Kendall emblem/logo on the car is very small and other than "Kendall" and "Lubrication" the text is not really legible though I think at the top it says "Mormon Meteor III". I am looking for a close-up picture of this badge so I can read what it says! Anyone?

3) The car has been displayed in the Utah State Capitol a number of times: from 1943 to 1949 in the original orange and blue with the red stripe, then from 1951 onwards in the D-X Oil colours of light beige and orange-red, and then again after Marvin Jenkins restored the car. I am looking for pictures of the car in the D-X colours when it had a different text on the door from what it said between 1943 and 1949, and also it had a large Flinco sticker/badge on the right and a smaller one on the left. Here also I am looking for a clearly legible picture of these logo's.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Arie



Offline floydjer

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Re: Mormon Meteor III
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2018, 08:49:52 AM »
Like so ?
I`d never advocate drugs,alcohol,violence or insanity to anyone...But they work for me.

Offline WOODY@DDLLC

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Re: Mormon Meteor III
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2018, 09:22:29 PM »
All models are wrong, but some are useful! G.E. Box (1967) www.designdreams.biz

Offline arieb

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Re: Mormon Meteor III
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2018, 05:14:37 AM »
Thanks Floydjer, that is the D-X sponsored car as it ran on the Salt Flats, and I have got all the information on that one. After the 1951 runs the car was again displayed in the Utah State Capitol, and some more and different decals/logo's were put on the car. Flinco was a gasoline distributor for D-X gasoline, but also had their own brand "Flinco Meteor gas" and "Flinco Gasoline" (or sold D-X gasoline under those names (I am not certain). There were also other "stickers" and logo's on the displayed car and unfortunately most not really visible/legible on the pictures I was able to find.


See here: https://www.ebay.nl/itm/Vintage-Mormon-Meteor-Racing-Car-Postcard-Driver-Ab-Jenkins-Salt-Lake-City-Utah/302798640754?hash=item4680349672:g:8uAAAOSwZoZaVE6E

I am looking especially for pictures of the car on display in the capitol to get a clear view of these "decals" (in those days they were usually painted on).

Woody@DDLLC thanks, but I have got the "Boys from Bonneville" DVD and watched the YouTube footage I could find already. I have also browsed the archives at the  Utah Department of Heritage and Arts as well as at the J. Willard Marriott Library of the UoU and have found answers to some of my questions, but not yet the ones I listed.


I did find a picture of the elbow of the manifold exhaust being repair-welded on the Salt Flats in August 1939, so I am fairly certain now that the exhaust was the manifold in 1939 (both July and August)  and 1940. I am assuming - and would still like a confirmation - that when MM III was sold to the State of Utah and displayed from 1943 it had the 12 exhaust pipes on both sides. I am certain that it had that type of exhaust in 1949, 1950 and 1951 when the car was at Bonneville.


Thanks for the help, but more info needed!
 
« Last Edit: August 16, 2018, 08:01:38 AM by arieb »

velocity

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Re: Mormon Meteor III
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2018, 03:48:38 PM »
you would doubtless find a good shot in the Utah Historical archive. There are plenty of photos form when the car was on display in the capital bldg.
Another source is the University of Utah Marriott Library special collections  dept.

Offline Robert Rampton

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Re: Mormon Meteor III
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2018, 05:34:08 PM »
Another source would be me.  I have already sent Arie some images that might be useful.
Happily afflicted with salt fever since 1988.

Offline arieb

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Re: Mormon Meteor III
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2018, 08:30:09 AM »
Hi Velocity!
I have scrolled through the archives of the Utah Historical Society - Department of Heritage and Arts as well as the J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah, and have indeed found a lot of great pictures!
In some cases the online version had a watermark and was relatively low resolution, but I have in the meantime had higher resolution digital copies.

The point is that, as usual, once I got more information and some questions were answered, there were further and different questions that I am looking for answers for.
I have most of the answers I was looking for through the help of the UoU J. Willard Marriott library, but browsing contemporary newspapers has also helped.

Hi Robert,
Anything that would help is very welcome, but I have not (yet) seen your images.
Did you send those to my email adress?




Offline Robert Rampton

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Re: Mormon Meteor III
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2018, 09:51:38 PM »
Arie -
I did attempt to send to your e-mail, but, of course, I goofed it up.  But somebody got em.  I have corrected my mistake and resent.  Hope they are useful.
Bob.
Happily afflicted with salt fever since 1988.

velocity

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Re: Mormon Meteor III
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2018, 10:22:36 PM »
AH YES. . . I had forgotten the great Mormon Oracle inhabiting the corporeal form of Robert Rampton. . . .

Please forgive me.

Offline arieb

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Re: Mormon Meteor III
« Reply #9 on: August 20, 2018, 05:45:26 AM »
Hello Bob,

I got them alright now!
Very helpful and much clearer than what I had before.

I am happy to be getting closer to identifying all the bits and pieces.

At the moment I am still looking for a confirmation on 2 logos that were on the left side of MM III in the Utah State Capitol (on the top of your picture #3) there is one above the Champion logo, and the other one is between the Champion and the Kiwani's logo. I have tried to read both, but unsuccessfully so far. Maybe you can see it better on the original pictures?

The final one I am looking for is of the Mormon Meteor in 1940 where a Kendall emblem is between the Gilmore Lion and the Ab Jenkins name.
I have asked the Utah Historical Society if it would be possible to have a high resolution digital copy of the picture where this logo is best visible (though unfortunately only partially legible), but still awaiting a reply.


Thanks everybody!