Auto Enthusiast March 2012 has an article on the Justice Brothers Racing Cars musuem, and the Smith Master Valve Special...

 I learned that the above, a Sprint Car built in the very early 1930's was only raced once, at 100mph for 35 miles, and then sat in a San Antonio garage for 51 years. That is a terribly sad story.

The engine is a 1928 Chevy, but the head is a patented Rotary Valve piece, and that is remarkable. More jaw dropping is that it was made by a guy who got only to 5th grade in school.

the Firestone balloon tires have no tread.

images from http://www.streetrodderweb.com/features/1002_justice_brothers_racing_museum/photo_07.html

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The coolest hot rod trophy I've ever seen. Wow. My compliments to the creator, and the Helldivers CC for giving it to a hot rodder of their choice.

 I see a cocktail shaker, fuel filter, half a fule pump, wingnut steering, hinge seat, headlight glass for the dome, 3 thermostats, a couple taps and sockets, tail light, and chrome trim

Is this not the coolest car parts art / hot rod trophy you've seen? I've seen similar art sell for thousands. 

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The coolest things I found at the 2012 Grand National Roadster Show, #1 - Erik Salin's "California Color" Kustom Kulture and electric guitar fusion

http://eriksalin-art.com/guitares/guitars.html

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1923 Avoin Voisin factory research race car, the C6 Laboratoire, simply a most amazing innovative and obscure try at a racecar from airplane engineers

 Quite odd looking, maybe the strangest I can recall ever seeing

 Why it has a prop on the nose, I'd only guess that it's for airspeed. Boardtrackfan commented that he thinks its for a water pump

 and I was astonished to see it has the actual "Windscreen" that I've only heard of but never seen before

Click on the above gauges and get a good look at the full size... those are pretty unusual

 and a square-ish steering wheel... boardtrackfan reminded me that this isn't so uncommon, it's so the driver has a better view when driving straight, and more legroom

  here is the big indication of the aeroplane style engineering they brought to their race car... cable brakes. But not connected to the brake pedal, this is independant front and back brakes for a racing advantage

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