Golden Submarine

Barney Oldfield and Harry Miller's first full-blown race car, the Golden Submarine. The theory was that the fully enclosed cockpit would protect the driver in the event of a rollover. When Oldfield almost drowned in the car after it plunged into an infield pond, the idea was scuttled. Oldfield had the top removed and the car was raced for several years in the 1920's. Oldfield campaigned this car in match races - most notably against Ralph DePalma - in 1918. Harry Miller would go on to become a dominant force in the Indianapolis 500 during the 1920's. As for Oldfield, he was winding down his driving career.

 

Read Sigur Whitaker's article about this historic car. Note, too, that David Adams of the Henry Miller Club shares the following comment: Not so sure that the Golden Submarine’s engine was based on Burman’s GP Peugeot…

Notes from Harry Miller Club. Burman commissioned Harry Miller to rebuild his GP Peugeot’s DOHC straight 8 after he blew it up at the Point Lona road race in 1915. Miller agreed on condition that he could build an entirely new engine based on the Peugeot’s architecture, which evolved into the Miller 183-double overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, barrel crankcase, etc., and was eventually further refined into the supercharged 122 and 91 cubic inch designs.
The Submarine used a single-cam inline four that really had nothing in common with the GP Peugeot design…FYI.
 
Notes from Bud Miller: One year..at the AACA..National Show at Hershey, Pa…one of the Replica Golden Submarines was entered as the Original race car...later the AACA Officals found out it was not the real one…since then they have required complete history on race cars…Floyd Trevis…had restored..the Len Sutton/Central Excavating…blue Offy #8…Watson Roadster for Bill Chapin…and..I..(Bud Miller)..Trevis then provided a letter to…AACA…and the car ..Won the…1st place trophy for… for race cars.

 

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