I was sitting comfortably amongst blankets and a beaver pelt on Sid’s living room couch, visiting with Jill. She pours us a warm cup of tea and we chat about their winter plans in Arizona.
I take a moment to ask Sid what we should write about next for What’s Up Yukon. He jumps up and points directly behind me. I look through the foggy window and past the rain and trees and there sat a shell of a car – a race car.
What in the world? I asked where he got it from.
“Ron, who rents out at John’s, he had it. It’s a 1950s Sprint race car. It used to have a 6-cylinder Chevy motor in it. The drive train is from a 1939, maybe ’40, no, a ’39 Ford.”
I asked what a drive train is.
“It’s the rear axle and tranny. This car has parts from everything!” Sid was so excited to show off his new car that we ventured outside in the light rain to take a closer look.
It was obviously missing a seat… doors… motor… and steering wheel. However, the skeleton still very much looked like a race car. Its fat, deflated tires were still attached.
“Those are two-piece magnesium wheels. They’re lightweight and strong.”
Sid moves towards the front of the car.
“It has adjustable suspension for around corners. See, look here.” Sure enough the entire suspension could be adjusted to assist the car with turning a continuous corner.
I wanted to know a little bit more about the race car’s history so I reached out to Ron Maclellan, a collector, mechanic, and the previous owner of the race car.
“I bought it off a friend of mine and it went through several hands before I got it. It was built to race at KARA [Klondike Auto Racing Association] speedway, here in town.” As a child I remember going to the speedway to drive go-carts and watch mud bogging.
The area is still used by recreational drivers today.
“I welcome everyone to come and have a look, it’s certainly one of a kind. Made specifically for racing.”
Join us before the snowfalls and see the speedway race car for yourself!
