1959 SAAB Ice Racer Page 1 of 1

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This car is a custom built ice racer.

It has aluminum body panels and a steel tube and band steel chassis. There are two main tubes (approx. 6" dia.) running the length of the car. The windshield is off of a Bellanca airplane.

It is just like sitting in an airplane cockpit because the "door" to enter the driver's area is the left side window mounted on a piano hinge. The car is outfitted with a defroster.

One very interesting feature is the auxiliary brake. Someone took an old leaf spring and cut it in half. On one end they bent down the edge and cut teeth in it. On the other end it was mounted to the chassis of the car via the pivot. It was hooked up to a hydraulic pump that could be activated via a button and stick inside the cockpit. The "brake" was lowered to impact the ice as the car approached a turn and... "VIOLA!" an ice brake! It must have created an impressive display of ice and snow flung into the air. I suspect that being mounted on the left side it helped the car turn left too. Sadly, it was deemed illegal and could not be used in racing. It reportedly made it very easy to change the rear tires though.

John "Jake" Jacobson acquired the car from George Alderman who knew the person who built the car originally and drove it in a hillclimb or two. It was a package deal. Basically George said "If you tow it out of here you can have it."

It currently sits as you see it here, awaiting attention.

The car was owned, built, and driven by Al Stoudt. It was also driven by George Alderman.
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