Bruce May's DB1

[Chris Robson]

Good afternoon everyone,

I am in the final stages of restoring Bruce May's DB1 and am reaching out to the Apexspeed community for some assistance. If anyone has any old contingency stickers from 1996 (or 1995) I am in desperate need of them to finish the car. It is being restored to its 1996 Runoffs winning livery. Attached is a photo. I am hoping to get as many original stickers as possible. Worst case, is if someone has one, maybe it can get scanned and reproduced. I am especially looking for the Motorsports Spares, Red Line Oil, Datasport and the old Hoosier sticker (it has racing tires written under the Hoosier), but if anyone has any of the stickers in the photo and is willing to part with them it would be greatly appreciated.

So, any of your "Hoarders" out there that have any of these stickers tucked away in some forgotten program, old toolbox, inside the folder labeled "MK9 installation instructions, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks, in advance

Chris

[Steve Demeter]

was this also not Bob smith's winning Runoffs car?

Bruce told me it was

[John LaRue]

I will look through my collection and let you know.

If I recall correctly Bruce's car was RK Smith's, the original DB1 Runoffs winner. I also think that a new frame was built and the original one was being restored by Gibby. If that is correct a good question is what frame was Bruce using when he won his two Runoff's in '95 & '96. I believe that his '96 win was the last Runoffs victory in a DB1. (Obviously that could change since they are still being raced.)

[Chris Robson]

I have done a lot of research on this car during the restoration. It is very much a "Washington's Axe" history. I do not know if anyone will ever know the whole story as unfortunately those who "lived it" have since passed. This car is in essence, both the first and last DB1 ever built. What I was able to find out from Gibby, before he passed was that when Bruce suffered his huge crash in 1997 at IRP it was decided that the frame was too valuable as a piece of FF history to continue taking the abuse all race cars endure over the course of their life time. He commissioned Pat Prince to build a "New" DB1 chassis based upon the specs of the original, with some slight (very slight) modifications. Everything was stripped from Bruce's (original DB1 chassis 001) car and outside of the damaged pieces, all of the original DB1 parts were re-installed onto the "new" DB1 chassis (also chassis 001) I was told that Bruce didn't want to go through the hassle and expense of homologating a new chassis, so he just continued on with the log books and SCCA certificate of manufacture papers. Gibby made a deal with Bruce for the original chassis and it was put away until it was later restored by him. The parts for the car that are hanging in the headquarters of Swift are from various cars and discarded DB1 parts Gibby had obtained over the years. That is one of the reasons it was not "raced" at the 50th anniversary. Most of the parts the car was built with well past their "expiration date". Gibby actually had very little to do with the "new" chassis 001 as he had already moved on to help with the Piper project. It was Bruce's new mechanic "Fuzzy" (I think that was his name, please correct me if I am wrong) that put the car together. The car was completed had its first outing at the 1997 Runoff's (which John is intimately familiar with) finishing 2nd. Bruce went on to win a few more races before he passed.

So is this DB1 chassis 001? I have half the log books and SCCA certificate that says so. Am I comfortable making that claim? No. What I am comfortable saying is this was the last car Bruce May owned and raced before his passing. I also feel confident in saying that technically this is the last DB1 chassis ever produced and while not wholly the original DB1 that R.K. Smith raced along with others, it does retain enough original pieces to be "genetically" related to the first car built by David Bruns. I can also say with confidence that the majority of the parts on the car were on the chassis that won the Runoffs in 1995 and 1996. Anyone with additional information or that can add/correct the story is welcome to PM me. I have tried my hardest to be as transparent as possible when it comes to the history of the car and do not want to turn this post into a debate as to what it is, or was. I chose a time that I have the most information and photos of the car and made a decision to restore it to that livery. Did the chassis win the Runoffs in 1995 and 1996? No. Did some of the parts on the car I have "win" the Runoffs in 1995 and 1996? Yes? So," Washington's Axe"...

Now that, that is cleared up (!?!) any help in tracking down stickers from that era would be greatly appreciated. ALSO, if anyone has a really good photo of the tech sticker from the 1996 Runoffs, please send it to me as I would love to make a copy of it for the car. BTW it need not be off of a FF, it could be from any class as the tech sticker is specific to the event, not the class.

Thanks,

Chris



P.S. no cigarette light was found in the dashboard during the restoration process...

[John LaRue]

Chris - Thanks for the information, it is much more than I was aware of. I imagine that I have some of those decals and will try to look over the weekend. PM me with your email or cell and I will let you know.

[swiftdrivr]

really cool project. I am glad you are saving this bit of history. I heard much the same story on the frame, years ago, probably at the 40th. I also recall someone telling me the Prince frame has some oval tubing where the originals had round. Not sure where that came from, or if it helps, but thought I'd mention it.

[Richard Hybels]

I met the late Victor Hertfelder a couple of times and he told he welded up the first DB-1 for what it’s worth.

[Chris Robson]

While I was with Truesports, one of the engineers there, Ray Leto, worked with David Bruns and was present at chassis 001's inception. He told me the story of laying out the original frame using "chalk lines and a 2"x 4" on Dave's garage floor" He also told me that the in true race car engineering form, the driver was the least important part of the equation and that they were only included in the equation when calculating the CG and balance of the car. He went as far to tell me that the car was basically built for someone 5"10" tall, with a size 8 shoe and weighing 155lbs.

Anyone outside of this parameter, who has driven a DB1, can attest to the fact driver comfort was not a factor in creating the car...

BTW, trying not to deviate too far from the topic, I am having the most difficulty finding Motorsports Spares and Elite Engine stickers.

[stonebridge20]

Chris, you may want to contact Lou Sr or Jr at Economy Signs in Danbury,CT.
Sr has been reproducing vintage race decals for many years for a few Vintage prep shops in the area. Those boys have drawer after drawer full of stuff.

[Ian Jenkins]

I have this Elite Engines decal in my possession. It was given to me a couple years ago by a former driver. With his blessing it's available if you're still in need. Unfortunately, I only have the one.

I also have a few Hoosier decals in various sizes but none of them include "RACING TIRES" on them.

Dad used to crew for Bruce back in the day. Bruce would sell (or probably more likely give) his weekend old tires to Dad to use on our FF. We all have fond memories of Bruce. If no cigarette lighter was found in the dashboard I suggest you look again, it had to be there...

[Chris Robson]

Hi Ian,

Anything you are willing to part with would be greatly appreciated. I also want to send a huge thank you to John LaRue for parting with his Motorsports Spares stickers. Along with the Elite Engines stickers, I thought those were going to be the hardest to find. One Elite sticker down, one to go, If I have to get them one at a time, so be it.

It is so awesome to be part of the is community and see all the support for each other’s projects. I doubt that most of these labors of love will ever break even, but for me it is great to know that I have been able to help others with their passion and now I am on the receiving end.

Thank you ApexSpeed community. Keep digging through those tool boxes, race programs and junk drawer's

Cheers!

[Chris Robson]

If anyone has any photos of Bruces car, I could use a really clear one of the side and also any “head on” shots. I know this is highly doubtful but if anyone out there has any leads on any memorabilia, programs, results, or know the whereabouts (again highly doubyful)of any of his suits, flags or trophies, I would love to create a display of them and reunite them. With the car.

I know it is a long shot, but you never know.

Thanks,

Chris

[E1pix]

I love hearing about authentication like this, and would be happy to repro the art on some decals — especially the Elite decal as we own a Knapp-designed Vee. I’m probably more diligent in accuracy than anyone you might find, as I sleep poorly otherwise.

Perhaps Steve still has some decals, or art?

PM me if I can help, and Goodonya for honoring history.