BritishV8 Forum

General Category => MG Sports Cars => Topic started by: Moderator on April 18, 2013, 12:26:17 PM

Title: How It Was Done: "M Gee Bee" Air Racer
Post by: Moderator on April 18, 2013, 12:26:17 PM
Steve Kimball is one of our most creative members.

His latest project was inspired by a passion for the air racers of the 1930s.

(http://www.britishv8.org/MG/SteveKimball2/SteveKimball-GB-A3.jpg)
1931 Granville Gee Bee Model Z

(http://www.britishv8.org/MG/SteveKimball2/SteveKimball-GB-A8.jpg)
1977 "M Gee Bee" with Buick 215 V8

See the details here: <a href="http://www.britishv8.org/MG/SteveKimball2.htm">Steve Kimball's 1977 "M Gee Bee" with Buick 215 V8</a>

What are your favorite details? Let's hear your comments!
Title: Re: How It Was Done: "M Gee Bee" Air Racer
Post by: NCtim on April 18, 2013, 02:56:03 PM
TV Tray and a soup pot used in the engine compartment. He's either a genius or a miser. I suspect genius because that exhaust is really cool.

Tim
Title: Re: How It Was Done: "M Gee Bee" Air Racer
Post by: MGB-SBC-Jimmy on April 18, 2013, 03:10:21 PM
I too like the exhaust, I like how the mufflers are hidden in the fender voids, very cool!
Title: Re: How It Was Done: "M Gee Bee" Air Racer
Post by: BlownMGB-V8 on April 18, 2013, 04:18:56 PM
Well, why not?

Jim
Title: Re: How It Was Done: "M Gee Bee" Air Racer
Post by: flitner on April 18, 2013, 10:39:19 PM
Does Steve have any ties to Kimball Enterprises of Kissimee Fl.? If so it is of no surprise of craftsmanship.
Title: Re: How It Was Done: "M Gee Bee" Air Racer
Post by: BMC on April 19, 2013, 11:17:57 PM
I thought it was interesting and thought maybe he could somehow make the nose round to give it that big round engine appearance but then I went through the articles and build sheet. What a Fantastic Job!

-BMC.
Title: Re: How It Was Done: "M Gee Bee" Air Racer
Post by: MGBV8 on April 20, 2013, 09:11:56 AM
In keeping with the theme, the drivers cockpit should have been moved back to just in front of the trunk.  ;)

Cool car!
Title: Re: How It Was Done: "M Gee Bee" Air Racer
Post by: Dan B on April 20, 2013, 10:21:03 AM
Does he wear the leather hat and goggles when he drives?
Title: Re: How It Was Done: "M Gee Bee" Air Racer
Post by: mowog1 on April 20, 2013, 07:36:32 PM
Steve attended BritishV8 2010 in Indianapolis with his six-cylinder conversion flat black rat-rod-style MGB tourer.

He's a great guy and a very interesting individual!
Title: Re: How It Was Done: "M Gee Bee" Air Racer
Post by: burner1 on April 22, 2013, 02:13:18 PM
The GB's are interesting. They killed so many people that the Granville brothers parked the plans and would not let anyone build another....until Delmar Benjamine convinced them to let him build one a few years back.

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=gee+bee+delmar+benjamin&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.45512109,d.aWM&biw=1280&bih=660&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=f3x1UZqNK42xqwHBvIHgCA

We have always talked about how lucky Delmare is because we dont think he would survive an off airplort landing in this contraption. What is interesting, when he was flying it in the 90's an old man came up to them. They said they got everything right except one thing. You see all the old photos were in black and white but they knew it was red and white. What they did not realize was the trim stripe was not black; it was blue. It took an old man at an airshow to clue them in. His airshow was always breathtaking.

It was aways thought this crash was due to a gas cap which flew off:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KTyYVnSyq4