OldRacingCars.com

Miller ‘255’ (1932)

by Michael Ferner

When the new 4.2-litre four-cylinder engine was finally ready, Miller cut up the unsuccessful V16 racer, shortened the chassis and installed the new four to introduce his last new type before bankruptcy, the Miller 255. Again, time was too short to sort the car properly, and it was curtains before he sold more than three additional engines, and no more complete cars. A shame, really, because the car did quite well in private hands, and one can imagine a fleet of Millers like this one dominating Indy and the dirt tracks for a few years. Alas, it was not to be, and instead Fred Offenhauser would pick up the story with a continuation of the engine theme, sold to allcomers, and winning from the word “go”!

Miller ‘255’

- 1932 #27 Frame => Miller, cream, Miller 255, H. Hartz, Bryan Saulpaugh (6th Detroit), Les Spangler (ret Oakland)
- 1933 #15 Miller, grey/blue, Miller 255, H. Hartz, Les Spangler (ret Indy)
- 1934 #12 Gilmore, ?, Miller 255, E. Haskell, Rex Mays (ret Los Angeles)
- 1935 #22 Abels-Fink => Golden Mash, blue/silver, Miller 255, Floyd Roberts (4th Indy, ret Los Angeles)
- 1936 #22 => #41 Golden Mash => Fink Auto, blue/silver, Sparks 269, C. Felker, Floyd Roberts (4th Oakland, 3rd Los Angeles), Ray Pixley (6th Indy)
- 1937 #62 Thorne, blue/white, Sparks 269, J. W. Thorne, Floyd Roberts (13th Indy)
apparently rebuilt as Houser ‘IC-47’

N.B. There is evidence that this car raced with a Miller 220 engine in late 1932

Last updated by Michael Ferner on 11 Jul 2012.

All text is copyright Michael Ferner 2012 - 2024.