T.M. Special

1963 Article

F Modified

Introduction

Chassis: a 750cc DKW

Body: Believed to be a Centaur body

Engine: Porsche

Originally used only 2 of the 4 cylinders of a Porsche G.T.S. 1600cc Carrera engine
Later updated to a Porsche 2.0 liter 6 cylinder

Builder: Curits B. Thews and many friends from South Bend, Indiana

Current Owner: Mark Powell

Mark Powell reports, the T.M. Special is a "one-off special built in early 1960s by Curtis Thews from South Bend, Indiana. Raced extensively in the mid west, especially in the Chicago & Indiana areas, during the early to mid 60's.

It has a DKW frame and axle's, and is Porsche powered, originally 4 cylinder, later updated to a 2.0 liter 6 cylinder.

We think the car was originally built by a Curits Thews from South Bend, Indiana. I also have some notes that came with the car on letterhead from Sonant Racing in South Bend."

Mark has the following trophies that were won with the car:

Meadowdale National - 3rd place 1965
Bellefontaine Hillclimb XII - 1st place under 2 Liter
Mid-Ohio SBR - FWR 2nd Place,
May 17, 1964
Wilmot 3rd place 1964

Some of the information and photos above were pulled from the the Boxstar Racing Blog.

If you have any information on this car or its history, contact Mark Powell.

DKWs

"In the early sixties, DKW Junior/F12 components were quite popular to be used in homebuilt "specials". Since this car [Mark Powell's] is definitely using a DKW frame and most axle components (but not the rear axle itself), I would think that it originally also used a DKW engine. Highly tuned DKW engines were offered in those years by several, mostly German (Mitter, Hartmann, Mantzel), engine tuners.

In those years I was helping a DKW racer (Malcolm Donaldson) in the New York area. He used a car which had been built by Zink, called the Zink Petite. It somewhat resembles this car, at least in the silhouette." Otto Hofmann, via the DKW Club of America

The front suspension uses stock DKW torsion bar arrangement and inboard drum brakes.

"I think the body is from a car called the Centaur." Dave Craddock

Dave added several comments about the bodywork which are on the Centaur page.

See the 1963 Article on Page 2.

A DKW road car