The Della Torre Thunderbird Hisso

Len Duncan was the driver of the Della Torre Thunderbird Hisso in 1939

Ralph DeMatthews collection

Len Duncan in the Della Torre Thunderbird Hisso at Union, New Jersey

Bruce Craig photo from the Ralph DeMatthews collection

Len Duncan in the Della Torre Thunderbird Hisso at Williamsgrove, PA on opening day of the 1939 racing season – Ralph DeMatthews collection

Len Duncan in the Della Torre Thunderbird Hisso.  That is car owner Jerry Della Torre with his hand on Duncan’s shoulder.  Click you mouse on the photo above to see another of just Duncan seated in the car – Both photos are from the Ralph DeMatthews collection

The two photographs (just above and below) of Jerry Della Torre’s Thunderbird Hisso were taken at Reading, PA on April 23, 1939 – Photos from the Ralph DeMatthews collection

Len Duncan on the outside in the Della Torre Thunderbird Hisso and Joe Sanko on the inside driving Pop Drake’s #99 – Ralph DeMatthews collection

Leonard “Len” Duncan

1911 - 1998

The Thunderbird Hisso was powered by a rare later design E - 4 Hisso engine

These four photographs are of the Della Torre Thunderbird Hisso racing engine that was driven by Len Duncan in the late 1930s.  The oil pan on this engine is actually the lower half of the crankcase.  Pull that lower half of the engine off and the crank will basically fall out – Roger DeMatthews photos